CDH honored
for LGBTQ+ care
NORTHAMPTON — The Human Rights Campaign Foundation recently designated Cooley Dickinson Hospital as an LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality Leader.
Cooley Dickinson is the only hospital in western Mass. — and one of 12 in the commonwealth — to earn the designation, which was awarded in the 16th iteration of HRC’s Healthcare Equality Index. This year marks the sixth year CDH has earned the designation.
Some examplies of how CDH provides LGBTQ+-equitable care include:
■Cooley Dickinson-affiliated primary care clinicians and specialists complete continuing education training to better understand and serve our LGBTQ+ patients.
■Medical practices, such as Oxbow Primary Care, offer routine screening and health maintenance, including hormone therapy and other gender-affirming medical care. Northampton Plastic Surgery provides top surgery or gender-affirming mastectomy and chest contouring for transmasculine patients.
■Vocal coaching is offered through Cooley Dickinson Rehabilitation Services.
■A Positive Place of Cooley Dickinson, a grant-funded, community-based program, has been providing health care, housing and other health-related services for over 30 years to gay, bisexual and transgender people living with HIV (among other clients); gender affirming health and social services navigation for all transgender/nonbinary individuals; testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections; and harm reduction and education for people who use drugs and are at risk of HIV/HCV/STIs.
■Within the Mass General Brigham system, Cooley Dickinson partners with specialists for local patients to receive other gender-affirming surgeries in Boston. The Mass General Brigham system also implements a gender-affirming inpatient rooming policy.
AMHERST — Summerlin Floors, a woman-owned flooring business based in Amherst, has made its annual donation of $2,500 to Greenfield Community College (GCC) in memory of their daughter, Erin Summerlin. This donation to the college is a gift that Summerlin Floors hopes will make a lasting impact and positive contribution toward the educational community.
Ann Bronner, owner of Summerlin Floors, is a GCC alum herself. Her goal is to support the future generation of scholars and give back to the GCC community.
With this donation, they are certain Erin Summerlin would be delighted to be remembered by helping others with their education.
BOSTON — The Massachusetts Society of Certified Public Accountants (MassCPAs) recently announced that certified public accountant Charlotte Cathro of Northampton has been elected to serve a third year board of directors. The fiscal year 2024-2025 term began on May 1.
Cathro is the founder of TAC CPAs LLC, where she provides tax filing services for a variety of individuals and businesses and develops and nurtures client relationships with year-round planning. TAC CPAs LLC is a woman-owned New England business that works with the full spectrum of cannabis industry companies, from law firms and consultants to cooperatives and equity applicants.
MassCPAs board of directors is a group of 19 elected members that sets policies, manages programs and oversees activities that benefit the 11,500-member organization and accounting profession in Massachusetts.
Since 2012, when medical cannabis use was legalized in Massachusetts, Cathro has been advising the industry, culminating in the establishment of her own practice. With approximately 90% of her clients now in the private sector, she has significantly expanded her focus. Cathro’s background in public accounting spans over 16 years, during which she provided audit, tax and consulting services at two esteemed regional accounting firms.
NORTHAMPTON — Anna Dyjach , daughter of Judith and John Dyjach of South Hadley, has been chosen as the 2024 Young Woman in Public Affairs (YWPA) by the Zonta Club of Northampton Area.
Attending Hadley public schools since kindergarten, Dyjach was an honor student at Hopkins Academy before transferring to Deerfield Academy as a sophomore. She graduated from Deerfield on May 26, and will attend Mount Holyoke College in the fall.
At Hopkins, Anna Dyjach was president of her class for three years, and an officer in the Diversity Club and Key Club. A Girl Scout since kindergarten, she has also been team captain for basketball and softball. Among her many volunteer service activities, Anna especially cites participating in the Zoom program “Learn to Be,” where she enjoyed helping an underperforming second grader to read well above grade level in just a school year.
The Northampton Zonta Club has sent Dyjach’s application on to Zonta International, where all the YWPA club winners around the world are considered for a further award.
The Zonta Club of Northampton Area meets on the third Thursday of each month, sometimes virtually on Zoom and more often in person.