Emily Barber
Director of Production, On Site Opera 
New York, NY

Emily Barber (she/her) is a people-first opera administrator currently serving as the director of production for On Site Opera, a New York City-based company that is dedicated to site-specific productions in non-conventional venues. In her role, Barber has led the company’s production department through various productions of both new works and inherited operatic repertoire, often rethinking the way a space is utilized and building upon the existing infrastructure to create a welcoming and dynamic environment for audiences, artists, technicians, and the production as a whole. In addition to regular freelance stage management work across the country, Barber served as New Orleans Opera’s production stage manager from 2018 to 2021 and as interim director of production in 2019. While at New Orleans Opera, she pioneered the company’s Stage Management Intern Program, which focused on giving BIPOC individuals technical theater experience in the greater New Orleans area. Emily has received training in stage managing intimacy direction from Intimacy Directors and Coordinators (IDC), stage combat, CPR and first aid, and Vectorworks and AutoCAD. She received her Bachelor of Music from Loyola University in her home city of New Orleans, Louisiana. 

Matt Cahill
Founder and Director, Hogfish
Portland, ME

Matt Cahill (they/them) is committed to revealing the harmony of existence through art. Recently, they founded Hogfish, a regenerative arts production company and residency based at the historic Beckett Castle amid an internationally recognized rose garden, located on the lands of the Wabanaki people also known as Maine. This sanctuary aims to restore creative and physical health to individuals, communities, and the planet. With nearly two decades of experience as a performer, educator, producer, and administrator, Cahill collaborates with their husband and co-founder, Edwin Cahill, to create transformative productions. Highlights from Hogfish include the New England premiere of Gluck and Vadé's The Magic Tree, featuring a living set, and CarmXn, a reimagining of Carmen that explores themes of gender, genre, and geopolitics. Their Farm to Stage series supports emerging artists and showcases new works throughout Southern Maine. Cahill’s personal career includes starring as Papageno in Peter Brook’s acclaimed Une flûte enchantée, teaching at the Metropolitan Opera’s Lindemann Young Artist Development Program, and producing benefit concerts for The Trevor Project in support of LGBTQ+ youth. They have also served as associate artistic director of SongFest and lead artist faculty at Summer Performing Arts with Juilliard. For more information, visit hogfish.org.

Megan Carpenter
Senior Manager of Government Affairs and Civic Practice, OPERA America 
New York, NY

Megan Carpenter (they/them), senior manager of government affairs and civic practice, joined OPERA America in 2021. They oversee the LGBTQIA+ Opera Network and the national anti-harassment program Opera RESPECTS, among other responsibilities. Prior to their position at OPERA America, Carpenter was part of the company management team at Bard SummerScape festival and worked as a production assistant for various live events, including the International Emmys. With a strong dedication to the intersection of art, gender, climate justice, and civic engagement, they also hold the position of organizational green captain for OPERA America, collaborating with the Broadway Green Alliance and the Climate Reality Project’s New York City chapter. Additionally, they participated as a member of the steering committee for New York City Council District 22’s 2024 participatory budgeting process.

Graham Fandrei
Chief Development Officer, Persad Center 
Pittsburgh, PA

Graham Fandrei is a Belizean American fundraiser, performing arts administrator, and classical singer who has built a distinguished career in both administration and performance. Currently, Fandrei serves as the chief development officer for the Persad Center, where he leads fundraising and organizational management efforts. He has held several significant leadership roles in the arts community, including director of the young artist program at Florida Grand Opera, founder and executive director of Magic City Opera, executive director of the Bach Choir of Pittsburgh, and director of programming and major gifts officer for the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust. Fandrei’s recent artistic projects include performances with the Pittsburgh Symphony and the Pittsburgh Concert Chorale and creating opera productions for the premium global cruise line Azamara. His active performing career has taken him to prestigious venues worldwide, including the Rotterdam Philharmonic in Holland, the Nissay Theater in Tokyo, Japan, and Broadway, where he performed in film director Baz Luhrmann’s production of La bohème. A lifelong educator, Fandrei has taught at the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami and Washington & Jefferson College. He studied music at the New England Conservatory of Music and The Juilliard School and holds a master’s degree in management from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

