Attorney Liz Sillin has been appointed by Governor Deval Patrick to serve as a member of the Greenfield Community College Board of Trustees.

Sillin has served for eight years as a member of the GCC Foundation Board of Directors, with two years as Vice President and the past year as President of the Foundation Board. She lives in Sunderland and is a partner in the Bulkley, Richardson and Gelinas, LLP law firm in Springfield. Her law practice focuses on estate planning and administration and on regulatory compliance for nonprofit institutions.

Commenting on her appointment, Sillin said, "I'm a long-time fan and believer in community colleges in general and in Greenfield Community College in particular. I believe my experience with the Foundation and fundraising will be useful in my role on the College Board. I am also interested in broader policy issues related to the College. It is an exciting time for community colleges given President Obama's strong support for them. GCC is an important institution in the Pioneer Valley economy, playing a central role as an employer and an institution of higher education that provides many opportunities for area residents. GCC is uniquely sensitive to the pulse of what is going on in the area and what is needed to strengthen the community. I feel lucky to have the opportunity to serve on the GCC Board."

Both GCC President Bob Pura and GCC Board of Trustees President Tim Farrell expressed enthusiasm for Sillin's appointment. Pura said, "Liz Sillin is yet another wonderful addition to our Board. Her passion for GCC has been evident in all the years that she served on the GCC Foundation Board. Her leadership was an energetic spark for much of the Foundation's accomplishments. Liz is also passionate about this community. Liz gets it! She understands the transformative nature of GCC and its impact on our students and this community. We welcome her and look forward to the leadership that she will bring to the GCC Board of Trustees."

GCC Board President Tim Farrell said, "We are excited to have Liz joining the Board. I am sure the leadership and dedication she has shown on the Foundation Board will carry over to the College Board of Trustees. Liz is a wonderful addition to an already very strong Board."

Sillin received a B.A. from Wesleyan University, cum laude, an M.A. from Cornell University, and graduated summa cum laude from Western New England College School of Law. She is active in a variety of professional and community volunteer organizations. She represents the Massachusetts Bar Association on a state committee studying the spousal elective share statute, and is a member of various state and local bar associations and estate planning associations. She is a board member of the Franklin Land Trust and a member of the distribution committee of the Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts. In the past, she has served on town committees in Sunderland and currently is on the board of the Swampfield Historical Society in Sunderland.