Berkshire United Way Names President and CEO

10:57AM / Friday, November 14, 2025Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Berkshire United Way Board of Directors has officially approved Katherine von Haefen as president and CEO.

She previously served as interim while continuing her role as director of Community Impact.

"Katherine has demonstrated exceptional leadership, vision, and dedication to our mission," said Board Chair Krystle Blake. "Her deep understanding of community needs and her ability to bring people together to create meaningful change make her the ideal leader for this next chapter. We are thrilled to have her at the helm."

Von Haefen joined BUW in October 2021 and has led region-wide initiatives focused on early childhood education, food security, and nonprofit investment. She also spearheaded BUW's $1 million annual investment strategy and played a key role in shaping the organization's strategic plan.

"I'm honored to officially step into this role and continue the work we've started," said von Haefen. "Berkshire United Way has a long legacy of impact, and I'm excited to build on that foundation with our board, staff, and community partners. Together, we'll keep pushing for solutions that help every member of our community thrive."

Von Haefen brings more than two decades of nonprofit leadership experience, including her tenure at United Way of Greater Houston, where she led major initiatives in early childhood development and public policy advocacy. She will continue to serve on the City of Pittsfield's Preschool Partnership (CPPI) Leadership Committee, the MA Early Childhood Funders Collaborative Steering Committee, and the board of the Berkshire Area Health Education Center.

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15 People Displaced in Pittsfield Home Fires

Staff Reports11:35AM / Sunday, October 11, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Fifteen people were displaced after 2-alarm home fires this weekend on Springside Avenue and Elaine Drive.

On Friday evening, the Fire Department responded to a structure fire at 209 Springside Ave., which took a four-hour battle to extinguish and resulted in a partial roof collapse. The next day, on Saturday evening, crews knocked down a fire at 121 Elaine Drive in about an hour.

The garage and part of the single-family home on Elaine Drive were gutted to the frame, along with a vehicle parked in the driveway. On Springside Avenue, the top level and porch of the multifamily were burned through.

A GoFundMe has been started for the family of the Elaine Drive home, which includes several young children. The fundraiser, with a $5,500 goal, explains they lost their home and all of their belongings. (iBerkshires.com does not confirm or endorse fundraisers; they are provided as information only.)

There were no civilian or firefighter injuries, and both incidents are under investigation. One dog was rescued on Springside Avenue.

On Oct. 10, around 6:15 p.m., PFD responded to the Springside Avenue home for a reported structure fire and saw a 2 1/2-story wood frame multifamily with a heavy blaze showing from the second-floor front porch, extending out.

The building suffered a partial roof collapse, which prolonged extinguishment. The fire was brought under control after about four hours.

“An aggressive offensive attack was mounted by first arriving crews stretching hose lines into the building as well as primary searches that proved negative. Ladders were placed around the structure to provide access as well as escape if needed. An off-duty Fire Captain had also been on scene early in the incident to help evacuate the structure and rescue a dog,” PFD wrote in a press release.

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