WAM Theatre Announces Appointment of Four New Board Members

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LENOX, Mass. — WAM Theatre has appointed four new members to its board of directors.

Carolyn Butler, Margaret Fluhr, Ellen Ring, and Diane Scott join newly elected board President Wendy Healey, Vice President Arwen Lowbridge, Secretary Lynn Festa, and WAM Co-Founder and Artistic Director Kristen van Ginhoven, to lead the Berkshire-based company into its second decade.

"As we head into our second decade we have immense gratitude as we reflect on the service of all our past board members. All of them, especially our three past board presidents, Tammy Valicenti, Ashley Berridge, and Nicholas Webb, have been instrumental in the impact and success of WAM in our first decade," van Ginhoven said. "We thank all of our past board members for their service and are excited to start our second decade with these four new passionate advocates joining our board. We look forward to continuing to strategically expand our board as we build deeper relationships with people from across a range of perspectives who are interested in helping WAM create opportunity for women and girls through our unique mission of theatre as philanthropy."

Fluhr has more than 37 years of experience as a clinical social worker working to stop child abuse and neglect. She has always been an active supporter of the arts, including theater, classical music, and dance, and she frequently attends performances in Manhattan and in the Berkshires. 

Butler brings more than 20 years of experience in the not-for-profit sector as a fundraiser, board member, and volunteer in the areas of arts, culture, and social services. 

Scott is an associate professor in arts management and chair of the Fine and Performing Arts Department at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in North Adams. She specializes in creative and fine arts entrepreneurship, management, and organizational behavior.

Ring has spent the last 30 years in various areas of retail. In 2005 she started her own retail jewelry business, Ellen L Ring Ltd, specializing in buying and selling fine second-hand jewelry, which she runs online and across the country selling at antiques shows.

WAM recently announced its 10th anniversary season, including two Mainstage productions - the world premiere of "Lady Randy" by Anne Undeland running April 18-May 5, and "Pipeline" by Dominique Morisseau running Oct. 25-Nov. 10, presented in partnership with Multicultural BRIDGE.


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North Adams Regional Reopens With Ribbon-Cutting Celebration

By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff

BHS President and CEO Darlene Rodowicz welcomes the gathering to the celebration of the hospital's reopening 10 years to the day it closed. 
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The joyful celebration on Thursday at North Adams Regional Hospital was a far cry from the scene 10 years ago when protests and tears marked the facility's closing
 
Hospital officials, local leaders, medical staff, residents and elected officials gathered under a tent on the campus to mark the efforts over the past decade to restore NARH and cut the ribbon officially reopening the 136-year-old medical center. 
 
"This hospital under previous ownership closed its doors. It was a day that was full of tears, anger and fear in the Northern Berkshire community about where and how residents would be able to receive what should be a fundamental right for everyone — access to health care," said Darlene Rodowicz, president and CEO of Berkshire Health Systems. 
 
"Today the historic opportunity to enhance the health and wellness of Northern Berkshire community is here. And we've been waiting for this moment for 10 years. It is the key to keeping in line with our strategic plan which is to increase access and support coordinated county wide system of care." 
 
Berkshire Medical Center in Pittsfield, under the BHS umbrella, purchased the campus and affiliated systems when Northern Berkshire Healthcare declared bankruptcy and closed on March 28, 2014. NBH had been beset by falling admissions, reductions in Medicare and Medicaid payments, and investments that had gone sour leaving it more than $30 million in debt. 
 
BMC was able to reopen the ER as an emergency satellite facility and slowly restored and enhanced medical services including outpatient surgery, imaging, dialysis, pharmacy and physician services. 
 
But it would take a slight tweak in the U.S. Health and Human Services' regulations — thank to U.S. Rep. Richie Neal — to bring back inpatient beds and resurrect North Adams Regional Hospital 
 
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