Richard Dohoney
An attorney living in Great Barrington, Richard Dohoney is president of the Berkshire County Bar Association and a member of the Berkshire Hills Regional School Committee. He is an attorney with the firm of Donovan & O’Connor LLP.
Richard Kessin
Richard Kessin, Ph.D., is professor emeritus of pathology and cell biology at Columbia University’s Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. For more than 30 years he taught doctoral and medical students the basics of tissue and cell structure. During those years his laboratory did basic research on problems of cell biology and development that was funded by the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation. For five years, he was an associate dean in charge of 450 graduate students at Columbia’s medical center. Prior to Columbia, he taught genetics at Harvard. His research resulted in many scientific publications and a book on a fascinating group of organisms called the social amebae, about which he will be happy to tell you if you ask. Just for fun, he wrote a novel about a young scientist who discovers a virus that makes men lose their ability to make testosterone. This discovery turns out to be a bigger adventure than she bargained for. The novel is called “The Famine of Men” and, among other things, it explains how the world of basic research functions. Since retiring, Rich Kessin has been writing articles for the Lakeville Journal and the Millerton News that explain the details about various topic, including, recently, measles, coronavirus, and the juncture of politics and science. He also gives occasional talks and discussions on immunology, vaccines and infectious disease. He lives in Norfolk, Connecticut.
Rick Wilcox
The former Police Chief in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, Rick Wilcox describes himself thus: “Old retired guy who loves researching local history.”
Rita Dichele
Rita Dichele holds three Master degrees in Counseling Psychology, Health Care Administration, and Human Services. She is certified in death & dying and bereavement from the Association for Death Education and Counseling (ADEC). Rita is an adjunct professor, teaching courses related to grief work, abnormal psychology, long-term care, and English composition. Rita is also a social gerontologist who has worked more than 25 years in the field of human services; serving in many capacities working with a diverse group of individuals in non-profit agencies, municipality and state governments, and insurance and healthcare organizations. In addition, Rita is a freelance writer with published articles in Aging Today and has written extensively for ecarediary.com. She has been a guest lecturer at community senior centers and assisted living facilities where she has talked about successful aging.
Rita Kasky
Rita Kasky came to the Berkshires in 1992 to work at the Austen Riggs Center as Development Director. In 1996, she accepted the position as Development Director at Gould Farm in Monterey and remained there until her retirement in 2006. Previously in New York for 40 years, she worked in nonprofit administration and development – As Associate Director of Brandeis University’s New York Regional Alumni Office, as Development Director of Cancer Care and, finally, as Executive Director of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. Now in the Berkshires, she is an active board member of Berkshire South, where she serves on the Governance Committee. She also serves on the Governance committee at the Sandisfield Arts Center. She has also tutored for the Literacy Network of South Berkshire.
Ritch Holben
Ritch Holben grew up a Pennsylvania farm boy who knew from a young age that architecture would be a key part of his life. He spent his junior year abroad studying in Germany and then backpacking from the fjords of Norway to the Isles of Greece. These experiences expanded his roots and defined his life's mission: to see beauty in all places, to capture it, create it, salvage it and share it. Simply put, to LIVE BEAUTIFULLY. After college, Ritch honed his architectural skills at firms in Philadelphia, New York City and Boston. He began his own design practice in 1997 and the following year, asked a “date” to join him on a first-ever exploration of the Berkshires for a work-related gig. On that very day, they found their first home together and moved to Southfield with his now-husband, Ken De Loreto. After 10 wonderful years, (and 10 longer winters), the couple split their year between the bucolic, culturally-rich mountains of Massachusetts and the vibrant international melting pot that is Miami. However, Florida happened. And now they have left Florida in the rear-view mirror and are back in the Berks full-time. Or at least until the next adventure reveals itself. To see more of Ritch’s work, visit www.RhDesign.me
Rob Burnell
Rob Burnell didn’t start out to be a chef. He cooked his way through business school at Marist College, and wound up becoming a chef instead. Executive Chef at Gedney Farm for the past five years, he was previously employed in New York, Breckenridge and Nantucket. Rob is focused on using locally sourced food. He now works with five or six local farmers in the New Marlborough neighborhood, and hopes to help increase the scope and productivity of local farmers. He lives in Lee, Mass., with his wife and two children.
Rob Clarfeld
Rob Clarfeld has served as CEO of Clarfeld Financial Advisors, the wealth management firm he founded in 1981 in New York City. A CPA and CFP® with a keen ability to help people achieve their financial goals, Rob has extensive experience with financially successful families and family-owned businesses. He has advised professionals and senior corporate executives and their families, both domestic and abroad. He has always tried to serve his clients by infusing his advice with a unique mix of straightforwardness, warmth, informality, and a sense of humor. His wisdom comes from a keen grasp of psychology and a deep understanding of the complexities families encounter as they navigate the minefields of financial and interpersonal issues. Rob lives in Westchester, N.Y., and Great Barrington.
Robbi Hartt
Robbi Hartt had a career teaching middle school English and writing at Greens Farms Academy in Westport, Conn. She now lives in Mill River, Mass., where she and her husband have renovated a 1795 farmhouse to create a respite for families dealing with pediatric cancer. She writes regularly for The Berkshire Edge and New Marlborough’s Village News. Her poems have appeared in the “Busy Griefs, Raw Towns” anthology.
Robert Ayers
Robert Ayers has been a truck driver, factory worker, speechwriter and university professor in England, a performance artist in Australia, France and Scotland, an artist’s apprentice in New York City, a novelist and art critic in Seattle, and a journalist in Philadelphia, Toronto and San Francisco. He now lives in our part of the world where he just draws his dogs.
Robert Forman
Robert Forman of Great Barrington is a retired professor of comparative religions at City University of New York, a chaplain at Berkshire Medical Center and the author of Enlightenment Ain’t What It’s Cracked Up To Be.
Robert Mulhall
Robert Mulhall is the Chief Executive Officer of Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health. Before his time at Kripalu, Robert spent two decades in leadership roles in the non-profit and for-profit sectors. Born and raised in Ireland, he spent his early career in accounting and finance at PricewaterhouseCoopers before shifting to focus on human leadership and development. He is a lifelong meditation practitioner and Kripalu certified yoga teacher. He is passionate about service and how people can facilitate sustainable transformation to enable more peace, unity, and freedom in the world.
Robert Nussbaum
Robert Nussbaum has been a practicing attorney in New Jersey for over 40 years. For the last decade, he has also been an occasional writer: Approximately 70 of his letters have appeared in the pages of the New York Times; and he has published more than a dozen short nonfiction pieces in publications as diverse as "Chicken Soup for the Soul," Warren Miller Enterprises and Purple Clover.
Roberta Silman
Roberta Silman is a Senior Contributor at ArtsFuse and the author of four novels, a short story collection and two children’s books. Her new novel, “Secrets and Shadows” is in its second printing and is available on Amazon and at Campden Hill Books. It was chosen as one of the best Indie Books of 2018 by Kirkus. A recipient of Fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts, she has reviewed for The New York Times and Boston Globe, as well as ArtsFuse. She has lived in Great Barrington part time since 1973 and full time since 2018. More about her can be found at robertasilman.com
Robin Fasano
Robin Fasano has written for Spirituality & Health, Berkshire Magazine, the Massachusetts Review and Rural Intelligence, among others. She lives in the Berkshires.
Robin Helfand
An alum of McKinsey & Co., Procter & Gamble and Dean & DeLuca, Robin Helfand moved to the Berkshires twenty years ago to launch her small business consulting practice and what she fondly halls her ”passion project”, Robin’s Candy Shop in Great Barrington, a destination for kid of all ages. Robin is a member of Rotary International, The Specialty Food Association, Mass Retailers Association, 1Berkshire & the Southern Berkshire Chamber of Commerce. She sits on several private and nonprofit Boards including the Community Development Corporation of Southern Berkshires, where she is the lead Board member on Small Business Consulting Assistance. Robin also sits on the Advisory Boards of Berkshire Busk and the Downtown Great Barrington Cultural District. She co-founded the Entrepreneurs Forum, an organization that meets periodically to discuss topics of relevance to our community of entrepreneurs. The forum has grown to a membership of 150+ entrepreneurs throughout the region. Robin attributes her career path and community engagement to wisdom from her father-- a physicist at Bell Labs. He taught her the value of "creative thinking" and how to pivot in the face of challenges. Robin calls this "Entrepreneurial Thinking." It is the subject of several articles and webinars Robin presents through 1Berkshire, The SBCOC , the CDCSB's Consulting program and in her private practice.