Siena Forest
Development Officer, Minnesota Opera 
Minneapolis, MN

As a freelance performer, Siena Forest is endlessly adaptable, especially in high-pressure situations that require quick thinking, and those skills extend behind the scenes into project production. When major companies were shuttered because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Forest turned it into an opportunity and founded a nonprofit called OOPS MN (Opera-Oriented Project Sponsorships in Minnesota) to support and collaborate with other artists. During the first 20 months, she raised $76,000 (including a $15,000 MRAC Grant) and collaborated with over 50 artists, which produced 10 projects that collectively received over 30,000 views on YouTube. In addition to being an active performer nationally, she is a producer, consultant, grant writer, grant panelist, and teaching artist. In September 2023, as a resident artist alumna, Forest joined Minnesota Opera as development manager, and she was recently promoted to development officer. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, camping, reading, cooking, spending time with her cats, and laughing with her friends and family.

Kelsey Holmes
Philanthropy Officer, The Colburn School
Los Angeles, CA

Kelsey Holmes is a distinguished development professional serving as the philanthropy officer at The Colburn School. She most recently served as a dedicated major gifts officer at the Santa Fe Opera. Driven by an unwavering passion for opera, Holmes seamlessly merges her profound love for the art form with her adept skills in fostering meaningful connections. Her journey began with a Bachelor of Music in vocal performance from East Tennessee State University, which spearheaded her journey into the world of opera. Following her relocation to Denver, Colorado, in 2016, Holmes made significant contributions to various cultural arts nonprofits, including the Colorado Symphony, Opera Colorado, Denver Art Museum, Denver Botanic Gardens, and Denver Film. Throughout her career, she has thrived at the intersection of arts and business, finding boundless fulfillment in cultivating successful partnerships within the opera world. Her unwavering dedication to the art form shines through in every endeavor, making her a cherished asset to the opera community and a beacon of inspiration to all who share her passion.

Branden C.S. Hood
Director of Education, Detroit Opera 
Detroit, MI

Branden C.S. Hood is the director of education at Detroit Opera. A seasoned baritone and music educator, Hood has served as a guest lecturer at Wayne State University and Hillsdale College and as assistant director of the Detroit Youth Choir’s Boys Choir, a program of DYC winners of America’s Got Talent. Previously, he served as assistant administrator for the Cranbrook Project at Christ Church Cranbrook. Hood’s nine years of private voice teaching in southeast Michigan complement his extensive performance career. He has appeared with Detroit Opera, Opera MODO, and Opera Grand Rapids and was awarded the Angel Scholarship by Detroit Opera to attend AIMS in Graz, Austria. He has also participated as a young artist at the Pine Music Festival, the Martina Arroyo Foundation, Dayton Opera, and Opera Saratoga. Notable performances include a 2022 collaboration with Audra McDonald and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and a role debut in Stinney: An American Execution with Opera Grand Rapids, which was broadcast on PBS. Hood holds degrees from the Boston Conservatory (B.M.) and the University of Michigan (M.M. and specialist), where he studied with renowned professors Shirley Verrett and Stephen West. Accolades include the Presser Award and the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions Encouragement Award. 

Shawn Marie Jeffery
Vice President, Classical & Creatives, UIA Talent Agency 
New York, NY

Shawn Marie Jeffery joined the team at UIA Talent Agency in 2023, having been an integral part of ADA Artist Management since 2005 and bringing with her a wide array of performance, directorial, and administrative experience. Her work with ADA has taken her to companies throughout the U.S. Deeply dedicated to providing the next generation of artists with the tools to succeed, she often speaks with emerging artists in lecture and masterclass settings at opera companies and universities, sharing her insight on business and artistic trends. In fall 2024, Jeffery joins the faculty of the Boston Conservatory at Berklee, becoming the first artist manager to join the prestigious institution in its over 150-year history. Jeffery recently added the title of executive producer to her skillset, bringing several regional opera companies together to produce the world premieres of The Trial of Susan B. Anthony and, most recently, Unknown, a work that she also conceived, to commemorate the 100^th anniversary of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. She made her directorial debut staging Christopher Theofanidis’ Virtue for the New Haven Symphony Orchestra. For Spotlight on Opera, she has directed Così fan tutte, as well as scenes programs and the innovative Don Giovanni in Quarantine. Previously, she held the position of director of education for Opera New Jersey.

