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Board of Directors

Board of Directors

View our board of directors below. Click on a profile to read more information.

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Maurice Singer

chair

ABOUT
Distinction
Music Academy Board Chair

Born in New York City, Maurice Singer studied English and economics at the University of Vermont and went on to hold a succession of senior management positions in the film and television industry, including president of HBO Films and senior vice president at Home Box Office, Columbia Pictures Corp., and Westinghouse Broadcasting Co. Shortly after becoming a licensed financial advisor, he founded Los Angeles-based Riviera Capital Management in 1993, an independent firm specializing in wealth management, venture capital, and initial public offering consultation. Maurice is currently a founding principal at The Evergreen Advantage, a Real Estate Investment Trust based in Santa Monica with offices in Montecito. The firm has a real estate loan portfolio throughout the west coast. In addition to being a member of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences and the National Association of Television Broadcasters, Maurice has served as a board director for Tempra Technology and Qnext Corp, and The Industry, a Los Angeles-based opera company. He is currently a member of the Board of Directors of the Ojai Music Festival. Maurice Singer served on Music Academy Board of Directors from January 2010 through December 2018 and returned to the Board in January 2020.

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Jerrold Eberhardt

vice chair

ABOUT
Distinction
Music Academy Board Member

JERROLD L EBERHARDT had a distinguished 40 year career at Smith Barney. He and his family moved from Chicago to Los Angeles in 1997 when he was named Senior Executive Vice President of the Western Division. He was responsible for Smith Barney’s Wealth Management operations in eleven Western States, which was expanded to include Asia and Australia. He retired in March 2009. Jerry is a founding member of the Board of Directors of Dynasty Financial Partners, LLC. Dynasty is the premier provider of integrated wealth management solutions and technology for Independent Registered Investment Advisors.

Throughout his business career, Jerry was active in charitable and civic affairs in the Chicago community. Prior to moving to Los Angeles, he was a Trustee of the Ravinia Festival Association and served as Vice Chairman and member of the Executive Committee. He also served on the Boards of several civic and industry organizations.

Jerry has served as a member of the Board of Directors of The Los Angeles Philharmonic Association for 22 years and is a former Chairman of the Board. He is a member of the Board of the Music Academy of the West and serves on the Executive Committee. Jerry is also on the Board of the Ojai Music Festival and is the current Chairman. He is a past Trustee of the Aspen Music Festival & School, having served on the Board for six years. He is a member of The California Club and previously served on the Board of Directors as Treasurer.

Mr. Eberhardt graduated with a bachelor's degree from the University of Illinois and received his MBA from the University of Cincinnati.

Jerry is married to Kathleen Kane. He has three daughters: Elizabeth, 52; Martha, 50 and Ellen, 40 from his marriage of 54 years to his deceased wife Margaret. He has seven grandchildren.

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Pamela Strobel

secretary

ABOUT
Distinction
Music Academy Board Member

Pamela B. Strobel is the retired executive vice president and chief administrative officer of Exelon and retired president of Exelon’s Business Services Company. She also served as chairman and CEO of Exelon Energy Delivery, the holding company for the corporation’s energy delivery businesses, PECO Energy in Philadelphia and ComEd in Chicago.

Prior to the merger of PECO and Unicom, Strobel was executive vice president of Unicom Corporation and its chief subsidiary, ComEd. She joined ComEd as General Counsel in 1993, prior to which she was a partner in the law firms of Sidley & Austin and Isham, Lincoln & Beale.

Currently, Strobel serves as a director of Illinois Tool Works Inc. and State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, and is on the Board of Directors for the Music Academy of the West. She is a past trustee of the University of Illinois, life director and past chair of the Joffrey Ballet, life trustee and past chair of the Ravinia Festival, and life trustee and past chair of the Civic Consulting Alliance. She was a founding board member and past director of ChiArts, the first public high school for the arts in Chicago. She is also a member of the Commercial Club of Chicago.

Strobel received both her undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Illinois, where she was a Bronze Tablet recipient and a member of the law review.

She is married to Russ Strobel and they have two grown children, Ben and Libby.

