United Way announces appointment of new vice presidents

            
  Ray Berry                                              Sylvia deHaas Phillips

PIONEER VALLEY, Mass., Feb. 1, 2010 -- The United Way of Pioneer Valley has two new vice presidents to lead the organization in Community Impact and Finance and Administration.

Sylvia deHaas-Phillips is the senior vice president of Community Impact, and Raymond L. Berry Jr., is the vice president of Finance and Administration.
 
deHaas-Phillips is responsible for working with community partners to develop solutions and strategies to address some of the highest priority issues facing the region.  She was previously the UWPV's interim vice president for Community Impact, having started with the organization in April of 2009.

In her position at the United Way, deHaas-Phillips develops and manages the community impact agenda for the UWPV, integrating the UWPV's grantmaking, public policy, strategic communications, community service, and community relations initiatives. "Community Impact is about creating opportunities to achieve long-lasting, meaningful and positive community change," said deHaas-Phillips.  "My goal is to strategically engage and build relationships with diverse community partners to meet our United Way mission in connecting community resources to community needs."

Berry is responsible for directing and monitoring the UWPV’s internal financial system.  His position includes oversight of all of the finance, human resource, technology and administration functions of the organization.
 
“I look forward to working in a team environment and bringing fiscal transparency to the agency and our community stakeholders,” said Berry. “As a youth, I was thankful for resources the community put forth in after school programs, community centers, and other initiatives that made a positive impact on not only the recipients but the community as a whole.  There is no greater reward then to be part of an organization like the United Way and to help make a positive difference in our communities.”
 
Both vice presidents are no strangers to the philanthropic world.
 
deHaas-Phillips has more than 20 years experience in the nonprofit sector, including philanthropy, applied research, project design, planning, and policy analysis. This includes over 10 years as a strategy consultant working with nonprofit and philanthropic organizations to build more effective organizational missions.

She has also worked for the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving as a program officer and director of the foundation's Nonprofit Management Program, and was executive director for The Travelers Companies Foundation with The Travelers Companies in Hartford.  Her community volunteer efforts include treasurer for the Massachusetts Nonprofit Network, and an advisory committee member to several organizations, including the Nonprofit Finance Fund, and Third Sector New England.  She also serves on advisory committees addressing regional and city planning to end homelessness.

Berry has served as a board member or commissioner for several community organizations, including the Carew Hill Boys and Girls Club, the Springfield Partners for Community Action, the Citizens’ Housing and Planning Association, the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center inc., Home City Housing, the City of Springfield Enterprise Community, and the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials.  He has also been active with more than a dozen youth programs in greater Springfield, including volunteer work as a youth mentor with the Dunbar Community Center, a recreation coordinator with the Westover Job Corp, and a junior achievement consultant with Springfield public schools.
 
He brings a 15-year career background from financial and administrative management to the United Way, including regulatory compliance, policy and procedural development and facilities management.  He was most recently the chief financial officer for MARC: Community Resources, Ltd., of Middletown, Conn., a non-profit agency, which supports people with disabilities.
 
DeHaas-Phillips holds a bachelor's degree from Rutgers University, a master's of science degree from Southern Connecticut State University, and a master's of social work degree from the University of Connecticut.

She also studied at Brandeis University's Florence Heller Graduate School for Advanced Studies in Social Welfare Policy, and is an executive-in-residence at Bay Path College Graduate School in the field of nonprofit management and philanthropy.
 
Berry holds a bachelor’s degree from American International College.