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 Hoeschler 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