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Board of Directors |
2009-2010 Board of Directors Who's Who |
| Diane Anderson worked at the Worthington Health Center prior to her retirement. She also did many craft, needlework and weaving projects. She is a CPR trainer, the Travel Coordinator for the Cummington Council on Aging and the former Treasurer of the West Cummington Church. She is enjoying her retirement and helped her husband vinyl side their 2 ½ story house. Her interests include appropriate use of medications, better nutrition and meal preparation for the elderly. Town represented on Board: Cummington.TOP |
| Carole Burke is Co-Chair of the Russell Council on Aging and of the Westfield Women's Book Club. She volunteers with the Brown Bag Program and at the Blood Bank. She currently is involved with her local church and does visual screenings for Westfield pre-kindergartners. Carole organizes pot luck luncheons, enjoys public speaking and helps with the Russell Flu Clinic. Currently, Carole is working on planning the Health Fair for Russell and a Christmas party, pancake breakfast and coffee hours for the Council on Aging. Town represented on Board: Russell. TOP |
| Mary Jane Connolly is a member of the Southwick Council on Aging, the Enfield Women's Club and NADA, which is a group that works to stop abuse against women. She enjoys planning parties and other types of events and making gift baskets. Finally, she worked in accounting, where she learned good financial skills. Town represented on Board: Southwick. TOP |
| Betty Faulkner is a member of the Historical Society and the Hadley Council on Aging. She is interested in helping out the elderly, as she continues to learn more about the programs and resources that are available to them out in the community. Finally, she teaches the strength training class and delivers the Home Delivered Meals to elders in her local community. Town represented on Board: Hadley. TOP |
| Harriet Fischer is a retired teacher of 20 years where she taught social studies and psychology, and is a retired Director of the Westfield Friends In Learning Program. Currently, Harriet is a member of the UCC 2nd Congregational Church, where she is Chair of the Board of Deacons. Harriet is also a member of Sarah Gillette, the Westfield Library and the Council on Aging. She is a volunteer at the Cancer House of Hope and Community Kitchen, and a driver for the Senior Transport Program. She has worked with Forasteire Funereal Homes in setting up a Coping With Grief Program for all seniors and high school students. She has also helped to organize a Hope Support Group to reach out to grieving people in her church. Her special skills include good organization and leadership and the ability to be part of a committee. Town represented on Board: Southwick. TOP |
| Diane Geissler is currently a member of and serves on the Board of Directors for the Council on Aging. She is also a member of the Friends, as well as belongs to the Wednesday Morning Ladies Group. Diane worked in insurance and tourism, was a real estate agent, used to be the Union President for the AFL-CIO, and has traveled the world. Finally, she loves people. Town represented on Board: Easthampton.TOP |
| Jennie Gnacek is currently a member of and the Boy Scout Representative for the Council on Aging, is the Recording Secretary for the Board of American Legion Auxiliary Unit 224 and is a survivor of both breast and ovarian cancer. Jennie's volunteer work includes catering Christmas parties, picnics and other events and knits in her spare time, which she finds to be very enjoyable. She donates the sweaters she knits to church bazaars and other projects in need of clothing, which include an orphanage in Romania. She works to encourage elders to do crafts, as she finds that knitting helps to keep her mind active and alert, which helps to deter dementia and Alzheimer's, and is a great hobby and past time. Town represented on Board: Southampton. TOP |
| Joan Golowich is member of the League of Women Voters, Facilities Community Choice Committee and her local Council on Aging. She is an elder law attorney, whose special interests include helping elders with estate planning and Medicaid issues. Town represented on Board: Amherst. TOP |
| Joan Hart has more than 50 years of experience in social work. Her vast experience includes child welfare, adoptions, mental health crisis, foster home, elder abuse and some experience in corrections. Joan is a member of the Historical Society and works with the Lions Club, police and fire departments. She is also involved with the Shutesbury and Leverett Councils on Aging. Finally, she is interested in challenges at every government level, including Congress and the State Legislature, and getting funding for services that will enable elders to stay home safely. Town represented on Board: Pelham. TOP |
| Marion Kraus is a member of the East Mountain View Resident Quality of Life Council and Decorating Committee. In addition to being a member of the Westfield Council on Aging, she is also part of their choral group, which is known as the Do, Ri, Me's, and she also volunteers with RSVP. She is the former President of the Merchant's Association of Eastfield Mall, as well as spent 10 years managing a retail store. Finally, she enjoys people and her main goal is always to best serve the needs of the community. Town represented on Board: Westfield. TOP |
| Gerald Mann is a member of TRIAD and the Zoning Board of Appeals. Prior to retirement and a move to Williamsburg, Gerry practiced law in New York City and was the Director of a Union sponsored prepaid legal services plan for New York City public employees. Town represented on Board: Williamsburg.TOP |
| Peg Marceno-Seibert is a member of the Cancer House of Hope. She is a retired school psychologist and volunteered for 3 years in Springfield doing hospice work. Town represented on Board: Westfield.TOP |
| Robert Montague worked for 18 years at Forbes Library, where he provided outreach services by delivering and selecting reading materials for seniors. Currently, he is a member of his local Council on Aging and is interested in working on the general needs of Northampton. Town represented on Board: Northampton. TOP |
