Berkshire Museum Adds Key Staff
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Berkshire Museum has added two new members to its staff. Joining the team at the museum is Laurie M. Werner, soon to become director of development, and Jeremy D. Goodwin, who has come on board as the museum’s new director of communications.“This is an exciting time for the Berkshire Museum, and we are delighted to make these two additions to our staff,” said Executive Director Stuart Chase. “At a time when we are adding space for contemporary exhibitions, while maintaining extensive educational programming and mounting groundbreaking shows like Wrapped!, our existing staff has done some excellent work. It’s obvious that Laurie and Jeremy are very excited to join this team and help take the museum to the next stage in our development.”
This year Berkshire Museum has seen the opening of the Wider Window Gallery for contemporary artwork, the use of the stately Ellen Crane Memorial Room for an exciting installation of newer works, the creation of an exhibition (Armed and Dangerous) culled almost entirely from the museum’s permanent holdings that is now an in-demand traveling show, and the world premiere of "Wrapped! Search for the Essential Mummy," an exploration not only of ancient Egyptian mummies but of Western culture’s longstanding fascination with them—a groundbreaking show that has provided the first known “reunion” of a father and son mummy pair in the United States. This comes after a major renovation of the historic Berkshire Museum building, including the construction of the Feigenbaum Hall of Innovation, which is a celebration of the inspiring spirit of innovation and Berkshire do-ers who have made key breakthroughs in their fields.
Werner has a wealth of experience in fundraising for cultural organizations, coming to Berkshire Museum from the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, where she was the manager of Individual Support and the Capital Campaign. Previously she served as Development Officer at The Mount and was a senior consultant at The Charles Webb Company, where she planned and organized capital campaigns and facilitated strategic plans for a wide range of cultural organizations. “The development landscape for non-profit cultural organizations is a challenging one, but it can be very rewarding as well. The Berkshire Museum makes a lasting impact on our surrounding community, and I’m pleased to become a part of the exciting work going on here,” she said. Before moving to the Berkshires, Werner worked in the Department of Economic and Social Information and Policy Analysis at the United Nations. She has a Ph. D. in economics from the City University of New York, and a B.A. in English from Barnard College.
Goodwin comes to the museum from Shakespeare and Company, where he served for three years, most recently as Associate Director of Communications. Previously he was News Editor at the Berkshire Record, and a reporter for the Danvers-based Community Newspaper Company. He was also one of the editors of "The Phish Companion: A Guide to the Band and their Music," and is on the board of directors of The Mockingbird Foundation, a nonprofit organization that raises and disperses funds for music education programs.
“Berkshire Museum has a unique story to tell. It’s Berkshire County’s original museum, and has amassed a truly stunning permanent collection while also branching out into the world of modern and contemporary art,” Goodwin said. “I can already tell that a lot of people feel at home here, and they do so for many different reasons. The thing that underlies it all is a strong belief in innovation. I’m pleased to become a part of that story.” Goodwin also covers popular music for the Berkshire Eagle, and has contributed to ARTNews, Berkshire Living, and many other publications. He holds a B.A. in Political Communication from The George Washington University’s School of Media and Public Affairs.
