BIC YouTube Videos

Kristin Nichols, Chief Marketing Officer at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, shares how her journey through undiagnosed ADHD, transformative mentorship, and higher education shaped her life and career. She reflects on the experiences that now fuel her commitment to helping students discover their potential and build meaningful futures. Kristin Nichols returns to the campus where her life changed, now serving as the inaugural Chief Marketing Officer at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts. In this conversation with Dr. Dennis Rebelo, Kristin reflects on growing up with an undiagnosed learning difference during the 1990s, when she was repeatedly told she was smart but simply "not trying." Despite her love of writing, storytelling, and communication, those experiences left her questioning her own abilities throughout middle and high school. Everything began to change after visiting North Adams State College, later renamed MCLA, where Professor Joe Abiware recognized her potential and became a mentor who challenged and encouraged her. His guidance led her to pursue a psychoeducational evaluation that ultimately revealed she had ADHD, giving her an explanation for struggles she had carried for years. That moment reshaped how she viewed herself and reinforced the importance of seeing students as individuals rather than labels. Today, Kristin leads MCLA's digital strategy, overseeing marketing, communications, search optimization, artificial intelligence initiatives, and student recruitment. She discusses the challenges facing higher education, including changing demographics and the importance of helping students connect their strengths with meaningful educational paths. Kristin also shares how becoming a mother to a son with a rare medical condition has deepened her advocacy for children, education, and identity development. Throughout the conversation, she reflects on the mentors, educators, and personal experiences that continue to shape her work as a connector, advocate, and leader dedicated to helping others realize their potential. Links: Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA): https://www.mcla.edu/ Berkshire Innovation Center Accelerator Program: https://www.berkshireinnovationcenter.com/accelerator-program Narrative Research Group: https://narrativeresearchgroup.org/ Contributors: Kristin Nichols, Dr. Dennis Rebelo, Nate Christy, Shannon Rebelo #KristinNichols, #MCLA, #HigherEducation, #ChiefMarketingOfficer, #ADHD, #Neurodivergent, #StudentSuccess, #Storytelling, #Mentorship, #IdentityDevelopment, #Leadership, #DigitalMarketing, #SEO, #ArtificialIntelligence, #Education, #CareerDevelopment, #MyStoryVault

Watch TechAMP participant **Gayle Kittle** share why she enrolled in the Technologist Advanced Manufacturing Program and how it aligned with her goal of growing her career. Starting in an entry-level role, Gayle saw firsthand the need for stronger collaboration between manufacturing operations and engineering. TechAMP gave her the opportunity to build the technical, analytical, and leadership skills needed to help bridge that gap and make an even greater impact within her organization. TechAMP (Technologist Advanced Manufacturing Program) is a 12-month professional certificate program developed by MIT and offered locally through the Berkshire Innovation Center. Designed for experienced manufacturing professionals, the program helps participants strengthen their understanding of engineering, manufacturing systems, quality, leadership, and continuous improvement while continuing to work full time. Thanks to current grant funding, TechAMP is **completely free** for participating employers and students during the **2026-2027 program year.** This is expected to be the final year the program will be offered at no cost. Learn more about TechAMP, eligibility requirements, and how to apply: https://www.berkshireinnovationcenter.com/techamp Connect with the Berkshire Innovation Center: Website: https://www.berkshireinnovationcenter.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/berkshire-innovation-center Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BerkshireInnovationCenter #TechAMP #AdvancedManufacturing #WorkforceDevelopment #Manufacturing #ManufacturingCareers #Leadership #ContinuousImprovement #BerkshireInnovationCenter #MIT

How TechAMP Helped Matthew Bridge the Gap Across Manufacturing** In this TechAMP participant spotlight, Matthew McInerney shares how the Technologist Advanced Manufacturing Program (TechAMP) expanded his understanding of manufacturing systems, strengthened his leadership skills, and gave him the confidence to communicate more effectively across engineering, maintenance, and operations. Developed by MIT's LEAP Group, TechAMP is a 12-month certificate program designed for manufacturing professionals with three or more years of experience. Through online coursework, hands-on labs, and applied learning, participants gain the technical, analytical, and leadership skills needed to bridge the gap between shop-floor operations and engineering decision-making. The Berkshire Innovation Center is proud to be one of several sites across New England offering TechAMP in collaboration with MIT. Because the program is grant funded, it is available to BIC members at no charge. Learn more about TechAMP and apply: https://www.berkshireinnovationcenter.com/techamp **About the Berkshire Innovation Center** The Berkshire Innovation Center (BIC) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing innovation, workforce development, and technology adoption across the manufacturing sector. Through industry partnerships, hands-on training, and collaborative programming, BIC helps companies and individuals build the skills needed for the future of manufacturing. Learn more about the Berkshire Innovation Center: https://www.berkshireinnovationcenter.com #TechAMP #MITLEAP #AdvancedManufacturing #WorkforceDevelopment #Manufacturing #Leadership #BerkshireInnovationCenter

What does it take to bridge the gap between the shop floor and management? In this testimonial, TechAMP participant **Jeff Saalfrank** shares how the program gave him a broader understanding of manufacturing, helping him better understand the reasoning behind management decisions while strengthening communication across teams. TechAMP (Technologist Advanced Manufacturing Program) is a 12-month professional certificate program developed by MIT and delivered locally through the Berkshire Innovation Center. Designed for experienced manufacturing professionals, the program combines technical, analytical, and leadership training to help participants become technologists who can drive continuous improvement and innovation within their organizations. Learn more about TechAMP, eligibility requirements, and upcoming cohorts: https://www.berkshireinnovationcenter.com/techamp #TechAMP #AdvancedManufacturing #ManufacturingCareers #WorkforceDevelopment #ManufacturingLeadership #BerkshireInnovationCenter #MIT

Aaron Bayer, a longtime public school superintendent in Oregon, shares his journey from a transient childhood marked by poverty, frequent moves, and personal loss to leading a school district focused on opportunity, career education, and student success. Through stories of resilience, mentorship, wrestling, and education, Aaron reflects on the people and experiences that shaped his approach to leadership and service. Aaron’s story begins with a childhood defined by uncertainty. Raised by a family of traveling lounge singers, he spent much of his early life moving between communities, attending multiple schools, and navigating periods of financial hardship. Aaron reflects on growing up in California, where he often felt out of place, particularly after being bused into a more affluent middle school during desegregation efforts. Struggling to fit in, he experienced bullying, culture shock, and eventually found himself in physical confrontations that became important turning points in understanding who he wanted to become. A profound loss during high school, the death of his stepbrother Bobby, forced Aaron to confront the direction of his life. Influenced by educators, coaches, and mentors who saw potential in him, he began channeling his energy into athletics, particularly wrestling, where he discovered confidence, discipline, and a sense of identity. Wrestling became more than a sport; it became a vehicle for self-expression and personal growth. After high school, Aaron postponed college plans to help support his family following a move to rural Oregon. Working a variety of jobs while helping his mother and younger brother establish a new life, he eventually enrolled at Umpqua Community College. Encouraged by mentors along the way, he continued his education at Oregon State University, earning a degree in Exercise Science and beginning a career dedicated to serving young people. Today, Aaron serves as a public school superintendent and champions an educational philosophy centered on opportunity, student voice, career and technical education, and preparing students for an uncertain future. Drawing from his own experiences, he believes that quality public education can transform lives and that educators have a responsibility to help students discover who they are, what they value, and what they are capable of becoming. Throughout the conversation, Aaron reflects on leadership, hope, mentorship, and the importance of helping others find their own path forward. Links Aaron Bayer: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aaron-bayer Berkshire Innovation Center: https://www.berkshireinnovationcenter.com/ Narrative Research Group: https://narrativeresearchgroup.org/ Contributors Aaron Bayer, Dr. Dennis Rebelo, Nate Christy, Shannon Rebelo, PJ Moynihan #AaronBayer, #PublicEducation, #EducationalLeadership, #Superintendent, #CareerAndTechnicalEducation, #StudentSuccess, #Mentorship, #Wrestling, #CommunityCollege, #OregonStateUniversity, #LeadershipDevelopment, #PublicSchools, #Resilience, #StudentVoice, #WorkforceDevelopment, #PersonalGrowth, #MyStoryVault

