Berkshire Humane Society Welcomes Two New Board Members

03:57PM / Saturday, December 13, 2025Print Story | Email Story

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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15 People Displaced in Pittsfield Home Fires

Staff Reports11:35AM / Sunday, October 11, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Fifteen people were displaced after 2-alarm home fires this weekend on Springside Avenue and Elaine Drive.

On Friday evening, the Fire Department responded to a structure fire at 209 Springside Ave., which took a four-hour battle to extinguish and resulted in a partial roof collapse. The next day, on Saturday evening, crews knocked down a fire at 121 Elaine Drive in about an hour.

The garage and part of the single-family home on Elaine Drive were gutted to the frame, along with a vehicle parked in the driveway. On Springside Avenue, the top level and porch of the multifamily were burned through.

A GoFundMe has been started for the family of the Elaine Drive home, which includes several young children. The fundraiser, with a $5,500 goal, explains they lost their home and all of their belongings. (iBerkshires.com does not confirm or endorse fundraisers; they are provided as information only.)

There were no civilian or firefighter injuries, and both incidents are under investigation. One dog was rescued on Springside Avenue.

On Oct. 10, around 6:15 p.m., PFD responded to the Springside Avenue home for a reported structure fire and saw a 2 1/2-story wood frame multifamily with a heavy blaze showing from the second-floor front porch, extending out.

The building suffered a partial roof collapse, which prolonged extinguishment. The fire was brought under control after about four hours.

“An aggressive offensive attack was mounted by first arriving crews stretching hose lines into the building as well as primary searches that proved negative. Ladders were placed around the structure to provide access as well as escape if needed. An off-duty Fire Captain had also been on scene early in the incident to help evacuate the structure and rescue a dog,” PFD wrote in a press release.

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