Joanna Latini
Director of Resident Artist Programs, Palm Beach Opera 
West Palm Beach, FL

Joanna Latini, a passionate advocate for young artist development, dedicates her career to musical excellence and the sustainment of the operatic art form. Evidenced in both her administrative and performance career, Latini’s greatest passion is to create safe spaces where people can take risks and find a deeper understanding of themselves. She is currently the director of resident artist programs at Palm Beach Opera, where she oversees the scouting and training of the next generation of opera talent. Prior to her current position, she was the Butler Studio administrator at Houston Grand Opera and company manager for the Aspen Opera Theatre and VocalARTS program at the Aspen Music Festival. Latini’s past operatic performance experience includes Musetta in La bohème with Calgary Opera; Rosina in The Ghosts of Versailles at both the Château de Versailles Spectacles in France and The Glimmerglass Festival; and the title role in The Cunning Little Vixen at The Glimmerglass Festival. She was a 2018 national semi-finalist in the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions. Latini holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Carnegie Mellon University and a Master of Music from Rice University. Outside of the opera world, she is a group fitness instructor, triathlete, and sponsored disc golfer.

Katherine Powers
Executive Director, Pacific Opera Project 
Los Angeles, CA

Katherine Powers was named executive director of Pacific Opera Project in early 2023 and now spearheads development, finance, and strategic planning. She previously served as the founding director of vocal arts at California School of the Arts – San Gabriel Valley, a nonprofit charter school for the arts. There, she managed all conservatory operations, including strategic planning, curriculum design, faculty and staff oversight, event production, and fiscal management. During her seven years as director, she established community partnerships with LA Opera, The Music Center, LA Master Chorale, Muse/ique, Descanso Gardens, the Huntington Library, and Seraphic Fire. She also created an annual master artist series, engaging artists such as Angel Blue, Susan Graham, Nathan Gunn, Eric Whitacre, Moira Smiley, and Grant Gershon. An opera singer with a strong background in arts education, Powers has held positions at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy, Occidental College, the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, and California State University Los Angeles and has taught for the YoungArts Foundation. She has been a teaching artist for LA Opera Connects since 2012. She holds an associate’s degree in theater from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, a B.A. in music from UCLA, and an M.M. in vocal performance from the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.

Seiko
Artistic and Executive Director, Opera on Tap Rochester 
Rochester, NY

Seiko is a countertenor from Washington, D.C. He is engaged in collaborative and independent voice science research incorporating human anatomy, physiology, vocal pedagogy, and voice science into curriculum-based instruction — augmenting the intentional application of body wellness and body health through the power of music. As a 21^st-century storyteller, he believes in the cross-pollination of musical influences spanning the concert and operatic stages as well as genres including but not limited to Broadway showtunes, gospel, jazz, rock, early music, and pioneering modern compositions by living composers. As the artistic and executive director of Opera on Tap (Rochester), Seiko has spearheaded the Jay-Red-Koh Composer Residency in collaboration with the University of Michigan and the George Shirley Vocal Competition, with new works slated to be commissioned biennially; the Jay-Red-Koh Mentorship program, which pairs young artists with international professionals for personal and professional development; and the Jay-Red-Koh Internship program, whose inaugural intern was sponsored through the Institute of Music Leadership at Eastman School of Music. Seiko’s work focuses on highlighting minoritized communities where the experiences and stories are authentically shared by disproportionate members of said communities. These initiatives have forged lucrative professional relationships, and they are helping bridge the gap represented within inequality and inequitable practices in the multifaceted world of arts administration and various performing arts mediums.

