Board of Directors

The VocalEssence Board of Directors serve as ambassadors for the organization in the larger community. They also guide VocalEssence in all major policy decisions while ensuring the financial stability of VocalEssence.

Board Officers

Daniel Fernelius, President
President, Friends of Ngong Road

Valton Henderson, Vice President, Board Affairs Committee Chair
HR and DEI practitioner, Robert Half International

Dan Dressen, Secretary
Retired Associate Provost, St. Olaf College

Kristine Oberg, Treasurer
Senior Vice-President, Business Banking
Segment Strategy, U.S. Bank

Novelli Jurado, Development Committee Chair
Founder, CEO, Novart Media Group
Composer

Timothy C. Takach, Learning & Engagement Committee Chair
Composer

Philip Brunelle (Ex-Officio Non-Voting)
Founder and Artistic Director, VocalEssence

Ben Brunnette (Ex-Officio Non-Voting)
Ensemble Singer Representative, VocalEssence

Ryan French
Managing Director, Children’s Theatre Company

Cassandra Garnett
HR Director Global RD&E & CDS, Ecolab

Brianna Hill (Ex-Officio Non-Voting)
Chorus Representative, VocalEssence

Sooki Jalali
Business Consultant, MEDA
(Metropolitan Economic Development Association)

Lori Ledoux
K-12 Arts District Content Lead, Minneapolis Public Schools

Rhoda Mhiripiri-Reed
Superintendent, Hopkins Public Schools

Harry Miller
Retired Business Manager, Adobe
SCORE Mentor

Dr. Kristin Morris
Owner and Principal Consultant, Genesis Consulting Services, LLC

Anna Ostroushko
Grants Management Associate, Margaret A. Cargill Philanthropies

Bunny Robinson
Principal Robinson-Robinson & Associates

G. Phillip Shoultz, III (Ex-Officio Non-Voting)
Associate Conductor | Director of Learning and Engagement, VocalEssence

Eve Schulte
Managing Director, Ananya Dance Theatre

Carolyn Sleeth
Senior Vice President, U.S. General Manager, Insulet Corporation

Mary Tjosvold
Owner, Crooners & CEO, Mary T. Inc

Sunita Vongharath-Evenson
Director Human Resources,
Greater Minneapolis Crisis Nursery

Karen Voracek
Vice President, Donor Experience, Strategy and Marketing,
Thrivent Charitable Impact & Investing

Amy Jaine Wielunski (Ex-Officio Non-Voting)
Executive Director, VocalEssence

Lifetime Directors

Ann Barkelew
Ann Buran
Art Kaemmer*
Nikki Lewis
Mike McCarthy*
Dave Mona
Fred Moore*
Don Shelby
Dorene Wernke

Honorary Directors

Dominick Argento*
William Bolcom
Dave Brubeck*
Stewart Copeland
Aaron Copland*
Håkan Hagegård
Louise Heffelfinger*
Eskil Hemberg*
Betty Hulings*
Sigrid Johnson*
James Earl Jones*
Garrison Keillor
Sir James MacMillan
Donald Mitchell*
Helmuth Rilling*
Sir John Rutter
Peter Schickele*
Dr. André J. Thomas
Eric Whitacre
Roderick Williams OBE
*In remembrance

Board Officers