BCC Announces New Faculty/Staff, Promotion, Title Changes

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Community College (BCC) announces the addition of six faculty and staff members, one promotion and three title changes.   
 
New Faculty/Staff 
 
Sanah Fouz joins BCC as Assistant Professor of Nursing. She currently resides in her home town of Pittsfield. Fouz is a graduate of BCC and earned a bachelor's degree from College of Our Lady of the Elms. Most recently, she worked as a staff nurse at Berkshire Medical Center for nine years. Her husband and two children are also BCC alumni. 
 
Darcie Lampiasi joins BCC as Food Security Coordinator. She received an associate degree in Science of Social Work, a certificate in Human Services and a certificate in Addiction and Recovery from BCC. Most recently, she was a Harm Reduction Specialist at Berkshire Health Systems, a role that resulted from a BCC internship. She has also supported students in the BCC TRIO office through past internships. Previously, she served as the Administrative Assistant for the City of North Adams Public Works Department. She lives in North Adams with her 13-year-old boys and her pug, Griffin. In her free time, she enjoys yoga, hiking and meditating.  
 
Darlene McCauley joins BCC as the Clerk IV for Counseling Services and the Disability Resource Center. She brings more than 10 years of experience working with at-risk youth and diverse populations, including roles at Pittsfield Public Schools. McCauley has also worked for the Berkshire County Sheriff's Department – Juvenile Resource Center, and, most recently, for the Town of Lenox, as Director of Parks & Recreation, Community Center and the Lenox Council of Aging. She also serves on the board of directors for the Gladys Allen Brigham Community Center. McCauley enjoys spending time with her husband, Wayne, daughter Megan and her fiancé Jack, son Mitchell and daughter-in-law Rachel, as well as yoga and reading. 
 
Erin Milne joins BCC's Division of Teaching and Learning Innovation as the Coordinator of Integrative Learning. Milne was raised in Dalton, and both her parents are BCC alumni. With more than 20 years of experience in the education profession, she most recently spent eight years as Director of Assessment at MCLA, where she continues to serve as adjunct instructor of the MCLA Concert Choir. She also serves on the Board of Directors for the Association for the Assessment of Student Learning in Higher Education. Milne holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music Theory/History from Oberlin College and a Master of Arts with Teacher Licensure in Music Education from Case Western Reserve University. In her free time, she serves on the Hoosac Valley Regional School Committee for the town of Adams, sings with the Cantilena Chamber Choir, and enjoys relaxing with her daughter and cat. 
 
Valerie Rose joins BCC as Assistant Professor of Respiratory Therapy. Most recently, she was the Clinical Manager of Respiratory Therapy at Cooley Dickinson Hospital in Northampton. She holds a bachelor's degree in Business Administration from UMASS Amherst and is also a graduate of the BCC Respiratory Program. Rose grew up in Pittsfield and has lived in Dalton for the past 25 years. 
 
Cody Scolforo joins BCC as Special Programs Coordinator – Digital Technologies Coach. Scolforo is a Pittsfield native and a Taconic High School alum. He was a Technology and A/V Specialist for the last four years at the Mt. Greylock Regional School District, after spending several years working at Mad Macs in Pittsfield. In his spare time, he loves to cook and try new foods, play tabletop and video games, and spoil his 19-year-old cat named Yogi. 
 
Promotion 
 
Christopher DeGray, formerly Director of Facilities, has been promoted to Executive Director of Facilities & Capital Planning. He has been with BCC since September 2021. Previously, he was Facilities and Operations Department Director for Environmental Services at Westfield State University, where he served for nearly 12 years. 
 
Title Changes 
 
George Ambriz is now the Interim Assistant Dean of TRIO and Student Success. Previously, he was was the Assistant Dean of Enrollment Management and Retention. He has been with BCC since June 2018.  
 
Elizabeth Dister is now the Interim Assistant Dean of Enrollment Management and Student Success. Previously, she was the Student SUCCESS Assessment & Research Analyst. She has been with BCC since October 2022. 
 
Casey Young is now an Enrollment Counselor. She previously served as the Food Security Coordinator, a position she held since May 2023. 

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ADOPTED! Companion Corner: Cali and Kyzer at Berkshire Humane Society

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff

Great news, Kyzer and Cali found a home for Christmas already! Still looking for a new friend for the holidays? There are plenty of dogs and cats and small animals at Berkshire Humane who would love to go home with you.

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — There's a bonded dog pair awaiting a new family at the Berkshire Humane Society.

Kyzer and Cali are both poodles. Kyzer is the male and is 7 years old, a quite a bit bigger than his sister Cali, who is a miniature of Kyzer and 8 years old.

Canine adoption counselor Rhonda Cyr introduced us to the two.

"They came from a household that couldn't hold on to them, and it sounds like they may have been abandoned by their previous owner with somebody else, and so they came to us looking for a new home," she said.

The two love to be around you and snuggle. But both are very happy dogs.

"Kyzer is 7 years old, and his personality is that he kind of wants to be in everything. He's very loving, very snuggly, as you can tell. And Callie here, she's 8 years old, and she is kind of like the life of the party," said Cyr. "She wants to tell you everything about her day, and she's a little bit of a little ham."

The two are considered seniors and really like soft treats as Cali just had a few teeth removed and Kyzer has a tooth procedure coming up.

"Currently, they really like soft treats, because they are both on the senior side of things. So they have had some dental work, so they are really in need of something softer. They are not big chewers at this age, really, their main focus right now is just really socializing and cuddling," Cyr said.

The two would love a quiet home with someone who wants to snuggle. They shouldn't go to a home with bigger dogs but if you have a dog, you can bring them in for a visitation with the poodles to see if they will get along. Cats will be fine and the preference is for older and more responsible children so that the pups don't get hurt, as they are senior citizens.

"The perfect home for them would be a quiet home that's not too active. Like I said, they're very social, so they could handle some visitors," she said. "They're very friendly, but I don't think that they would really enjoy any other dogs in the home."

Poodles need to be regularly groomed, and the prospective adopter will have to keep an eye on their health. Kyzer has a heart murmur that needs to be monitored. This doesn't mean he is in bad health, as he could live a perfectly normal life, but he will need to be checked by a veterinary specialist routinely.

"Ideally, he would go to a home that could provide further health care with a specialist in cardiac care. And you know, he could very well live out the rest of his life comfortably and happy," Cyr said. "We just don't have all that information at the moment, but I think that you know the way he's going right now. He's got a good spirit, and he seems to be pretty happy."

The shelter is hoping the to get them a home for the holidays.

"We would love to get them a home in time for the holidays. They've been here since the eighth of November, and they're really, really looking as much as the staff loves them here, we're really looking to get them into a home and somewhere nice and cozy so they can spend the rest of their life together," she said.

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