Staff & Volunteers

The Berkshire Immigrant Center’s team is made up of dedicated staff members and volunteers who bring cultural sensitivity and a deep understanding of the unique needs and challenges of the communities we serve.

Melissa Canavan | Executive Director

Melissa joined BIC in May, 2023. Born and raised in southern California, she is the child of immigrants from Mexico. She pursued her love of dance as an undergraduate at California State University, Long Beach and first came to the Berkshires in 2015 to intern at Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival in Becket. Melissa stayed in the region, working first at the Pillow, then at Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center in Great Barrington, where she was the Advancement Manager and head of the Spanish-language Community Advisory Network, which has broadened the diversity of the theater’s cultural offerings and audiences.

She has a Masters of Science in Arts Administration from Boston University. Melissa is an active volunteer with Latinas413, a group committed to empowering Latina women in Berkshire County. She lives with her husband in West Stockbridge, and stays engaged with her love of dance as founder and artistic director of her own dance company, the Melissa Martinez Project. director@berkshireic.org

Lorena Dus | Director of Client and Community Services

Lorena joined BIC in September of 2017 after moving to the United States from Ireland. She is a native of Venezuela and has a degree in Political Science and a master’s degree in Human Rights. From a very young age she started working for non-profit organizations where she devotedly helped indigenous people, refugees, displaced people and children at risk. She has volunteered with the UNHCR, One Young World, the Irish Red Cross, Oxfam International and CLINIC (for the Estamos Unidos Asylum Project).

Lorena is a bilingual Notary Public and a graduate of the Berkshire Leadership program and the Pittsfield Citizens Academy (both in 2022). She is currently serving on the board of directors of the Literacy Network of South Berkshire and the Elizabeth Freeman Center. She is also part of the Steering Committee for the Berkshire Leadership Program and serves on the Berkshire Natural Resources Council DEIAB Committee.

She has received the 2019 "Super Staffer" award by the NonProfit Center of the Berkshires, a 2020 “40 Under Forty” award by Berkshire Community College and a 2023 "Under 40 Change-Maker" by 1Berkshire. lorena@berkshireic.org

Jacob Greer | Assistant Case Worker

Jacob joined BIC in August 2024 after he and his wife moved from Oklahoma to the Berkshires earlier that year. Prior to joining BIC, he coordinated the food program for Community Health Programs and in Oklahoma, was a lead case manager at an immigration law firm, assisting employers and individuals with temporary work visas. While in Oklahoma, he studied Economics, Film & Media Studies, and Russian and maintained an active presence volunteering with local non-profits. He is excited to learn more about the local immigrant community and to be working on their behalf. jacob@berkshireic.org

Karen Carrillo Cordova | Intake Coordinator

Karen was born in El Salvador and has been living in the United States for 16 years. Fluent in both English and Spanish, she holds an Associate’s degree in Psychology. Having navigated the immigration system and the process of acquiring citizenship herself, she hopes to help others who face similar challenges and provide resources to those in need. secretary@berkshireic.org

Sheryl Lechner | Development Director

Sheryl joined BIC in May 2017. She is excited to be working on behalf of Berkshire immigrants and the cultural diversity of our community.

Sheryl served as Capital Campaign Manager for the Stockbridge Bowl Association on its $2.8 million “Save Stockbridge Bowl” fundraising effort. She previously was Outreach Coordinator for Berkshire Grown, supporting farmers in the greater Berkshires region; and was a longtime journalist, writing for newspapers and magazines, and co-authoring two nonfiction books. She has lived in the Berkshires since 1993. sheryl@berkshireic.org

Anny Lopez Urquizo | Assistant Case Worker

Anny was born in Ecuador and immigrated to the United States at age five to reunite with her father. She has called the Berkshires home for the past 18 years, where she has been actively engaged in the local Latin community. Her deep-seated passion for humanitarian work lead her to earn a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology and Criminal Justice from Siena College. Before joining BIC, she served as a SafePlan Advocate and Hotline Coordinator at the Elizabeth Freeman Center, providing vital support and advocacy for survivors of domestic violence.

With firsthand experience navigating the immigration system, Anny is committed to helping immigrants from around the world secure their rights, achieve a sense of belonging, and find safety and freedom. Her goal is not only to assist individuals on their journey but also to promote awareness and advocate for improved immigration laws and societal acceptance. She is excited to bring her dedication and experience to BIC, working to ensure that every immigrant has the opportunity to pursue their own American Dream. anny@berkshireic.org

Beth Stomberg | Development Assistant

Beth joined us in February of 2024 as Development Assistant, eager to help support BIC’s mission of advocating for the rights of all immigrants. She holds a J.D. from Georgetown University and is a certified Family Law Mediator.

Prior to joining BIC, Beth worked as a Litigation Attorney in the areas of family law, residential real estate and insurance matters. As a Family Law Mediator, she provided conflict resolution support to families in crisis due to divorce or child custody disputes. More recently, Beth worked at Williams College supporting the growth and success of the College’s Alumnae Affairs and Development Departments.

Beth has held numerous volunteer positions fundraising for equal access to education, promoting drug and alcohol abuse prevention and working to help individuals overcome food insecurity issues. She believes passionately that volunteer service to one’s community is an essential component of good citizenship and an effective way to help improve the world we live in. beth@berkshireic.org

Jennifer Smith | Education Director

Jennifer Smith holds a BA in English from the University of New Hampshire and has been teaching English as a Second Language for over 30 years. From 1991-1993, she lived and worked in Myjava, Slovakia where she was hired to teach English to department directors in the town’s factory. Upon returning to the U.S, Jen settled in Boston and worked with immigrants as both a teacher and an advocate. She has taught ESOL to a wide array of populations and in a variety of settings, including Public Housing developments in Cambridge, the Suffolk County Jail and House of Corrections in Boston and the Veronica Smith Senior Center in Brighton. She was ESOL Coordinator for the Adult Education program at the Jackson Mann Community Center in Allston for 16 years before moving to the Berkshires and joining BIC in 2010. jennifer@berkshireic.org

Charles Bonenti | Long-Term Volunteer

Charles is a retired Berkshire Eagle desk editor, freelance writer, and longtime advocate for affordable housing, historic preservation, and services to low-income neighborhoods.

A graduate of Hamilton College with a B.A. degree in art, he joined BIC in early 2017 and assumed responsibility for coordinating BIC volunteers in 2018. He headed a BIC team hosting Afghan evacuees in Berkshire County and directs volunteer participation in events like naturalization ceremonies, business expos, and festivals.

Hilary Greene | Volunteer Case Worker and former Director

Hillary holds a Bachelors degree in Soviet and Russian Studies and is a fluent Russian speaker. Hilary spent several years working in public relations in St. Petersburg, Russia and then worked as Program Manager of The National Young Composers Competition at Williams College prior to joining the staff of the Jewish Federation in 1997. hilary@berkshireic.org

Isabelle Kaplan | Long-Term Volunteer

Isabelle is a French native and helps with the francophone speaking clients of the BIC, translating documents or interpreting at interviews.  She helps at functions and assists whoever needs assistance.

Isabelle was a professor of French before she retired.  She has lived in the Berkshires for 10 years and was happy to discover the Immigrant Center which became her cause of choice!

For information about employment opportunities, visit our Employment page.

To learn more about the roles BIC Volunteers can fill and how to apply, visit our Volunteer page.

BIC team photos by Ryan Cowdrey