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Judy Astbury

Unknown Title

ABOUT
Distinction
Music Academy Board Member
Distinction
Former Auxiliary Chair

Judy Astbury was born in Mumbai, India into a family of musicians. Her father was a tenor and her mother a pianist. Music was the thread that ran through her family, friends, and community. At age eighteen her family moved to London, where Judy graduated from the School of Hotel Management. While in London she also met her future husband, Paul. They relocated to New York City in 1977 as Paul was part of the team that opened Windows on the World and all the restaurants in the World Trade Center, exposing her to the culinary world.

Her life has followed the path of Paul’s career in the hospitality industry from the World Trade Center in New York to the Watergate Hotel in Washington D.C. and to the Ocean Reef Club in Florida. In each residence, Judy has found ways to engage in and with the community around her. In the Florida Keys, she launched a program to bring Christmas gifts to 350 children of migrant workers at the South Dade Child Care Center. In Los Angeles, she purchased and remodeled 12 homes for sale. And in San Juan Capistrano, she and her husband owned a gourmet food store where she served as the head baker and managed the flower shop.

An avid traveler, Judy had visited Austria, Japan, Russia, Canada, and America on her own before the age of twenty. And over her 44 years of marriage she has resided in Paris, Holland, Israel, San Francisco, Washington D.C., Florida, and now in retirement in Santa Barbara. They have a son, Trevor who is married with two children and a daughter, Louise.

Since retiring in 2014, Judy has been involved in the Santa Barbara Newcomers group, launched a club Epicurious, focusing on Food and Wine, and serves as the Food and Wine Chair for the Santa Barbara Social Club. Judy served as chair of the Music Academy's Auxiliary in 2022, where she has been an active member since 2015.

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Ellen Barger

Unknown Title

ABOUT
Distinction
Music Academy Board Member

Ellen Barger is the Assistant Superintendent, Curriculum and Instruction, for the Santa Barbara County Education Office, where she provides service and leadership to the county’s 20 school districts. An educator for more than 30 years, Ms. Barger’s experience includes elementary, secondary, and post-secondary teaching and administration. She earned a Bachelor of Science, cum laude, from The Ohio State University and Masters of Science in Secondary Education and Mathematics Education from CSU Fullerton, where she was named the Edwin Carr Fellow.

Ms. Barger is currently on the executive council of the statewide CCSESA Curriculum and Instruction Steering Committee, is the chair of the mathematics subcommittee, and serves on multiple work groups for policy, instruction, and accountability. She offers a social justice lens to her service as a board member of TODOS  and as a faculty member for the Institute for Equity in Education. Additionally, she serves as an active volunteer with Transition House and other Santa Barbara non-profits.  She lives in Santa Barbara with her husband Tony Helf.

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Dean Eric Carter

Unknown Title

ABOUT
Distinction
Music Academy Board Member

DEAN CARTER was named the Chief People Officer of Guild Education in December 2022. Recently he led global HR, Legal, and Finance Shared Services for Patagonia Inc. based in Ventura, California, reporting directly to CEO Rose Marcario.  As an officer on the core leadership team, Mr. Carter furthered Patagonia’s unique business model proving that companies can “Do Well and Do Good,” as well as preserved and grew the unconventional values outlined in Founder Yvon Chouinard’s acclaimed book, Let My People Go Surfing.

Prior to Patagonia, Mr. Carter worked for Sears Holdings Corporation, a Fortune 500 company – serving as Chief Human Resources Officer. Leading up to Sears, Dean was CHRO for Fossil, Inc. during a time of high growth and international expansion.  Prior to his time at Fossil, he served in variety of progressive HR and Management roles for Pier 1 Imports, Pearle Vision and Procter & Gamble.

Throughout Mr. Carter’s career, his perspectives on the opportunities within human capital management have been featured in The Economist, NBC Nightly News, Fast Company, NPR Morning Edition, The Wall Street Journal, and various other national publications. The work of his HR teams has led to Brandon Hall’s Gold Award for Innovation in HR as well as SHRM’s prestigious HRM Impact Award.

Mr. Carter earned his bachelor’s degree in Speech/Organizational Communication from The University of Texas at Austin and has served as a Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law Workforce Science Fellow. Dean also serves as an Independent Director on the Board of Directors for several companies including Cornerstone on Demand (CSOD:NASDAQ), a publicly traded Cloud-based HR technology platform, as well as Griffith Foods, a Chicago-based privately held company.

