Leadership Intensive
The Leadership Intensive, OPERA America’s signature leadership development initiative, is a yearlong program for rising leaders in opera administration.
Chosen from a competitive pool of applicants, each annual cohort convenes at our National Opera Center for a week of seminars and trainings to advance their careers and establish strong professional connections. Throughout the subsequent year, participants come together at the annual conference and virtually to assess their growth and goals with expert faculty.
Established in 2012, the program’s alumni now lead 10 percent of our Professional Company Members.
Program Details
Those accepted into the 2025 Leadership Intensive are expected to participate fully in all aspects of the Leadership Intensive's active learning environment before, during, and after the winter intensive. The winter intensive week will take place in New York City.
Eligibility: Participation in the Leadership Intensive is available to all individuals (members and non-members) who currently work in or wish to continue their professional careers in the opera field.
Important Dates
Application available online: | April 24, 2024 |
Application deadline: | June 12, 2024 |
Participants chosen: | July 31, 2024 |
Program dates: | January 31 – February 7, 2025 |
Program Guidelines & Worksheets
- 2025 Guidelines (PDF)
- Application Questions (PDF)
- Selection Rubric (PDF)
How to Apply
Applications for the 2025 Leadership Intensive closed on June 12, 2024.
Please direct questions about the Leadership Intensive to Vincent Rutter-Covatto, director of leadership services, at VRutterCovatto@operaamerica.org or 646.699.5237.
Meet the Alumni
Leadership Intensive alumni are listed with their titles and company affiliations at the start of their participation.
Class of 2023
American Participants
Name | Title | Company |
---|---|---|
Kathleen Dean | Strategy and Governance Manager | Washington National Opera |
Daniel Fung | Creative Development Program Director | Minnesota Opera |
Alyssa Greenberg | Audience Engagement Manager | Chicago Symphony Orchestra |
Michael Hoke | Associate Director of Development | Arizona Opera |
Pamela Jones | Artist Development Manager | OPERA America |
Stefanos Koroneos | General and Artistic Director | Teatro Grattacielo |
Justin Lucero | Artistic Director; Assistant Professor Directing | El Paso Opera; Carnegie Mellon University |
Alexis Peart | Executive Director | Boston Opera Collaborative |
Jamelah Rimawi | Director of Programs and Events | OPERA America |
Maria Sensi Sellner | Artistic and General Director | Resonance Works |
Jaime Sharp | Communications and Publications Manager | Grantmakers in the Arts |
Andrea Tichy | Director of Marketing and Communications, Co-Director of External Affairs | Portland Opera |
Brooke Tolley | General Director | Opera Roanoke |
International Participants
Name | Title | Company |
---|---|---|
Ricardo Appezzato | Artistic Manager | Santa Marcelina Cultura |
Guillaume L’Hôpital | Artistic Producer/Young Artists Program Manager | Théâtre royal de la Monnaie |
Julie McIsaac | Stage Director, Dramaturg, Podcast Host, Curator, Consultant | |
Francisca Peró Gubler | Executive Director | Biobío Theater |
Kate Rooney | Planning Manager | Royal Opera House Convent Garden |
Jennifer Szeto | Director | Atelier Lyrique |
Learn more about Leadership Intensive participants in the press release.
Class of 2021
Name | Title | Company |
---|---|---|
James Barbato | Director of Artistic Administration | Palm Beach Opera |
Esther Blevins | Marketing and Communications Manager | Knoxville Opera |
Eric Broker | Marketing and Communications Director | Minnesota Opera |
Kelvin Chan | Founding General Director; General Director | Vital Opera; VOXCRAFT |
Matt Cook | Executive and Development Director | Pacific Opera Project |
Julia Cooke | Artistic and General Director | Baltimore Concert Opera |
Alonso Escalante | Artistic Director | Ópera de Bellas Artes |
Kathryn Frady | Founding Executive Artistic Director | Marble City Opera |
Sara Litchfield | Youth and Family Programs Manager | Seattle Opera |
Jessica Phillips | Clarinetist; Co-Founder | Metropolitan Opera Orchestra; MET Orchestra Musicians |
Mitra Sadeghpour | Education Consultant | |
Linda Schulte | Director of Development | Opera Theatre of Saint Louis |
Hannah Waldman | Director of Development | Long Beach Opera |
Learn more about Leadership Intensive participants in the press release.
