Berkshire County Commission on the Status of Women

This month, we’re spotlighting our Berkshire County Commission on the Status of Women (BCCSW) which was founded in 2005, becoming the first regional commission to be established with a mission to provide a permanent, effective voice for women and girls in their county. Since their initial launch, BCCSW has maintained a strong relationship with their state legislators, advocating for regional priorities – and continues to create significant relationships with community partners across Berkshire County.

Recent Highlights

In 2022-2023, BCCSW played a key role in bringing community partners and constituents to the MCSW public hearing held in Pittsfield in November 2022. Through this effort, important relationships were created which helped shape their legislative priorities, leading to a meeting with state legislators to discuss bills that best reflected the needs of their constituents. BCCSW also hosted a series of community conversations throughout the year with various organizations which included Latinas413, the Elizabeth Freeman Center, 18 Degrees Family Services, Berkshire Pride, and Girls Inc.

In 2024, BCCSW identified the Act Relative to Language Access and Inclusion as its most important legislative priority given that the county’s population had increased due to the estimated 10,000 immigrants now calling the region home which contributed to the region’s job creation and economic growth. The Healthy Youth Act was also identified as a legislative priority. These bills and others were discussed with state legislators at their Delegate Meet and Greet event in January 2024.

In 2025, BCCSW implemented a range of programs focused on education, empowerment, and equity for women and girls throughout the region. This included a Women’s History Month event, a self-defense workshop, and a partnership with WAM Theatre to present Creative Resistance: Women Mobilizing Through Art & Activism. BCCSW also engaged in a series of public conversations with key community partners, including the Women’s Fund of Western MA and Tapestry Health, to better understand and support initiatives that advance the well-being of the women they serve. The commission also launched a community needs assessment survey to hear directly from their constituents.

Learn more about the 2025-2026 Legislative Priorities of this region:

Current BCCSW Commissioners

Current BCCSW Commissioners: Meg Arvin (Pittsfield); Hope Bussiere (Adams); Laura Cabrera (Pittsfield); Destiny Easler (Richmond); Franci Gazzaniga (Pittsfield); Sarah Gillooly (Pittsfield); Shela Levante (Pittsfield); Marissa Meehan (Richmond); Kristen Tool (Lanesborough)

For more information about the commission: Berkshire County CSW

Above:
BCCSW Commissioner Laura Cabrera served as a chaperone for a group of Berkshire County girls who attended MCSW’s Girls Empowerment Leadership Initiative at Wood Hole in April 2025.

Above Photos:
Berkshire CSW Commissioners Meg Arvin and Hope Bussiere attend MCSW’s Advocacy Day in March 2025 to advocate for BCCSW’s legislative priorities.

Above:
Berkshire County Commissioners joined their state legislators in January 2024 to discuss regional priorities and what bills would most impact women and girls in Berkshire County. Pictured here: Shaitia Spruell (MCSW), Rhonda Serre, Sarah Gillooly, Halli Stewart, Dawn Brooks, State Representative Tricia Farley-Bouvier, State Senator Paul Mark, State Representative William “Smitty” Pignatelli, Shela Levante, Laura Cabrera, Andrea Wadsworth

Above Photos:
BCCSW out in the community getting organized! Berkshire CSW Commissioners gather in Pittsfield for their monthly meeting in June 2025. Pictured here: Kristen Tool, Destiny Easler, Franci Gazzaniga, Meg Arvin, Hope Bussiere, Sarah Gillooly, Laura Cabrera, Shela Levante (with Marissa Meehan taking the photo). Additionally, BCCSW Commissioners Shela Levante, Marissa Meehan, Sarah Gillooly, and Meg Arvin join other regional commissioners from across the state for the Spring Regional Convening held in Pittsfield in 2025.