Robin Schultz
Robin Schultz is the principal and founder of Robin Schultz Interior Design LLC, a private interior design practice that services a variety of residential and contract clients in the New York/New Jersey Metropolitan area. A satellite office in Western Massachusetts services the needs of clients purchasing second homes in the Berkshires. The firm offers a full range of interior design services from project conception to completion for entire residences including new construction, additions and renovations Robin is certified by the state board of architects in New Jersey and holds the appellation “Certified Interior Designer”. She is also an allied member of the American Society of Interior Designers and a member of the National Kitchen & Bath Association. She holds a degree in interior design and has been in practice for more than20 years. Website: RobinSchultzInteriorDesign.com
Robin Zeamer
Robin W. Zeamer, born and raised in New York City, moved to the Berkshires in 2009. She came from a family of writers, but it wasn’t until she moved to the Berkshires that she began to discover her writer’s voice. Since then she has been writing memoir, fiction and poetry. Professionally, Robin has a background first in Special Education and later in such areas as development, communications and graphic design.
Rochelle O'Gorman
Rochelle Marie O'Gorman has been a professional writer for her entire adult life. After learning, very quickly, that news reporting was not for her, she began work as a film critic. O'Gorman has also reviewed television, theater, and print books, as well as writing general feature stories, before turning to audiobooks full time. The first syndicated audiobook reviewer in the United States, her reviews can be read in various newspapers around the country and she was awarded an Audie by the Audio Publishers Association for her work in spreading the word about audiobooks. She currently works reviewing audiobooks and writing essays. O'Gorman lives in the hayloft of an old barn with her lovely teenage daughter and a foul tempered parrot.
Ron Bernard
Ronald Bernard, a retired pharmaceuticals industry executive, and his wife, Jean Atwater-Williams reside in Sandisfield, Mass., in the ca. 1785 Josiah Hulet house. A local history and old house enthusiast, Ron is the principal author of the book, Sandisfield Then and Now 1762-2012, a comprehensive history of the Town written in conjunction with its 250th anniversary in 2012. He is a founder and board member of The Sandisfield Times, a monthly community newspaper now in its eighth year. Ron also serves on the board of the Non-Profit Center of the Berkshires (2016) in Great Barrington. Ron holds a B.S. degree from the University of Connecticut (‘67) and an MBA from St. John’s University (NY) (‘73). He served in the US Air Force (1967-71) with the rank of Captain.
Ron Kujawski
Ron spent his formative years working on the family onion farm in Florida, New York. From there he went on to earn his BS, MS, and PhD in Biological Sciences from the State University of New York at Albany. After five years of developing and directing the Environmental Studies program at Simon’s Rock College in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, he moved on to the University of Massachusetts as Extension Educator in the Landscape, Nursery and Urban Forestry Program. Now retired, Ron continues to work part time for UMass Extension and as a horticultural consultant, writer, and lecturer, that is, when he is not tending his vegetable garden. He and his daughter, Jennifer, authored the book, "Week-by-Week Vegetable Gardener’s Handbook", published by Storey Publishing.
Ron Yaple
Ron Yaple is President of Race Mountain Tree Services, Inc. Based in Sheffield, the company provides services required to care for and remove woody plants, including consultation, pruning, diagnosis, pest management, mulching, structural reinforcements, fertilizing, and removal. He is a Massachusetts & New York Certified Arborist, Connecticut Licensed Arborist, Tri-State Pesticide Licensed, Tree Risk Assessment Qualified, and a Registered Consulting Arborist.He served for 8 years on the Massachusetts Arborists Association’s Certified Arborist Exam Committee assisting in the revision of the exam’s study guide. Locally, he is on the Board of Greenagers, a youth training and employment group.
Rona Easton and Lonn Combs
Rona Easton and Lonn Combs are licensed architects. Their firm EASTON+COMBS is an award winning, internationally recognized practice focused on innovative building strategies through the convergence of material practice, digital methodology and applied architectural research. Lonn is a Fellow of The American Academy in Rome, and Director of the Masters of Architecture Program at RPI. Rona is a LEED AP and a Certified Passive House Consultant, reflecting the firm's advanced knowledge in green buildings and its commitment to construction that follows the principles of climate-specific building science and environmental stewardship. In addition, the firm designs and builds research-oriented full-scale installations, exploring applications of digital fabrication and new materials. Their studio in New Marlborough serves western Massachusetts, New York’s Hudson Valley region and beyond. For more information, visit www.eastoncombs.com.
