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

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

Anna Boyle
Associate, Dorsey & Whitney LLP

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

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

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

Amber Cales
Senior Vice President Human Resources, Best Buy

Mirella Ceja-Orozco
Immigration Attorney/MCO Legal Consultants LLC

Margaret Chutich
Associate Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court

Dan Dressen
Associate Provost, St. Olaf College

Martha Driessen
Professional Photographer

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

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

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.

Rhoda Mhiripiri-Reed
Superintendent, Hopkins Public Schools

Richard Neuner
President, Neuner Consulting

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

Jim Odland
Vice President and Managing Counsel, Thrivent Financial

Doug Parish
Independent Director, Audit Committee Chair, Bridgewater Bancshares, Inc.

Joanne Reeck
Chief Inclusion Officer, Augsburg University

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

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

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

Timothy C. Takach
Composer

Bob Thacker
Consultant and Business Advisor

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

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