Mr. Burke serves as President and CEO of Hillcrest Educational Centers, Inc. He has been employed at Hillcrest since 1985, serving as its CEO since 1992.

His experience spans over 30 years, working with children with special needs in both the private sector and public school system. Mr. Burke has been part of a team of professionals who have changed a bankrupt company, the former Avalon Schools, into a fiscally stable and successful Joint Commission accredited organization. Hillcrest employs over 500 professionals and operates with a $30 million dollar budget.

B.S. Special Education, Fitchburg State College
M.S. Psychology, Anna Maria College
M.B.A., Western New England College

Mr. Cusson began his career with Hillcrest as a Youth Development Counselor more than twenty years ago.  He has been a senior manager since 1997, and was promoted to Executive Director in 2013.

His current responsibilities include the general oversight of the agency, supervision of the Senior Vice President, Human Resources, the Directors of Information Management and Workforce Development, and the Program Directors for Hillcrest Academy and the ASD Residential Program.  Mr. Cusson also oversees quality assurance and compliance with licensing and accrediting agencies, facilitation of Senior Management activities as well as the design and execution of company goals and operational objectives.

M.A. in Education - Concentration: Psychological Studies, Cambridge College
B.S. in Business Administration – Concentration: Marketing, Westfield State College

Mr. Smith has been employed by Hillcrest Educational Centers, Inc. since 1997.

As Senior Vice President, Mr. Smith oversees residential programming for adolescent girls, adolescent boys and the sexual-abuse specific program.  He is responsible for all aspects of program oversight through the direct supervision of the Highpoint and Brookside Intensive Treatment Unit campuses.   Additionally, Mr. Smith is responsible for program development and implementation through the direct supervision of Hillcrest’s Education Director, Nursing Director, Clinical Director and Quality Assurance Director.  Mr. Smith is also responsible for overseeing Hillcrest’s Admissions and Marketing department and working in conjunction with programs to maintain Agency census.

Before coming to Hillcrest Educational Centers, Inc. Mr. Smith had experience working with both adolescent boys and girls during his time living in upstate New York and Vermont.

During his tenure with Hillcrest, Mr. Smith has worked in most areas of residential including: direct-care, supervisory, program management and group facilitation.  Additionally, Mr. Smith has held several key management positions including Program Director for the Intensive Treatment Unit, Program Director of the Highpoint Campus and Vice President of Residential Programs.

B.S. Human Services, State University of New York (SUNY) at Plattsburgh
M.B.A., Isenberg School of Business of University of Massachusetts Amherst

Mr. Placido is the Chief Financial Officer at Hillcrest Educational Centers, Inc.  His responsibilities include overseeing the overall financial operations of the organization and affiliated organizations, preparing monthly financial statements, and annual operating budgets for each company, coordinating the annual external audits and preparing the monthly financial reports which he presents Boards of Directors for each corporation.  

Mark is a member of the Senior Management Team and is involved with external parties such as lenders, retirement plan administrators and insurance providers. Mark is Treasurer for both Hillcrest Educational Centers, Inc. and Hillcrest Dental Care, Inc. and is a member of the Board of Directors for Berkshire County Kids Place & Violence Prevention Center.

Mark joined Hillcrest in 2007.  Prior to this he served as Treasurer of the Berlin Central School District in Berlin, New York for two years. Prior to that he was employed in the Accounting Department at Canyon Ranch in Lenox, MA for thirteen years, serving as Accounting Manager for the last seven years.  Earlier in his career he worked for Hillcrest as a childcare worker and in the Business Office processing Accounts payable.

B.A. Government/Criminal Justice, Western New England University
M.B.A., Western New England University

Michele Morin is the Vice President of Human Resources & Workforce Development at Hillcrest Educational Centers.   Michele is responsible for all people functions including the strategic planning, managing, developing, evaluating, and improvement of human resources to provide the agency with an engaged and committed workforce that possesses the knowledge and skills capacity to meet the current and emerging needs of the children, youth, families, and communities served.

She ensures recruitment and hiring practices, along with compensation, benefit, wellness, incentive, and advancement programs, attract and retain a broad and robust pool of people with diverse backgrounds and experiences to position the agency as an employer of choice and distinguish them within the human service industry.

Michele has 28 years of experience in the field of education including 5 years as a high school educator in the public schools and 23 years as a staff educator in human services.  In 2005, Michele joined Hillcrest Educational Centers as the Director of Workforce Learning.

BS Ed in Secondary Education, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, Belton, Texas
Certified Secondary School Educator
M. Ed. in Learning, Media, and Technology, University of Massachusetts Amherst

April Slater Roche is the Director of Clinical Services at Hillcrest Educational Centers. In her role, April provides oversight for agency-wide clinical services including individual, group, and family therapies, crisis assessment work, as well as funding agency compliance measures.