Ronni Monsky
Ronni Monsky has had a varied career but her love of film has been a mainstay throughout her life. She studied human development at Cornell University, received a Master’s in teaching at Columbia University, and got her psychology doctorate from Pace University. Through the years she has been a teacher, PR writer, advertising copywriter, film reviewer and now a psychologist. Traveling has always been significant in her life - circumnavigating the globe on her honeymoon which included trekking in the Himalayas and living on a houseboat in India. She lives in Hillsdale, N.Y., with her husband Stanley, daughter Saskia and her philosopher/dog Xhabbo.
Rosemary Wessel
Rosemary Wessel of Cummington founded No Fracked Gas in Mass in February 2014. No Fracked Gas in Mass is a website and information and action/plan clearing house for activists opposing Kinder Morgan’s Northeast Energy Direct and other pipelines. www.nofrackedgasinmass.org
Rufus E. Jones, Jr.
Rufus E. Jones, Jr. is the co-founder and President of the James Weldon Johnson Foundation (“JWJF”). He began his affiliation with advancing the legacy of James Weldon Johnson in 2000 as the co-producer of the James Weldon Johnson Medal ceremony under the guidance and leadership of the late Dr. Sondra Kathryn Wilson at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in Harlem NY. In 2016, Jones helped establish the James Weldon Johnson Literary Foundation Legacy Award for performing arts, fine arts and historic preservation. As Affiliate Researcher for Philanthropy at NYU’s Center for Faculty Advancement, Jones brings together partners in public and private sectors to ensure small nonprofits have access to all available resources and fundraising tools to advance their missions and programs.
Ruslan Sprague
Ruslan Sprague lived in an orphanage specializing in music and dance in Jaroslavl, Russia, until he was three years old. Then he was adopted by Carl Sprague and Susan Merrill of Stockbridge, Massachusetts, where he has lived ever since. One of the first things he did in the United States was to see the Albany Berkshire Ballet’s production of THE NUTCRACKER, which inspired the passion he has had for dance and choreography ever since. The following spring he performed his first role as the changeling in the Albany Berkshire Ballet’s production of A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM and has been performing with ABB ever since, in the annual touring production of THE NUTCRACKER. As a student he danced under Madeline Culpo, Deirdre Duffin, and Nancy King, at the Cantarella School of Dance. Later, he also danced at Studio One under Darrell Pucciarello, in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. He also danced at the Boston Conservatory and Boston Ballet summer intensive programs, as well as two Boston Ballet choreography workshops, in which he worked with Helen Pickett (Forsythe) and Jorma Elo. After graduating from Monument Mountain Regional High School, where he designed, choreographed, and danced THE GIRL FROM IPANEMA as his senior WISE project, he spent two years in Salt Lake City, Utah, with Ballet West, performing in Anna Marie Holmes’ DON QUIXOTE and Frederick Ashton”s CINDERELLA. Since returning to the East Coast, he has been freelancing, guesting, teaching, and choreographing with various companies. Other roles and performances include: Darrell Pulciarello's DRACULA, with Ballet Metropolis, in which he danced the title role; Paula Weber’s CARMINA BURANA; Albany Berkshire Ballet’s PETRUSHKA; Western Chicago Ballet’s CINDERELLA; Charleston Ballet’s CINDERELLA; as well the Albany Berkshire Ballet’s THE NUTCRACKER, in which he dances the Snow Prince and the Russian divertissement. He has recently been working with Moscow Ballet for a new choreography project. His own choreography includes: ASTAIRE TRIBUTE, GYMNOPEDIE (Satie), WHO’s LOVIN’ YOU (Buble) as well as "THE GIRL FROM IPANEMA. He has taught with the Renaissance Arts Center, Hinsdale Dance Academy, Ballet Institute of Atlanta, and Albany Berkshire Ballet.
Sabine von Mering
Sabine von Mering is Professor of German and Women's and Gender and Sexuality Studies and the Director of the Center for German and European Studies at Brandeis University, where she teaches a course on "Human/Nature: European Perspectives on Climate Change". She is the editor of a small volume entitled 'International Green Politics (2001) and an active member of the Metrowest node of 350Massachusetts for a better future.
