Zurie Adams has had a passion for the performing arts ever since childhood, participating in school theatre programs, dance lessons and Berkshire Children’s Chorus. In 2019 Zurie graduated from St. Vincent and the Grenadines Community College with an Associates Degree in Fine Art, Design and Cultural Communication and in 2023 graduated from MCLA with a BA in Performing Arts (Major in Theatre, Minor in Music Production). Recent shows include Release (2023), What The Constitution Means To Me (2023) and Urinetown: The Musical (2023).
Zurie has a wide variety of interests but aims to always work in an environment where art of some kind is being created.
Max Chase was born and raised in New Marlborough, Massachusetts. Although they completed most of an associate’s degree in Biology, their career ultimately took a creative path driven by a lifelong passion for storytelling, visual design, and the arts. A self-taught graphic designer and video editor, Max combines creativity with strategic communication to help organizations connect meaningfully with their communities.
Max has been part of Berkshire Pulse since 2021, beginning as a front desk receptionist during the pandemic, when the “front desk” was a camp chair in the middle of a field at Chesterwood. They now serve as Marketing Coordinator, leading the organization’s marketing and communications efforts through branding, graphic design, website management, social media, email marketing, and print publications. Max directed Berkshire Pulse’s 30th Anniversary campaign, designed the anniversary logo, and has led major organizational projects including annual impact reports and event programs. They enjoy finding creative, accessible ways to share the transformative power of the arts with the wider community.
Before returning to Berkshire Pulse, Max served as Social Media and Events Manager at The Bookloft, where they developed digital marketing campaigns, organized author events, and created fun, interactive in-store displays.
Outside of work, Max enjoys exploring local bookstores, painting, re-reading Sherlock Holmes for the 100th time, and spending time with their three delightfully demanding dogs. They also have a lifelong love of music and performance, having participated in musical theater throughout middle and high school and sung with the Massachusetts Youth Honors Choir.
Allegra was born and raised in the Berkshires and has spent the past 6 years working with cultural organizations that they loved as a child. After earning their engineering degree at the University of Hartford, they decided to take some time to explore a few alternate life paths. This brought them to their first development job with the Berkshire Museum and they’ve since spent time at Hancock Shaker Village and Barrington Stage Company. As a musician themself, they are invested in supporting the thriving arts community here in Berkshire County.
Sarah Daunt is a local dancer, choreographer, dance educator, and early childhood care teacher. She began teaching dance in 2006, creating classes for toddlers, teens, and adults. In her many years of teaching, Sarah coordinated the establishment of several youth dance programs and continues to deepen her knowledge of early childhood education.
Sarah holds a 300-hour yoga certification and a Cecchetti (ballet) Council of America Certification. | www.sarahdaunt.com
Mak Henderson (she/her) has a passion for all things design. She graduated in May 2025 with her BFA in Interior + Spatial Design from Russell Sage College in Albany, NY. Originally from Fayetteville, AR, Mak moved to New York when she was 15 and just moved here to the Berkshires in September! She has a love for production design both on screen and on the stage. Her other loves and hobbies are watching scary movies, creative writing, and reading. She can’t wait to help Pulse with this year’s Spring Celebration!
Mackenzie Hoffman (she/they) is an arts educator, director, and choreographer based in the Berkshires. Originally from Dayton, OH, Mack found a love of performing early and was put in musical theatre as a result. Mack holds a BFA in Musical Theatre from West Virginia University and has worked professionally in both the theatre and arts education fields her whole adult life. Working for children’s theatres all over the country, Mackenzie strives to help create the next generation of well-rounded artists.
At Pulse, Mackenzie is stepping into the role of Youth Performing Arts Program Coordinator and is very excited to hit the ground running! Berkshire Pulse has felt like home since the first class they took as a community student. She teaches in the jazz program, assisting Jazz 2/3 and teaching Jazz 3/4, as well as the Musical Theatre Collective. They love sharing her knowledge with the students at Pulse who are always eager to learn and grow.
When not at work, Mack loves reading, playing Dungeons and Dragons, and cuddling with her two kitties, Fig and Greg!
Susan Ingersoll has served as the Finance Director at Berkshire Pulse since 2015. Susan relocated to the Berkshires from California in 1990 and has dedicated her career to working with nonprofit organizations. Over the years, she has been an active board member for the Sheffield Land Trust and Greenagers, all while raising two children in the community. Outside of her professional role, Susan enjoys staying active on the pickleball court and pursuing her passions, which include spending time by the ocean, reading, and thrifting.
Sara Kiesel is a seasoned educator specializing in adaptive arts for the young child. She has worked as a dance/movement specialist and Arts administrator, workshop leader, and teacher trainer. Her background in dance, movement therapy, creative arts and performance has given her a breadth of experience while working with hundreds of children, families and teaching professionals. Sara has studied the effects of trauma on children and youth. she has developed teaching techniques for self-care.
Sara is a gifted teacher with an empathetic and perceptive ability to meet the child where they are at. Sara brings her knowledge of the child’s developmental, social and emotional needs to the table as she guides parents and teachers to better understand the child in their care. An experienced speaker and workshop leader, Sara engages audiences with her enthusiasm, joy for the role of the arts in education, and respect for the journey of the child whose perceptions and abilities are ready to be expressed. Understanding that all children have individual learning styles enables Sara to work effectively with all populations.
Born in beautiful Colombia, Maria Mendoza is the daughter of two hardworking immigrants. Proud of her background and committed to supporting the Latino community, she aspires to become a bilingual clinical psychologist and is currently pursuing her education. She is passionate about mental health advocacy and hopes to make therapy more accessible to Spanish-speaking communities. Along with her dedication to psychology, she has a deep love for the arts and design, which have been an integral part of her life. Whether through painting, fashion, or creative expression, she finds joy in exploring different artistic mediums. She believes that both psychology and art have the power to heal and connect people, inspiring her to integrate creativity into her future work.
Bettina holds a BFA in Dance, Cum Laude, from Temple University.
In Philadelphia, she performed professionally with Philadelphia’s Sybil Dance Company, Artistic Director Eva Gholson, and Dance Conduit, Artistic Director Ann Vachon, for the reconstruction of Doris Humphrey’s “Dawn in New York.”
In the Berkshires, Bettina performed with choreographer Dawn Lane, Artistic Director Community Access to the Arts, as an independent choreographer and as a member of choreographer/film maker Laurie McLeod’s Victory Girl Productions with whom she performed extensively throughout the Berkshires, New York, and abroad.
Bettina’s dance training began with her mother Christa Montano, a student of renowned dancers Mary Wigman, Herald Kreuzberg, Martha Graham, José Limón and Louis Horst. Her early training continued under the direction of Truda Kashman, Martha Graham technique with Debra Zall, with various teaching artists at the Murray Louis and Alwin Nicolais Dance Lab and later with Educators/Choreographers Eva Gholson, Ann Vachon, Hellmut Gottschild and Marilyn Middleton Sylla. Bettina’s passionate belief in accessible dance education led her to teaching and inspired the creation of The Flowering Child Performing Arts Program in 1995 — which ultimately evolved into Berkshire Pulse in 2005. Bettina has been teaching classes in modern dance for students of all ages and levels throughout her 27-year directorship of the organization.