Timmy Yuen
Associate Director of Human Resources, San Francisco Opera
San Francisco, CA

Originally from Santa Paula, California, Timmy Yuen (he/him) is a graduate of drama and international relations from Stanford University. Stemming from his deep love for opera, theater, and circus, Yuen spent the first 14 years of his career clowning around as a circus camp director at Wavy Gravy’s Camp Winnarainbow. In 2016, he began his multi-department tour of San Francisco Opera managing the acclaimed Opera ARIA school programs for its education department. In 2019, he began a three-year stint in finance as a staff accountant, managing the payroll function. He is now committed to bettering the employee experience in SF Opera’s people department. Timmy was recognized as a 2022 OPERA America Mentee of Color and a 2023 Executive Leadership in the Performing Arts Fellow with the LACNA Foundation. Drawing from these leadership experiences, Yuen is impassioned to support his fellow SFO colleagues, advocate for increased diversity and representation in opera, and help realize more sustainable work-life practices for the opera industry.  

Andrew Adridge
Managing Director, Volcano; Co-Founder, Opera InReach
Toronto, Canada

Recently named a CBC Hot 30 under 30 Classical Artist, Andrew Adridge is an arts administrator and multidisciplinary artist based in Toronto with a passion for equity and industry reform. He is a graduate of the University of Toronto, holding both a Bachelor of Music Performance in voice and a Master of Music in opera. Andrew has worked as an arts administrator with such organizations as the Association for Opera in Canada, where he was a member of the first Portfolio Artist Collective; Tapestry Opera; Against the Grain Theatre; and the Toronto Consort. He is currently the managing director of Volcano. Adridge was granted a prestigious Metcalf Foundation Performing Arts Internship in Artistic Planning, which allowed him to work closely with Joel Ivany at Against the Grain Theatre. Adridge has a passion for educating young artists and the next generation, working as the artistic producer for the Banff Centre’s Opera in the 21^st Century program and co-founding the national arts education collective Opera InReach. Adridge’s recognizable commitment to EDIJA advancement in the arts sector has made him sought after as a panelist, consultant, and outlet contributor. He is very excited to join the 2025 cohort of OPERA America’s Leadership Intensive and is grateful to both the Association for Opera in Canada and OPERA America for the opportunity.

Marco Ayala
Head of International Strategy, Teatro Real Madrid
Madrid, Spain

Marco Ayala currently works as head of international strategy at the Teatro Real, where he joins forces with the organization’s professional team in the coordination of international projects, tour management, and active involvement in associations such as Opera Europa and OPERA America. From 2013 to 2021, Ayala coordinated social media for the Jalisco Philharmonic, Mexico’s National Arts Center, the Ontario Philharmonic, and the Mahler Foundation. During this time, he focused on promoting classical music and opera through social media, pre-concert talks, and live broadcasts. In addition, he has participated on stage as a narrator and delivered pre-concert lectures, reaching a vast audience, with a special focus on vulnerable groups. As a stage photographer, Ayala has captured recitals for the Società dei Concerti in Milan, as well as concerts, opera, ballets, and orchestra tours in Germany, Austria, South Korea, and Mexico. He studied digital strategy for culture at Taller Arteluz in Mexico City and graduated in cello performance from the University of Guadalajara, Mexico. In addition, at the Accademia Teatro alla Scala, he completed a course in stage photography and obtained a master’s degree in performing arts management. 

Yalilé Cardona-Alonso
Director, Festival Internacional de Música Clásica de Bogotá
Bogotá, Colombia

Yalilé Cardona-Alonso was born in Bogotá, Colombia, and studied communications and journalism and subsequently music (singing) at Universidad Javeriana, where she graduated with distinction. Further studies took her to the Royal College of Music in London, where she won the Early Music Prize of the Century Fund. Cardona-Alonso has been seen on the opera stage in the roles of Dido and Belinda in Dido and Aeneas, Susanna in Le nozze di Figaro, Helena in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Venus in Venus and Adonis, Gretel in Hänsel and Gretel, and Tina in Flight. Cardona-Alonso completed a master’s degree in cultural management at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna, also with distinction, and has been committed to this profession since 2005. Her agency, CardonArt, has focused on connecting Central Europe and Latin America through art. Other main goals of her work include the empowerment of women in the music industry as well as creating new audiences through itinerant opera projects. In 2018, Cardona-Alonso was appointed director of the Festival Internacional de Música Clásica de Bogotá, one of the major events for classical music in Latin America. She is also the proud and happy mother of four sons.

