Berkshire Opera Festival announce two new members and new staff appointment
Great Barrington— Berkshire Opera Festival (BOF) welcomes Sarah Prouty as the Community Engagement Officer, and Christine Condaris and Roger Persell, two leaders of the Berkshires’ arts community, to its Board of Directors.
Sarah Prouty most recently served as a Program Associate at Berkshire Music School and holds a Master of Music degree in Vocal Performance from The Hartt School at the University of Hartford. Sarah has performed with several companies throughout the Northeast, including appearing in the chorus of BOF’s production of “La Bohème.”
Christine Condaris is a Professor of Music and former Chair of the Department of Fine & Performing Arts at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. Dr. Condaris brings more than four decades of experience as a pianist, choral conductor, educator, and arts administrator. She co-founded Northern Berkshire Creative Arts and the North Adams New Music Consort.
A retired Professor of Biology and longtime opera enthusiast, Roger Persell currently serves on the board of the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center. He played a key role in establishing the 2024 BOF–Mahaiwe Residency Agreement and has been a longtime supporter of BOF. Prior to his retirement, Mr. Persell taught for over 25 years at Hunter College, CUNY.
“I look forward to helping this great group promote opera in the Berkshires,” said Condaris. Persell added, “Anyone who has experienced love, heartache, awe, loneliness, rowdy laughter, fellowship, beauty, goodwill, jealousy, sadness, fear—everything to do with living a full, meaningful life—should love opera, for the wealth of humanity is opera’s realm.”
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MountainOne Insurance promotes Shannon Dozier to Personal Lines Manager
North Adams— MountainOne Insurance Agency is proud to announce the promotion of Shannon Dozier to Personal Lines Manager for the Berkshires.
Dozier has established herself as a leader within the MountainOne team, combining industry knowledge with enthusiasm. She began her career with MountainOne Insurance as the Front Desk Coordinator, quickly rising through the ranks to Account Manager, and now stepping into a well-earned leadership post.
“Shannon’s promotion demonstrates her dedication, growth, and the positive impact she has on our team and clients alike,” said Jonathan Denmark, Executive Vice President of MountainOne Bank and President and Chief Operating Officer of MountainOne Insurance. “Her journey from Front Desk Coordinator to Personal Lines Manager of our Berkshire County offices reflects the internal advancement we’re proud to foster at MountainOne.”
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Railroad Street Youth Project welcomes Kate Burke as Director of Social Work and Recovery
Great Barrington— Railroad Street Youth Project warmly welcomes Kate Burke, LCSW, as Director of Social Work and Recovery.
After receiving her bachelor’s degree in dance and traveling the world as a ballerina, Burke moved home to the Berkshires. Since then, she ran the Great Barrington Farmers’ Market, served on the Great Barrington Select-board, and worked for Berkshire Grown to establish farm to food access programs that serve community members throughout Berkshire County.
Recognizing her desire to serve her community, Burke went back to school and received her MSW from Westfield State University, bringing a strength-based relational approach and her knowledge of life in South County to her clinical practice with young people and their families.
As Director of Social Work and Recovery, Kate leads a team that provides free counseling and advocacy around substance use. She’s also overseeing a diversion option for young people facing disciplinary measures in collaboration with Monument Mountain High School and is on-site at Mount Everett Regional School every Tuesday.
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Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center welcomes Elizabeth Veraldi as Box Office Assistant and Frank Segro as Director of Finance & Administration
Great Barrington— Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center welcomes Elizabeth Veraldi as Box Office Assistant and Frank Segro as Director of Finance & Administration.
Veraldi comes to the Mahaiwe by way of a career in television, directing the live television divisions at Court TV and the United Nations. A move to the Berkshires inspired a career change and she began working for nonprofits with an intention to make a difference. Before the Mahaiwe, Elizabeth worked at MASS MoCA. She is passionate about the arts and delighted to be part of the Berkshires’ creative community.
An aspiring autodidact and lifelong arts-enabler, Segro has worked across disciplines to bring inclusive live events and hospitality to the region. He held leadership roles at Bethel Woods Center for the Arts, various theatrical and artistic organizations, and Camp Reimagined, where he developed innovative programs and brought immersive experiences to life. Frank is honored to help steward the Mahaiwe’s continued success and growth as a world-class community asset.
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Berkshire Art Center welcomes new board members Chris Meyer and David Mickenberg
Stockbridge— Berkshire Art Center (BAC) welcomes two new members to its Board of Directors: Chris Meyer, and David Mickenberg, who will take on the role of treasurer. Both bring a deep belief in the power of art to connect, inspire, and strengthen communities — values at the heart of BAC’s mission.
Meyer was born and raised in New Orleans, where his family was deeply involved in the arts and community development for generations. That legacy shaped his belief in art and culture as catalysts for connection, creativity, and community growth. He brings decades of experience as a marketing and communications professional and a lifelong passion for building inclusive brand-driven communities.
Mickenberg joins the board with more than thirty-five years of museum leadership and teaching experience. His career began as a scholar of French medieval architectural history, and his path has taken him from archaeological digs in southern France to directing major art museums, including the Allentown Art Museum and the Taubman Museum of Art, as well as university art museums at Wellesley College and Northwestern University. He has taught art history, architecture, ethics, and museum studies at leading institutions around the world and has long championed the role of the arts in education, civic engagement, and community development.
“We’re so pleased to have Chris and David join our Board,” said Laura Thompson, Executive Director of Berkshire Art Center. “Their expertise and enthusiasm for the arts—combined with their shared commitment to community — make them wonderful additions to our leadership team.”
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Berkshire Regional Planning Commission completes rehabilitation work on 14 Sheffield homes
Sheffield— Berkshire Regional Planning Commission (BRPC) announces a total of 14 homes in Sheffield have been successfully rehabilitated through the Housing Rehabilitation Program administered by BRPC on behalf of the Town of Sheffield.
Of the 14 homes, the household sizes ranged from one to six people while ages ranged from one year old to 94 years old. Each household had to meet the definition of low- to-moderate-income as defined for Berkshire County by the U.S. Department of Housing andUrban Development (HUD). For a household of four, that was a household income of$87,600 or less. All identifying homeowner information, including their participation in the program is kept confidential.
The type of rehabilitation work for each home was identified through a thorough housing inspection completed by BRPC’s Housing Inspector. The work on the 14 homes included items such as new roofing, windows, addressing failing septic systems, lead paint mitigation, new siding, electrical work, and much more. The average cost per home was roughly $57,000.
Berkshire Regional Planning Commission was recently engaged by the Town of Sheffield’s Select Board to pursue another CDBG application for housing rehabilitation for the coming year. If homeowners, including those outside of Sheffield, are interested in being considered for a future program, they should visit BRPC’s website where they can sign up for the Waiting List at the bottom of the page. In addition, they can email the Housing Rehabilitation Program at HousingRehab@berkshireplanning.org for more information.
