Berkshire Community College President Ellen Kennedy announces plan to retire
Pittsfield— Berkshire Community College (BCC) announced that President Ellen Kennedy will retire at the conclusion of the current academic year.
Kennedy, who has served as the College’s president since 2012, described the role as “the greatest privilege of my professional life.” In a message to the campus community, Kennedy emphasized that the decision comes after deep reflection and is guided by both professional and personal considerations. Kennedy also shared that retirement would allow her to focus on spending more time with family and friends.
During her more than decade-long leadership, Kennedy has overseen transformative change at BCC. Her tenure included campus renewal projects, academic innovation, community engagement, student success initiatives, and foundation growth. Kennedy also successfully guided the College through challenges, including the COVID-19 pandemic, ensuring continuity of learning and reinforcing BCC’s commitment to serving students and the wider community.
“Looking ahead, the college will soon embark on the development of a new Strategic Plan and prepare for its 2029 New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) Self-Study,” Kennedy said. “Both efforts represent significant opportunities for a new president to engage deeply with what makes the college thrive—its people, its stories, its culture, and its mission—and to build the relationships and trust needed to chart and execute the College’s next chapter.”
Kennedy concluded her announcement with appreciation for the college’s impact: “Together, we have played a vital role in our community. Together, we have changed lives. I step into this transition with peace and optimism, and I look forward to celebrating the College’s next leader and all that lies ahead.”
***
Jacob’s Pillow welcomes Gerald Casel as the Carole and Dan Burack Director of The School at Jacob’s Pillow
Becket— Jacob’s Pillow announced that Gerald Casel will join the organization’s leadership team as the new Carole and Dan Burack Director of The School at Jacob’s Pillow. This pivotal role within one of the world’s most revered centers for dance education guides the creative development of all school programming and will work with Pillow leadership and school staff to spearhead new year-round in-person, hybrid, and online initiatives to be announced soon. Casel succeeds “J.R.” Glover, the Pillow’s current Education Program Specialist who served as the inaugural Carole and Dan Burack Director.
Gerald Casel is a dance artist, educator, and arts administrator whose work bridges performance, critical pedagogy, and racial justice. He most recently served as Professor and Chair of the Department of Dance at the Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University. Casel’s teaching and learning career spans prestigious institutions including NYU Tisch School of the Arts, Palucca Hochschule für Tanz Dresden, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, California State University Long Beach, and UC Santa Cruz, where he also held the role of Provost of Porter College. A graduate of The Juilliard School, he earned his MFA from UW-Milwaukee and was honored with a New York Dance and Performance Award (“Bessie”) for sustained achievement in performance.
As the founding director of GERALDCASELDANCE, Casel’s choreographic practice interrogates themes of colonialism, cultural memory, and the often-unseen structures of power. His recent work, “Not About Race Dance,” received an Isadora Duncan Award (“Izzie”) for Outstanding Direction/Choreography. Casel is also the founder of Dancing Around Race, a dynamic, community-engaged initiative that fosters transformative dialogue around systemic racial inequities. Through courageous conversations and participatory programming, the project continues to evolve and inspire change across diverse communities.
Executive and Artistic Director Pamela Tatge said, “Gerald’s experience, expertise, and passion for dance education is grounded in his deep commitment to equity… I know that under Gerald’s wise and thoughtful leadership, The School will continue to shape the history of dance across America, and the world.”
***
Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art presents the Carle Honors
Amherst— At its annual gala, the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art will present the Carle Honors to leading individuals and organizations whose creative vision and long-term dedication have had a profound impact on picture books and the vital role they play in arts appreciation and early literacy.
The 2025 Carle Honors honorees are:
- Artist: George C. Ford
- Angel: Cooperative Children’s Book Center
- Bridge: Seattle Children’s Theatre
- Mentor: Andrea Davis Pinkney
- Inspiration: Jane Bayard Curley
The gala will take place at the New York Historical in New York City on Thursday, September 25th. The evening will be hosted by Mac Barnett, a New York Times bestselling author and the 2025-2026 U.S. National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature. Artistic tributes to the honorees include music from Jazz at Lincoln Center, a dance performance courtesy of Pace University Sands College of Performing Arts, comments from Maira Kalman, and more.
The Carle Honors is a key fundraiser for The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, as all proceeds support the Museum’s mission to celebrate and elevate the art of the picture book, inspiring joy, hope, and understanding through this beloved medium. Corporate sponsorships, individual and corporate tickets, and donation opportunities are still available. For additional information, please contact Rebecca Miller Goggins, Director of Development, by calling 413-559-6308 or emailing rebeccag@carlemuseum.org. More information can be found online.
***
MountainOne Insurance promotes Stacy Roman to Vice President, Personal Lines Operations Manager
North Adams— MountainOne Insurance Agency announced the promotion of Stacy Roman to Vice President, Personal Lines Operations Manager.
