Berkshire Humane Society Welcomes Two New Board Members

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Lisa Sihvonen-Binder and Susan Tremblay joined the board of directors for Berkshire Humane Society at the nonprofit's annual meeting.  
 
Sihvonen-Binder brings management and grant-writing expertise to the board. She's operated a grant consulting practice since 2007, taught Grant Writing for Corporations & Foundations for Bay Path University for 13 years and is a member of the Grant Professionals Association. Her 34 years of professional experience also includes roles in communications and program management in nonprofit and corporate sectors. Sihvonen-Binder has edited several books for CharityChannel Press on nonprofit management and fundraising. She holds a Master of Science degree in Nonprofit Management and Philanthropy. She lives in Western Massachusetts with her husband and two rescue dogs.
 
Tremblay's background includes sales, marketing and volunteerism. In her corporate marketing career with businesses ranging from a small startup long distance telephone company to Fortune 500, multi-national MCI, Inc., she has been responsible for web development, communications, revenue production, sales force productivity, product management and corporate partner deal execution. She was a key donations-producing volunteer in leadership roles with two Fairfield County (Connecticut) private schools, Malta House (a homeless shelter for women and children), and The American Red Cross. Tremblay has a BA in English from Franklin and Marshall College. She and her husband live in Richmond, Massachusetts, and have a son and a standard poodle.
 
"Both Lisa and Susan bring valuable skills to our organization," said the Society's board of directors President Laura Bykowski. "I'm excited to work with them to forward Berkshire Humane Society's compassionate mission of helping vulnerable companion animals and the people who love them. Please join me in welcoming Lisa and Susan."
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Former Miss Hall's Teacher Arraigned on Rape Charges

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

Warning: this article discusses sexual assault. 
 
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A former teacher pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to three counts of felony counts rape related to his tenure at Miss Hall's School.
 
Matthew Rutledge, 63, was indicted last month by a Berkshire grand jury following accusations dating back to the 1990s of sexually assaulting students at the girls' school. 
 
"Today, Matthew Rutledge was arraigned for raping me. He began grooming me when I was 15 years old, a student at Miss Hall's School, and his abuse of me continued for years after I left that campus," former student Hilary Simon said to a large crowd outside of Berkshire Superior Court.

"After more than two decades, this case is finally in the hands of the criminal justice system."
 
Simon and Melissa Fares, former students, publicly accused Rutledge of abuse and called out the school for failing to protect them. 
 
They provided testimony at his indictment and, on Wednesday, were in the courtroom to see their alleged abuser arraigned. 
 
Rutledge was working at the day and boarding school until the allegations surfaced nearly three years ago. Pittsfield Police investigated the claims but initially concluded no charges could be brought forward because the students were 16, the age of consent in Massachusetts. 
 
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