In addition to Mr. Carter’s career, he has a long history of service on local community boards, including The Oak Lawn Park Conservancy, The Human Rights Campaign, Chicago’s Between Friends organization to support victims of domestic abuse, The Kessler Park Board, The Ventura Chamber of Commerce Board, and the City of Dallas Board of Adjustments.

Dean currently resides in Montecito with his husband, Mark Stori, and their daughter Grace, who is currently attending CalPoly in San Luis Obispo.

 

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Mally Chakola

Unknown Title

ABOUT
Distinction
Music Academy Board Member
Distinction
Auxiliary Chair

Mally Chakola is a disciplined, tenacious attorney and entrepreneur with a track record of employing vision and judgment to create actionable plans amid complex challenges. Mally attended New York University (NYU) earning a bachelor's degree in Fine Arts, cumme laude, and received a Juris Doctor from Pace Law School. A member of the bars of both New York State and Connecticut, she began her career practicing mergers and acquisitions in New York City.

Mally went on to apply her global transactional experience, joining her family’s building materials conglomerate as General Counsel and Vice President of Business & Legal Affairs of Maryland Paper Company L. P. There, she has empowered the doubling of enterprise size. For Mally, merging entrepreneurship and law is when she feels the most professionally alive.

In parallel to the practice of law, she has founded and launched from concept to market both wholesale product and consumer goods brands. Brands include M. Steves, an anti-aging skincare line, inspired by her grandmother’s East West beauty secrets, which launched at Fred Segal and garnered nationwide press.

Mally has served as President and Board Member of the Southern Marin Mothers’ Club (SMMC), a volunteer-run non-profit centered upon in person connection with approximately 1,500 member families in Marin County, California. She rapidly reinvented how it operated while guiding SMMC through the pandemic.

Mally plays the Celtic harp, performs Mohiniyattam Indian Folk dance, and was a certified ballerina (The Cecchetti Council of America). She enjoys adventuring with her daughter, Fleur and husband, Dean Jackson.

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Clive Chang

Unknown Title

ABOUT
Distinction
Music Academy Board Member

Clive Chang is President of YoungArts, the National Foundation for the Advancement Artists, whose mission is to identify exceptional young artists, amplify their potential, and invest in their lifelong creative freedom. Clive brings to this role a unique combination of commercial and not-for-profit arts leadership experience, as well as the perspective of a lifelong artist himself as a classically trained composer and pianist.

Prior to YoungArts, Clive was Executive Vice President, Chief Advancement & Innovation Officer for Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in New York City. In this capacity, he oversaw fundraising, strategic partnerships, and innovation programs for the world’s pre-eminent performing arts complex—home to 11 world class arts organizations across its 16-acre campus. He had previously served as Director, Strategy & Business Development and Special Assistant to the President.

Prior to Lincoln Center, Clive was Director, Strategy & Business Development for Disney Theatrical Group, where he led strategic planning and growth initiatives for Disney’s commercial live entertainment businesses worldwide.

Clive holds dual Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Commerce degrees from McGill University, an MFA in Musical Theater Writing from NYU/Tisch School of the Arts, and an MBA from the Harvard Business School. He has been an adjunct professor in the graduate program in Arts Administration at Columbia University in New York City (2018-2021) and serves on the board of the Music Academy in Santa Barbara, CA. Clive and his husband divide their time between Miami, FL and Weston, CT.

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Ted Cronin

Unknown Title

ABOUT
Distinction
Music Academy Board Member

TED CRONIN, founding partner of Manchester Capital Management, LLC, joined the Music Academy Board of Directors in November 2017. Recognized for many years in Barron’s as one of the top independent financial advisors in America, Mr. Cronin has been honored with numerous industry awards and is a frequent guest speaker at industry conferences. A member of the Explorers’ Club, he is active in numerous civic and charitable organizations, including former member of the Vermont Business Roundtable, former Trustee of the Village of Manchester, past Chairman of the Board of the Vermont Natural Resources Council, and former member of the Advisory Board of Charles Schwab. Mr. Cronin received his bachelor’s degree from Williams College and completed coursework at both Harvard Business School and the New York Institute of Finance. He then founded Manchester Capital as a family office, dedicated to caring for the assets of related families.

