Page 57 - BusinessWest March, 21, 2022

LORA WONDOLOWSKI
Lora Wondolowski, the found- ing executive director of Lead- ership Pioneer Valley (LPV ), and the organization’s leader since 2011, will leave her post on April 1. Her leadership has been integral to all aspects of LPV’s operations, with notable successes including the growth
of the core LEAP program, the Leaders on Board ini- tiative, building strategic partnerships, and improv- ing and stabilizing operations and organizational processes. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the first graduating class. Upon her departure, the board plans to appoint an interim executive director until finding a permanent executive director. Won- dolowski and the LPV board of directors are work- ing with staff and stakeholders to ensure a smooth transition for LEAP participants, partners, and supporters.
•••••
Tech Foundry, with a mis- sion to support the region’s growing need for a qualified technology workforce and elevate underrepresented groups into sustainable careers in information technology, announced the appointment of Tricia Canavan as its CEO effective March 21. Canavan
will succeed Bruce Dixon, who resigned to pursue new opportunities. Founded in 2014, Tech Foundry has offered internships, networking opportunities, and instruction to traditionally low-income, under- served populations, preparing graduates for entry- level IT work in the Pioneer Valley. These programs are offered free of charge to participants through donations from area businesses and members of the local community. With a background in nonprofit and business management, workforce development, and adult education, Canavan currently serves as executive vice president of corporate relations and advocacy for Masis Staffing Solutions. Previously,
she served as CEO of United Personnel, which was acquired by Masis in May 2021. She chairs the West- ern Massachusetts Economic Development Council, co-chairs Springfield Business Leaders for Education, and serves on the boards of Associated Industries of Massachusetts, MassHire Hampden County, and the Springfield Public Forum.
•••••
Mount Holyoke College President Sonya Stephens
announced that she will step down in August to become president of the American University of Paris. Stephens joined Mount Holyoke in 2013 and served as vice president for Academic Affairs and dean of faculty before being appointed acting presi- dent in 2016 to replace Lynn Pasquerella. In 2018, the board of trustees voted to remove the ‘acting’ title.
In a letter to the Mount Holyoke community, Ste- phens said her new role in Paris is a “unique oppor- tunity to advance a contemporary expression of the liberal arts in France — one that brings together so many of my intellectual and administrative interests and commitments.” She added that “it has been an extraordinary honor and a privilege to serve you and Mount Holyoke since 2013 and to work in concert with brilliant and exacting students, with a faculty that is as devoted to outstanding scholarship as it is to cultivating inquiry in others and with a leadership team and staff so exceedingly devoted to our mis- sion. It has been inspiring and motivating to work with such an engaged, thoughtful, generous, and dedicated board of trustees, and to come to know, admire, and deeply appreciate the wider alum com- munity. While I have held different roles over these
nine years, I see our work together as a continuum — one focused resolutely on the future strength of the college, on enhancing the exceptional educa- tional experience it offers, and on the community that makes this possible, here on campus, across the nation, and worldwide.”
•••••
Jaclyn Stevenson has been appointed director of Market- ing and Communications at Shakespeare & Company, a nonprofit theater performance, education, and actor-training organization based in Lenox. In her position, Stevenson directs all marketing and communica- tions efforts for the company
and supervises the Graphic Design and Patron Ser- vices departments, including in the areas of audience engagement, retail operations, and concessions. She also serves as co-chair of the communications sub- committee of the IDEA (inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility) committee, and as liaison to the Lenox Cultural District steering committee. Steven- son brings more than 20 years of communications experience to the position, having worked with a wide range of clients, including Toyota Motor Corp., CIGNA Healthcare, Disney World Sports, Spalding, and many others. Most recently, she served as direc- tor of Marketing and Communications for Columbia- Greene Community College, part of the State Uni- versity of New York system. A BusinessWest 40 Under Forty honoree in 2012, she holds a bachelor’s degree in English from Bridgewater State University and a master’s degree in organization development from American International College, as well as several certifications relative to web accessibility, social- media management, and risk management.
