Berkshire Immigrant Center Announces New Executive Director
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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.
