LENOX, MA (07/16/2009)(readMedia)-- Berkshire Country Day School, an independent school for students in preschool through ninth grade, is pleased to announce the election of two new members to its Board of Trustees and its new Board president:
Marianna Poutasse of Pittsfield, MA is a native of Pittsfield, a current BCDparent of two children, and an active community volunteer for several area arts non-profits. This past year, Poutasse was Co-president of Berkshire Country Day School's Parents' Association, and served on the executive and Historic Artists Homes and Studios committees of the Chesterwood Advisory Board. An independent museum consultant, she has worked on several recent exhibitions in a research or curatorial capacity at the Berkshire Museum. Poutasse is also a committed fitness enthusiast, certified Spinning instructor and outdoor cyclist. She annually participates in the Ride to Cure Diabetes, and is an active fundraiser for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Poutasse has a BA from Connecticut College in Art History and a Masters of Art from the Bard Graduate Center for Studies in the Decorative Arts.
Gregory Whitehead of Lenox, MA is an internationally acclaimed writer and award-winning producer of programs for the BBC and other broadcasters. Since moving to the Berkshires in 1999, Whitehead has been an active supporter of Mass MOCA, Berkshire Grown, Green Berkshires, Southern Berkshire Literacy Network, and numerous other local non-profit organizations. He has served ten-year terms with both the state chapter of The Nature Conservancy and the Berkshire Natural Resources Council. As a trustee of The Whitehead Foundation since 1987, Whitehead has been involved in a number of innovative educational projects and is deeply interested in progressive education. He and his wife, Lillian Lennox, are the parents of former BCD student, Morgan (now at The Putney School), and eighth grader, Blake, who began at BCD as a B3.
Berkshire Country Day School is also pleased to announce that Claire Naylor Pollart of Great Barrington, MA has been named President of the Board of Trustees. A current BCD parent of two and active volunteer, Pollart joined the Board of Trustees in 2007 and has served on both the Buildings & Grounds Committee and Development Committee, where she chaired the 2008/09 Annual Giving Fund campaign. Pollart was instrumental in building and runs BCD's after-school enrichment program, and has played a leadership role in creating BCD's Thanksgiving Soup garden and spearheading the school's new green initiatives. Born and raised in Great Barrington, she owned and ran her own business, Fitness Express, in Great Barrington for 15 years, and continues to teach workshops and fitness programs locally and nationally.
Other officers include Sion Boney of Hillsdale, NY as vice president, Lynn Campana of Lenox, MA as secretary, and Kevin Sprague of Lenox, MA as treasurer.