Staff, Board & Advisors
STAFF
Jane E. Money is a native New Zealander who has lived in Dorchester for over 35 years. She co-founded Boston City Singers in 1995 as a division of Youth Pro Musica. Jane’s professional interest lies in crafting outstanding opportunities and outcomes far beyond the structure of a traditional community youth chorus. A frequent workshop presenter and adjudicator (Chorus America, American Choral Directors Association, American Guild of Organists). Jane holds master’s degrees in music from Auckland University, in music education from Trinity College of Music in London, and in engineering from Boston University. As a former engineer and project manager, she has brought a wide-range of skills to support the growth of Boston City Singers. She is a member of the Celebrity Series of Boston Community Engagement Committee, Boston City Singers Board of Directors, and American Choral Directors Association where as a former Repertoire and Standards chairperson for Children’s Choruses she co-founded “The Big Sing,” annual festivals for young choirs from around New England. She has been recognized for her work with urban youth from numerous civic, educational and arts organizations. (Dorchester)
Melissa J. Graham joined Boston City Singers in 2011 to manage business, development, communications, government relations and human resources while serving as staff liaison to the Board of Directors. Previously she was a Founding Director of The Boston Guys, a Boston-based event planning, fundraising and marketing collaborative, the host of Commonwealth Journal, a radio talk show on WUMB, and Vice President of Marketing and Public Relations for the Boston Five Cents Savings Bank. She was a senior advance person for former First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton during the Clinton White House years and had the privilege of traveling throughout the United States, Europe and South Africa on her behalf. She has been Vice President and General Manager for Nathan Tyler Productions and Director of Local Fundraising for WGBH/Boston. Her first fundraising experience was at age seven during her father’s candidacy for US Congress in Cincinnati, Ohio. A New Yorker by birth and raised in Ohio, Melissa lives in Dorchester with her husband, a son attending Quinnipiac University in CT and two rescued dogs - Elvis Pressley and Whitney Houston. Melissa attended William Smith College (Hobart) and Miami University of Ohio where she earned her Bachelors’ Degree. (Dorchester)
Dr. Matthew W. Leese received voice degrees from the University of Otago, the Longy School of Music, Indiana University and a doctorate in conducting from the University of Illinois. In addition to working with Boston City Singers Tour Choir, he is Artistic Director of Monadnock Chorus, and Co-Artistic Director of Zenith Ensemble, Northern New England's professional choir. At Keene State College he directs the Concert Choir, Keene Vocal Consort, the Opera Workshop program and is in demand as a clinician and adjudicator. As a freelance singer he performs regularly with professional ensembles Spire, (Kansas City), Liber, Tactus (Oklahoma City), and Gravitación. www.matthewleese.squarespace.com (Keene, NH)
Wendy Silverberg is an accomplished vocalist and pianist who joined the staff of Boston City Singers’ in 2011. In 2012, she co-founded the Cambridge Children’s Chorus division. Wendy retired from the Cambridge Public Schools after four decades of teaching music to young children. She earned a degree in music education from the University of Rhode Island, a Master’s Degree in Education from Antioch College and a Certificate from the Kodály Musical Training Institute, New England Conservatory of Music. Wendy has served on the board of the Boston Area Kodály Educators and has sung with The Boston Cecilia since 1972. Since 2013, Wendy has traveled to Argentina, China, Norway, South Africa and Puerto Rico with Boston City Singers. (Cambridge)
Joshua DeWitte joined Boston City Singers’ Cambridge Children’s Chorus division in 2013. Additionally, Josh teaches middle school chorus at Rindge Avenue Upper School and general music to grades 3-5 in the Cambridge Public Schools. Prior to teaching in Cambridge, he taught band and chorus in a Chicago high school for eight years. Upon graduation from Northwestern University in 1997, his intended career path as a film composer was disrupted when he fell in love with music education through an AmeriCorps program in Chicago. Seeing the powerful effect of music on the lives of children inspired him to pursue music education professionally. Josh received his Master’s in Music Education from VanderCook College of Music in Chicago and his Kodály certification from the New England Conservatory. (Cambridge)
Kimani Lumsden joined Boston City Singers in 2012 as World Rhythm Ensemble Director. He is a vibrant music educator who is passionate about the percussion and dance traditions of West Africa and the African diaspora. He performs with a variety of musical groups including the Haitian Drum and Dance Company, Fantezi Kreyol, the Art of Black Music and Dance, Silimbo African Dance Company and Lamine Toure with Group Saloum. Kimani grew up in Kingston, Jamaica, where he studied classical piano, and traditional Jamaican and Caribbean drumming at the Jamaica School of Music. Currently, Kimani teaches music and traditional percussion at the Lincoln School in Providence, Rhode Island, an independent, college preparatory school for girls in Grades 1 through 12. (Providence, RI)