April is an active member of her community, having served on her local School Committee and Arts Council as well as volunteering to coordinate youth events. She is an officer of her local Lions Club.

A lifelong resident of Berkshire County, April joined Hillcrest Educational Centers in 1996 as a direct care staff. In 1998, after completing her Masters in Social Work, April became a member of the clinical department. She has held positions of Clinician and Lead Clinician at various HEC sites, and has held the position of Director of Clinical Services for the past 4 years. She has been involved in the development and ongoing implementation of Hillcrest’s trauma-informed treatment model called “Skills for Life.” April holds licensure as an independent clinical social worker in the state of Massachusetts.

BSW, Eastern Nazarene College, Quincy, MA
MSW, Boston College, Boston, MA

Mr. Gidarakos is employed by Hillcrest Educational Centers as the Director of Admissions and Marketing. His experience spans over 30 years in the human services field.

He was employed by the Eagleton School Inc. for 25 years until retirement. He began his career as a CCW, supervisor/administrator and then residential director. He served as Program Director for 17 years supervising all aspects of the program. He also served as Admissions and Marketing Director concurrently. Upon retirement he joined the Hillcrest team as the Director of Admissions and Marketing in January of 2012.

Allison Billard is the Program Director of the Hillcrest Academy, Hillcrest Educational Centers’ therapeutic day school.  She oversees the educational and therapeutic programming of the school, as well as the day-to-day functioning of the campus.

Allison is an active member of the Berkshire Young Professionals steering committee.  She is also a member of the Berkshire Chamber of Commerce’s Class of 2013 Berkshire Leadership Program. She began her professional career as a School Psychologist within the Springfield Public Schools.  In February of 2007, she joined Hillcrest Educational Centers as the School Psychologist for the Hillcrest Academy (formerly Housatonic Academy).  In October of 2008, she transitioned to her current position of Program Director.

B.S. in Psychology from Pine Manor College
M.S. in School Psychology from the College of St. Rose

Professional Licensure from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education in School Psychology

Professional Licensure from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education in Special Education Administration

Dr. Welts is the Director of Information Services at Hillcrest Educational Centers. In this capacity he is responsible for all electronic communications systems and manages all software and hardware deployment and maintenance with a goal of providing professional and timely services to all programs and departments.

Dr. Welts came to Hillcrest in 1990 with 17 years of direct care experience in residential facilities as a member of the Training Department. He was Director of Training and Information Services throughout the 90's and assumed sole responsibility for the Information Services Department in 2000. He has assumed several interim program management positions over the course of his tenure at Hillcrest.

BA, Psychology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA
M.Ed, Westfield State University, Westfield, MA
Ed.D, University of Massachusetts School of Education, Amherst MA

Peter Lopenzina is the Program Director for the Brookside Intensive Treatment Unit, a highly staffed hospital diversion program for 26 behaviorally challenged females.  He has overseen the successful growth of the ITU from a nine-bed facility in Hancock, MA into the current 26-bed facility in Great Barrington, Massachusetts.

Peter is active in the community, having served on a variety of boards and volunteering time for agencies such as Special Olympics, The Pittsfield Boys and Girls Clubs and the Catholic Youth Association. He worked in the newspaper business, including for the Berkshire Eagle, before joining Hillcrest in 1985.  Over the years he has run a variety of programs for Hillcrest while earning two Masters degrees, one in Human Service Administration in 1990 and a second in Social Work from Springfield College in 1999.  As a clinician Peter has worked with the most behaviorally challenged students. He has experience programming for a variety of diagnoses and treatment issues, including those with fire setting, sexual boundary, and trauma/neglect backgrounds.

B.S. Journalism, Syracuse University
MSW, Springfield College

Cheryl Richards is the Workforce Learning Manager at Hillcrest Educational Centers. She is responsible for the generation and direction of blended learning programs with a focus on expanding the capacity of staff to meet the current and emerging needs of the individuals served.    

Cheryl started at Hillcrest Educational Centers in 1996 as direct care staff and worked her way to Program Manager at the Hillcrest Center campus in Lenox, MA and most recently, was promoted to the Workforce Learning Manager.   

Cheryl serves on the Board of Directors for the CYC, she is a member of the School Council for Herberg Middle School, and serves as a CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) through Berkshire Children and Families.  

B.A. Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts
Graduate Certificate in Business Administration Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts M.B.A. Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts

David Luckadoo is the Quality Assurance Director at Hillcrest Educational Centers. He has been employed with HEC since 2008 after relocating to the Berkshires from North Carolina. David is a member of the Senior Management Team and coordinates investigation within the agency dealing with possible allegations of Abuse or Neglect. He also takes an active role in campus security maintenance, environment of care, and staff training.

