Episode 16: Lisa Dent - MASS MoCA by Erick Ramos-Jacobo  Episode host Erick Ramos-Jacobo is a senior at MCLA. In this episode of Thinking Like a Region, Erick interviews Lisa Dent, Director of Public Programs at MASS MoCA. The two discuss Dent's multidisciplinary career and the influence her career as a curator, designer, art critic, and more has had in supporting her new leadership position.  “I am a black woman who loves to sing in order to feel heard, and I'm so happy when I'm able to be in community with others.” “I think the skills that I bring to MASS MoCA are the fact that I have had a multidisciplinary life.” This episode focuses on the creative capacities of project management/development, self-advocacy, and public speaking learned from theatre-making and close-looking, interpretation and critical thinking taught by museums.  You can find the transcript for this episode here: https://bit.ly/TLAR-LDMM Thinking Like A Region is a production of the C4 Initiative, Berkshire County’s Creative Compact for Collaborative and Collective Impact, based at Berkshire Regional Planning Commission in Pittsfield, MA, and grant-funded by the National Endowment for the Arts. This podcast is produced by Leslie Appleget and Lisa Donovan. For more information about the show or the C4 Initiative, visit brainworks.mcla.edu/c4. THIS EPISODE’S VOICES: Lisa has been in the field for close to 30 years, bringing enthusiasm, humor and heart to her work everyday. This has included her creative practice as well as collaborations and management of larger, artistic projects. She has owned and managed departments of small, mid-size, and large organizations through the lens of inclusion, equity, and anti-oppression. Her background includes work in the visual arts, publishing, theater, and film, making her one of the few professionals deeply engaged with artists and colleagues across multiple genres. Lisa received her BFA from Howard University, her MFA from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, and completed the Whitney Museum Independent Study Program in curatorial studies. She has served on several juries and committees and is currently a board member of Triple Canopy. Erick Ramos-Jacobo is an immigrant educator, curator, and social practitioner born in Zacatecas, Mexico. Renowned Brazilian Pop artist and Parque Lage professor, Bruno Miguel, noted him as “One of the most promising young curators” (Defining Moments, MASS MoCA, 2022). He's recognized for his work in the arts, particularly in collaboration with organizations like MASS MoCA, Barrington Stage Company, Assets 4 Artists at MASS MoCA, and Madison MoCA. Erick has had the privilege of working alongside curator and educator Dr. Laura Thompson on exhibitions and educational programs featuring notable artists such as Bruno Miguel, Shaun Leonardo, Anne Samat, and Federico Uribe. His passion lies in leveraging the power of the arts to build healthier, more vibrant, and equitable communities for immigrant individuals, with a special focus on museums as a starting point. Erick’s curatorial work and educational development are currently on view at MASS MoCA and his newest collaboration, Metamorphosis|Metamorfosis, will open September 2023 at Madison MoCA.

Episode 15: Andy Wrba - Mill Town Foundation By Zurie Adams Andy Wrba is a Berkshire musician and educator who, in 2012, founded the Berkshire Jazz Collective, which supports the county by creating music that features local artists. For nine years (2014-2023) he served as the Music Director at the Darrow School in Lebanon, NY. Currently, he is the program manager of Mill Town Foundation where he oversees community programs and partnerships while continuing to curate and produce events such as the Bosque Summer Concert series, Lennox Jazz Stroll, and Tanglewood in the City. In addition to his educational and community programming work, from 2005-2012 he performed all over the U.S. in a band, Barefoot Truth, producing several full-length albums and EPs, becoming a symbol of independent music success, acquiring over 50 million streams on Spotify and Pandora. In this episode of Thinking Like A Region, MCLA student Zurie Adams has a discussion with Andy Wrba about how his life as a musician equipped him with skills such as dedication, multi-tasking and patience, which he has transferred to other areas of his life. You can find the transcript for this episode here: https://tinyurl.com/AW-TLAR Thinking Like A Region is a production of the C4 Initiative: Berkshire County’s Creative Compact for Collaborative and Collective Impact, based in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, and grant-funded by the National Endowment for the Arts. This podcast is produced by Leslie Appleget and Lisa Donovan. For more information about the show or the C4 Initiative, visit brainworks.mcla.edu/c4

