Michelle Theroux Named President, CEO of Sunshine Village

CHICOPEE — Peter Benton, chairman of the board of directors of Sunshine Village, announced the appointment of Michelle Theroux as the next president and CEO of the organization. She succeeds Gina Kos, who will retire at the end of April after more than 30 years of leadership.

Theroux brings more than 20 years of executive leadership experience in nonprofit, healthcare, and educational organizations. Most recently, she served as CEO of Berkshire Hills Music Academy in South Hadley for more than 12 years. Her earlier leadership roles included senior management positions at the Center for Human Development as well as Child and Family Services of Pioneer Valley, where she oversaw multi-site operations and expanded clinical services.

She currently serves as chair of Mercy Medical Center, is a regional board member for Trinity Health Of New England, and sits on the boards of the ERC5 Chamber of Commerce and MicroTek. She also serves as chair of the South Hadley Redevelopment Authority. Her contributions have been recognized by BusinessWest, which named her both a 40 Under Forty honoree and a Woman of Impact.

Theroux holds a master’s degree in counseling psychology from Springfield College and bachelor’s degrees in psychology and politics from Assumption University.

Established in 1967, Sunshine Village is a CARF-accredited organization that serves individuals with developmental disabilities and those on the autism spectrum. With several locations throughout Western Mass., Sunshine Village serves more than 400 individuals each year through employment, community integration, and day habilitation services.