Carly Gaherty

“When I think about people who are literally transforming lives, my first thought is of Carly,” says Jonah Sykes, director of marketing and communications at Berkshire Community College. Carly Gaherty wears many hats at the William Stickney Pittsfield Adult Learning Center— teaching, advising, and doing outreach—all to help connect students to community resources and to eliminate barriers to education. She got a taste of community service as a teen when she worked for a local nonprofit, and she now volunteers at food pantries and youth organizations. “I see firsthand the commitment Carly puts into helping adult learners thrive, says Sykes. “They know she’s in it to win it.”