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Daniel Dokos

Unknown Title

ABOUT
Distinction
Music Academy Board Member

Daniel Dokos is consistently recognized as a leading lawyer for Banking & Finance by Chambers Global and Chambers USA, where clients note “he’s one of the smartest lawyers in the industry” and “an excellent lawyer” who is “very commercial, very responsive, and his work is spot on.” He is recognized as a “Leading Lawyer” for Bank Lending by Legal 500 US, where clients note he is “excellent at working for banks and getting extremely difficult cross-border deals done.” Daniel is also recognized as a “Highly Regarded” lawyer for Banking in the U.S. by IFLR1000. Dan has acted as outside corporate counsel for Roundabout Theatre in New York City. In his free time, he enjoys playing the piano, studying the cello, and working closely with his husband on residential real estate projects in Montecito and the Hamptons.

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Gamble Parks Douville

Unknown Title

ABOUT
Distinction
Music Academy Board Member

A Shareholder at Brownstein, Hyatt, Farber, Schreck, Gamble Parks Douville is a Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law by the California Board of Legal Specialization. She advises clients on all issues pertaining to estate planning and administration including business succession, charitable planning, asset protection, life insurance, retirement plans, gifting strategies, marital deduction and generation skipping transfer tax planning and estate freezing techniques. In addition to her estate planning practice, Gamble also assists clients with a variety of corporate and real estate matters, including easement disputes and landlord-tenant issues.

Gamble is a member of the Board of Directors for Cottage Health System, the Santa Ynez Family School, and the Santa Barbara Hospice Foundation, and a past board member of the Dog Adoption & Welfare Group (DAWG), and the Santa Barbara Center for the Performing Arts. She served on the board of the Music Academy of the West from 2013 to 2015 before returning in 2021. She also served as President of the Santa Barbara Estate Planning Council and is a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA). In 2012, Gamble was named one of the South Coast’s “40 Under 40” business leaders by the Pacific Coast Business Times.

Gamble was born in Charlotte, North Carolina. She graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts from Washington and Lee University, in Lexington, Virginia, where she also earned a Juris Doctor degree. Following law school, Gamble clerked for The Honorable Graham C. Mullen, Chief U.S. Judge for the Western District of North Carolina. Thereafter, she practiced in Charlotte until moving to California in 2001. Gamble is admitted to practice in both California and North Carolina.

When away from the office, Gamble enjoys spending time with her family, playing golf, scuba diving, cycling and hiking and has trekked through Bhutan and to the base camp of Mount Everest. Prior to joining the Firm, Gamble worked as the Director of Estate Planning Services at Mercer Advisors in Santa Barbara and also maintained a private estate planning practice.

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Dianne Duva

Unknown Title

ABOUT
Distinction
Music Academy Board Member

DIANNE GAYOSKI DUVA is a founding partner of the wealth management firm of Arlington Financial Advisors in Santa Barbara. Mrs. Duva advises high net worth families, business owners, and women in transition, and helps clients understand and manage their net worth and solve complex financial problems by offering advice in areas including retirement planning, insurance planning, estate and tax planning, and investment management. A graduate of The George Washington University, Mrs. Duva holds the Certified Financial Planner® designation and her life insurance license, and co-hosts the weekly radio show Money Talk on AM 1290 KZSB News-Press Radio. Dianne Duva has been very involved in the Santa Barbara community, and currently serves as a member of the Board for Santa Barbara Public Library Foundation and Apples to Zucchini Cooking School. Mrs. Duva also serves as a Trustee for the All Saints by the Sea Parish School and as the school’s Parent Council Co-President. Additionally, Mrs. Duva serves the Endowment Committee of CALM and the Strategic Advisory Committee for Women’s Economic Ventures. Dianne Duva was selected as a Katherine Harvey Fellow in 2011, was the President of the Junior League of Santa Barbara in 2007, and successfully completed the Leadership Santa Barbara County program in 2005. She lives in Santa Barbara with her husband Rob and their two children.

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Rachel Fine

Unknown Title

ABOUT
Distinction
Music Academy Board Member
Alumni
1988

Rachel Fine is the Executive Director of the Yale Schwarzman Center (YSC), Yale University’s first-ever center for student life and the arts, and former Executive Director & CEO of The Wallis Annenberg Performing Arts Center. Together with the board of directors and administrative team, she established The Wallis as a major player and leading cultural organization in Los Angeles’ burgeoning arts scene.

