Flying Cloud Welcomes New Board Members

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GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — Flying Cloud Institute (FCI) welcomes Liliana Atanacio Garcia and Sarah Reynolds North to the organization's Board of Directors.
 
Liliana Atanacio Garcia is the co-founder of Latinas413, a nonprofit organization that advocates for Latina representation in Berkshire County. In recognition of her efforts, she received the "29 Who Shine" Award from the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education in 2018. 
 
Garcia serves as the Grant and Program Administrator at Mill Town Foundation, where she supports grantmaking related to the foundation's activities, programmatic operations, and daily administrative functions. Prior to this role, she served as the Workforce Training Orientation and Youth Programming Manager at Berkshire Community College (BCC). While at BCC she organized BCC's first Hackathon and worked to establish the Eleanore Velez Scholarship.
 
Originally from Mexico, the Berkshires became Garcia's home in 2009. She is the mother of two teen girls. Garcia is passionate about traveling, gastronomy, and philanthropy. 
 
"Flying Cloud Institute fosters an open-minded approach to learning science and engineering. As an engineer, creator and educator, I look forward to contributing to the organization's success as a Board Member," said Garcia.
 
Sarah Reynolds North is the founder and baker at Found Bread. She has worked in bakeries around the northeast and in Europe, and trained at the San Francisco Baking Institute. North moved to New Marlborough in 2022 with her family, where she bakes mainly sourdough and fermented breads, and teaches baking classes. She's a firm believer in using locally-sourced, grown and milled ingredients.
 
Before becoming a full-time baker, North was a public radio reporter and producer for WNYC, NPR for several years. She also helped non-profits to develop and produce stories about their work. North worked with the Southern Poverty Law Center's Immigrant Justice Center and was a Peace Corps Volunteer and Instructor in Guatemala.
 
"I love the work Flying Cloud is doing in public schools – to merge art and science through innovative curriculum for all kids in our region. Our Board strives to make it one of the best educational organizations in Massachusetts," said North.
 
They join officers Cathy Ingram, Director of Development at Miss Hall's School, as Chair; Dana Vorisek, Economist for the World Bank Group, as Treasurer; and Barbara Viniar, retired former President of Berkshire Community College, as Clerk. Additional members of the Board of Directors are Alison Brigham, AVP of Marketing & Community Engagement at Lee Bank; Leigh Doherty, Executive Director of the Literacy Network; and América López, community health worker at Volunteers In Medicine.
 
"I am honored to welcome Liliana and Sarah to the board and to serve as Board Chair with the rest of our dedicated and talented board members and staff as we continue the impactful work bringing science and art to the Berkshires community," said Cathy Ingram.
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Greenagers Founder Will Conklin Honored as Business Person of the Year

By Breanna Steele

Casey Pease of state Sen. Paul Mark's office presents William Conklin, right, with a state Senate proclamation.
EGREMONT, Mass. — The Southern Berkshire Chamber of Commerce honored a local businessman and nonprofit leader on Sept. 24 at Catamount Mountain Resort.
 
William Conklin was this year's Business Person of the Year, recognizing his work as founder and executive director of Greenagers, a nonprofit that helps youth and children engage in work in environmental conservation, sustainable farming, natural resource management, and vocational skills building. 
 
Conklin and his family also run Sky View Farm and he is a managing partner of Konkapot Tree and Timber, a small-scale forest products business.
 
"If you spent any amount of time in Southern Berkshire, chances are you've heard his name, whether you realize the connection at the time or not," said board member Sierra King Watson, who emceed the event. "You might be having a conversation about farming, a new barn or structure that was built, students learning hands-on skills in sustainable agriculture, or a family that receives donated firewood to help keep their home warm through a cold Berkshire winter, or maybe you're simply talking about one of those community leaders who somehow manages to show up, support everyone, and seemingly be everywhere all at once.
 
"Well, one name has a way of continuously popping up, and that is Will Conklin."
 
Board President Mark Rulison said the region has more than 1,200 nonprofits. One in four jobs in the county is in the nonprofit sector, which ranks 27th nationally for nonprofit employment. He said the economic impact on the community is huge, thanking those who help.
 
For the event on Thursday, Conklin requested that as much of the food as possible was sourced locally. Most of it came from Greenagers, Sky View Farm, Indian Line Farm and Fancy Feast Supper Club, creative dinner series. 
 
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