Episode 14: Beryl Jolly - The Trustees of Reservations by Johan Serrano MCLA student Johan Serrano returns to host the final episode of the season! In this episode of Thinking Like a Region, Serrano interviews Beryl Jolly, arts manager, community engagement professional, former executive director, fundraiser, and currently working as the Vice President of Cultural Properties at The Trustees of Reservations: a land conservation and historic preservation organization dedicated to preserving natural and historical places in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Jolly describes her pathway to this position and the skills her early creative experiences gave her that she puts to use every day. This episode focuses on the creative capacities of communicating, adapting to different settings, attention to detail, and exploring what constitutes high-quality artworks. You can find the transcript for this episode here:https://tinyurl.com/TLAR-BRJ Thinking Like A Region is a production of the C4 Initiative, Berkshire County’s Creative Compact for Collaborative and Collective Impact, based at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in North Adams, MA, and grant-funded by the National Endowment for the Arts. This podcast is produced by Lisa Donovan and Leslie Appleget. For more information about the show or the C4 Initiative, visit brainworks.mcla.edu/c4. THIS EPISODE’S VOICES: Beryl Jolly is the Vice President of Cultural Properties at The Trustees. Beryl joined The Trustees in June of 2020. Prior to joining The Trustees, Beryl was the Executive Director at Mahaiwe Performing Arts Center where she worked for 15 years.  Johan Serrano is an arts management student at MCLA.

Episode 13: Leslie Appleget - C4 Initiative by Skylah Zayas This episode was recorded in the spring of 2022. Some information may be dated. Episode host Skylah Zayas is a sophomore at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. In this episode of Thinking Like a Region, Zayas interviews Leslie Appleget, District Arts Integration Specialist for North Adams Public Schools, the former project coordinator of BRAINworks and the C4 Initiative, and the producer of this podcast. The two discuss Appleget’s arts-based education and how it led to the creation of Thinking Like A Region and the initiative as a whole. Along with this, Appleget tells how her experiences with the arts, such as dance, have taught her project management and collaboration skills. This episode focuses on the creative capacities of verbal and nonverbal communication, time management, collaboration, and awareness of both self and others. Listen in to hear Appleget’s passion for arts education. You can find the transcript for this episode here: https://tinyurl.com/TLAR-LAA Thinking Like A Region is a production of the C4 Initiative, Berkshire County’s Creative Compact for Collaborative and Collective Impact, based at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in North Adams, MA, and grant-funded by the National Endowment for the Arts. This podcast is produced by Lisa Donovan and Leslie Appleget. Additional technical podcast support by Audrey Perdue. For more information about the show or the C4 Initiative, visit brainworks.mcla.edu/c4. THIS EPISODE’S VOICES: Leslie Appleget is the former project coordinator for both the Berkshire Regional Arts Integration Network (BRAINworks) as well as the C4 Initiative, and the producer of this podcast. Her current role as the District Arts Integration Specialist at North Adams Public Schools allows her to continue to drive the goals of the Berkshire Blueprint for Arts Integration and Arts Education forward in the region. Leslie holds an MA in Arts Management from Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh, and a BA in Communications & Government from American University. Leslie is the daughter of a public school educator of 40 years and the direct result of a vibrant arts education program. Skylah Zayas is a student at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts currently pursuing art and elementary education.

Episode 12: Emily Schiavoni - North Adams Public Schools by Mackenzie Liddle & Michael Brassard NOTE: This episode was recorded in Spring 2021, so some information may be dated. Today’s episode is hosted by Mackenzie Liddle, a senior and arts management major at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, and Michael Brassard, a senior at BART Charter. In this episode of Thinking Like a Region, Liddle and Brassard interview Emily Schiavoni, the Community and Family Engagement Coordinator at North Adams Public Schools. The three discuss how Schiavoni’s art degree led her to her career in education. This episode focuses on the creative capacities of communication, presentation skills, collaboration and perseverance. You can find the transcript for this episode here: https://tinyurl.com/ES-TLAR Thinking Like A Region is a production of the C4 Initiative, Berkshire County’s Creative Compact for Collaborative and Collective Impact, based at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in North Adams, MA, and grant-funded by the National Endowment for the Arts. This podcast is produced by Lisa Donovan and Leslie Appleget. Additional technical podcast support by Audrey Perdue. For more information about the show or the C4 Initiative, visit brainworks.mcla.edu/c4. THIS EPISODE’S VOICES: Emily Schiavoni is the Community and Family Engagement Coordinator at North Adams Public Schools in North Adams, MA. Schiavoni received her B.A. in Studio Art at Keene State College and her Master of Education at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. Mackenzie Liddle is a graduate of the arts management major at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. Michael “Mikey” Brassard is a graduate of BART Charter Public School.