Class of 2020
Name | Title | Company |
---|---|---|
Derrell Acon | Director of Engagement and Equity | Long Beach Opera |
Joe Barnes | Company Manager | Metropolitan Opera |
Robert Boldin | Artistic Administrator | Pittsburgh Opera |
Aisling Fitzgerald | Opera Producer and Production Stage Manager | Wexford Festival Opera/Cork Opera House |
Yvette Guigueno | Director of Development | Pacific Opera Victoria |
Piper Gunnarson | Executive Director | On Site Opera |
Pierina Lavanca | Coordinator of Institutional Projects | Auditorio Nacional del Sodre |
Margarita Mora | Director of Marketing, Advertising, and Communications | Teatro Mayor Julio Mario Santo Domingo |
Julia Noulin-Mérat | Associate Producer | Boston Lyric Opera |
Lauri Pokkinen | Audience Outreach and Social Responsibility Manager | Finnish National Opera and Ballet |
Andrea Puente-Catán | Major Gifts Officer, Hispanic Affairs | San Diego Opera |
Chris Thoren | Fogel General Manager, Strategy and Communications | Chicago Opera Theater |
Eleanor Parker Walter | Director of Marketing and Community Engagement | Opera Birmingham |
Noah Stern Weber | Independent Consultant | |
Arthur White | Director of External Affairs | Michigan Opera Theatre |
Learn more about Leadership Intensive participants in the press release.
Class of 2019
Name | Title | Company |
---|---|---|
Daniel Benavent | General Manager | Theatre Aspen |
Vincent Covatto | Organizational Membership Manager | OPERA America |
Priti Gandhi | Chief Artistic Officer | Minnesota Opera |
Matthew Gray | Producing Director | American Opera Projects |
Rebecca Hass | Director of Community Engagement | Pacific Opera Victoria |
Jeila Irdmusa | Marketing and Communications Manager | Boston Lyric Opera |
Ben Jewell-Plocher | Director of Education | Sarasota Opera |
Erik Johnson | Senior Financial Analyst | Boston Symphony Orchestra |
Carmen Gloria Larenas | Artistic Director | Teatro del Lago |
Anh Le | Assistant Director of Marketing | Opera Theatre of Saint Louis |
Jaime Martino | Executive Director | Tapestry Opera |
Daniel Moss | Senior Director of Institutional Partnerships | Lyric Opera of Chicago |
Mariel O’Connell | Associate Producer | Beth Morrison Projects |
Chidi Ozieh | Managing and Media Director | Ardea Arts |
Paulina Ricciardi | Administrative Coordinator | Ópera Latinoamérica |
Sneja Tomassian | Chief Development Officer | Cincinnati Opera |
Learn more about Leadership Intensive participants in the press release.
Class of 2017
Name | Title | Company |
---|---|---|
Alejandra Valarino Boyer | Director of Community Programs | Lyric Opera of Chicago |
Jennifer Dubin | Chief Development Officer | Austin Opera |
Julia Gallagher | Assistant Production Director | Minnesota Opera |
Jason Hardy | Director of Development | Opera Memphis |
Steven Humes | Education Manager | Opera Philadelphia |
Caroline Koelker | Managing Director | Opera Maine |
Rhanda Luna | Director of Administration and Education | OPERA San Antonio |
Alisa Magallón | Teaching Artist | Minnesota Opera |
Nicole Malcolm | Development Manager | Pacific Opera Victoria |
Alejandra Marti | Executive Director | Ópera Latinoamérica |
Courtney Rizzo | Budget Manager | Los Angeles Opera |
Michael Sakir | Music Director | Opera Memphis |
Robin Whiffen | Manager of Artistic Operations | Opera on the Avalon |
Learn more about Leadership Intensive participants in the press release.