Matt Holehan previously served as an accompanist and program co-director for Boston City Singers. Originally from Maryland, he holds a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance from Pennsylvania State University and served as a staff accompanist at Ithaca College. In addition to his work with Boston City Singers, Matt teaches piano lessons and is the Director of Music at the Ballardvale United Church in Andover. He is well-versed in many vocal techniques as well as languages including Italian, French, German, and English. Matt is pursuing a Master’s of Music degree in Choral Conducting at the Boston Conservatory at Berklee. When not working, he enjoys cooking and baking for friends and co-workers. (Malden)
Carmen Piedad is a Boston City Singers’ alumnae and seven-year member. A 2012 graduate, she was the first junior representative on the Board of Directors. Carmen studied at Wheelock College as a result of winning the prestigious Passion For Action Scholarship award. She earned her BA in 2016 in American Studies with a focus in Political Science and Global Studies. Post-college, Carmen participated in internships in South Africa and Northern Ireland. Carmen has traveled extensively throughout Europe, Mexico and Central America as well as toured internationally with Boston City Singers. Carmen brings extensive experience in group dynamics, youth development, and conflict resolution to our team. She is wholly committed to closely connecting with our families, singers and alumni. (East Boston)
Debbie Slade joined the Cambridge division of Boston City Singers in 2014. Formerly a music specialist and arts department chairperson at Buckingham Browne & Nichols Lower School for more than 35 years, Debbie taught Pre-K to 6th grade music classes, chorus, orchestra, recorder ensemble, co-directed sixth grade musicals, and taught 5th grade math. Active as a choral singer, Debbie has performed with New World Chorale, Chorus pro Musica, and the Tanglewood Festival Chorus with the Boston Symphony. She received a Music Education degree at UMass-Amherst and a Masters in Elementary Education at Lesley University. Besides her commitment to Cambridge Children’s Chorus, she is a Collections Assistant at Longyear Museum in Chestnut Hill. She lives with her husband, an organist, choral singer and retired systems analyst, and enjoys photography, gardening, cooking and being on or near the water in Maine and Cape Cod. (Concord)
Katelyn Thompson is the newest member of our staff. Having previously served as a Teaching Fellow with our Cambridge division, Katie earned her Master’s of Music in Opera from the Longy School of Music of Bard College and a Bachelor’s of Music in Vocal Performance from Samford University in Birmingham, AL. She taught first and second grade at the Birmingham Girls Choir for three years, was a staff singer at the Cathedral Church of the Advent, and a section leader for Longy’s El Sistema Side by Side program. Katie is also an active performer and has brought many characters to life on the stage, both in opera and musical theatre. Katie is excited to continue her journey with Boston City Singers.
BOOKKEEPER
Joseph Penella
ADMINISTRATIVE AND EVENT ASSISTANT
Susan Lee
Sarah Eastman joined Boston City Singers in 2015 as a Teaching Fellow. A mezzo-soprano, Sarah is a Maryland native currently living in Boston where she is a devoted singer and music educator. She served as a Teaching Artist with The Metropolitan Opera Guild Urban Voices program and with Boston Lyric Opera. Sarah maintains an active private teaching studio and is on the voice faculty at All Newton Music School. She has performed with the Hawaii Performing Arts Festival, OperaWorks, Manhattan Opera Studio, MetroWest Opera, Longwood Opera Summer Concert Series, Odyssey Opera, MIT Gilbert and Sullivan Players, Tanglewood Festival Chorus, MassOpera, and Towson University Music for the Stage. She holds a Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance with a minor in Italian from Towson University and a Masters of Music in Vocal Pedagogy and a Alexander Technique Teacher Training certificate from Boston Conservatory. Sarah is currently attending MGH Institute of Health Professions, studying for a Master’s in Speech-Language Pathology. www.saraheastmanvoice.com (Somerville)
Tory Gilligan is a Boston City Singers’ alumnae and six-year member. She has re-joined the Boston City Singers family as the Programs Manager for Dorchester and Jamaica Plain chorus programs. Tory attended the University of Hartford with a double major in Vocal Performance and Music Education. Throughout her time in college, Tory taught a variety of music programs in South Africa, Italy, Holland, and Philadelphia. In her free time, she also travels extensively. During the past two years, Tory held an internship with Boston's Handel and Haydn Society, working closely with the Development Operations Manager and the Major Gifts Officer. During the summer of 2020, Tory took on a second administrative internship with the Boston Cantata Singers. As a Boston City Singers' alumnae, Tory has always felt a connection with Boston City Singers for their dedication to supporting young people who are often shut out of arts and cultural activities. As a Hartt School graduate, Tory looks forward to seeing how she will grow in this new position while encouraging and guiding her young singers toward artistic excellence. https://torygilligan.wixsite.com/home (Marblehead)
ACCOMPANISTS
Accompanist Eileen Huang has been the principal accompanist for the Cambridge Training Chorus since 2013. In recent seasons, she made her Rockport Chamber Music Festival debut alongside Boston Symphony Orchestra principal bass Edwin Barker and violinist Yevgeny Kutik, appeared at the Tanglewood Music Festival with the Tanglewood Festival Chorus, conductor James Burton, and BSO Associate Concertmaster Alexander Velinzon.