Kaitlyn Keen, a population health scientist and advocate, shares how personal experiences, public health, and storytelling shaped her work in advocacy and community building. In this episode, she reflects on health disparities, self-awareness, caregiving, and the importance of helping people find spaces where they can fully be themselves. Kaitlyn joins Dr. Dennis Rebelo in the Vault to reflect on a life shaped by advocacy, caregiving, curiosity, and community. Raised in Springfield, Illinois, Kaitlyn describes herself as an explorer from an early age, spending childhood weekends riding bikes, seeking adventure, and learning how to navigate environments that either nurtured or limited her sense of belonging. Through stories about switching soccer teams in second grade, working long hours as a teenager, and becoming self-reliant after her parents’ divorce, she shares how early experiences taught her to recognize alignment, community, and personal fit. Originally studying communication arts and marketing with plans to pursue photojournalism, Kaitlyn’s career direction shifted after working overnight shifts in a trauma center emergency department while finishing college. Witnessing a young woman experience inadequate care during a traumatic moment exposed Kaitlyn to health disparities in real time and motivated her to pursue a Master of Public Health degree. She reflects on how applying science and mathematics to improving human outcomes transformed her relationship to learning and ultimately led her into population health science. Throughout the conversation, Kaitlyn discusses the overlap between storytelling, psychology, advocacy, and systems change. She explains how her work at the American Cancer Society and the Illinois Lung Cancer Roundtable centers on connecting organizations, leaders, survivors, caregivers, and healthcare professionals to improve lung cancer outcomes across Illinois. Kaitlyn also shares her personal connection to the cancer community through her mother’s experience surviving breast cancer and learning that she carries the same genetic mutation connected to her mother’s diagnosis. The episode explores themes of identity, self-awareness, and continual growth. Kaitlyn reflects candidly on recently being diagnosed with ADHD at 35, becoming a mother at a young age, and realizing that much of her adult life was spent empowering others before fully understanding herself. She speaks about the importance of modeling self-discovery, intentional living, and personal alignment for both her daughter and the communities she serves. Grounded in her belief that people are “better together,” Kaitlyn emphasizes that authentic storytelling and meaningful connection can help individuals, caregivers, advocates, and communities move toward healthier and more supportive futures. Links: Keen on Pet Care, LLC www.keenonpetcare.com Rockford University Women in Leadership Advisory Board https://badgefol.io/advisor/kaitlyn-keen-38900736 Berkshire Innovation Center Accelerator Program: https://www.berkshireinnovationcenter.com/accelerator-program Narrative Research Group: https://narrativeresearchgroup.org/ For more information or to share a question or insight, please email Shannon [at] narrativeresearchgroup [dot] org Contributors: Kaitlyn Keen, Dr. Dennis Rebelo, Nate Christy, Shannon Rebelo, PJ Moynihan #KaitlynKeen, #PopulationHealth, #PublicHealth, #AmericanCancerSociety, #LungCancerAdvocacy, #HealthDisparities, #Caregiving, #Storytelling, #CommunityBuilding, #Advocacy, #Survivorship, #Caregivers, #IllinoisLungCancerRoundtable, #Leadership, #SelfAwareness, #ADHD, #HealthcareSystems, #CancerSupport, #Belonging, #VoicesThatCare

2026 Berkshire Robotics Challenge life from Wahconah High School.

2026 Berkshire Robotics Challenge live from Wahconah High School.

2026 Berkshire Robotics Challenge live from Wahconah High School.