Natasha Blanchette
Operations Associate

Elizabeth Schultz
Executive Office Administrator

Kristin McCarthy
Human Resources Manager

Blaine Inafuku
Associate Director of Artistic Administration & Planning

Aric Lee
Artistic & Music Assistant

Jonathan Dean
Dramaturg

Paula Podemski
Company Manager

Emmy Ulmer
Titlist

Amy Jurkiewicz
Child Supervisor

Michaella Calzaretta
Head of Music Staff & Chorus Master

Philip A. Kelsey
Assistant Conductor

David McDade
Head of Coach-Accompanists

Jay Rozendaal
Coach-Accompanist & Orchestra Librarian

Stephen Wall
Chorus Personnel Coordinator

Beth Kirchhoff
Chorus Master Emeritus

Michael J. Hawk, Tiffany Townsend
2024/25 Resident Artists

Robert Babs
Development Operations Manager

Debra Carmel-Wilson
Institutional Giving Intern

Raymond Chao
Associate Director of Development – Individual Giving

Julia Curns-Welch
Associate Director of Development – Institutional Giving

William Ekstrom
Events Coordinator

Maria Meyer
Associate Director of Development – Stewardship & Events

Emma Potter
Development Operations Coordinator

Mariana Sandoval
Individual Giving Officer

Lauren Superville
Individual Giving Officer

Isabel Thomas
Associate Director of Development – Campaigns & Operations

Emma Ming Wahl
Individual Giving Project Specialist

Diana Wu
Individual Giving Officer

Gemma Balinbin
Youth Programs Manager

Alexei Cifrese
Programs & Partnerships Coordinator

Kenneth Kellogg
Artistic Ambassador

Sara Litchfield
Associate Director of Youth Programs

Marjoram Jonathan Lynn
Engagement Manager

Lokela Alexander Minami
Associate Director of Community Engagement

Miriam Anderson, Jessica Andrews, Kyleigh Archer, Jose Iniguez, Melissa Plagemann, William Schlott
Teaching Artists

Mia Falcone
Teaching Assistant

Li-Cheng Hung, Steven Luksan
Collaborative Pianists

Randee Byrd
Payroll Manager

Korey Carter
Finance Associate

Erica McIntyre
Staff Accountant

Lindsey O'Connor
Controller

Todd Clark
Facilities Manager

Will Faulhaber
Facilities Assistant

Stuart McLeod
SQL Developer & CRM Administrator

Brian Simpson
T Senior Engineer

Iain Quigley
Desktop & User Support Technician

Arryn Davis
Social Media Manager

Joshua Gailey
Communications & Public Engagement Manager

Glenn Hare
Associate Director of Communications

Larisa J. Melkumova
Graphic Designer

Symone Sanz
Digital Marketing Manager

Meg Stoltz
Associate Director of Marketing

Hank Tian
Web Producer

Chloe Woodward
Marketing & Communications Coordinator

Sales and Services

Neal Castelo
Ticketing Operations Manager

Erin Cunningham
Audience Services Assistant Manager

Betsy Heimburger
Audience Services Coordinator

Debra McKinney
Audience Services & Group Sales Manager

John Renfroe
Associate Director of Marketing, Sales and Services

Corrie Yadon
Senior Manager, Patron Experience

Julia Barnes, Eric Jeffords, Brian Kang, Nick Passabet, Christy Pulliam
Audience Services Representatives

Amusements Gift Shop

Holly Duncan
Gift Shop Manager

Maggie Kase
Gift Shop Office Administrator

Alicia Moriarty
Assistant Production Director

Rachel Walrath
Assistant Production Manager

Kaitlin Losansky
Second Assistant Production Manager

Ben Rampley
Assistant Technical Director

Ranleigh Starling
Assistant Lighting Designer

Costume, Hair, & Makeup

Kathleen Trott
Costume Shop Manager

Ashlee Naegle
Wigs, Hair, and Makeup Manager & Designer

Cheryl del Rosario Lavarias
Costume, Hair, and Makeup Administrative Manager

Nell Thompson
Costume Show Manager

Bel Callero
Costume Rental Assistant

Cynthia Abbott
Lead Cutter/Draper

Cora Brown, Ruthanne Swanson
Cutter/Drapers

Teresa O'Leary, Rachael Smith-Ferri
First Hands

Amy Bengtson, Marie Kramer, Yoko Niendorf
Stitchers

Miriam Goodman-Miller
Crafts Supervisor

Amara Madeo
Crafts Assistant

Courtney Kessler-Jeffrey
Wardrobe Head

Christy Kazimour
Assistant Wardrobe Head

Jeremiah Canonico, Doug Decker, Christy Kazimour, Janelle Kimbrough, LeDawn King, Malena Langlie, Steve Stoudt
Dressers

