BMC Senior Management

David E. Phelps, President and Chief Executive Officer

David E. Phelps was born and raised in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, and attended local schools in the City. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from St. Mary's College and a Master of Business Administration degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI).
 
Phelps was appointed President of Berkshire Health Systems (BHS) and Berkshire Health Care Systems (BHCS) in 1993. Berkshire Health Systems is the primary provider of healthcare services in Berkshire County. Its affiliates include Berkshire Medical Center in Pittsfield and Fairview Hospital in Great Barrington. A long-term care associate of Berkshire Health Systems, Berkshire Health Care Systems operates nursing and rehabilitative care facilities throughout the Berkshires, including Mt. Greylock Extended Care, Kimball Farms, Hillcrest Commons, Fairview Commons, North Adams Commons and Williamstown Commons. In addition, BHCS owns and operates nursing facilities across Massachusetts, and in Ohio and Pennsylvania.

Long active in civic affairs and a leader in the Massachusetts healthcare industry, Phelps currently serves on the Board of the Massachusetts Council of Community Hospitals, Massachusetts Hospital Association, and is a member of the American Hospital Association's Regional Policy Board. He is a former Chairman of the Pittsfield Economic Development Authority, past President of the Massachusetts Council of Community Hospitals, and has served on the Massachusetts Health and Education Facilities Authority (HEFA), Massachusetts Business Roundtable Healthcare Task Force and the Governor's Blue Ribbon Commission on Healthcare.

Prior to joining Berkshire Health Systems, Phelps held several key government positions locally and on the national level. He served as assistant to former Pittsfield Mayor Evan S. Dobelle, and later joined Dobelle in Washington as a Special Assistant to the Chief of Protocol for the U.S. State Department. In addition, Phelps served as Deputy Chairman of the Democratic National Committee.

Darlene Rodowicz, Executive Vice President, Berkshire Health Systems

Darlene Rodowicz was appointed Executive Vice President of Berkshire Health Systems in 2020, after serving as Chief Financial Officer since 2005. She had previously served as Associate Vice President of Finance for Berkshire Health Systems. She joined Berkshire Health Systems in 1984 as a staff accountant and has since served in a variety of positions, including Billing Supervisor of Berkshire Faculty Services and BHS Comptroller before being named to her current role.

                                               Berkshire Medical Center Administrative Senior Leadership
 

Brenda Cadorette, RN, Vice President, Acute Care & Chief Nursing Officer

Prior to serving in this role, Brenda Cadorette has served as Administrative Director of Acute Care Services for Berkshire Medical Center and as Nursing director of inpatient medical/surgical units. A graduate of Saint Joseph’s College of Maine with a Master's degree in Nursing with an emphasis on Administration, Cadorette also earned a Bachelors o of Science in Computer Science at North Adams State College and an Associate’s degree in Nursing from Berkshire Community College. She is a member of Sigma Theta Tau International, an honor society of nursing which is by invitation only to those who demonstrate excellence in scholarship and achievement in nursing. She is also a member of the Organization of Nurse Leaders MA, RI, NH ( ONL), American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE) and the American Nurses Association (ANA).. Brenda also sits on the Berkshire Community College Clinical Advisory Council and the Elms College Nursing Advisory Council.

Sean Jennings, Vice President, Support Services

Sean Jennings has served with Berkshire Medical Center since 1989, starting his career in Security and moving on to serve in a number of positions, including Orderly, Psychiatric Aide, and Clinical Therapist, to name a few. He was later appointed Program Director of Jones III, the Medical Center's Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit, and Program Director of the Center for Wound Care & Hyperbaric Medicine at BMC. He was named Vice President of Support Services in 2007. Jennings has a Bachelors degree in Philosophy from the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts and a Masters degree in Psychology from John Jay College.

  

Kim Obanhein, RN, Vice President, Ambulatory Services

Kim Obanhein joined Berkshire Medical Center in 1987 as a Registered Nurse and quickly advanced in her career to become a nursing department director. She was Administrative Director for Radiology and has worked in Quality Management and Finance. She has served in Project Management at Berkshire Health Systems, overseeing and implementing clinical projects such as renovations to the Intensive Care Unit at BMC, Pharmacy automation, outpatient imaging, development of a new Dialysis Center at Fairview Hospital, Radiology and Digital Mammography. Obanhein holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing.

 
Diana Vallone, RN, Vice President, Surgical Services

Diana Vallone has been in perioperative nursing since 1987, starting at the OR staff nurse level at the former Hillcrest Hospital. She joined BMC in 1998 as supervisor for Ambulatory Surgery, later assuming responsibilities for multiple departments that make up surgical services. Vallone is a member of the Association of Perioperative Registered Nurses, achieving national certification in OR Nursing in 1992. She entered nursing in 1977 as an LPN, achieving an RN in 1984 with an associate's degree from Berkshire Community College. In 2007, Vallone was awarded a Masters in Business Administration from Almeda University.

Roberta Gale, RN, Vice President, Integrated Health & Home Care

Roberta Gale joined BMC in 1995, serving as an Emergency Department nurse and educator. In 2005, she was appointed Clinical Leader in the Emergency Department. She was appointed to her current position in 2017. Gale is a graduate of the University of Phoenix with a dual Master's degree in Business Administration and Nursing She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from Worcester State College and is a graduate of the RN diploma program at Worcester City Hospital School of Nursing. Gale is an active member in the Emergency Nurses Association. She is currently President of the Berkshire Chapter of the Emergency Nurses Association.