Construct appoints Joey Lindstrom as Executive Director
Great Barrington— After a national search, Construct announced the appointment of Joey Lindstrom as its new Executive Director.
Lindstrom has held leadership roles in the housing justice movement for 25 years. Most recently, he served as Chief of Program Development for Housing at the Rhode Island Department of Housing. Prior to that, he was Director for Field Organizing at the National Low Income Housing Coalition. He has received the Public Citizen of the Year award from the Wisconsin chapter of the National Association of Social Workers and the Liesl Blockstein Community Leadership Award from Community Shares of Wisconsin. Lindstrom is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin–Madison and a U.S. Army veteran who served in Iraq.
“Housing affordability in small towns and rural areas is often overlooked, but Construct has approached this challenge with creativity and determination,” said Lindstrom. “My goal is to strengthen the organization’s foundations and policies to expand its impact in the years ahead.”
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Clark Art Institute appoints Alexis Goodin as Curator of Decorative Arts
Williamstown— The Clark Art Institute announces the appointment of Alexis Goodin as Curator of Decorative Arts.
In this position, she will continue to advance research, steward the collections, and develop exhibitions centered on the Clark’s collection of decorative arts. Having served for over more than two decades at the Clark, Goodin has played a vital role in shaping the interpretation, presentation, and scholarship of the Clark’s decorative arts collections. In addition to her work with decorative arts, Goodin’s curatorial practice reflects a sustained interest in women artists and social history.
Goodin holds a master’s degree from the Williams College/Clark Graduate Program in the History of Art and a Ph.D. in art history from Brown University, writing her dissertation on the representation of ancient Egypt at the Sydenham Crystal Palace in South London.
“I am deeply honored to assume the role of safeguarding, displaying, and growing the Clark’s spectacular collection of decorative arts,” said Goodin. “I have worked closely with these collections for years, and I look forward to highlighting the richness of the Clark’s holdings of silver, porcelain, glass, furniture, and other works in new and relevant ways, making them accessible to our public.”
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Community Health Programs welcomes John-Paul Bettencourt as Chief Medical Officer
Great Barrington— Community Health Programs (CHP) proudly announces the appointment of Chief Medical Officer, John-Paul Bettencourt, D.O., M.P.H., M.B.A., AAHIVS, CPE.
Most recently, Dr. Bettencourt served as Chief Medical Officer at McGregor Clinic in Fort Myers, Florida. With more than 13 years of clinical practice and 12 years of experience in medical and disaster management, Dr. Bettencourt’s expertise will guide CHP into the future of healthcare. His time as a lead physician and academic instructor in the New England region will be an asset and provide insight into the medical needs of the Berkshires.
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Berkshire United Way welcomes Jennifer Baril as Director of Development
Pittsfield— Berkshire United Way (BUW) welcomes Jennifer Baril as the new Director of Development.
Baril has over 25 years of fundraising experience designing and implementing results-driven programs for community service, education, and healthcare organizations. Previous positions include Director of Fund Development for Health Equity Solutions, Senior Director of Fundraising for the Center for Human Development, Senior Major Gift Officer at Western New England University, Philanthropy Officer at Baystate Health, Director of Development for Girls Inc. of Holyoke, and at Smith College as Assistant Director of the Alumnae fund and Major Gifts Officer.
With a bachelor’s degree from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and a master’s degree from UMass Amherst’s Isenberg School of Management, she also serves as president Homework House Board of Directors, and previously served with Volunteers in Service to America.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Jennifer to the team as we continue to strengthen our stewardship, diversify our funding streams, and build long-term funding resiliency,” said Katherine von Haefen, BUW president and CEO. “We’re excited to hear her ideas and connect her with our incredible supporters.”
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Berkshire HorseWorks receives grants from TMT Charitable Foundation and more
Richmond— Berkshire HorseWorks received a $10,000 grant from the TMT Charitable Foundation to purchase hay and medicine for the winter for the herd of 11 rescued therapy horses and donkeys, and to support scholarships as needed for equine-assisted programs at the seven-acre ranch.
Recently, local grants totaling $28,000 came from multiple sources, including: Sheriff Thomas Bowler and the Berkshire County Sheriff’s Charitable Foundation for youth development; Berkshire United Way for expanding equitable access to mental health services, enhancing program capacity, and ensuring long-term sustainability; Berkshire Life Foundation for providing equine programming for disabled children, their families and siblings, which enhance creativity and mindfulness, improve mobility, and tactile engagement; Jewish Women’s Foundation of the Berkshires and the Bianchi-Barbarotta Foundation for providing scholarships to those in LMI communities in the Berkshires for the RanchLife 101 after-school program.
Founder and executive director of Berkshire HorseWorks Hayley Sumner said, “In this incredibly difficult environment we are forever grateful to the organizations for believing in us and the work that we do.”
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Three regional transit authorities to launch Link413
Pittsfield— Three regional transit authorities in Western Mass will meet on Wednesday, January 28th to launch Link413, a joint collaboration that offers customers three new longer-distance, weekday bus routes providing direct service across four counties and enabling out-of-state connections.
The pilot initiative is a partnership of the Berkshire Regional Transit Authority (BRTA), Franklin Regional Transit Authority (FRTA), and Pioneer Valley Transit Authority (PVTA). The three transit authorities received grant funding for multiple years from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) through the Regional Connectivity and Innovations grant programs.
The Link413 buses offer amenities such as high-back seats, free WiFi, and accessibility for customers traveling with the help of mobility devices. The coaches are branded with the Link413 name and images of Western Mass such as the Connecticut River and surrounding farmland, rolling hills and popular destinations like the Poet’s Seat Tower, Bridge of Flowers, and Mount Greylock.
The buses will provide service on three new commuter routes: between Pittsfield and North Adams; between North Adams and Greenfield via the communities of Adams, Savoy, Plainfield, Ashfield, and Charlemont; and between Pittsfield and Northampton via the communities of Dalton, Windsor, Cummington, Goshen, and Williamsburg. Connections to Boston, Connecticut, New York, and Vermont are also possible with Amtrak’s Valley Flyer, Vermonter, Lake Shore Limited, and Berkshire Flyer train services.
A one-way Link413 ticket will cost $10 per trip, or $5 per trip for qualifying customers. Riders can buy tickets through MassDOT’s BusPlus+ mobile phone app. More information can be found online.