Roman has been instrumental in shaping the direction of the agency’s personal lines operations with her strong leadership and operational expertise. She has led the agency through acquisitions, data conversions, and the creation of more efficient workflows. Roman’s problem-solving instincts and ability to improve both client and employee experiences make her an invaluable member of the leadership team.
“Stacy’s promotion is a testament to her exceptional leadership and deep commitment to our clients and team,” said Jonathan Denmark, Executive Vice President of MountainOne Bank and President and Chief Operating Officer of MountainOne Insurance. “We’re delighted to recognize her contributions.”
***
MassHire Berkshire Workforce Board welcomes six new members
Pittsfield— The MassHire Berkshire Workforce Board welcomes six community leaders at their quarterly meeting on September 4th.
- Betsy Andrus, Executive Director of the South Berkshire Chamber of Commerce
- Kaylyn Kern, Director of Operations, Bousquet Sport
- John Cadiz, Director of Human Resources, 18 Degrees, Inc.
- Brenda Stokes, Executive Director, Human Resources for Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts
- Makayla-Courtney McGeeney, Marketing Consultant for the North Adams Chamber of Commerce
- Libby Hernandez, Migrant Seasonal Farm Worker Outreach Specialist from the Executive Office of Labor & Workforce Development
Mayor Peter Marchetti addressed the Board of Directors at their quarterly meeting, “The past several months have been unprecedented, and I want to thank the Berkshire Workforce Board members, staff, and partners for continuing the critical workforce programming to help our employers, job seekers, and youth with their employment and training needs. We know that the economic climate is challenging and many job seekers are facing barriers to employment, while our companies struggle to attract and retain talent. But despite this, there are great programs that are happening, and your good work is not going unnoticed.”
***
Berkshire Radio Community Alliance open house
Great Barrington— On Saturday, September 20th from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Berkshire Radio Community Alliance will be hosting an open house at their studio at 320 Main Street in Great Barrington, celebrating their move back into their newly renovated studio, part of the major renovation of the historic Mahaiwe Building by Alander Construction.
The open house will be hosted by the volunteer radio programmers from the community who host weekly shows and the station’s board and operations teams. There will be live music, refreshments, and the chance to tour the new space.
WBCR-lp is also celebrating its 20th year broadcasting continuously at 97.7FM and streaming live at www.berkshireradio.org since first launching the community radio station from the Pink Cloud building further north on Main Street 20 years ago.
Thanks to the dedication and expertise of radio volunteers, WBCR-lp broadcasts around the clock at 97.7FM and streams at www.berkshireradio.org. WBCR-lp continues to grow its on-air lineup of local programmers and welcomes new programmers to submit their application at www.berkshireradio.org.
***
Berkshire Community College invites all to explore the electrician trade
Pittsfield— On Tuesday, September 23rd from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., Berkshire Community College (BCC) will hold a free, hands-on career awareness event called “Explore the Electrician Trade” in the SBA Lounge on BCC’s main campus, located at 1350 West Street in Pittsfield.
The event will focus on the BCC Trades Academy’s future electrician program. Attendees will include local electricians, young employees in the trade, and facilities managers.
An overview of the program will be followed by a casual, guided talk with local employer Comalli Electric. Topics of conversation include career pathways, wages, certifications, day-in-the-life stories and more. There will be a virtual reality interactive experience and hands-on demonstrations of electrical tools and simulations, solar panel installation, and basic wiring practice. A variety of informational tables will feature BCC programs, employers and community partners including MassHire, Second Street Second Chances and Dan D’Alma of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW).
The event is on Tuesday, September 23rd from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. in BCC’s SBA Lounge, located at 1350 West Street in Pittsfield. Admission is free. More information can be found online.
***
Greylock Federal to host free community workshops
Pittsfield— Greylock Federal Credit Union will host several free community workshops on the topics of insurance, avoiding debt, and building credit.
- On Monday, September 15th, “Insurance Basics” (in Spanish) will be offered by Zoom from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. This informative session, led by licensed staff from the Greylock Insurance Agency, will focus on auto coverage and include a Q&A session for other insurance-related topics.
- On Wednesday, October 1st, “Avoiding the Gift of Debt,” will be offered by Zoom from 6 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. The session will outline strategies to avoid debt during the holiday season.
- On Monday, October 6th, “Credit Ability: Build a Strong Credit History” (in Spanish), a hybrid workshop, will be offered to help participants understand the need to build credit, the significance of credit scores, ways to establish credit, and how to use credit wisely. Participants are welcome to join in person from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at the Greylock Community Empowerment Center, located at 75 Kellogg Street in Pittsfield or by Zoom.
- On Wednesday, October 29th, “Preparing for Medicare 101 and Open Enrollment Changes 2025” will be offered by Zoom at 6 p.m. This session, presented in partnership with Elder Services of Berkshire County, will help prepare recent retirees and those looking to retire in near future.
Registration and more information can be found online.