Eileen is a rehearsal pianist for the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Emmanuel Music. She teaches on the faculty at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where she has been an Affiliated Artist since 2010. Elieen, an accomplished soprano, has also appeared as a soloist with the Tanglewood Festival Chorus, Wellesley Choral Society, and Nahant Music Festival. She also holds a degree in chemistry from MIT. www.eileenhuangmusic.com.
Ruth Ross has been the staff accompanist for our Jamaica Plain division for many years. She holds a Bachelor’s and Master's Degree in Piano from Boston University and is an accompanist for the Newton Public Schools. She has a private teaching studio and is the pianist on Aline Shader’s CD “Singing to Benefit Children.” Ruth has performed as a soloist and also as accompanist for many instrumentalists and singers.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Valerie Coimbra (Chair) (she/her/hers) is the Director of Student Services for Breakthrough Greater Boston’s Cambridge site. The daughter of Peruvian and Brazilian immigrants, Valerie was born and raised in Boston and speaks Spanish and Portuguese fluently. She graduated from Vanderbilt University with degrees in Ethnic Studies and Spanish & Portuguese, and earned her Master's degree in Education at Johns Hopkins University. She finds joy in reading, embroidering, and working with students of all ages. Valerie sang with Boston City Singers for five years, graduating in 2009. She is the first alum to serve as a member of the leadership team. (2019, Alumnae/Jamaica Plain)
Jane Money (Founding Artistic Director, Tour Choir and Dorchester Training Chorus Director) is a native New Zealander and has lived in Dorchester for nearly three decades. She co-founded Boston City Singers in 1995 as a division of Youth Pro Musica. Jane’s professional interest lies in crafting outstanding opportunities and outcomes far beyond the structure of a traditional community youth chorus. A frequent workshop presenter and adjudicator (Chorus America, American Choral Directors Association, American Guild of Organists). Jane holds master’s degrees in music from Auckland University, in music education from Trinity College of Music in London, and in engineering from Boston University. As a former engineer and project manager, she has brought a wide range of skills to support the growth of Boston City Singers. She is a member of the Celebrity Series of Boston Community Engagement Committee, Boston City Singers Board of Directors, and American Choral Directors Association where as a former Repertoire and Standards chairperson for Children’s Choruses she co-founded “The Big Sing,” annual festivals for young choirs from around New England. She has been recognized for her work with urban youth from numerous civic, educational and arts organizations. (1995, Faculty/Dorchester)
Mary Perry Alexander, MD is a primary care pediatrician who is committed to social justice. As an undergraduate at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill she helped lead the APPLES service learning program as president and board chair. After completing her Master’s Degree in Public Health at UNC, she worked on addressing drug resistant tuberculosis in Peru with an inspiring team from Partners in Health. She went on to complete her medical degree at Harvard Medical School and her pediatric residency at Mass General Hospital for Children, serving for an additional year as Chief Resident. Mary loves to hike in the New Hampshire mountains, bike around Cambridge and teach young children about the human body with her model skeleton. (2019, Parent Representative/Cambridge)
Val Brickates Kennedy is a business and healthcare writer based in Boston. Her work has been published by The Wall Street Journal, MarketWatch, Dow Jones, Reuters, Boston Business Journal, and Business Insider. In addition to writing and editing, she has also provided on-air commentary for PBS, New England Cable News, Fox Business Network, and CBS Radio. A former chorale singer, Val holds a B.A. in political science from Bates College and an M.S. in journalism from Boston University. Her son has proudly participated in Boston City Singers since kindergarten. (2016, Parent Representative/Milton)
