AMHERST — Shannon Bernacchia will be the interim director of finance for the Amherst, Pelham and Amherst-Pelham Regional schools, likely at least until the end of the 2024-2025 school year.

At a joint meeting of the Regional and Union 26 school committees Friday, Bernacchia was unanimously appointed to the position at the recommendation of Superintendent E. Xiomara Herman.

“Shannon has been an asset, a support, and I don’t think I could have made it this far with budgetary transitions without her,” Herman told the members of the committees responsible for the appointment.

The nine-member regional committee includes representatives from Amherst, Pelham, Leverett and Shutesbury; while the Union 26 committee has six representatives, three each from Pelham and Amherst.

Bernacchia held the role previously when Douglas Slaughter, the finance director for the district for almost five years, served as temporary superintendent for two stints in the spring of 2023 and from August 2023 through June 2024.

Herman called Bernacchia a fierce financial advocate for the district who has pushed leaders on all financial decisions and is working diligently to establish financial transparency.

Bernacchia, who will seek her initial license in January, thanked committee members for their confidence. She said she is inspired to be a woman in a leadership role, observing that the town’s financial team is entirely made up of women.

“Really cool and really special and happy to be part of it,” Bernacchia said.

Although the finance director position has changed a bit — once known as the district’s business manager and later as director of finance and operations — Bernacchia will be the first woman to hold the position on an either a permanent or interim basis since Doris Flanagan. Flanagan was the district’s business manager, who retired in 1979 after 20 years of working for the schools.

Before the meeting, Herman wrote a memo elaborating on her recommendation.

“Her meticulous attention to detail, forward-thinking approach, and strong collaborative spirit have been invaluable in advancing our financial objectives. Her ability to monitor expenditure trends, maintain rigorous financial controls, and develop long-term budget forecasts has been instrumental in steering us toward a more sustainable future,” Herman wrote.

She pointed to Bernacchia’s more than 10 years of financial and administrative experience, holding a bachelor’s degree in business management from Bay Path University and professional training in school fund accounting under Mark Abrahams.

“Since joining our district, she has demonstrated exceptional proficiency in managing complex financial operations, including preparing budgets, overseeing audits, and providing detailed financial reporting to the school committee,” Herman wrote. “Currently, Shannon holds an emergency School Business Administrator license, valid through May 2025, and has completed all requirements for her initial license except for a 300-hour mentorship.”

She has already completed 100 hours of this mentorship under Sean Mangano, who worked as both the schools and town finance director in Amherst, and is currently the executive director of finance for Holyoke’s public schools.

Herman said the search for a permanent finance director will happen in 2025, but Bernacchia could be named to the role before her appointment expires on July 1.

Members of the school committees appreciated the training Bernacchia is getting.

“I’m thrilled Shannon is working with Sean,” said Amherst representative Sarah Marshall, who serves on both the Regional and Union 26 school committees.

Margart Stancer, a Pelham representative on the Union 26 committee, said she is pleased to see that Mangano, who was “very good” in the role, is providing assistance.

Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.