•••••
American International Col- lege (AIC) has appointed Susan Henrichon dean of the School of Education. Henrichon joined American International Col- lege in 2018, bringing more than 30 years of experience in PK-12 public education, with more than 15 years spent in senior leadership roles. Most
recently, she served as the associate dean of aca- demic programs while teaching extensively in the School of Education, and additionally serving as a senior instructor and program supervisor for gradu- ate students. Prior to coming to AIC, Henrichon was an assistant superintendent of schools in Oxford and director of Special Education and Student Services for the Oxford Public Schools system. Before that, she was the director of Pupil Personnel Services in Monson, director of Special Education in Easthamp- ton, director of Student Services for the Southwick- Tolland-Granville school district; special-education team leader in the Holyoke Public Schools; and assistant department head of Quality Assurance at the Monson Developmental Center. Henrichon has been recognized by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education for her work. Her profes- sional affiliations include the Massachusetts Assoc. of School Superintendents, the Worcester County Superintendents Assoc., Massachusetts Administra- tors for Special Education, the Western Massachu- setts Special Education Directors Assoc., the Assoc. for Supervision and Curriculum Development, and the Council for Exceptional Children. She received
a doctor of education degree in educational admin- istration at Northcentral University in Phoenix; her certificate of advanced graduate studies in educa- tional administration from the University of Mas-
sachusetts; a master’s degree in education, special education, from Westfield State University; and a bachelor’s degree from Plymouth State University in Plymouth, N.H.
People on the Move
•••••
Michelle Jarvis-Lettman joined Elms College as
director of Financial Aid in January. She has 15 years of experience within student financial services with positions at Worcester State University, Springfield Technical Community College, Wesleyan University, University of Hartford, and Ironbridge Resources, LLC. She has presented on the topic of financial aid to many audiences, including the Massachusetts Assoc. of Student Financial Aid Administrators in 2019. Jarvis-Lettman received her master’s degree
in higher education administration from Bay Path University after completing her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Worcester State. She was recently appointed to Worcester State’s Athletic Hall of Fame Committee. She also coaches basketball. In addition, the Elms College Graduate Admission Office recently announced the promotion of Stefany Scliopou to director of Graduate and Continuing Education Admission. She is a graduate of Johnson & Wales Uni- versity with a bachelor’s degree in hospitality man- agement. After working in the hotel industry for nine years, she transitioned into higher education, where she completed her MBA degree with Elms College. For the last six years, Scliopou has worked in a grad- uate admission role helping non-traditional adult students embrace their next-level education endeav- ors. She has worked alongside students and program directors to ensure exceptional student support. In addition, she is the academic coordinator for the Elms-HCC business-degree-completion programs as well as a part-time adjunct. She serves on the board of the Young Professional Society of Greater Spring- field, the Greater Chicopee Chamber of Commerce events committee, and the parish council board for St. George Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Springfield.
•••••
The Massachusetts chapter of the Council on Amer-
ican-Islamic Relations (CAIR Massachusetts) announced that Tahirah Amatul-Wadud has been chosen to serve as
its new executive director. Amatul-Wadud is an attorney based in Springfield with more than 16 years of experience in corporate, family, and civil- rights law. A former staff attor-
ney with Western Massachusetts Community Legal Aid before entering private practice, she served as a commissioner with the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women from 2014 to 2020. In 2016, she rose to national prominence serving as the prin- cipal attorney on behalf of the residents of Islamberg, N.Y. against Robert Doggart, an anti-Muslim con- spiracy theorist who had planned a violent attack against the community. In 2018, she ran for Congress in Massachusetts’ first district, securing 30% of the vote. She served as vice president of the board of directors at CAIR Massachusetts from 2016 to 2018 and its president since 2018, and during her tenure has overseen the organization’s restructuring and rapid growth. CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice,
People on the Move
Continued on page 59
JACLYN STEVENSON
TRICIA CANAVAN
SUSAN HENRICHON
TAHIRAH AMATUL-WADDUD
BusinessWest
DEPARTMENTS
MARCH 21, 2022 57