| Anne Pease was always around older people since she was a child and especially enjoyed what they had to share in both stories and experiences. She worked in nursing homes from high school until 1996, then did personal care in homes and finally, took care of her father at home for 3 years. Anne really listens to what people have to say and describes it as "...listening with understanding. People who were not able to communicate their needs, I, at times, was able to tune into them and know their needs." For so long, she was around older people, and considers it a privilege to be around those who are leaving this world, that she was able to overcome her fear of death. For her, it is the quality of one's life that is so important and she is continuing to work to improve the quality. Finally, Anne would like to see an alternative type of setting in Worthington, like an assisted living or rest home, which could replace the nursing home as the only choice. Town represented on Board: Worthington. TOP |
| Dorothy Putnam moved from Great Barrington to Southampton, where she became a member of the Council on Aging, which she now Co-Chairs. She is also a member of and Secretary for the Pomeroy Village Condominiums. While living in Great Barrington, she was a member of the Council on Aging, then later went on to hold the positions of Director and Assistant Director, served on the Finance Committee and also worked as the assistant to the Town Administrator. She went on to serve as the Assistant Administrator for the Southern Berkshire Elderly Transportation Corporation, for which Great Barrington was the hub for the surrounding 9 towns for the Senior Center Meals and Transportation. Finally, Dorothy feels that her background and dealings over the years with Elder Services of Berkshire County will help her in her current role and she is always willing to learn more. Town represented on Board: Member-At-Large for Southampton. TOP |
| Kathy Service is a member of the Northampton Arts Council. She is currently working to complete her PhD at Northumbria University, where her research focuses on risk perception of older people with intellectual disabilities and relevant social relationships. Kathy has been a Nurse Practitioner since 1979 and a Registered Nurse since 1973. Over the years, she has developed and sharpened many skills, which include listening, collaborating, negotiating and working with numerous individuals and groups of diverse ages, skill levels and roles. She has also presented internationally and written on issues of aging, intellectual disabilities and dementia. Town represented on Board: Northampton. TOP |
| Barbara Sokolowski is currently the Treasurer of the Westfield Senior Travel Club, the Secretary for the St. Peter and St. Casimir Rosary Sodality and the Knights of Lithuania, and a volunteer for the Westfield Council on Aging and at Bingo at St. Peter and St. Casimir's Church. Finally, she is part of the book club at the Southwick Public Library. She is an organized teacher, who is patient, understanding and a good listener. She is also a caregiver, who is compassionate towards the elderly, drives them to doctors appointments or takes them out grocery shopping. Finally, she enjoys visiting with the elderly and to some, she brings her Pekinese dogs with her. Town represented on Board: Westfield. TOP |
| Michael Anthony Steenburgh is currently a member of the Lions Club, Historical Commission and Historical Society. His interests include real estate, music, business and counseling or teaching. Finally, Michael would like to observe and learn more about both sides of the Council and the overall operations and functions. Town represented on Board: Chesterfield. TOP |
| Barbara Sutherland is currently the Secretary for the Amherst Senior Travel Club, the Chair of the Amherst Council on Aging and a representative for Amherst to Highland Valley's Nutrition Project Council. She volunteers at the Council on Aging, including the new mental health clinic, and Sunbridge Nursing Home and helps with blood pressure clinics every other week on Tuesday mornings. Barbara volunteers to help seniors, who after an illness, need help in their homes and can not afford to pay. Finally, she considers herself to be a friendly visitor. Town represented on Board: Amherst. TOP |
| Jean Webster is the Co-Chair of the Westhampton Council on Aging and is a driver to help transport people to and from various types of appointments. She is a good neighbor to people and helps to take care of their pets and pick up mail when they travel. Jean is also a member of the Westhampton Congregational Church and choir and enjoys taking care of and spending time with her granddaughter. Finally, Jean enjoys talking with people, being a good listener and spending time with her 2-year old grandson, Duncan, and Carley, who is in elementary school. Town represented on Board: Westhampton. TOP |
| Jack Wright worked for HCAC, Inc. back in the 1970s. Jack is a licensed mental health counselor. He also worked as a child and family therapist and with low income communities throughout Hampshire, Hampden, and Franklin Counties and Windham County in Vermont. Finally, in the recent past, he worked to oppose the expansion of Wal-Mart and the new construction of a Home Depot and Lowes in Hadley. Town represented on Board: Hadley. TOP |
| Ruth Yeh is a member of the Edwards Church, where she serves on the Diaconate Committee. In Houston, she is also a member of the Speakers Bureau of Mental Health Association. Ruth also writes a column for the Northampton Council on Aging's newspaper, Elder Vision, titled "Ruth's Mailbox", which answers questions and concerns relating to individuals, marriages and families. In addition, she recently wrote a self-help book titled, Successful Communication Begins At Home, which was published in July of 2007. Ruth was born in Taiwan, came to the United States as a graduate student and moved from Houston, Texas. She currently provides individual, marital and family therapy, supervises and trains professional counselors and therapists, conducts seminars and workshops to professionals and the public, and uses her cultural and language skills to provide inter-cultural outreach work for communities and school districts. Finally, she is very interested in the Request for Proposals (RFP) process and grant writing, and wrote a grant for her mental health clinic in Houston, for which she was awarded funding and is currently working to fulfill this. Town represented on Board: Northampton. TOP |
| Updated December 21, 2009 |
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© 2007 Highland Valley Elder Services
320 Riverside Drive, Suite B
Florence, MA 01062
Email: qll@highlandvalley.org
Phone: (800) 322-0551 or
(413) 586-2000;
Fax: (413) 584-7076
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