At The Wallis, she demonstrated dedication to diversity, equity, inclusion, and access; built dynamic artistic partnerships and projects between The Wallis and Los Angeles’ cultural organizations; launched and implemented a $55 million campaign, which more than doubled the organization’s endowment and established a healthy cash reserve in the campaign’s first year; and steered and managed The Wallis successfully through the pandemic. Prior to her tenure at The Wallis, Rachel served as Executive Director of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra (2010-2015) and Los Angeles Children’s Chorus (2007-2010). In 2009, she founded and built the Los Angeles Children’s Chorus’ Young Men’s Ensemble, a rare chorus for boys with changing voices, which has toured the United States, Canada, Cuba, Vatican City, and Mexico City. Rachel has also held leadership positions at the DeVos Institute of Arts Management, Aspen Music Festival, Santa Fe Opera, and The Juilliard School, among others. She is a proud alumna of the Music Academy, which she attended in 1988 as a solo piano fellow.

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Bridget Foreman

Unknown Title

ABOUT
Distinction
Music Academy Board Member

Bridget Foreman, CPA joined Bartlett, Pringle & Wolf, LLP in 2003, becoming a partner in 2009. Her specialties include closely held businesses and individual taxation for high net worth individuals.

A significant part of Bridget’s business practice focuses on partnership taxation and entity structure. She is accomplished in evaluating complex financial transactions, including acquisitions, purchase price allocations and eventual dispositions.

Bridget integrates tax planning, compliance and consulting services for her clients as well as orchestrates the efforts of their other advisors, including investment managers, attorneys, bankers and insurance agents. She has frequently been recognized as one of the “Top 50 Women in Business” by the Pacific Coast Business Times.

During the course of her career, Bridget spent six years working within the hospitality market sector at a four-star hotel and resort in various capacities ranging from credit manager to leading the internal audit department. In addition, she is well versed in the financial services issues faced by franchisees of national restaurant chains. This related work experience has proved invaluable for her clientele.

Bridget received her Bachelor of Arts degrees in Business Economics and German Studies from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Today, a mother of two, Bridget’s top personal priority is spending quality time with her family. When she manages to find a quiet moment, Bridget enjoys reading and relaxing on the beach. She also values community involvement and is on the Board of Directors of CALM and the Lobero Theatre.

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Ashley Woods Hollister

Unknown Title

ABOUT
Distinction
Music Academy Board Member

Ashley Woods Hollister is touted as an arts champion and curator, and supporter of the Santa Barbara nonprofit community. Born in Westport, Connecticut, raised in Malibu, California, and a graduate of the Cate School in Carpinteria, Ashley went on to earn her bachelor's degree from Pitzer College, where she received a J.P Getty Trust Foundation Research Librarian Grantee Award. She then received her master's degree from Sotheby’s Institute of Art in 19th and 20th Century Fine and Avant Garde Art.

Ashley served as the Executive Director of The Squire Foundation in Santa Barbara for 12 years, where she worked with founder Morris B. Squire to promote entrepreneurship for the public good in education and the arts. Her efforts in innovative programming were recognized with the prestigious Arts Champion 2020 Award from the Californians for the Arts Organization.

As an entrepreneur, Ashley co-founded T.W. Hollister & Co., a handcrafted Vermouth company, with her husband, Kyle. Additional endeavors include serving as the co-curator of “Sanctuary,” Lotusland’s 2021 spring art exhibition; and joining the curator team for “Visions in Light: Windows on the Wallis” in November 2020, which was a free COVID-safe drive-by public art exhibit in Beverly Hills.

Ashley has served on the boards of Explore Ecology, on the Santa Barbara Mental Wellness Center since 2007, and recently joined the board of the Foundation for Climate Change Action and the Auxiliary of the Music Academy.

Ashely and Kyle reside in Santa Barbara with their two young children, a 6-year-old son Theodore and 4-year-old daughter, Hannah.

