New Appointments to Energy and Climate Action Committee, Public Art Commission, and Recreation Commission

In memos to the Town Council and the Town Clerk dated June 23, 2025 Town Manager Paul Bockelman recommended appointments to the Energy and Climate Action Committee, the Public Art Commission and the Recreation Commission. These appointments were endorsed unanimously (4-0 with one absent) at the June 26 meeting of the Town Services and Outreach Committee (TSO) and will come before the full Town Council for final approval at their meeting on June 30, 2025.

Energy and Climate Action Committee
Nominated for a three-year term ending June 30, 2028:
Emily Dore of Amity Street.

Nominated for a two year term ending June 30, 2027:
Tsuya Tanaka, of Barrett Hill Drive.

The committee still has one open seat.

Public Art Commission
Nominated for three-year terms ending June 30, 2028:
Theodore Rosenberg, of Amity Place, and Matthew Watkins, of  Heatherstone Road.

Nominated for a one-year term expiring June 30, 2026 (reappointment):
Lori Friedman, of Blue Hills Road. 

Recreation Commission
Nominated for three-year terms expiring June 30, 2028 (reappointments):
Jonas Cox, of Hillcrest Place, and Andrew MacDougall, of  Memorial Drive.

The commission still has one open seat.

The Town Manager provided the following biographical profiles for the nominees.

Energy and Climate Action Committee
Emily Dore, who moved to Amherst recently with her family, is a public health researcher who is currently a postdoctoral fellow at the Harvard School of Public Health. Her research focuses on the health effects of social policies. She has worked with community-oriented nonprofits and has skills in organizing and community building.

Tetsuya Tanaka is a student at Amherst College and seeks to combine his experience as a student with the mission of the committee. At the college, he is working with the office of sustainability to digitize operations, making processes more efficient and reducing unnecessary paper usage. Prior to attending the college, he was co-head of his high school’s sustainability committee where he managed a team of over 20 students developing educational campaigns and organizing community events. He also served as the regional lead for the National High School Climate Forum in the Northeast where he refined his skills in collaboration and communication.

Public Art Commission
Theodore Rosenberg worked as a visual artist and has a degree in fine arts and art history. He expressed interest in becoming more involved in public service and in the aesthetics of the town. 

Matthew Watkins has been a creative director for a company in the Boston area, run his own creative company, and has worked as an independent contractor. He has collaborated with dozens of artists and organizations to create unique experiences that leave lasting impacts including animations, performance recordings, live concert visuals, and storytelling. He said he believes in the power of public art and understands the impact it can have on building community. He wants to be more involved in the community to strengthen local bonds through sharing and understanding human expression. 

Lori Friedman has a strong background in arts administration and curating. She has been a consultant working directly with artists, non-profit galleries, and museums. Most recently she has been deeply involved in helping local artists manage their work. She serves as an Emeritus member of the UMass Fine Arts Center Board.

Recreation Commission
Jonas Cox has worked on business teams working on multimedia and webcasts for more than 25 years. Sports and recreation have been central to his life having played basketball, baseball, and soccer as a child and continued into adulthood with cycling and running. He has also organized and coached youth soccer at Amherst Regional High School and during summer leagues. He thoroughly understands the joys and challenges of putting a team together, communicating with parents/guardians, and navigating the systems to secure uniforms, equipment, and field time. He has been a member of the Recreation Commission since 2023. 

Andrew MacDougall  states that he has a passion for making recreation opportunities available to as wide an audience as possible. He has dedicated significant time to growing the sport of lacrosse and serves as the President of the Amherst Youth Lacrosse, Inc. He has coached and values the participation of all young people.