Janelle Kimbrough, LeDawn King, Steve Stoudt
Wardrobe Daywork

Julia Wing Krafft
Lead Wig Artisan

Rosetta Greek, Trisha Partida
Lead Hair and Makeup Artists

Jenn Hill, Juliette Lewis
Wig Artisans

Jenn Hill, Trisha Partida
Wig Maintenance

Sarah Alexander, Jenn Hill, Patti Wilmot
Principal Hair and Makeup Artists

Deborah Arthur, MJ Fjellestad, Fiona Kraus, Juliette Lewis, Tony Oteromarrero, Allegra Rege, Aaron Saucier, Traci Thorpe, Terry Wright
Chorus Hair and Makeup Artists

Stage Management

Bethany Windham
Stage Manager

Quinn Chase, Jamie Kranz
Assistant Stage Managers

Stage Crew

Justin Loyd
Master Stage Carpenter

Jason Balter, Bruce Warshaw
Assistants Master Stage Carpenters

Adam Lantz, Matthew Lint, Robert Millard, William Montes, Monica Schulz
Assistant Stage Carpenters

Jim Nash
Master Electrician

Martin Cunningham
Assistant Master Electrician

Anna Freelund, Jessica Gable, Jim Gable, Matt Johnson
Assistant Electricians

Olivia Dagley
Head of Properties

Chris Reay
A/V Supervisor

Lucious Taylor
Video Engineer

Candy Solie
Lightborad Operator

Dale Skyllingstad, Greg Zatloka
Master Sound Technicians

Robinson’s work with companies of all sizes and with a wide range of resources has given him a keen insight into how opera companies can create art in a sustainable and innovative manner. During his time at OTSL, he oversaw the restructuring of the production department, streamlining the company’s workflow to allow for a more efficient allocation of resources. He also maintained strong relationships with donors, which resulted in a $45-million legacy gift in early 2020, at that time the largest in the company’s history.

James Robinson has directed three productions for the Metropolitan Opera: Porgy and Bess and Terence Blanchard’s Champion and Fire Shut Up in My Bones, the company’s first opera by an African American composer. He has directed numerous productions for Houston Grand Opera (The Abduction from the Seraglio, Giulio Cesare, Lucia di Lammermoor, La bohème,and the world premiere of Daniel Catán’s Salsipuedes), San Francisco Opera (Norma, The Elixir of Love, Il trittico,and the world premiere of Tobias Picker’s Dolores Claiborne),the Canadian Opera Company (Norma, Elektra), and the Santa Fe Opera (Così fan tutte, Vanessa, the American premiere of Huang Ruo’s Dr. Sun Yat-sen,and the world premiere of his M. Butterfly). His work has also been seen in productions for Lyric Opera of Chicago, LA Opera, The Dallas Opera, Washington National Opera, New York City Opera, the Royal Swedish Opera, English National Opera, the Dutch National Opera, Opera Australia, the Hollywood Bowl, the London Symphony, and many more.

As Artistic Director of Opera Colorado (1999–2008), Robinson spearheaded tremendous artistic and financial growth, in addition to helping to usher in the new Ellie Caulkins Opera House, where the company maintained successful collaborations with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra.

His three Metropolitan Opera collaborations resulted in three Grammy Awards for Best Opera Recording. He has been nominated in the Best Director category for the International Opera Awards, as well as in the Best New Opera category for Champion.

As Director of Artistic Operations at Washington National Opera, Scheppelmann oversaw the artistic planning for 11 years. She was instrumental in fundraising efforts, leading to grants for individual productions, ongoing projects and renovations. Her passion for the artform and interest to see it flourish into the future led her to conceive of and secure funding for WNO’s American Opera Initiative, offering young composers and librettists a developmental forum in which to bridge the gap between conservatory training and full-length commissions.

A long-time champion of young artists, she has led masterclasses, lectured at artist training programs, and judged vocal competitions around the world.

Scheppelmann began her career in the arts early-on, performing in the children’s choir of the Hamburg State Opera. After completing a degree in banking, she left her home country of Germany in 1988 to work in an Artist Management agency in Milan. Fluent in five languages, she quickly became known for her communication skills and was soon offered a job in arts administration at the Gran Teatre del Liceu.

In 1994, she was recruited by Lotfi Mansouri to assist him at San Francisco Opera where, as one of the youngest artistic administrators at the time, she continued her work in planning seasons and hiring singers, conductors, directors and designers. Ms. Scheppelmann prides herself on having built solid collaborative relationships with union and civic leaders, members of the diplomatic corps, and national and international press.

Scheppelmann was previously awarded the rank of Commendatore in the Order of the Star of Solidarity by the Italian government for her career-long work promoting opera and Italian culture. She also served as the Vice President for the board of Opera Europa, the professional organization of opera houses and festivals.