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Susan Lichtenstein

Unknown Title

ABOUT
Distinction
Music Academy Board Member

Susan Lichtenstein is a retired healthcare executive, most recently serving as Senior Vice President and Chief Legal Officer of Hill-Rom Holdings, a global medical device manufacturer, where she was responsible for government, regulatory and legal affairs, corporate communications, and corporate support services. She previously had similar responsibilities as Chief Legal Officer for Baxter International Inc., a $12+ billion diversified life sciences company. She also had C-suite positions in the telecom industry, where she was Senior Vice President and General Counsel for both Ameritech Corporation and Tellabs, Inc. Susan was a director of Aviv REIT (NYSE: AVIV), and has twice served in government, working for the Mayor of Chicago and the Governor of Illinois. She has managed and testified at Congressional hearings, dealt with cabinet-level officials and all levels of government agencies, legislatures, and the press, making strategic contributions in complex, multi-constituent settings. She began her career at Schiff Hardin & Waite, where she became an equity partner.

Susan currently serves on the board of Girls, Inc. of Greater Santa Barbara, and the board of RUSH University Medical Center. She previously served on the boards of the Civic Consulting Alliance of Chicago and WTTW, Chicago’s public television station. A former music student and an avid supporter of the arts, Susan was a director of the Lyric Opera of Chicago, serving on the Executive, Audit, and Nominating and Governance committees, and a trustee of the Ravinia Festival.

She and her husband, John Rokacz, are enthusiastic scholarship donors and patrons of the Music Academy, and enjoy being Compeers to cello fellows. They have two children, David and Rebecca, and have made Montecito their permanent home since 2020.

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Kandy Luria-Budgor

Unknown Title

ABOUT
Distinction
Music Academy Board Member

Kandy Luria-Budgor and her husband Dr. Aaron Budgor have lived in Montecito for the last 15 years, with family roots in the community since the mid-1950s. Her career has spanned Counseling and Psychology (in which she holds her Master’s degree) for 10 years in corporate settings (mostly in the Los Angeles area), specializing in addiction, career counseling, and short-term therapy, to 20 years in real estate in Washington D.C., including land acquisition, building, and residential sales.

After moving back to Santa Barbara, Kandy took over running The Luria Company and the Luria Foundation, both started by her father Eli Luria. The Luria/Budgor Family Foundation is a philanthropic entity which gives to four specific organizations: Music Academy of the West, Jewish Federation, Santa Barbara City College, and the Santa Barbara Museum of Art.

Kandy has served on the Music Academy of the West’s Board of Directors for nine years, also leading as Chair of the Building, Instruments, and Grounds Committee. Additionally, she served on the Board of the Santa Barbara City College Foundation and was Chair of the Friends of the Luria Library and served on the Committee for President’s Scholarships. She is currently serving on the Board of Directors for Santa Barbara Museum of Art and is on the Collections Committee. Kandy served on the Board of Ensemble Theatre Company and PAL (Police Activity League). She has been instrumental in guiding community programs and organizations to success, such as Running Start 2—a program for high school students entering college, acquisition of the theatre for the Ensemble Theatre Company, and building projects at Jewish Federation.

Currently, Ms. Budgor is completing a Master’s degree in Contemporary Art with Sotheby’s Institute of Art, New York City.

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Thomas Orlando

Unknown Title

ABOUT
Distinction
Music Academy Board Member

Born in Burbank, Thomas Orlando grew up in the San Fernando Valley and earned a Bachelor’s Degree in business administration at California State University, Northridge. Following a successful four-year stint as a sales associate with food and beverage wholesaler, Young’s Market Company, he joined the staff of Los Angeles-based manufacturing concern CTD Machines, Inc. where he became sales manager before becoming owner, President and CEO. He left the company when it was sold in 2007, and currently manages several industrial properties in Southern California.

Mr. Orlando currently serves as a director on the board of Daum Commercial Real Estate Services, and previously served on the boards for the Wood Machinery Manufacturers of America and the Association of Woodworking & Furnishings Suppliers. He was president of the latter trade organization’s board in 2002 and 2003.

Mr. Orlando previously served on the Music Academy Board of Directors from 2012 until 2022 where he helped oversee the reconstruction of the Marilyn Horne Main House and the construction of Hind Hall. He was the Chairperson for the Finance Committee for seven years during his previous terms. He has also served on the Investment Committee and the Buildings and Grounds Committee as well as the Executive Committee.

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Heejung Kim, PhD

Unknown Title

ABOUT
Distinction
Music Academy Board Member

Dr. Heejung Kim is a Professor at the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at UC Santa Barbara. She received her bachelor’s degree in Psychology from the University of Southern California, and her master’s degree and Ph.D. from Stanford University.

