MCLA Professor Named Outstanding Educator of the Year by Massachusetts Society of CPAs

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — North Adams resident and Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts assistant professor Tara Barboza has been selected as the 2020 Outstanding Educator of the Year by the Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountants, the professional association of certified public accountants, representing over 11,000 members. 

Each year, the MSCPA recognizes a full-time accounting educator at a college or university who has demonstrated excellence in a classroom teaching, motivating students and inspiring educational innovation.

Barboza was selected for her excellence in teaching and motivating students, as well as her contribution to the accounting profession, active participation in the society and her efforts in serving as a liaison between the classroom and the business world.

An assistant professor of accounting, business administration and economics, Barboza joined MCLA in 2016 and serves as the coordinator of entrepreneurial programs and on the Academic Policies and Curriculum Committee. She formed an IRS’ Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program in 2019, creating numerous on-campus internship opportunities for students and providing valuable service-learning experiences. In response to the closure of several area VITA programs because of the coronavirus, Barboza brought the program online, and her students have continued to serve their communities and increase early access to the economic stimulus payments virtually. 

A valued advisor working with students who are studying public accounting, Barboza is actively involved in the college and local community, working to strengthen ties between MCLA, the Berkshire community and the accounting profession. She co-created the Principals of Accounting Certificate for nontraditional students at MCLA and has created courses in financial literacy and entrepreneurial accounting. 

Additionally, she is the faculty advisor for the MCLA Accounting Club and works with area accounting firms to create internship opportunities for students. Furthermore, Barboza serves as corporator of the MCLA Foundation and a member of the Foundation’s Board of Directors. She is also an active member of the MSCPA's Academic and Career Development Committee.

"The MSCPA is thrilled to celebrate the achievements of this remarkable woman for her outstanding contributions to her students, her community and the accounting profession," said Amy Pitter, president and CEO of the MSCPA.

Barboza has three children with her husband, Michael Hernandez. She is looking forward to her first grandchild this summer.

North Adams Unveils Hometown Heroes Banners

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
04:30PM / Friday, May 22, 2026

Carol Ethier-Kipp holds up the first aid kit her father used as an Army medic in World War II. See more photos here. 

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — The City of North Adams honored its own on Friday afternoon, unveiling 50 downtown street banners representing local veterans who served — and continue to serve — the community and the country.

 

More than 300 residents packed the front lawn of City Hall as the community took a moment to reflect on its "Hometown Heroes" during the morning unveiling ceremony.

 

"In a city like North Adams, service is personal. The men and women we honor today are not strangers to us. They are our neighbors, our classmates, our parents, our grandparents," Mayor Jennifer Macksey told the crowd. "... These banners are far more than names and pictures hanging along our streets. They are visible reminders of the values that define North Adams: courage, sacrifice, humility, duty, resilience, and the love of country. They remind every person who passes by that this community remembers our veterans."

 

The banner program launched exactly a year ago. Veterans Services Agent Kurtis Durocher opened applications in October and spent the next six months working with families to bring the project to Main Street and over the Hadley Overpass. 

 

"We gather to recognize the brave men and women from our community who have served or who are currently serving in the United States armed forces," Durocher said. "These banners are more than images. They bear a tribute to service, sacrifice, courage, and pride, and they remind us that the freedoms we enjoy every day have been protected by our neighbors, family members, friends, and Hometown Heroes."

 

Each banner features a portrait of a veteran alongside their military branch and dates of service.

 

Durocher noted that the program was something residents clearly wanted, pointing to how fast applications flooded his desk. He praised the volunteers who stepped up to get the banners made and displayed — including city firefighters and Mitchell Meranti of Wire & Alarm Department, who were installing them as late as Thursday night.