BCC Announces New Staff, Promotions

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Community College (BCC) announces the addition of four staff members, two promotions and a title change.   
 
New Staff 
Lori DuBois joins BCC as EDP System Analyst III – LMS Administrator in the Division of Teaching and Learning Innovation. Originally from Maine, DuBois earned her BA in Psychology with a minor in Education from Colby College and a MS in Library Science from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Most recently, she was a customer support specialist and trainer for the ed-tech company Springshare. Previously, she was a reference librarian and instruction coordinator at Williams College. At BCC, DuBois will be managing the learning management system and supporting faculty in their use of instructional technologies. 
 
Michelle Mellace joins BCC as Administration and Finance Division Manager. Mellace brings over 20 years of experience in contract management and 18 years in public purchasing. Most recently, she served as the Money School Coordinator at the Elizabeth Freeman Center, where she coordinated their financial independence program and provided comprehensive support to participants. Previously, she was Program Manager at General Dynamics Mission Systems and Chief Procurement Officer for the City of Pittsfield. Mellace holds an MBA from the University of Massachusetts Isenberg School of Management and a bachelor of science in Business Administration from the University of Phoenix.  
 
Jessica (Jess) Pemble joins BCC as Administrative Assistant II for Workforce Development and Community Education. She was most recently Senior Administrative Assistant for Charter Communications (Spectrum)'s Western Massachusetts and Eastern New York technical operations management teams. Pemble brings over 18 years of experience in office administration, management support, data analysis and events coordination. She resides in Dalton with her two sons, Jaxson and Logan, who keep her spare time busy with sporting events and local children's theater shows. She enjoys playing golf, exploring new hiking trails and spending as much time as possible with family. 
 
Thomas Weeks joins BCC as Network/Systems Administrator. He brings extensive expertise in IT, encompassing servers, switches, applications and cybersecurity. Before joining BCC, Weeks was the IT Manager at Berkshire Sterile Manufacturing. Previously, he was the Associate Director of IT at a performing arts theater in New York City. Together with his wife Shannon and their dog Reese, Weeks relocated to Pittsfield two years ago and has been enjoying the natural beauty of Berkshire County. In his leisure time, he is an avid kayaker and paddleboarder, and he also enjoys building furniture and engaging in restoration projects. 
 
Promotions 
Kelsey Breault is now Director of Payroll & Budget Management. She was previously Payroll Manager, a position she held since joining BCC in April 2024. 
 
Tom Warner is now the Senior Network & Data Warehouse Administrator. He was previously Network & Systems Administrator. Warner has been with BCC since July 2012. 
 
Title Change 
Abby Powers is now Interim Student Engagement and Communications Specialist. She was previously Administrative Assistant – Student Engagement, a position she held since April 2021. 
 

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Dalton Water Crews Fixing Leak on North Street

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
DALTON, Mass. — It's been a busy couple of days for the Dalton Water Department's four-man crew who have been addressing a couple of water leaks. 
 
Drivers on North Street approaching the bridge will see the crew working with REWC Land Management, Inc. employees to locate a water main and repair the leak. 
 
Water Department Superintendent Bob Benlien emphasized that the leak is minor and does not affect any residents. He does not foresee having to turn the water off and expects it to be repaired by the end of the day. 
 
The leak was so minor that it did not appear in the department's flow chart, so it is less than 100 gallons a minute, he said. 
 
The likely cause is aging infrastructure as the pipe was installed in the 1930s, Benlien explained. 
 
The main thing is finding the pipe and the leak, which they are currently doing. The road has changed over time, and it looks like the pipe was moved when the bridge was built up so the department is searching for the pipe and leak now. 
 
The water main is located on a state road with a gas main within close proximity, so the department opted to contract  REWC because it has a vacuum excavation truck.
 
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