Jul. 26—Opportunities for Otsego has announced the appointment of two new members to its board of directors.

Dr. Elizabeth Blasco and Douglas Brenner will begin their terms in September 2022, according to a media release.

Blasco, a board certified pediatrician, has been practicing at Bassett Healthcare since 2008 and serves as medical director of the Bassett Healthcare School Based Health Center at Springbrook. She has an interest in working with the underserved rural population and recognizes how social inequities, housing instability, and food insecurity affect a child's health and opportunities for education and advancement, the release said. "I believe working with a dedicated, community based organization such as OFO will be an important way I can draw upon my professional experience to help address these issues and help children reach their full potential," she said in the release.

Brenner, a former city of Oneonta police chief, is a lifelong Otsego County resident with more than thirty-four years in law enforcement, the release said. He has been involved in addressing public health through participation on the Otsego County Alcohol and Other Drug Task Force; Otsego County Coalition on Suicide Prevention; and the Schoharie and Otsego Child Fatality Response Team.

"Knowing first hand through my roles in law enforcement, especially as Chief of the Oneonta City Police Department, the positive impact Opportunities for Otsego has for all residents in Otsego County, I am honored to be included as a member of the board of directors," Brenner said in the release. "I feel my experience working to improve the lives of everyone, as I had strived during my career, will be beneficial to the already great work being done by OFO."

To learn more about Opportunities for Otsego, visit www.ofoinc.org.