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

David Myers, President
Consulting Head for Music Programs, Augsburg University

David L. Mona, Past President
Retired Chairman, Weber Shandwick Minneapolis

Traci V. Bransford, Vice President
Partner, Stinson LLP

Nancy F. Nelson, Treasurer
Principal, Cirdan Health Systems and Consulting

Daniel Fernelius, Secretary
Senior Development Officer, Let’s Encrypt

Board of Directors

Torrie Allen
President and CEO, Arts Midwest

Mary Ann Aufderheide (Ex-Officio Non-Voting)
Executive Director, VocalEssence

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

Cassidy McCrea Burns
Vice President of Private Wealth Management, Robert W. Baird & Co. Inc.

Barbara Burwell
Community Leader

Margaret Chutich
Associate Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court

Martha Driessen
Professional Photographer

Anders Eckman (Ex-Officio Non-Voting)
Singer Representative, VocalEssence

Ann Farrell
Marketing Consultant/Vocalist

Wayne Gisslen
Culinary Textbook Author

Carolina Gustafson
World Affairs Events Manager, Global Minnesota

R.J. Heckman
Vice Chairman, Korn Ferry Hay Group

Daniel Kantor
Composer and Business Developer

Lisa Lewis
Vice President and Chief Counsel of the Employment Law Group in the General Counsel’s Office, Ameriprise Financial, Inc.

Paul McDonough
Chief Financial Officer, Capital Management

Richard Neuner
President, Neuner Consulting

Kristen O’Brien
Business Management Consultant

Jim Odland
Vice President and Managing Counsel, Thrivent Financial

Joanne Reeck
Chief Inclusion Officer, Augsburg University

Don Shelby
Retired News Anchor & Reporter, WCCO-TV Minneapolis

Rabindra Tambyraja (Ex-Officio Non-Voting)
Singer Representative, VocalEssence

Lifetime Directors

Ann Barkelew
Ann Buran
Art Kaemmer
Nikki Lewis
Mike McCarthy
Dorene Wernke

Honorary Directors

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

*In remembrance