STAFF FILE PHOTO

STAFF FILE PHOTO
STAFF FILE PHOTO

AMHERST — Amherst will be seeking a new finance director, as Melissa Zawadzki leaves the position overseeing the town’s financial team later this spring, less than a year after her appointment, to return to work at the University of Massachusetts.

Zawadzki recently announced that she would be stepping down from the position as of July 1, going back to UMass as its director of Information Technology Finance and Facilities. Prior to coming to Amherst, Zawadzki was senior director of human resources at the UMass Auxiliary Enterprises

“I have truly valued my time in this role. The experience has been both fulfilling and intellectually stimulating,” Zawadzki said in a statement. “I am grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with dedicated colleagues and engaged community members.”

Town Manager Paul Bockelman said that in the midst of budget season, Zawadzki will continue to assist town officials with finance matters. “She will help get us through the budget process,” Bockelman said.

Zawadzki, of Williamsburg, replaced Sean Mangano in the role, after Mangano left in summer 2023 to become Holyoke public schools’ executive director of finance. Last year, Bockelman brought in former Finance Director Sandy Pooler as a paid consultant to assist in preparing budgets.

Zawadzki, who has more than 20 years of public finance and municipal management experience in Northampton, Easthampton, Palmer, Agawam and Southbridge and is on the Williamsburg Finance and Capital Planning committees, collaborated with Comptroller Holly Drake, Treasurer-Collector Jennifer LaFountain and Principal Assessor Kim Mew.

“I appreciate the support and understanding of the community during this change, and I will certainly miss working with the wonderful team here,” Zawadzki said.

Scott Merzbach can be reached at [email protected].