GREAT BARRINGTON, Mass. — Berkshire South Regional Community Center announced that it has elected five new members to its Board of Trustees: Margaret Apkin, Linda Hensel, Jessica Long, David Mickenberg, and Scott Schuster. 

 

Margaret Apkin has been a Realtor since 2016 and works with William Pitt Sotheby’s International Real Estate in Berkshire County. She has a Graduate Realtors Institute designation and is a Certified Negotiations Expert, Pricing Strategy Specialist and an Accredited Buyers Representative. Prior to her work in realty, Margaret was a Development Director for both the Red Cross and the Pittsfield Community Music School (Berkshire Music School) and has experience in sales and marketing at various profit and not for profit organizations. Margaret is a graduate of Umass in Amherst, where she completed her BA in Communications. Margaret has two grown children, a 3.5 year old granddaughter (has perfected the hokey pokey dance), loves animals and has 3 dogs. Yoga, daily exercise, laughing and helping those in need are Margaret’s other distractions.

 

After graduating from college, Linda Hensel had an early career working in politics under Jimmy Carter, then governor of GA. Upon leaving politics, she embarked on a long career in public relations, consulting for various nonprofits including: Costume Colloquium in Florence, Italy; Pan Mass Challenge at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, The Nature Conservancy; Boston Children’s Museum; Boston Museum of Science; National Sports Marketing Network; and the NOVA PBS Science Series at WGBH-TV in Boston amongst others. Linda moved to the Berkshires in 2021 after visiting the area for years. She is a recreational sculler, mother of 2 daughters, grandmother of 3 grandsons, and a self-declared travel addict.

 

Jessica Long is a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) who lives in Lee, Massachusetts. Jessica is a former Great Barrington resident who returned to the Berkshires in 2021 after years of living, learning, and working in the Boston area. While in Boston, Jessica earned her Bachelor's Degree in Psychology from Lasell University and her Master of Social Work degree from Boston College. Jessica enjoys being back in the beautiful Berkshires and is grateful for the opportunity to join the board at Berkshire South. Jessica currently works as a Psychotherapist and Clinical Supervisor. In her free time, she enjoys practicing yoga, hiking, and spending time with loved ones, including her two cats, Olive and Lander.

 

David Mickenberg began his career as a scholar of French medieval architectural history and served as a research assistant on an archeological site in southern France for six summers. His scholarly interests have grown to include modern and contemporary printmaking and the role of the arts in education and economic and community development.  He has been a museum director for more than thirty-five years and has lectured nationally and abroad on aspects of the history of art and museum leadership.  A student at the Getty Leadership Institute in 2005, he became faculty at the Institute from 2006 – 2011. He taught museum history, architecture, ethics, and management at the Ecole du Louvre, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Northwestern University, Muhlenberg College, Wellesley College, and at the Rocky Mountain Summer Conservatory of Music.  He has been the President and CEO of the Allentown Art Museum, President and CEO of the Taubman Museum of Art in Roanoke, VA, and previously was director of university art museums at Wellesley College and Northwestern University. He raised the funds for, and oversaw the construction of, the Block Museum of Art at Northwestern University and worked with the architect John Vinci in the design and opening of the sculpture garden on campus. He has spent a career engaging the work of artists to ensure the social, political, economic, and educational impact of their work in the community.  

 

David retired from the museum field in 2021 and moved to Hinsdale, MA with his wife Judy.  He has enjoyed teaching in OLLI for the past year. David has served on numerous professional panels for private and governmental grant giving organizations and has been a consultant to non-profit organizations needing financial and mission assistance.  He is a committed gardener and photographer and plays ball 3x a day with his Goldendoodle and Cavachon, better known as “the big one and the little one.”

 

Originally from New York, Scott Schuster has been a full-time south county resident since his 2020 and got involved in Berkshire South through his daughter's wonderful experiences in the afterschool program and pool.  He is a graduate of The University of Michigan and Brooklyn Law School. After grad school, he advised clients for global advertising agency Grey Group, before moving into financial services in 2017, where he has worked for American Express in various corporate strategy and partnership roles since. Scott lives in Monterey with his wife Jillian,daughter Emma (7), and son Jonah (2).  Jillian owns the Berkshire-based hospitality firm Jillian J Events, and the Schusters have fallen in love with the local beauty and lifestyle, though Scott will always remain an avid NY sports fan.

 

"We are thrilled to have such an amazing mix of people join the Board at Berkshire South, bringing with them such varied skill sets and interests. Their enthusiasm and expertise will be invaluable in ushering in the Center’s next phase of growth and development and we are grateful for their commitment,” said Jenise Lucey, Executive Director.

 

Berkshire South Regional Community Center is a non-sectarian, nonprofit organization open to all, regardless of ability to pay. Our mission is to build a sense of community and common purpose throughout the region, and to enhance the recreational, educational, cultural, health and social well-being of the residents of the Southern Berkshires.