Episode 10: Talya Kingston - WAM Theatre by Wendy Lyons Episode host Wendy Lyons is a student at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. In this episode of Thinking Like a Region, Lyons interviews Talya Kingston, dramaturg, playwright, and educator currently working as the Associate Artistic Director at WAM Theatre. WAM, an abbreviation of Where Arts and Activism Meet, is a professional theatre company in Western Massachusetts. Kingston describes her personal journey to and at WAM, WAM’s mission, and how she believes that arts and activism intersect. This episode focuses on the creative capacities of public speaking, building confidence, and the effect of art on interpersonal dynamics. You can find the transcript for this episode here: https://tinyurl.com/TK-TLAR Thinking Like A Region is a production of the C4 Initiative, Berkshire County’s Creative Compact for Collaborative and Collective Impact, based at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in North Adams, MA, and grant-funded by the National Endowment for the Arts. This podcast is produced by Lisa Donovan and Leslie Appleget. For more information about the show or the C4 Initiative, visit brainworks.mcla.edu/c4. THIS EPISODE’S VOICES: Talya Kingston is a dramaturg, playwright, and educator currently working as the Associate Artistic Director at WAM Theatre. She previously worked as a Visiting Professor of Theatre at Hampshire College. Kingston is a member of Literary Managers and Dramaturgs of the Americas, the Dramatists Guild and the Northampton Playwrights Lab, and holds an MFA from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Wendy Lyons is a student at MCLA studying public history.

Episode 9: Quray Clarke - MCLA Student by Jolyne Allegro Episode host Jolyne Allegro is a senior at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. In this episode of Thinking Like a Region, Allegro interviews Quray Clarke, a visual artist and photographer from Queens, New York with a specialty in creative portraiture. Clarke is also a student at MCLA, providing listeners with an inside look into how MCLA’s art programs translate into real-world careers in the arts. This episode focuses on the creative capacities of changing the ways we act, self-expression, community building, human connection, and building confidence. For a look into Clarke’s work, visit his portfolio at https://okayarchive.com/ You can find the transcript for this episode here: https://tinyurl.com/QC-TLAR Thinking Like A Region is a production of the C4 Initiative, Berkshire County’s Creative Compact for Collaborative and Collective Impact, based at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in North Adams, MA, and grant-funded by the National Endowment for the Arts. This podcast is produced by Lisa Donovan and Leslie Appleget. Additional technical support by Audrey Perdue. For more information about the show or the C4 Initiative, visit brainworks.mcla.edu/c4. THIS EPISODE’S VOICES: Quray Clarke is a visual artist and activist from Queens, New York with a concentration in creative portrait photography. Clarke is also a student at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. Jolyne Allegro is a transgender senior at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, studying theater and anthropology. Jo has been an active member of the arts community throughout high school and college. Her experiences in the art community have given her a unique perspective on the way that art affects people, both the creation of art, as well as the ways that taking in works of art can affect the soul.