Heejung’s research interests are in cultural psychology, and examining how culture influences psychological processes to understand why and how people engage in a range of everyday behaviors; such as acting pro-environmentally, giving and seeking social support, making product choices, and interacting with others from different cultures. Heejung has served as an editor for a number of academic journals, and has received multiple research grants from the National Science Foundation.

Heejung is originally from Seoul, Korea, and lives in Santa Barbara with her husband, two children, and a dog. She enjoys traveling and trying different foods. She discovered the Music Academy of the West through her children’s music training, and fell in love with the organization.

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Joshua Ramirez

Unknown Title

ABOUT
Distinction
Music Academy Board Member

Josh Ramirez is an Estate Agent in Santa Barbara/Montecito and the founder of "The Network," a group of luxury real estate agents from Aspen, Hamptons, New York, San Francisco, Miami, and beyond. Josh was hand selected by AKG/Christie's International to be the first and sole agent in the Santa Barbara & Montecito area. His local insight, international experience, and cutting-edge marketing have propelled him to the forefront of the Lux Real Estate industry. Josh transitioned to the real estate industry following a successful career in marketing and technology. After growing up in Santa Barbara, Josh spread his globe-trotting wings, like all good locals, and spent several years in the tech industry in Sydney, Australia. Upon his return from Australia, Josh continued in the tech and marketing world for almost a decade. As a director at a publicly-traded technology company, Josh had the privilege of being the keynote speaker at a conference in Manhattan, New York City, and working with brands such as Sugarfina, Avon, Ulta Beauty, Road Runner Sports, and many more. In 2016, Josh co-founded a creative marketing agency (Princeton North) that has worked with a number of local and international businesses. When Josh isn't selling slices of the Spanish seaside town of Santa Barbara, you'll find him enjoying time with his South African bride and two sons.

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Danner Mahood Schefler

Unknown Title

ABOUT
Distinction
Music Academy Board Member

Danner Mahood Schefler brings a wide range of experience in both her career history and volunteer work. Born and raised in Alabama, Danner attended the University of Alabama where she earned her bachelor’s degree in Marketing. After college, Danner worked as a corporate travel agent with Inverness Travel and marketer for Stouffer Hotels, residing in both London and New York City, and during that period married her husband Arno Schefler. The pair relocated to Aspen in 1992 where they lived until 2018 before calling Santa Barbara home.

Danner is regarded as a well-established Thoroughbred Horse breeder and has been a serious art investor since 1979.

Throughout her residencies, Danner has given back to her communities through her committed service on boards and committees. She served on the awards committee for the Thoroughbred Breeders and Owners Association, was a founding board member for the Housing Works Thrift Shops, acted as National Council Chair for the Aspen Art Museum, was Vice President for Les Dames d' Aspen, serving on the director’s council for the Museum of Contemporary Arts, and held several positions with the Aspen Music Festival and School; including board secretary, development chair, and special events chair.

Currently, Danner serves on the Museum Contemporaries with the Santa Barbara Museum of Art and in several areas for the Birnam Wood Golf Club’s Women’s Golf Association, including as treasurer and on the house and homeowner’s committees.

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Stephanie Shuman

Unknown Title

ABOUT
Distinction
Music Academy Board Member

Stephanie Shuman was born in England and moved to New York City in 1960.  She is married to Fred Shuman and has two children and two grandchildren.

Mrs. Shuman attended both The American Musical and Dramatic Academy and Sarah Lawrence College.

Mrs. Shuman serves on the Boards of The Neighborhood Coalition for Shelter, Lincoln Center Theater, and The International Center of Photography.  The Shumans support The Shuman Fund for GIST (Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors) Research at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and are members of the PhotoFutures Committee of the Santa Barbara Museum of Art.

Stephanie and Fred Shuman reside primarily in New York City and East Hampton, New York, and relocate to Santa Barbara, California during the winter months.

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Patrick Spence

Unknown Title

ABOUT
Distinction
Music Academy Board Member

Patrick Spence is the Chief Executive Officer and serves on the Board of Directors for Sonos.

Patrick joined Sonos as Chief Commercial Officer in 2012. He has played a central role in the development and launch of some of the company’s most successful products. Patrick has also led the company’s expansion into new territories including China, France, Australia, and Mexico.

