HOUSATONIC, Mass. — Berkshire Pulse, South County's dance and performing arts education center, announced the recent appointment of 3 new members to its board of directors:

 

Kelly Baxter-Spitz has over 30 years of experience in development and fundraising, and has held leadership positions at Volunteers in Medicine Berkshires, Berkshire Country Day School, Indian Mountain School, Kripalu, and Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation since moving to the Berkshires in 2001.  She currently serves as the Director of Development at Community Health & Wellness Center, a federally qualified health center with sites in North Canaan, Winsted and Torrington, CT.  Kelly was first introduced to Berkshire Pulse when her daughter, Emma, began dancing at age 5.  Kelly then went on to serve on the Board of Directors for several years. She then took a 10-year break before returning in 2024.

 

Melissa Canavan was born and raised in southern California and pursued dance as an undergraduate at California State University, Long Beach. She first came to the Berkshires in 2015 to intern at Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival in Becket. After her internship, she decided to stay in the region, working first at the Pillow, then at the Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center in Great Barrington. Currently, Melissa serves as the Executive Director of the Berkshire Immigrant Center in Pittsfield. She holds a Master of Science in Arts Administration from Boston University. In addition to her professional work, Melissa volunteers with Latinas413, a group dedicated to empowering Latina women in Berkshire County, and continues to nurture her passion for dance by performing in local choreographers' works and as the founder and artistic director of her own dance company, the Melissa Martinez Project.

 

Sylvana Proano is the founder of Casa Multicultural, a nonprofit organization that supports immigrant families and communities through art, dance, music, and education. With over 10 years of experience in social work, Sylvana has a proven track record of working in the community for other nonprofit organizations. Sylvana began her career at Berkshire Medical Center, where she worked as a certified medical interpreter. When she became a part of the Social Berkshire Children and Families, now known as 18 Degrees, Sylvana's passion for helping families and keeping them together grew tremendously. She holds a bachelor's degree in Social Studies from a university in her home country of Ecuador. Sylvana's passion is to empower families, especially immigrant families, as this was the main reason she founded Casa Multicultural. 

 

"Our new board members have dedicated their careers to improving the lives of the people in our community," said Gail Belmuth, Berkshire Pulse Board President. "Their demonstrated, heartfelt commitment to diversity and accessibility, combined with their abundant nonprofit management skills, make them ideal additions to Pulse as we continue to grow and fulfill our mission."