Episode 9: Erica Barreto - MCLA Institute for Arts and Humanities by Alana O’Connor Today’s episode is hosted by Alana O’Connor, a senior at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. In this episode of Thinking Like a Region, O’Connor interviews Erica Barreto, a 2018 graduate of MCLA now working as the MCLA Institute for the Arts and Humanities (MCLA-IAH) Coordinator. O’Connor and Barreto discuss the role of arts in the Berkshires, along with talks about her previous work as well as her working at MCLA, and what being a collaborator of IAH entails. This episode focuses on the creative capacities of communication, translation of experiences, project management, and the ability to approach difficult conversations. You can find the transcript for this episode here: https://tinyurl.com/EB-TLAR  Thinking Like A Region is a production of the C4 Initiative, Berkshire County’s Creative Compact for Collaborative and Collective Impact, based at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in North Adams, MA, and grant-funded by the National Endowment for the Arts. This podcast is produced by Lisa Donovan and Leslie Appleget. For more information about the show or the C4 Initiative, visit brainworks.mcla.edu/c4. THIS EPISODE’S VOICES: Erica Barreto is the former Coordinator of the MCLA Institute of Arts and Humanities. Barreto graduated from MCLA in 2018 with a degree in English/Communications with a Creative Writing concentration and Arts Management. She sits on the boards of WAM Theatre and BRIDGE, and is currently the Executive Assistant to the President of the Berkshire Black Economic Council. Alana O’Connor is a senior at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts.

Episode 7: Pamela Tatge - Jacob’s Pillow by Emi Bailey Today’s episode is hosted by Emi Bailey, a freshman at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. In this episode of Thinking Like a Region, Bailey interviews Pamela Tatge, Executive & Artistic Director of Jacob’s Pillow, an international dance festival, professional school, and dance archive in Becket, MA. Tatge and Bailey discuss the Pillow’s work, Tatge’s history in dance, the importance of inclusion in the art world, and more. This episode focuses on the creative capacities of improvisation, partnership and discipline. Listen in to learn more about one of the most famous dance centers in the region. You can find the transcript for this episode here: https://tinyurl.com/PT-TLAR Thinking Like A Region is a production of the C4 Initiative, Berkshire County’s Creative Compact for Collaborative and Collective Impact, based at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in North Adams, MA, and grant-funded by the National Endowment for the Arts. This podcast is produced by Lisa Donovan and Leslie Appleget. Additional technical podcast support by Audrey Perdue. For more information about the show or the C4 Initiative, visit brainworks.mcla.edu/c4. THIS EPISODE’S VOICES: Pamela Tatge is the Executive & Artistic Director at Jacob’s Pillow in Becket, MA. Tatge previously served as the Director of the Center for the Arts at Wesleyan University in Middletown, CT. She was named one of “The Most Influential People in Dance Today” by Dance Magazine in 2017 and is the recipient of the Association of Performing Arts Presenters’ 2010 William Dawson Award for Programmatic Excellence and Sustained Achievement in Programming. Tatge holds a B.A. in History and an M.A.L.S. from Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut. Emi Bailey is a student at Massachusetts College of Liberal arts. She is a dancer who is passionate about accessibility.

Episode 7: Craig Langlois - Berkshire Museum by Johan Serrano Episode host Johan Serrano at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts returns to host another episode of Thinking Like a Region. Serrano interviews Craig Langlois, the Chief Experience Officer at Berkshire Museum. The two discuss Langlois’ formal art training, his work in ceramics, and his philosophy around making art and accessing individual creativity. This episode focuses on the creative capacities of perseverance, self-discovery, designing experiences to get to spark curiosity, and finding creative solutions to creative problems. Listen in to hear Langlois’ perspective on the concepts of permanence and growth in his own artwork. You can find the transcript for this episode here: https://tinyurl.com/CLBM-TLAR Thinking Like A Region is a production of the C4 Initiative, Berkshire County’s Creative Compact for Collaborative and Collective Impact, based at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in North Adams, MA, and grant-funded by the National Endowment for the Arts. This podcast is produced by Lisa Donovan and Leslie Appleget, with additional technical podcast support from Audrey Perdue. For more information about the show or the C4 Initiative, visit brainworks.mcla.edu/c4. THIS EPISODE’S VOICES: CRAIG LANGLOIS has devoted his professional life to developing innovative educational experiences in the arts as a teacher and a curator. As the museum’s Chief Experience Officer and during nearly a decade of service to the museum in other roles, Craig, who holds a Master of Fine Arts degree, has created and implemented a wide variety of programs and exhibitions at the Berkshire Museum. A member of the museum’s senior leadership team, Craig has been and continues to contribute to setting the museum’s New Vision. Craig is active as a community leader as well, working with local nonprofit organizations and schools to strengthen education and expand learning in the region. JOHAN SERRANO is a senior and arts management major at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts.