Senior Center Welcomes Dan Garcia as New Director
Amherst officals at a welcome reception for new Senior Services Sirector, Dan Garcia. (L-R): Mark Barrette, Director of Communications, Amherst Senior Center; Angela Cardenas, Chief of Operations at Holyoke Community College; Diana Wheeler, Administrative Assistant, Amherst Senior Center, Jeanne Horrigan, Chair, Amherst Council on Aging, Kiko Malin, Director, Amherst, Department of Health; and Mandi Jo Hanneke, President, Amherst Town Council. Photo: Maura Keene
Amherst seniors welcomed new Director of Senior Services Daniel (Dan) Garcia at a reception at the Bangs Center on July 31. Garcia comes to Amherst from Houston where he worked with students from marginal communities at the University of St. Thomas. “My strength is in community building, and I plan to do it for seniors in Amherst,” Garcia told the Indy. “My door is always open. Come in and talk,” he told those in attendance.
Garcia’s plans for the senior center include expanding programming and reducing social isolation. His hopes to see the town have a stand-alone senior center within three years. He is ready to write grants and conduct a capital campaign to make that a reality. He wants Amherst to have the “premier senior center in Western Massachusetts.”
Amherst is the first place Garcia has lived that is not a large city. In addition to Houston, he has lived in Los Angeles. However, he is happy to be here and plans to stay here long-term. His children attend the Amherst public schools.
Garcia came to Amherst because his wife Angela Cardenas was appointed Chief of Operations at Holyoke Community College. Garcia originally served as Program Manager for Amherst’s Community Responders for Equity, Safety, and Service (CRESS) for the past six months, although he knew that was a grant-funded positions that expired on July 1, so he was happy when the Senior Center position opened up. Although Garcia was welcomed by those active in senior services, Director of Public Health Kiko Malin said that she was probably the one who is happiest about Garcia’s arrival, since she was serving as acting director of senior services since Lisa Borchetta resigned for health reasons in March. Malin placed the director’s crown on Garcia’s head.