October 5, 2018 Press Releases

New Trustees and Committee Members Named at Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts

October 5, 2018

SPRINGFIELD – The Trustees of the Community Foundation of Massachusetts (CFWM) appointed two new trustees and six new committee members at its September 26, 2018 Trustees’ Meeting. A new trustee chair and vice chair were also named. Elizabeth Sillin (Sunderland) now serves CFWM as Trustee Chair, with Paul Murphy (Florence) serving as Trustee Vice Chair. Sillin is a partner at the law firm of Bulkey Richardson. Murphy is retired legal and administrative counsel at Amherst College.

The new trustees are Anne Paradis (Sunderland) and Ramon Torrechilha (Westfield). Joining the CFWM Education Committee are Craig Reed (Westfield), Katie Fretwell (Amherst) and Gillian Hinkson (Springfield). Joining the CFWM Philanthropic Services Committee are Yindra Cotman-Dixon (Longmeadow), Eva Schocken (Springfield) and Nicole Young (Holyoke).

CFWM extends its deep gratitude to Trustees Ralph S. Tate (Amherst), former Trustee Chair, who will continue his service as a member of the CFWM Investment Committee, and to Trustee Irene Rodriguez- Martin (Easthampton), who is stepping down after over 21 years as a volunteer at the Foundation.

Ann Paradis (Sunderland)
Anne Paradis is the former CEO of MicroTek, Inc. She retired from MicroTek, Inc. in June 2017 after a 30- year tenure. Before joining MicroTek in 1987, she was a director at New England Business Associates, and also worked as an independent management and training consultant. Anne received a B.A. in Psychology from Westfield State University and an M.B.A. from the University of Massachusetts. She is the Chair of the Board of Baystate Health Systems, and serves on the Northwest Mutual and Westmass Development Corporation boards. She was named to the 21st Century Women Business Leaders Hall of Fame in 2009, was the 2015 Professional Women’s Chamber Woman of the Year and in 2018 was awarded the Human Relations Award by the National Council for Community and Justice (NCCJ).

Ramon Torrecilha (Westfield)
Ramon Torrecilha is the President of Westfield State University and is a seasoned leader committed to increasing student retention, reshaping the University’s community presence and developing a culture of renewed philanthropy. Prior to his appointment in 2016, he was a professor, and Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at California State University Dominguez Hills. He earned his B.A. and M.S. in Sociology from Portland State University, Oregon, and his Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and currently serves on several boards, including the American Association of State Colleges and Universities.

Craig Reed (Westfield)
Craig Reed is the Chief Financial Officer at All States Materials Group in Sunderland and has held Senior Financial positions for more than 15 years. Beyond his financial expertise, he brings a global perspective to the Education Committee from his personal experiences with international education and humanitarian work. In addition, he has served as a scholarship reviewer at CFWM for the past two years.

Gillian Hinkson (Springfield)
Gillian Hinkson is the Post-Conviction, Victim Witness Advocate at the Hampden County District Attorney’s office. In addition to her current role, Gillian is an independent business owner for a natural health and wellness company. She is an active community volunteer serving in multiple roles including Ward Five Democratic Committee Member; board member for the League of Women Voters and for Art for the Soul Gallery; and Chapter President at Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc., Beta Alpha Zeta Chapter. She has served as a scholarship reviewer for the past two years at the CFWM.

Katharine (Katie) Fretwell (Amherst)
Katie Fretwell is the retired former Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid at Amherst College, where she worked for 25years. She has a wealth of knowledge surrounding college enrollment services, and was extensively involved in launching programs that helped low income, high achieving students persist toward graduation. Katie has been a scholarship reviewer for many years at CFWM.

Yindra Cotman-Dixon (Longmeadow)
Yindra Cotman-Dixon is a recent addition to the Springfield community from Baltimore, Maryland. She worked with CFWM as a marketing consultant for Valley Gives Day 2018, and serves on our Communications Workgroup. Prior to moving to Western Massachusetts, she was a public affairs specialist for the United States Department of Agriculture, and owned a political consulting organization advising state and national elected officials. She volunteers with several board committees at Springfield Technical Community College, Community Music School of Springfield, Libertas Academy and the Springfield Jewish Community Center.

Eva Schocken (Springfield)
Eva Schocken is a retired former project manager for Dietz and Company Architects, where she worked for 19 years. Prior to her time at Dietz and Company, she worked as a carpenter and woodworker. She has been a CFWM fundholder since 2009 and an active participant in Valley Gives Day over the years. She now runs an Easthampton stained glass studio. She served on the board of the Foundation for TJO Animals for six years and the Paris Press for 15 years.

Nicole Young (Holyoke)
Nicole Young is the Manager of Community Investments, United Way of Pioneer Valley. She previously held the position of Assistant Director for Young Alumni and Constituent Programs with the UMass Amherst Alumni Association. She is a Steering Committee Member with Women for UMass Amherst; Secretary and Treasurer, Now Net Arts; and Steering Committee Member, Straw Dog Writers Guild.