People
Board of Directors
Houston Grand Opera Board of Directors 2022–23
Officers
Claire Liu, Chair of the Board
Allyn Risley, Senior Chair; Houston Grand Opera Endowment, Inc. Chair Emeritus
Janet Langford Carrig, Chair Emeritus of the Board
Lynn Wyatt, Vice Chair of the Board
Members at Large
Richard E. Agee, Finance Committee Vice Chair
Thomas Ajamie
Robin Angly, Community and Learning Committee Vice Chair
John S. Arnoldy *
Christopher V. Bacon, Secretary; General Counsel
Michelle Beale, Governance Committee Chair
Astley Blair, Audit Committee Chair
Albert Chao
Louise Chapman
Mathilda Cochran, Community and Learning Committee Chair
Albert O. Cornelison Jr. *
James W. Crownover
Khori Dastoor
Joshua Davidson
David B. Duthu *
Warren A. Ellsworth IV, M.D., Studio Committee Vice Chair
Benjamin Fink, Finance Committee Chair
Joseph Geagea
Michaela Greenan, Audit Committee Vice Chair
Dr. Ellen R. Gritz
Selda Gunsel
Robert C. Hunter *
Richard Husseini
José M. Ivo, Philanthropy Committee Vice Chair
Myrtle Jones
Marianne Kah, Houston Grand Opera Endowment, Inc Vice Chair
Yolanda Knull, Houston Grand Opera Endowment, Inc. Chair
David LePori, Governance Committee Vice Chair
Gabriel Loperena, Philanthropy Committee Chair
Richard A. Lydecker Jr.
Beth Madison *
Paul Marsden
Sid Moorhead
Sara Morgan
Terrylin G. Neale, Houston Grand Opera Endowment, Inc. Secretary; Treasurer
Ward Pennebaker, Audiences Committee Chair
Cynthia Petrello
Allyson Pritchett
Gloria M. Portela
Matthew L. Ringel, Audiences Committee Vice Chair
Kelly Brunetti Rose
Glen A. Rosenbaum
Jack A. Roth, M.D., Studio Committee Chair
Harlan C. Stai
John G. Turner*
Alfredo Vilas
Margaret Alkek Williams
* Senior Director
Administration & Staff
EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP GROUP
Richard Bado, Director of Artistic Planning/Chorus Director *
Sarah and Ernest Butler Chorus Director Chair
Jennifer Davenport, Chief Marketing and Experience Officer
Molly Dill, Chief Operating Officer *
Elizabeth Greer, Chief Financial Officer
Gregory S. Robertson, Chief Philanthropy Officer *
SENIOR MANAGEMENT TEAM
Natalie Barron, Associate Director of Marketing and Communications
Jennifer Bowman, Director of Community & Learning
Kristen E. Burke, Director of Production *
Sharon Ellinger, Director of Human Resources
Deborah Hirsch, Senior Director of Philanthropy *
Scott Ipsen, Director of Patron Experience*
David Krohn, Director of Philanthropy
Alisa Magallón, Associate Director of Programming & Engagement in Community & Learning
Brian Speck, Director of HGO Studio*
Monica Thakkar, Associate Director of Artistic Planning
OFFICE OF THE GENERAL DIRECTOR
Mary Elsey, Chief of Staff to the General Director and CEO
Sadie Dill, Special Assistant to the Office of the General Director
Shelby Connolly, Governance Manager
ARTISTIC
Chris Abide, Rehearsal Administrator
Lyanne Alvarado, Assistant Manager of Rehearsal Planning & Artist Services
Alex Amsel, Resident Conductor
Richard S. Brown, Orchestra Personnel Manager *
Emilia Covault, Music Administrator
Joel Goodloe, Manager of Rehearsal Planning & Artist Services
Eun Sun Kim, Principal Guest Conductor
Kiera Krieg, Artist Services Coordinator
Kirill Kuzmin, Head of Music Staff
Mark C. Lear, Associate Artistic Administrator *
Joshua Luty, Music Librarian
Kevin J. Miller, Assistant Conductor
Peter Pasztor, Principal Coach *
Karen Reeves, Children's Chorus Director *
Madeline Slettedahl, Assistant Conductor
AUDIENCES
Marc Alba, Customer Care Specialist
Ellen Bergener, Customer Care Representative