Class of 2016
Name | Title | Company |
---|---|---|
Morgan Beckford | Fellowship Coach | Memphis Music Initiative |
Michael Blais | Director of Administration | Manitoba Opera |
Vincent Connor | General Director | Opera Orlando |
Hannah Griffiths | Head of Participation and Learning | GöteborgsOperan |
David Lomeli | Assistant Artistic Administrator and Special Projects | The Dallas Opera |
Colleen Maybin | Director, Education and Community Engagement | Vancouver Opera |
Chandra McKern | Managing Director | Pensacola Opera |
Patrick Mühlen-Schulte | Development Officer | Houston Grand Opera |
Michelle Myers | Manager of Constituent Relations | Opera Theatre of Saint Louis |
Claire Padien-Havens | Assistant to the Executive Offices and Board of Directors | San Francisco Opera |
Ashley Parks | Director of Development | North Carolina Opera |
Jennifer Rivera | Director of Artistic Development | Center for Contemporary Opera |
Sarah Squire | Director of Operations | Opera Memphis |
Lydia Zodda | Operations Manager | Ash Lawn Opera |
Learn more about Leadership Intensive participants in the press release.
Class of 2014
Name | Title | Company |
---|---|---|
Ana Ablamonova | Lithuanian National Coordinator | European Opera Days |
Todd Calvin | Vice President of Business and Legal Affairs | Nickelodean Group |
Brittany Duncan | Houston Opera Opera To Go | Houston Grand Opera |
Barbara Lynne Jamison | Youth Programs Manager | Seattle Opera |
David Krohn | Corporate Development Officer | Houston Grand Opera |
Ashley Magnus | Corporate Gifts Manager | Utah Symphony | Utah Opera |
Benjamin Makino | Music Director | Opera Memphis |
Joe Peacock | Director of Corporate Giving | Vancouver Opera |
Gerald Philippe | Membership Coordinator | Opera Europa |
Thomas Rhodes | Development Associate | Fort Worth Opera |
Joanna Verano | Development Manager | Pacific Opera Victoria |
Bradley Vernatter | Director of Production | Boston Lyric Opera |
Sean Waugh | Assistant Director of Artistic Administration | San Francisco Opera |
Christopher Wybenga | Institutional and Legacy Giving Associate | San Francisco Opera |
Learn more about Leadership Intensive participants in the press release.
Class of 2013
Name | Title | Company |
---|---|---|
Jamie Andrews | Education Director | Minnesota Opera |
Jennifer Bradner | Executive Director | Opera Memphis |
Garrett Collins | Communications Coordinator | Los Angeles Opera |
Peggy Kriha Dye | General Manager | Opera Columbus |
Carolyne Hall | Assistant to the Artistic and General Director | The Glimmerglass Festival |
James Hampton | Services Manager | The Dallas Opera |
Zackery Hayhurst | Associate Artistic Administrator | Arizona Opera |
Bert Huffman | Director of Development | The Atlanta Opera |
Audrey Jungers | Manager | Opera Europa |
Krystian Lada | Director of Dramaturgy, Empowerment, and Communications | Belgian Royal Opera La Monnaie |
Michael Mori | Staging Director and Artistic Administrator | Tapestry Opera |
Christopher Powell | Music Administrator | Pittsburgh Opera |
David Rubeo | Associate Director | Gotham Chamber Opera |
Katherine Semcesen | Associate Director, Education, and Outreach | Canadian Opera Company |
Learn more about Leadership Intensive participants in the press release.
Class of 2012
Name | Title | Company |
---|---|---|
Dottie Allen | Director of Adult Learning and Community Engagement | The Metropolitan Opera Guild |
Daniel Anderson | Multimedia Designer | |
Cristina Barbulescu | Coordinator of Public Relations | Bucharest National Opera |
Annie Burridge | Director of Development | Opera Company of Philadelphia |
James Byrne | Liaison to the Office of the General Director | Houston Grand Opera |
Nathan DePoint | Company Manager | Fort Worth Opera |
Claire Friday | Production Administrator | Boston Lyric Opera |
Scott Guzielek | Artistic Administrator | Washington National Opera |
Brian Hotchkin | Artistic Administrator | Opera Santa Barbara |
Emmalee Iden | Director of Education | The Atlanta Opera |
Lee Anne Myslewski | Administrative Director | Wolf Trap Opera & Classical Programming |
Ian Rye | Director of Production | Pacific Opera Victoria |
Lena Vizy | Marketing Manager | De Nederlandse Opera |
Tom Wright | Director of Artistic Planning | Vancouver Opera |
Learn more about Leadership Intensive participants in the press release.