Amherst Town Manager John Musante and Superintendent of Schools Maria Geryk today announced the hiring of Amherst resident Carol Ross, an outstanding candidate for the newly created position of Media & Climate Communications Specialist for the Amherst- Pelham Regional Schools, the Amherst Public Schools and the Town of Amherst. She will work to launch Amherst Together, an initiative that will serve as a foundation for building equity in Amherst through community collaboration. The effort aims to bring together a wider range of Amherst community interests to develop a collective vision for serving the whole.
"The key to Amherst Together is to research, identify, develop, and implement successful strategies for achieving equity by developing opportunities for communication and collaboration," says Musante.
Ms. Ross has deep roots in the Amherst community. She was raised and lives in Amherst, graduated from Amherst schools, and is a parent of an Amherst public school student. She has a BA from UMass and professional experience as an author, photographer, human resources generalist, producer, documentarian and community organizer. Ms. Ross’s work uses art as a tool for social impact and public discourse and is nationally recognized and locally
celebrated.
She has eight years of public and educational sector human resources experience with expertise in cross-cultural engagement and conversation facilitation designed to stimulate profound thinking. She is currently a member of the Superintendent’s Equity Task Force and the Town’s Human Rights Commission.
Superintendent Geryk said, “It didn't take us long to realize that a collaborative effort was imperative. The same issues we are facing in our schools are also prevalent in our town. Ms. Ross’s background, her thoughtful approach and her ability to articulate and synthesize current climate issues to project positive outcomes is unparalleled. I believe she is the right individual to assist us in bringing Amherst Together and to achieve our goals of fostering a healthier climate of civility, inclusivity and respect in the community.”
For more information:
Contact: John Musante, Town Manager 413-259-3002
Maria Geryk, Superintendent of Schools 413-362-1823