Sage Kalmus
Sage Kalmus is a Pushcart Prize-nominated author, cofounder/co-CEO of Qommunity Media LLC, and senior editor of its publishing imprint, Qommunicate Publishing. A member of the board of directors of the Becket Arts Center of the Hilltowns, he teaches writing magical realism in Lesley University’s MFA creative writing program. He’s been an editorial intern for Dzanc Books and a three-time reader for Salamander Magazine's summer fiction contest. His fiction has appeared in Sanctuary, Whisperings Magazine, Carnival Online Literary Journal and Rose Red Review. His nonfiction has appeared in the Writer Magazine and the Hampshire Gazette. He holds an MFA in creative writing from Lesley University, and a BS in broadcasting and film from Boston University. He lives in the enchanting Sherwood Forest with his loving husband, who is the fellow Qommunity cofounder/co-CEO and Qommunicate editor Curry Kalmus, and their zoo family.
Sam Bittman
Sam Bittman has been writing copy of one sort or another for a lot of years. He’s authored a half-dozen books and worked as a ghost writer for a couple more. He was a commercial copywriter both as a freelance and as creative director for Berkshire Marketing Group. In 2016 he founded the Third Act Project, an online treasury of art, literature, and video work created by and about folks late in their lives. He also produced the video series "Five Wise Guys", which featured himself, Danny Klein, Jeff Kent, Matt Tannenbaum and our beloved and recently departed friend and actor Bob Lohbauer. Produced over three years, the episodes are a mix of hilarious takes and poignant explorations of life in one’s Third Act. Sam is now producing with videographer Michael Sinopoli a series of life stories called Filmoirs. He can be reached via email at sbittman93@gmail.com.
Samantha Gale Thomas
Samantha Gale has a Communications and Studio/Fine Arts degree from McDaniel College. She believes in designing spaces and comfortable furniture for relaxed living utilizing color and texture in the "Vintage Farmhouse" style. Inspired by the mountains and vintage beauty Samantha Gale believes home is the best destination there is and designs for cozy comfort. Her specialty is custom upholstery design using vintage pieces of furniture, interior decorating, renovating, rebuilding and redesigning homes so they may live again. Samantha Gale lives in the mountains of the Berkshires with her family and 3 mutts. Her retail store and showroom is located at 322 Main Street in Great Barrington, Mass. 413-645-3177 www.samanthagaledesign.com
Samantha Watson
Samantha Watson is a current senior at Monument Mountain Regional High School. She is an avid writer, musician, and student government leader. In her free time, she loves to read absolutely everything; literature, poetry, theatre, essays, prose, cereals boxes, road signs, shampoo bottles, the iTunes terms of agreement, and receipts.
Samara Klein
Samara Q. Klein was born and raised in the Berkshires, and now lives in Housatonic with her partner and daughter. She has worked in book publishing for over twelve years, primarily in children's books, and she currently sits on a book selection committee and publishes books for a nonprofit organization. Check out Samara’s blog about picture books called 'Books with Pictures and Words.'
Samuel Lord Kalcheim
Samuel Lord Kalcheim is a composer of classical music written in historical idioms, most often those of the Classical and early Romantic eras. He does this simply in his desire to create things of beauty, and firm in the conviction that music needs no justification but that beauty itself; that it is, to quote Oscar Wilde, “well written or badly written. That is all.” Samuel began composing by writing Broadway musical songs (more like Kern than Sondheim), and recently finished the score to a new musical with book and lyrics by his father, the playwright Lee Kalcheim. From that art he received an intense love of melody which he carries into his classical compositions. Samuel has also played the violin most of his life and has more recently started learning to conduct.
Sandy Carroll
Sandy Carroll is the Chief Executive Officer of the Board of REALTORS® and the Multiple Listing Service corps and has been with the organization since 1995. She works to educate, inform, empower and unite all real estate professionals in Berkshire County, and create an environment where consumers can access top notch services through their realtor.
Sarah DeFusco
Sarah DeFusco is a writer, seamstress, and artist based out of North Adams, MA. She graduated from MCLA in 2018 with a degree in creative writing, and now runs two local businesses focusing on upcycling and sustainability through textiles.
Sarah Gardner
Sarah Gardner is the producer of “Forgotten Farms,” a documentary film that explores the cultural divide in the food and farm system. She is the chair of the Williamstown Agricultural Commission and a trustee of Berkshire Grown. Sarah teaches in the environmental studies program, and is associate director of the Center for Environmental Studies, at Williams College.
Sarah Wright
I read, therefore I write.
Scott Christianson
Scott Christianson is an award-winning writer, journalist, filmmaker and activist who moved to Great Barrington in 2012. He is the author of more than a dozen books and hundreds of articles for The Nation, The New York Times, Washington Post and other publications. He lives with his wife, Tamar Gordon, an anthropololgist, and their son Jonah Christianson, a retired wrestler.
