Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts
Briana Wales-Thaxton, M.Ed., is an experienced leader in people and culture, currently serving as Vice President at the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts since February 2021. Previously, Briana held the position of Director at Commonwealth Corporation, where responsibilities included managing partnership networks and advancing recruitment strategies. Briana also contributed as a Graduate Assistant at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, focusing on faculty recruitment and retention, and worked as Program Coordinator for the Western Mass Training Consortium, providing support for individuals with lived experience in the mental health system. Early roles included coordinating youth programming at Holyoke Community College and offering support to young adults with developmental disabilities at Aditus Inc. Briana earned a Master of Education in Social Justice Education from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Educational Studies from Mount Holyoke College.
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Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts
The Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts was founded in 1991 to serve the needs of the Pioneer Valley. Encompassing 69 cities and towns in the Connecticut River Valley (Hampden, Hampshire, and Franklin Counties), the Foundation provides a vehicle for residents to focus their philanthropy on this beautiful and increasingly diverse region. The Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts seeks to enrich the quality of life of the people of Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin Counties by: • Encouraging philanthropy. • Developing a permanent, flexible endowment. • Assessing and responding to emerging and changing needs. • Providing a vehicle for donors with varied interests and at various levels of giving. • Serving as a resource, catalyst and coordinator for charitable activities. • Promoting efficiency in the management of charitable funds.