Lebsia Marie Sikod is a Commercial Contracts & Strategic Sourcing Analyst for Draper Laboratories. She has an extensive volunteer background at nonprofit organizations in both Boston and Houston that include The Greater Boston Food Bank, Big Sisters of America, Women’s Fund for Health Education, and Houston Area Women Shelter. Lebsia earned her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Texas A&M University. (2019, Hyde Park)
NON-VOTING PARTICIPANT
Melissa J. Graham, Boston City Singers Managing Director, Board Liaison to Staff (2011, Faculty/Dorchester)
Johanna B. Musselman (Vice Chair) has been a project management professional with over 20 years of experience in corporate management, consulting, and operations in consumer services, health care and manufacturing. As a volunteer member of the Community Consulting Teams (CCT) research project with Boston City Singers in 2018, she was instrumental in conducting a SWOT analysis and positioning the organization as it planned the 2019-2026 Strategic Plan. In Fall 2019, Johanna worked closely with a student team from Northeastern University, to enhance social media/marketing tools for Boston City Singers. Johanna served on the 25th Anniversary Celebration planning committee in 2019-2020. (2018, Community Representative/Boston)
Daphnie Pierre, (Treasurer) formerly a Boston University “On Board” Master’s Degree Board member, joined full board in May of 2019, later serving as Vice Chair before taking on the Treasurer role. Daphnie is currently a Manager at CFAR, a boutique consulting firm. Previously she held roles in contract and research administration at research institutions in the Boston and Cambridge area. She is a graduate of Boston University twice over, first with a Bachelors of Arts in Economics, and most recently graduating with an MBA. She was an active member in various choirs during high school and college. As a first generation Haitian-American, Daphnie is fluent in Haitian Creole. (2019, Community Representative/Roxbury)
Marianne Zullas, a Vocalise parent, was born in Brazil where she earned a degree from Faculdade Alcântara Machado - FIAM - São Paulo in communications, She worked for over a decade in public relations and marketing. After coming to Boston she decided to pursue a new career and graduated from the prestigious Catherine Hinds Institute of Esthetics. In 2008, she opened MZ Skin Care in Brookline. After 3 years, her business expanded to Chestnut Hill, and she formed a team of highly trained Estheticians. MZ Skin Care’s mission is to make skin care accessible and effective for everyone. (2020, Milton)
Yasser el Hamoumi, Boston City Singers 2011 alumni and Posse Scholar, is a member of the Global Markets team at State Street State Bank Corporation as a Trading and Algorithmic Strategist. Prior to this role, he was a Quantitative Analyst within State Street’s Global Liquidity Risk Management team. Yasser is a graduate of Union College (NY) which he attended through a Posse Foundation Leadership Merit Scholarship with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, and a minor in Economics. A native of Morocco, Yasser speaks Arabic and standard Moroccan Berber. He joined Boston City Singers as a young teen. (2019, Alumni/Quincy and Somerville)
Melody Qi Komyerov is the Director of Strategic Communications and Marketing at the Winsor School. She has held similar positions at the Commonwealth and Pingree Schools. She is also the Principal Director of MQK Creative and an award-winning photographer. (2016, Parent Representative/Cambridge)
ADVISORY COUNCIL
Mirena Bagur, Marketing Consultant
Joseph Burnieika, Paraclete Center
Jim Delaney, Activate Sports & Entertainment
Maureen Forry, Dorchester Reporter/Haitian Reporter
Anne Gillespie, Esq., Attorney
Steve Gross, Life is Good Playmakers
David Hodgkins, Coro Allegro
Dr. Joanna Horobin, Verastem
Jill LaMonica, Leahy Holloran Community Center
Jen Erbe Leggett, LICSW, The Leggett Group
Ronnie Millar, Rian Immigrant Center (formerly the Irish International Immigrant Center)
Timothy Nichols, Suffolk Construction
Sean Rogers, Consultant
Paul F. Toner, New Voice Strategies