WESTFIELD — The Westfield Memorial Hospital Foundation welcomed Christine G. Adams, CPA to its board of directors recently.

A cum laude graduate of Gannon University, Adams earned a Bachelor’s of Science degree, majoring in Accounting with a minor in Finance.

Adams, who lives in Portland, NY, is a Certified Public Accountant with more than 28 years of experience, the last 14 as a CPA in private practice. She also works as the Office Manager of Growers Cooperative Grape Juice Company, Inc., located in Westfield, NY.

There she is responsible for completing daily accounting functions for the Growers Co-op. Previously, she was a Senior Accountant with the late Jon A. Cooke, CPA of Westfield from 1993 to 2008.

Although Adams has two fulltime jobs, she still makes time for others. “I am blessed to have two children, Branan Britt (16 years-old) and Catie Britt (15 years-old) and fully understand how essential it is to lead by example,” she said. “Giving back to our community by volunteering, especially during these uncertain times, has always been important to my family and me.”

Born and raised in nearby Ripley, NY, Adams also understands the importance of having a community hospital for its residents and looks forward to serving the foundation board. “The foundation’s vital mission to work with the hospital to provide financial support for the delivery of high quality healthcare is one that resonates with me and I look forward to being able to help to move its critical mission forward,” Adams said.

“I was pleased when I was invited to join the WMH Foundation Board as I believe our local hospital is vital for the safety and well-being of all county residents. The pandemic has certainly shown just how essential a rural hospital is to the communities it serves.” she said, adding, “I am proud to be part of the hospital’s (and the foundation’s) commitment to excellence by providing state-of-the-art equipment and quality service to those who are in need of medical care.”

WMHF Executive Director Patricia DiPalma said she and members of the WMH Foundation Board welcome Christine Adams and look forward to working together for many years to come. She also expressed heartfelt thanks to out-going WMHF Treasurer Teresa L. Casler of B&C Tax of Westfield who served the WMH Foundation honorably and tirelessly from 2011 to 2020.

“It is nice to see how the accounting relationship between our in-coming and out-going treasurers has come full circle,” DiPalma noted. “It was Terri Casler, while conducting a Career Day workshop for Middle School students in Ripley, who actually inspired her successor, Christine to enter the accounting field in the first place.”

The inspiration continues as Adams works to fill Casler’s shoes at the hospital foundation.