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

Carolina Gustafson, President
Program Manager, Institute for Advanced Study, University of Minnesota

David Myers, Past-President
Professor Emeritus, Music Education and Creative Studies and Media Former Director, School of Music, University of Minnesota

Torrie Allen, Vice President
President and CEO, Arts Midwest

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

Kristen Hoeschler O’Brien, Treasurer
Business Management Consultant

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

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

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

Tanya M. Bransford
District Court Judge, Hennepin County District Court

Mirella Ceja-Orozco
Co-Executive Director/Immigration Attorney Minnesota Freedom Fund

Margaret Chutich
Associate Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court

Dan Dressen
Associate Provost, St. Olaf College

Martha Driessen
Professional Photographer

Anna K. B. Finstrom
Associate, Dorsey & Whitney LLP

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

Valton Henderson
HR and DEI practitioner, Robert Half International

Daniel Kantor
Composer and Business Developer

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

Paul H. McDonough
Chief Financial Officer, CNO Financial Group

Rhoda Mhiripiri-Reed
Superintendent, Hopkins Public Schools

Richard Neuner
President, Neuner Consulting

Jim Odland
Vice President and Managing Counsel, Thrivent Financial

Joanne Reeck
Chief Inclusion Officer, Augsburg University

Elizabeth Truesdell Smith
Senior Vice President, General Counsel & Corporate Secretary, Allina Heath

Jeff Smith
Vice President–Philanthropy and Advocacy, Vista Prairie Communities

Amanda Storm Schuster
Director of Donor Impact, Clean Air Task Force

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

Timothy C. Takach
Composer

Autumn Gurgel (Ex-Officio Non-Voting)
Singer Representative, 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*
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

Board Officers