Berkshire Immigrant Center Announces New Executive Director

08:25AM / Tuesday, September 22, 2026Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Berkshire Immigrant Center announced Dr. Evelyn Thompson as its new Executive Director.

A Pittsfield native and Taconic High School graduate, Thompson returns to the Berkshires with extensive experience in public policy, education, workforce development, nonprofit leadership, civic engagement, and community advocacy.

According to a press release:

Thompson's life and career have been deeply shaped by questions of belonging, identity, resilience, and community. An early interest in language and culture, first sparked in Pittsfield, led her to study Spanish, Arabic, and Japanese, later living in Tokyo and traveling extensively across Asia, Africa, and Latin America. These experiences fostered a deep appreciation for cross-cultural connection and the many ways people build community across differences. Her background closely aligns with BIC's mission to help immigrants and families navigate
complex institutional systems, reduce barriers to legal support and community resources, and move forward with a clearer understanding of their options. She has worked with immigrants, refugees, DACA recipients, first-generation students, adult learners, women, families, and underserved communities, bringing a trauma-informed, whole-person leadership approach anchored in mindfulness, deep listening, trust-building, and respect.

Thompson's professional background has included serving as a Legislative Assistant in the U.S. Congress, teaching English as a Second Language (ESL), supporting diverse adult learners at the College of Southern Nevada, serving on Nevada's Governor's Workforce Development Board, and leading civic and community initiatives focused on education, equity, and economic opportunity. She earned her Doctorate in Public Policy from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), where her research focused on mindful, trauma-informed workforce development and organizational practices that better support employees and the people they serve. She also holds a Master of Arts in Urban Leadership from UNLV and a Bachelor of Science in Public Policy and Development from the University of Southern California.

For Thompson, mindfulness is a foundation for her work in education, advocacy, community-building, and creating spaces where people moving through trauma, transition, uncertainty, and change feel respected and supported. Following her doctorate, she intentionally sought an organization where leadership, human rights, education, and advocacy could intersect. She found that opportunity at Berkshire Immigrant Center.

"What drew me to BIC was the mission, the people, and the opportunity to come home and be of service," Thompson said. "After spending much of my career helping people navigate systems and find pathways to opportunity, there is something deeply meaningful about bringing those experiences home to the community where my own story began. BIC brings together so much of what has shaped my life and work: service, education, advocacy, community, and a belief in every person's dignity, belonging, and potential."

"Evelyn brings the professional depth, lived experience, and values-centered leadership that BIC needs for this next chapter," said Susan Puddester, BIC Board Member and Search Committee Chair. "The hiring team was especially excited by her energy, her commitment to access and opportunity, her work across public policy, education, and community advocacy, and her ability to build trust and connection across communities. We are excited to welcome Evelyn home to the Berkshires and work alongside her as BIC continues supporting immigrants and families across our region."

Melissa Canavan, who served as Executive Director from May 2023 through June 2026, established internal systems, governance, and operational depth to sustain BIC's growth as an independent 501(c)(3), oversaw a move to a new office, stabilized the legal workload, launched a new partnership to expand access to immigration legal services, and achieved year-over-year fundraising growth.

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PCTV Celebrates 40th Anniversary with Community

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
06:00PM / Tuesday, September 22, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass. – Many fans, workers, past workers, and city officials gathered at the Berkshire Hills Country Club Friday night to celebrate Pittsfield Community Television turning 40.

The room was alive with people eating, laughing, taking photos in a photo booth and watching snippets from PCTV's past archived programs throughout the decades curated by Operations Manager Dave Cachet.

President of the Board of Directors Sue Doucette acknowledged everyone in attendance and thanked the volunteers who help or have helped bring PCTV to the screen.

She reflected on how much technology has changed since 1986 and on PCTV's role in covering parades, debates and election-night precinct results

"You heard it and saw it yourself, and you can interpret it your way. Not everybody has this, but we in Berkshire County do, and we need to be forever grateful to the people that have come before us and made this possible. So, for me personally, I love the staff at PCTV and the board members. I never begrudge going to a meeting. I like these people," she said.

Executive Director Shawn Serre said he feels as though this is their "Eras Tour," referencing Taylor Swift's record-breaking concert series. He reminisced about PCTV's eras.

"The first of our eras is the founders' era, that time when this was just an idea tossed around among colleagues with various skills and with an interest in creating a local source of television, but with no funding, no equipment, no facility, no staff, no volunteers other than themselves," he said.

He said the next era starts with PCTV's move to Fourth Street. At this point, they named their first executive director Garrett McCarey and built their first facility at 163 Fourth Street. They made community connections, programs, and learned the ropes, he said, adding that they "pushed the boundaries of what public access could accomplish".

He said the next era is their Federico era, led by former Executive Director Bernard Avalle and changing technology.

"Under his leadership, we moved our entire facility from the old building to a custom-built studio and offices. We expanded from one cable channel to three. We went from analog to digital to high definition," Cachet said. " We went from videotapes to DVDs to video servers and files. We had as many as seven staff members and grew the program. We designed and purchased a mobile production truck. We covered so many meetings, so many meetings. Viewers would look to us with trust on election nights, onn the Fourth of July, at sports events, and at special events. We have become a part of the fabric of life in Pittsfield."

And finally, the multi-platform era.

"Otherwise known as everything, everywhere, all at once. That's what it feels like. It's when we expanded our reach by saving WTBR FM from the wrecking ball and operating it. When we greatly expanded our PCTV sports program of live broadcasts from just about anywhere, we couldn't have imagined being able to do that early on," he said. "It's when, in the depths of the pandemic, we not only continued our regular broadcast and never stopped, but we also launched PCTV Select to provide high-quality video streams, live streams, and video on demand worldwide. When we started Park Square Productions to provide high-quality production services to clients and contribute to our mission."

He said their next era is still being shaped and will need the community to help.

"The next era, well, that one has to be shaped by you, by all of us actually, because after 40 years, we realize the only constant is change, and we know that while cable TV is at the moment still our sugar daddy, it won't be around forever," Cachet said. "But we know how important the kinds of services that we provide are, and the demand to not disappear."

Rep. Tricia Farley Bouvier said local journalism is important and will save democracy. She presented PCTV a citation from the state House of Representatives signed by her and the Speaker of the House.

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