Before joining Hillcrest, David held the position of Youth Services Technician with the North Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice. Since joining HEC in 2008 David has held several direct care supervisory and administrative positions. Before moving into his current position in 2014, David held the position of Fernbrook Program Manager.

B.A. Sociology & Geography, The Ohio State University

Ashley Kellogg is the Program Director of the Hillcrest Educational Centers Highpoint Campus located in Lenox, Massachusetts.  She is responsible for overseeing the successful operation of the Highpoint Program. The Highpoint Program specializes in the care and treatment of adolescent males who are in need of sexual abuse specific treatment and specializes in treating adolescent males who have been exposed to abuse and neglect have a significant trauma history and engage in significant high risk behaviors. Ashley collaborates with the campus administrative team to ensure a trauma informed care environment is provided to students in all areas of program on the Highpoint campus. Additionally, she collaborates with the admissions department regarding referrals and admissions to the programs.  

Ashley served on the Board of Directors in the Secretary position for the Berkshire County Chapter of the American Red Cross until November of 2014.  Ashley joined Hillcrest Educational Centers in June of 2004. She has held multiple positions within the agency over her 10-year tenure. Prior to becoming the Program Manager of the Highpoint Campus these roles have included clinical Case Manager, Clinician, Lead Clinician and Clinical Coordinator at multiple campuses throughout the agency.

B.A. Psychology with a Minor in Business Administration, Saint Michael’s College
Masters of Social Work, Springfield College
Licensed as an LICSW in the state of Massachusetts

Diane Parks is the Director of Education for Hillcrest Educational Centers, Inc. She is responsible for ensuring regulatory compliance with the Massachusetts Department of Education, supervision of the faculty members, and the leadership and guidance in the provision of effective instructional programming.

Diane is an active member of the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) as well as a member of the Massachusetts Association of Approved Private Schools (MAAPS). She has held a variety of Teaching and Administrative positions in programs for special needs children in Pennsylvania and New York before joining Hillcrest Educational Centers, Inc. in 1992. Over the past twenty two years as a member of the Hillcrest Community Diane has held multiple positions including Teacher, Principal and Assistant Program Director.

B.A. Psychology-Ithaca College- Ithaca, N.Y
M.Ed. in Special Education-Temple University-Philadelphia, PA
Licensure as:
Special Education Administrator (all levels)
Special Needs (PreK-9)
Special Needs (5-12)
Children with Severe Special Needs (all levels)

Mike Supranowicz is the Director of Business Development at Hillcrest Educational Centers. He oversees Hillcrest Dental Care, Hillcrest Community Support Services, and the Hillcrest grant writing office.    

Mike serves on the boards of the Berkshire County Regional Employment Board, Berkshire Applied Technology Collaboration and In May of 2011, Massachusetts Governor Duval Patrick appointed Supranowicz to a five-year term on the Board of Trustees for Berkshire Community College.4

From 2005 - 2014 Mike was the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Berkshire Chamber of Commerce and the Chief Operating Officer of 1Berkshire Strategic Alliance Inc. From 2000-2005 he served as Vice-President, Chief Operating Officer of the Berkshire Chamber of Commerce.   Previous to his Chamber work, Mike managed supermarkets for Big Y Foods and the former Adams Supermarket.

Certificate in Geographic Information Science from the University of West Florida
B.S. Business Administration, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts 

Tim Gallagher is the Director of Development and Community Relations at Hillcrest Educational Centers, Inc. His responsibilities include developing and executing the development plan, planning and implementing fundraising events and annual campaigns as well as networking with other organizations, charities and individual donors.

Tim Gallagher has a long history with Hillcrest Educational Centers. Tim first joined Hillcrest as an intern in 1988 and had several key roles within the organization ranging from clinical work to staff development and training. After several years of private consulting and other executive management roles locally, Tim was chosen as the Director of Business Development for Hillcrest from 2007-2013.

Most recently, Tim was the CEO of Ramblewild, a privately funded business venture located in Lanesborough, MA. Gallagher has experience in many different industries including recreation, training and staff development, clinical therapy, complimentary medicine, and business development. Tim’s expansive career has given him many assets to bring to Hillcrest in the Director of Development and Community Relations role.

B.A. in Psychology with a concentration in computer science
M.Ed. in Education with a concentration in Counseling Psychology

Heather Williamson is the Director of Berkshire County Kids’ Place and Violence Prevention Center, an affiliate of Hillcrest Educational Foundation. Heather is responsible for the oversight of the fiscal, administrative, clinical and fund development of the agency.  She is an active committee volunteer working with area nonprofits, committees and political campaigns.

Heather’s professional focus has been in not-for-profit management and child development.  She uses her proven track record in administration, along with her love for children and desire for their well-being to strengthen the mission of the Berkshire County Kids’ Place.  

B.S. Political Science, University of Massachusetts, Amherst