Gabrielle Castillo, Customer Care Specialist
Chelsea Crouse, Creative Manager
Juan Flores, Customer Care Specialist
Jessica Gonzalez, Marketing Manager
Latrinita Johnson, Customer Care Specialist
Maricruz Kwon, Digital Content Coordinator
Jazzlyn Levigne, Customer Care Representative
Catherine Matusow, Associate Director of Communications
Stephan Little, Customer Care Specialist
Joel Nott, Customer Care Center Specialist
M. Jane Orosco, Marketing Data Manager *
Candace Pittman, Digital Marketing Manager
Christopher Robinson, Graphic Designer
Alan Sellar, Videographer
Amber Sheppard, Patron Services Manager
Armando Urdiales, Marketing Coordinator, Audience Initiatives
Charlotte Weschler, Customer Care Center Manager
THE GENEVIEVE P. DEMME ARCHIVES AND RESOURCE CENTER
Brian Mitchell, Archivist *
COMMUNITY & LEARNING
George Heathco, Community and Learning Programs Coordinator II
Jeremy Johnson, Dramaturg & Manager of New Works and Community Engagement
Chelsea Lerner, Programs Manager
Karen Mata, Operations Manager
Rovion Reed, Production & Projects Manager
Joel Thompson, Composer-in-Residence
Lisa Vickers, Bauer Family High School Voice Studio Manager
Kiana Williams, Associate Director of School and Educator Engagement
FINANCE AND ADMINISTRATION
Christian Davis, Human Resources Generalist
Ariel Ehrman, Business Intelligence Manager
Luis Franco, Office Services Coordinator *
Denise Fruge, Accounts Payable Administrator *
Matt Gonzales, Manager of IT *
Vicky Hernandez, Advancement Data Coordinator
Chasity Hopkins, Accounting Manager
Ty Jones, Network Administrator
Ella Medina, Payroll Administrator
Denise Simon, Finance Administrator *
OPERATIONS
Christopher Staub, Operations Manager*
PHILANTHROPY
Sarah Bertrand, Philanthropy Officer
Kelly Finn, Director of Institutional Giving*
Tessa Larson, Philanthropy Officer
Sarah Long, Associate Director of Philanthropy
Patrick Long-Quian, Philanthropy Operations Coordinator
Catie Lovett, Donor Event Specialist
Meredith Morse, Operations Manager, Institutional Giving
Amanda Neiter, Director of Legacy Giving
Allison Reeves, Associate Director of Special Events
Sherry Rodriguez, Philanthropy Officer for Institutional Giving
Brooke Rogers, Director of Special Events
Alex Richard De Aguilar Reuter, Associate Director of Philanthropy III
Madeline Sebastian, Associate Director of Philanthropy
TECHNICAL/PRODUCTION
Philip Alfano, Lighting Associate*
Brian August, Stage Manager
Ciara Ayala, Assistant Stage Manager
Kaleb Babb, Costume Coordinator
Bruno Baker, Assistant Director
Katherine Carter, Assistant Director
Audrey Chait, Assistant Director
Michael James Clark, Head of Lighting & Production Media*
Andrew Cloud, Properties Associate*
Rick Combs, Associate Technical Director
Norma Cortez, Head of Costumes *
Meg Edwards, Assistant Stage Manger
Caitlin Farley, Assistant Stage Manager
Joey Farley, Interim Technical & Safety Director
Vince Ferraro, Master Electrician*
Erik Friedman, Assistant Director
Mark Grady, Assistant Electrician/ Light Board Operator
Bridget Green, Wig and Makeup Assistant
Jackson Halphide, Assistant Technical Director
Eduardo Hawkins, Head of Sound*
David Heckman, Costume Coordinator Assistant
Hannah Holthaus, Assistant Stage Manager
John Howard, Head Carpenter
Jennelle John-Lewis, Assistant Stage Manager
Esmeralda De Leon, Costume Coordinator
Nara Lesser, Costume Production Assistant
Judy Malone-Stein, Wardrobe Supervisor*
Melissa McClung, Technical and Production Administrator
Megan, Properties Design Director *
Kristie Osi, Costume Coordinator
