New senior center chief leads human services, too

CROMWELL >> The town has a new senior center/human services director.

The new director, Amy J. Saada, was introduced to the Town Council last week. Saada, who will begin working for the town on Feb. 6, is filling the vacancy created by the resignation of Joy Hollister in October.

Hollister, who had worked for the town since 2013, left to become director of human services in Ellington. Since her departure, the twin posts of Senior Center director and director of human services have been filled on an interim basis by James Gere, the former superintendent of schools.

Saada was chosen from 11 candidates for the position, Town Manager Anthony J. Salvatore said. With Saada’s appointment, the town has now filled the third of three directors’ positions: human services, library director and

recreation director.

In November, the town hired Chris Rusack to be the new recreation director. Rusack replaced Sue Schein, who retired.

In December, J. Drusilla Carter was hired as library director. Carter succeeds Eileen Branciforte, who had also retired.

Saada, a South Windsor resident, is the departing adult center director in Longmeadow, Massachusetts. Prior to that, Saada had served as senior center director in Somers. She earned her bachelor’s degree at Florida Gulf Coast University in Fort Myers. Saada then earned a master’s degree in nonprofit public administration from Hodges University in Naples, Florida.

The 11 applicants for the human resources position “were vetted by senior staff” members Gere and Assessor Shawna M. Baron, Salvatore said. The interview panel for the position was made up of Gere, Pat Alsup, chairwoman of the Senior Services Commission; Jodi Brazal, East Hampton’s social services director; and Salvatore, who brought back Saada and another applicant for final interviews. He invited Police Chief Denise Lamontagne to take part in those interviews.

“Based on her resume and the interviews and her knowledge and experience, I think Ms. Saada is going to be an excellent fit for our senior center and the human services department,” Salvatore said on Friday. “She has years of experience in several aspects of administration, including grant writing, long-range planning and budget preparation.

“I think she will be an excellent asset and bring any number of new ideas to the table — and, perhaps, be able to refresh some old ones, too,” Salvatore added.

CASSANDRA DAY — THE MIDDLETOWN PRESS Cromwell has named a new senior center and human services director, the current head of the Longmeadow, Massachusetts, senior center.