Thank you for following along with our monthly Chamber Camaraderie series, which highlights outstanding and hardworking team members from Chambers of Commerce throughout Massachusetts.

Want to nominate yourself or someone you know to be featured next? Fill out this form.

Introduce yourself! Who are you and what do you do at your Chamber of Commerce?

Serving as the Amherst Area Chamber’s Executive Director is a profound joy. I have the privilege of serving as a connector and convener for the people, businesses, organizations, and ideas that make our region of Western Massachusetts such a special place.

My work centers on helping businesses and community partners build meaningful relationships, access resources, and identify opportunities for shared success. I get especially energized by partnership-based work across sectors, including our collaborations with UMass Amherst, our Five College and municipal partners, local nonprofits, financial institutions, tourism and hospitality leaders, and small businesses across the Amherst Area.

At its best, Chamber work strengthens the fabric of a region. We help connect entrepreneurship, education, placemaking, workforce development, tourism, and community well-being in ways that support a more vibrant and resilient local economy.

What made you want to work for the Chamber of Commerce?

My background in environmental nonprofits and later leading a Main Streets program in Boston helped me understand how powerful relationships and cross-sector partnerships can be when communities are navigating complex challenges.

Chambers sit at the intersection of so many important issues: small business success, workforce, housing, tourism, conservation, innovation, and civic life. I was drawn to this work because I love looking at communities through a systems lens and thinking about how we can bring people together to create mutual benefit.

The Chamber gives me a way to support economic vitality while also advancing a broader vision of community prosperity. It is about helping businesses thrive, but also about building the trust, partnerships, and shared imagination needed to shape a strong future together.

What do you love the most about the area where you live in Massachusetts?

I love the combination of charming small towns, natural beauty, creativity, and deep community spirit. The Amherst Area has an incredible mix of farms, trails, colleges, restaurants, independent businesses, arts and culture, and people who care deeply about the place they call home.

There is a rare balance here. You can be in a vibrant downtown, on a campus full of ideas, at a farm-to-table restaurant, or out on a quiet trail within minutes. That blend is what makes this region so distinctive.

Why do you think it’s important for everyone to be a member of a Chamber of Commerce?

For me, strong community connection is one of the foundations for building the economies and communities of the future. It is how we respond to shared challenges, recognize shared opportunities, and shape a vision for the kind of region we want to become.

A Chamber is more than a networking organization. It is a hub for relationships, resources, visibility, advocacy, and collaboration. Our programming helps businesses connect with one another, learn from each other, celebrate local success, and find the support they need to grow.

Membership matters because no business or organization succeeds in isolation. When people participate in their Chamber, they invest not only in their own visibility and relationships, but also in the long-term strength and resilience of the whole business community.

What has been the biggest lesson you’ve learned throughout your career?

Be curious. Stay kind. Lead with joy.

Curiosity helps us listen better and understand the full system around an issue. Kindness keeps relationships strong, especially when the work is complex. Joy keeps the work human and reminds us to celebrate progress, people, and what communities can accomplish together.

If you weren’t in your current position, what would your next dream job be?

If we’re completely dreaming, I’d say astronaut or archeologist, both fully far-fetched possibilities. I love to discover and explore, whether that means looking out into the vastness of space, fueled by PBS Space Time and the physics podcast Mindscape, or uncovering the stories, places, and patterns that help us better understand human history. Lately I have also been following the Nolumbeka Project’s important work on the histories and cultures of the Northeastern Indigenous Peoples, which connects deeply to my interest in place, memory, and community.

When you’re not working, what activities do you enjoy?

I have many hobbies, including gravel biking, trail running, skiing, woodworking, landscape design, and playing piano. I love activities that keep me moving, creative, and connected to the natural world. They also help me return to the work with fresh perspective and energy.

Thank you for sharing more about yourself! Tell us how we can get in touch with your Chamber of Commerce or find it online.

You can head to our website and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn!