Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires Board Names New Director

Print Story | Email Story
GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. – The Board of Directors of the Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires (NPC) announces the appointment of Samantha Anderson as the new executive director of the organization, following the retirement of founder Liana Toscanini at the end of April of this year.
 
Anderson, a Berkshire resident, brings 30 years of experience managing mission-driven organizations in both the nonprofit and private sectors.
 
Board Vice President Hari Kumar, who chaired the search committee, said that the NPC Board undertook a national search.
 
"With the support of our external search firm Eos Transition Partners. Our focus was on finding the right person to steward and grow NPC as an organization that centers the needs of the vital nonprofit sector in Berkshire County, which is home to over 1,200 nonprofits serving a wide range of community causes. Samantha emerged as the clear choice from an extensive pool of highly qualified candidates," he said. 
 
Anderson will enter this new role from her previous position as president of West Stockbridge-based Essential~Wholeness LLC, where she led philanthropic advising and nonprofit capacity-building work while also serving as a National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach. 
 
Her career has been both local and international in scope, and she has demonstrated a consistent ability to design programs that respond to community needs, grow and diversify revenue, and elevate organizational visibility. These skills and capacities are at the forefront of NPC's work. 
 
Additionally, Anderson brings direct experience with the Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires itself, having previously served as a board member. 
 
Her existing familiarity with the organization allows her to enter her new role with a firm grasp of the organization's membership, programs, finances, and stakeholders.
 
"I'm thrilled to step into this role, and deeply grateful to Liana for founding and nurturing such a vital organization and to the Board for their confidence in me," Anderson said. "It's an honor to carry the baton forward into the Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires' next chapter."
 
"Samantha is the whole package and then some," said Toscanini of her successor. "The Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires will benefit greatly from her experience and skillset as the organization enters its next phase of growth and impact."
 
NPC's Board of Directors invites the Berkshire nonprofit community to join them in both welcoming Samantha Anderson into her new role and celebrating the work of Liana Toscanini in founding and stewarding the Nonprofit Center of the Berkshires for 10 years.
 
 
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.

Lee Breaks Ground on Public Safety Building

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

Lee Town Administrator Chris Brittain says the community voted to invest in its future by approving the new $37 million complex. 

LEE, Mass. — Ground was ceremonially broken on the town's new public safety building, something officials see as a gift to the community and future generations. 

When finished, Lee will have a 37,000 square-foot combined public safety facility on Railroad Street where the Airoldi and Department of Public Works buildings once stood. Construction will cost around $24 million, and is planned to be completed in August 2027.

"This is the town of Lee being proactive. This is the town of Lee being thoughtful and considerate and practical and assertive, and this project is not just for us. This project is a gift," Select Board member Bob Jones said. 

"This is a gift to our children, our grandchildren."

State and local officials, including U.S. Rep. Richard Neal, gathered at the site on Friday, clad in hard hats and yellow vests, and shoveled some dirt to kick off the build. 

Town Administrator Chris Brittain explained that officials have planned and reviewed the need for a modern facility for the public safety departments for years, and that the project marks a new chapter, replacing 19th-century infrastructure with a "state-of-the-art" complex.

"The project is not just about concrete and steel, it's a commitment to the safety of our families, the efficiency of our first responders, and the future of our community," he said. 

He said he was grateful to the town's Police, Fire, and Building departments for their dedication while operating out of outdated facilities, and to the Department of Public Works, for coordinating site preparation and relocating its services. 

View Full Story

More South Berkshire Stories