Frances Rabalais, Assistant Director
Colter Schoenfish, Assistant Director
Stephen Sposito, Assistant Director
Dotti Staker, Wig and Makeup Department Head *
Myrna Vallejo, Costume Shop Supervisor *
Sean Waldron, Head of Props
Annie Wheeler, Stage Manager *
HOUSTON GRAND OPERA STUDIO
Jamie Gelfand, Studio Manager
Maureen Zoltek, Studio Music Director
Mr. & Mrs. Albert B. Alkek Chair Endowment Fund
*denotes 10 or more years of service
Orchestra
202-23 Houston Grand Opera Orchestra
Patrick Summers, Artistic and Music Director
Sarah and Ernest Butler Chair
Violin
Denise Tarrant, Concertmaster
Chloe Kim, Assistant Concertmaster
Natalie Gaynor, Principal, Second Violin
Carrie Kauk, Assistant Principal Second Violin
Hae-a Lee-Barnes
Miriam Belyatsky
Anabel Detrick
Rasa Kalesnykaite
Chavdar Parashkevov
Mary Reed
Erica Robinson
Linda Sanders
Oleg Sulyga
Sylvia VerMeulen
Melissa Williams
Viola
Eliseo Rene Salazar, Principal
Lorento Golofeev, Assistant Principal
Gayle Garcia-Shepard
Erika Lawson
Suzanne LeFevre
Dawson White
Cello
Barrett Sills, Principal
Erika Johnson, Assistant Principal
Ariana Nelson
Wendy Smith-Butler
Steven Wiggs
Double Bass
Dennis Whittaker, Principal
Erik Gronfor, Assistant Principal
Carla Clark
Flute
Henry Williford, Principal
Tyler Martin
Oboe
Elizabeth Priestly Siffert, Principal
Mayu Isom
Clarinet
Sean Krissman, Principal
Eric Chi
Bassoon
Amanda Swain, Principal
Michael Allard
French Horn
Sarah Cranston, Principal
Kimberly Penrod Minson, Second Horn
Spencer Park
Trumpet
Tetsuya Lawson, Principal
Randal Adams
Trombone
Thomas Hulten, Principal
Mark Holley
Bass Trombone
Justin Bain
Tuba
Mark Barton, Principal
Harp
Joan Eidman, Principal
Timpani
Alison Chang, Principal
Percussion
Richard Brown, Principal
Orchestra Personnel Manager
Richard Brown
For audition information, please visit our Employment and Auditions page.
Chorus
2022 - 23 Houston Grand Opera Chorus
Richard Bado, Chorus Director *
Sarah and Ernest Butler Chorus Director Chair
Nathan Abbott
Ofelia Adame
Geordie Alexander
Preston Andrews
Dennis Arrowsmith
Sarah Bannon
Zachary Barba
Alyssa Barnes
Megan Berti
Asha Brooke
Steve Buza
Christopher Childress
Scott Clark
Patrick Contreras
Esteban Cordero
Christine Cecilia Cummins
Robert Dee
Callie Denbigh
Stacia Dunn
Ashly Evans
Peter Farley
David Ferguson
Ami Figg
Don Figg
Dallas Gray
Evelyn Grayson
Tabitha Greene
Nancy Hall
Sarah Jane Hardin
Frankie Hickman
Austin Hoeltzel
Julie Hoeltzel
Patty Holley
Audrey Hurley
Jon Janacek
Katherine Jones
Joe Key
Alison King
Melissa Krueger
Carolena Lara
Wesley Landry
Sarah L. Lee
Marcus Lonardo
Aarianna Longino
Alejandro Magallón
Kathy Manley Montgomery
Heath Martin
Neal Martinez
Norman Mathews
Byron Mayes
Katherine McDaniel
Jeff Monette
Natasha Monette
Leah Moody
Matthew Neumann
Lance Orta
Patrick Perez
Abby Powell
Said Pressley
Teresa Procter
Nicholas Rathgeb
Brad Raymond
Gabrielle Reed
Kendall Reimer
Francis Rivera
Hannah Roberts
Emily Louise Robinson
Kathleen Ruhleder
Johnny Salvesen
Christina Scanlan
Valerie Serice
Kade Smith
Kaitlyn Stavinoha
Rebecca Tann
Lisa Borik Vickers
Miles Ward
Jennifer Wright
Chloe Zimmerman
Supernumeraries
A supernumerary (or “super”) is a non-speaking, non-singing role in an opera, much like an extra in a film.
Houston Grand Opera regularly seeks adult and child supernumeraries for mainstage productions. Upcoming supernumerary auditions are posted HERE. If no auditions are currently posted, please send a headshot or current photo, resume, and current height and weight to rehearsal@hgo.org.