New Appointments to Town Boards and Committees

Town Manager Paul Bockelman has nominated the following residents for appointment to town boards and committees. The Town Services and Outreach Committee unanimously recommended the nominees at its September 3 meeting. The Town Council will vote to confirm the nominations at its September 14 meeting.  The town manager provided biographical profiles of the nominees:

Energy and Climate Action Committee:

For a two-year term to expire June 30, 2028,
Caroline Gurek, South East Street

Biographical Profile

Caroline Gurek is the Community Development Administrator in the Town of Whately, where she writes and manages state and Federal grants. In her role there, she serves on the town’s Energy Committee. Gurek is also enrolled in a Master of Public Policy program at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. She works as a research analyst at the university’s Donahue Institute of Applied Research and Program Evaluation. She is certified in Human Subjects Research (CITI) and has experience in quantitative and qualitative data analysis and program evaluation. She stated that she is a committed board member: she shows up, does the unglamorous work, and takes governance seriously. She also recently accepted an appointment to serve on the Community Development Block Grant Committee.

Gurek’s appointment brings the Energy and Climate Action Committee to six members. It is supposed to have nine members, but Bockelman is considering reducing its size to seven.

Historical Commission:

For a three-year term expiring June 30, 2029
Michael Brown, Station Road

For a one-year term expiring June 30, 2027
Salabat Khan, North Pleasant Street

Learn more about the Historical Commission here. 

Biographical Profiles
Michael Brown has lived in Amherst since he was four years old. He is an attorney and, while his current practice is centered on investment law, he has experience in land use law. He values the preservation of the town’s historic assets in balance with the need for sustainable development. After watching Historical Commission meetings, he felt he could contribute both in content and process. 

Salabat Khan is a project designer for Kuhn Riddle Architects and will soon become a licensed architect. He attended the University of Massachusetts Amherst for his Masters Degree in architecture. As a five-year resident, he hopes to become more involved in the community and give back to a town that has welcomed him.

Cultural Council:

For a one-year term expiring June 30, 2027
Grace Zhu, Riverglade Drive

Learn more about the Cultural Council here. 

Biographical Profile
Grace Zhu is a writer with a focus on Chinese classical aesthetics. She has several years’ experience in education, writing, and cultural communication. She reports that the town has become very important to her, and she is eager to learn more about the town’s cultural diversity. She would like to bring her own experience in Chinese aesthetics, cultural heritage, and education into meaningful dialogue with the community.

Community Preservation Act Committee

For a three-year term as an at-large member ending June 30, 2029
Robin Fordham, Emerson Court

For one-year terms ending June 30, 2027
Jason Dorney from the Conservation Committee
Roy Johnson from the Planning Board

The Historical Commission, Housing Authority, and Recreation Committee still need to pick their representatives to the Community Preservation Act Committee.

Michelle Labbe, who was recently nominated to the Community Preservation Act Committee, has a new job and is unable to serve at this time.

Learn more about the Community Preservation Act Committee here.

Biographical Profile
Robin Fordham has served on the Historical Commission and, in that capacity, served as the commission’s representative to the Community Preservation Act Committee. She holds a master’s degree in Historic Preservation and currently works as a preservation planner for the Massachusetts Historical Commission.