Celia Grau
Sustainability and Special Projects Manager, Opera Europa
Paris, France

Celia Grau studied at the Albert-Ludwig University in Freiburg, Germany, and the Institut d’Etudes Politiques in Aix-en-Provence, France, earning her master’s degree in Euro-Mediterranean policies in 2018. She began working in opera during an internship at the Junge Staatsoper in Berlin in 2014 and further pursued this passion during a one-year experience at the intendant’s office at the Teatro Comunale di Bologna. Grau joined Opera Europa as event coordinator, later became the organization’s advocacy coordinator, and now serves as its sustainability and special projects manager. She manages Opera Europa’s technical specialist forums — Technical and Production, TechSet, Costume, Makeup and Wigs, and Sustainability — and is in charge of the special projects Next Stage and INSPIRE. She is coordinating the Driver for Change Committee and developing and implementing the green policy of the organization. Since 2019, Grau has been coordinating World Opera Day on October 15, a visibility campaign to underline the social value of opera in society. She is a member of the Executive Committee of Culture Action Europe and part of its Green Team.

Jaclyn Grossman
Performing Artist; Programs Manager, Opera 5; Co-Founder/Creator, Likht Ensemble
Toronto, Canada

Jaclyn Grossman is a soprano and administrator passionate about fostering community and connection in opera, with a focus on empowering young leaders. Currently programs manager with Toronto’s Opera 5, Grossman created and managed a national fellowship/mentorship program and the LINK Artist Workshop Series for the Association for Opera in Canada. She founded the Phoenix Leadership Project, a Canadian charity for youth leadership training, and has been a featured speaker with Opera InReach, TEDx, McGill University, and the Marigold Music Program. An active performer, Grossman’s 2024–2025 season includes role debuts as Brünnhilde in Die Walküre with Edmonton Opera and as Nedda in Pagliacci and Nella in Gianni Schicchi with Opera Kelowna. Recent credits include the soprano soloist in Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony with the Buffalo Philharmonic under conductor JoAnn Falletta and Freia in Das Rheingold with Edmonton Opera. A co-founder of Likht Ensemble, Grossman is passionate about sharing music by Jewish artists from the Holocaust and educating about Jewish representation in opera. Likht has shared concerts and lectures with organizations such as the Canadian Opera Company, the Chattanooga Symphony, Pacific Opera Victoria, and the Harold Green Jewish Theatre. Grossman completed her training at McGill University with residencies in the Rebanks Fellowship (RCM), Pacific Opera Victoria, the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, and Britten Pears Arts.

Silvana Moreno
General and Artistic Director, Teatro del Bicentenario
San Juan, Argentina

Silvana Moreno has served as general and artistic director of the Teatro del Bicentenario in San Juan, Argentina, since 2020 and was the theater’s artistic director at its founding. Her professional experience includes 12 years in human resources management in international mining operations in San Juan from 1999 until 2011, followed by five years as the director of arts and technical support for the secretary of culture of the San Juan government. Alongside her principal occupations, she has taught and directed choreography, including teaching contemporary dance in San Juan for 25 years. During her career, she has dealt with several challenges, including the pandemic and post-pandemic period, developing strategic approaches to comply with the government’s approach to culture. She has also created artistic content and educational programs for individuals interested in careers in the theater and the basic support functions of the theater, such as art, set and costume design, and production. She has master’s degrees in the arts, human resources management, and cultural direction, as well as an advanced course in the history and aesthetics of experimental opera, a bachelor’s degree in computer programming, and certifications in classical and contemporary dance.