PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Gov. Deval Patrick on Friday appointed Darlene Rodowicz as chairman of the board of trustees at Berkshire Community College.
"Our community colleges are at the center of our efforts to close the skills gap and help people get back to work in Massachusetts," said the governor in a statement. "I want to thank Ms. Rodowicz for her willingness to serve in this capacity and am confident that she will be a critical partner in our collective efforts to better serve our students and employers, building a stronger commonwealth for generations to come."
Rodowicz is the current chairman at Berkshire Community College and the announcement is an affirmation of her appointment under the governor's new authority to appoint the chairman at each of the state's 15 community colleges.
The appointing authority is part of the governor's community college plan, supported by the Legislature and included in the fiscal 2013 budget. This plan is designed to create a more integrated, effective community college system that is responsive to both local and statewide employer needs by giving community colleges additional capacity to expand their efforts to provide students with high-quality, relevant educational and training programs. This plan will also help strengthen the connections between our campuses, our employers, and our workforce so that students of all ages have the opportunity to succeed.
Rodowicz is the chief financial officer and vice president of finance for Berkshire Health Systems, where she is responsible for developing the organization's annual operating and capital budgets, oversees business development including new programs and services and has created a 10-year master facility plan for the health system, among other responsibilities.
She previously worked at Blue Cross Blue Shield Massachusetts as a Medicare auditor. Rodowicz earned a bachelor of science degree in accounting from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and a master of business administration from Western New England College. She has been a trustee of BCC for more than three years.
"These are exciting times for community colleges," said Rodowicz. "I am honored that the governor has named me chair of the board of trustees at Berkshire Community College. We will continue to meet the needs of the residents and the employers of Berkshire County and the commonwealth."
"Darlene Rodowicz brings a wealth of experience in non-profit management, finance, workforce development and leadership. She also has extensive knowledge of the communities served by the college," said Berkshire Community College President Ellen Kennedy. "We are delighted with the governor's decision."
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