BCC Announces New Staff, Promotions

Print Story | Email Story
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. 
 

Tags: BCC,   

If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Dalton Division Road Project in Pre-25 Percent Design Stage

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
DALTON, Mass. — The town's engineers say there is still time to work through the Dalton Division Road project’s design and permitting process. 
 
In December, the Select Board voted to advocate for Concept A, which would have sidewalks on both sides, a 5-foot bike lane in the road on both sides with a buffer, and a 2-foot painted buffer between the vehicle lane and in the bike lane. They also recommended the two-way stop control option. 
 
Since that decision, there have been sentiments to revisit this decision to reduce the cost and improve safety at the intersection off Williams Street, Washington Mountain Road, and Mountain Road. 
 
The original vote would have been the most expensive and "certainly not" the engineer or the state's "preferred design," Town Manager Thomas Hutcheson said during a meeting in November. 
 
During last week's Select Board meeting, Fuss & O'Neil project manager and senior traffic engineer Steve Savaria represented the options, explained potential obstacles, and demonstrated the next steps. Present board members have yet to vote on their final choice. 
 
The project is still in the pre-25 percent design stage and is currently on the fiscal year 2029 Transportation Improvement Program list, so there is "plenty of time" to work out the details. 
 
Since the original vote, some board members have shifted their opinion toward advocating for the most feasible and timely option with a "path of least resistance to get this project done." 
 
View Full Story

More Pittsfield Stories