image description — Matthew Kenny, left, is the new dean of science and business and Akinyemi Blackshear joins BCC as assistant director of marketing and communications.

Berkshire Community College Announces New Staff Members, Promotions

03:47PM / Saturday, July 19, 2025Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Community College has added two new staff members and made two promotions.

Matthew Kenny joins BCC as dean of science and business. He brings 25 years of experience as a professor of biological sciences and as program coordinator and division chair of massage therapy at Columbia-Greene Community College in Hudson, N.Y. Kenny has a strong background in program assessment, curriculum development, faculty mentorship, community partnerships and evidence-based teaching and learning practices. His leadership with Achieving the Dream at Columbia-Greene reflects his ability to build collaboration and drive student-focused, equity-centered work.

Kenny is an amateur silversmith and lover of all things gardening. He lives outside of Hudson with his husband, two dogs and eight chickens.

Akinyemi Blackshear joins BCC as assistant director of marketing and communications. Originally from North Carolina, Blackshear holds a bachelor of fine arts in dance from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Most recently, they served as marketing operations manager at Theory Wellness and as manager of social media accounts for the Coalition to Protect America's National Parks. They previously interned at Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival — an experience that launched an eight-year career in marketing.

In their free time, they enjoy choreographing and dancing, spending time outdoors and with family, experiencing local arts and occasionally birding with the Hoffmann Bird Club. Blackshear and their partner, Steven, live in Pittsfield.

Addie VanDeurzen has been promoted to senior manager of Bridge to College. She had been the career and technical education linkage and concurrent enrollment coordinator since joining BCC in October 2013.

Judith Weiner has been promoted to program manager of the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. She had been administrative assistant I for OLLI since joining BCC in March 2022.

Tags: BCC, promotions, staffing,

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Dalton Board Signs Off on Land Sale Over Residents' Objections

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
05:50AM / Tuesday, December 23, 2025

Residents demanded the right to speak but the agenda did not include public comment. Amy Musante holds a sign saying the town now as '$20,000 less for a police station.'

DALTON, Mass. — The Select Board signed the sale on the last of what had been known as the Bardin property Monday even as a handful of residents demanded the right to speak against the action.

The quitclaim deed transfers the nine acres to Thomas and Esther Balardini, who purchased the two other parcels in Dalton. They were the third-highest bidders at $31,500. Despite this, the board awarded them the land in an effort to keep the property intact.

"It's going to be an ongoing battle but one I think that has to be fought [because of] the disregard for the taxpayers," said Dicken Crane, the high bidder at $51,510.

"If it was personal I would let it go, but this affects everyone and backing down is not in my nature."

Crane had appealed to the board to accept his bid during two previous meetings. He and others opposed to accepting the lower bid say it cost the town $20,000. After the meeting, Crane said he will be filing a lawsuit and has a citizen's petition for the next town meeting with over 100 signatures.

Three members of the board — Chair Robert Bishop Jr., John Boyle, and Marc Strout — attended the 10-minute meeting. Members Anthony Pagliarulo and Daniel Esko previously expressed their disapproval of the sale to the Balardinis.

Pagliarulo voted against the sale but did sign the purchase-and-sale agreement earlier this month. His reasoning was the explanation by the town attorney during an executive session that, unlike procurement, where the board is required to accept the lowest bid for services, it does have some discretion when it comes to accepting bids in this instance.

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