Prior to joining Sonos, Patrick spent over 14 years at RIM/BlackBerry in a variety of roles, including overseeing sales channels and country marketing operations in various regions including North America, Asia Pacific, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, ultimately transitioning to the role of Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing. During Patrick’s time at RIM/BlackBerry, the company grew from $50 million in revenue to more than $20 billion, and from 150 people to more than 17,000.

In 2007, Patrick was named one of Canada’s Top 40 under 40, a national program to celebrate leaders of today and tomorrow and to honor Canadians who have reached a significant level of success.

Patrick holds an Honors Degree in Business and Administration from the Richard Ivey School of Business at the University of Western Ontario in Canada.

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Kelly Teich

Unknown Title

ABOUT
Distinction
Music Academy Board Member

Kelly’s immersion in the Montecito community began in 2005, when he joined the esteemed architectural firm, The Warner Group Architects, Inc., as an aspiring architect. Over the span of the past two decades, he has had the privilege of collaborating with clients in the creation of award-winning, bespoke residences spanning diverse architectural genres across Montecito, Santa Barbara, Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, Orange County, and even internationally. Now a principal architect who oversees the design process and management of the firm, Kelly assumes the role of President at The Warner Group Architects. Prior to his architectural career, Kelly earned a Bachelor of Architecture degree from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, where he also met his beloved wife who is a pediatric occupational therapist based in Santa Barbara. Outside of architecture, Kelly explores the depths of the Santa Barbara coastline and the around the Channel Islands through his passion for scuba diving, as well as backpacking in the Eastern Sierras, all the while enjoying life alongside his wife and two sons.

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Emeritus Directors

The Music Academy gratefully acknowledges the following individuals who have formerly served on the Music Academy Board of Directors.

Donna Abbey
Richard A. Archer 
William Barker 
Judy Bartholomew*
Judith Bergman
Philip L. Bernstein
Kathleen Bielen
Corcorane Bigelow
Richard Blake
David Bradford
Peter Brown
Michele Brustin
Gay Bryant
John Burgee*
George Burtness
Marge Cafarelli *
Cevin Cathell
Howard Chase
Lee Chase
Andy Chou
Benjamin Cohen
Barbara Colville-O’Donnell
Sue Dalzell
David Davidson 
James Davidson*
Mrs. B. Dale Davis
Charles de L’Arbre
Meg Di Napoli
Haddon Dillon 
Patricia Durham
Rosemary Hall Evans
Eunice Fly
Linda Frankel
Howard Freedman
Mary Freeman
Raymond Freeman

Tim Garrett
Janet Garufis
Roy Gaskin
Arthur Gaudi*
Konnie Gault
Judith P. Getto
Clarence Graff
Jon Greenleaf
Paul Guido
Eva Haller
Anna Maria Halling
Carole Halsted*
Steve Halsted
Mary Hayward
Tara Holbrook
Joanne Holderman
Nan Holt
Nancy Hunter
Don Jackson
Margie Kolyn
Patricia Kruse
Seymour Lehrer
Francis V. Lloyd *
Lee Luria
Kandy Luria-Budgor
Georgia Lynn
Katharine Mallin
Sarah Coade Mandell
Phil Marking*
Eva Masin
Barbara Mathews
Sheila Bourke McGinity
Parker Montgomery
Val Montgomery
Thomas Mullaney
Donald Myrick 

Mead Northrop*
Robert Nourse
Mrs. Norreys J. Oconor
John O’Keefe
Stanya Owen
Arthur F. Pizzinat
E. Douglas Reddan
Leslie Ridley-Tree
Mary Louise Riley 
Regina Roney
Joan Rutkowski
Bernie Sacharski
Frank Serena
Eileen Sheridan*
Stephen Singleton
Judith Smith
Warren Staley*
Edward Starbuck
Marion Stewart
Helga Sulger
Diane Sullivan
Tim Taylor
Kristina Thorpe
James Tilton
Bob Toledo*
Patricia Toppel
Joseph Tumbler
Terry Valeski
Evie Vesper
Hugh Vos
William Wayne
Patricia Weber
Robert Weinman
Gloria Weltz
Sharon Westby*
Kate Winn-Rogers
Peter Ziegler

*Indicates Former Board Chair