BOARD OFFICERS
Deborah Bronstein
BOARD President
Deborah Bronstein, MD, was born and raised in Palm Springs, CA. She earned her BA at UC Berkeley, then attended medical school at UC Irvine, where she also met her husband Evans Whitaker. The couple moved to Asheville, NC for residencies in family medicine.
After completing their residencies, they worked in Asheville for several years and later returned to California, where they opened the Aptos branch of (then) Santa Cruz Medical Clinic in 1988. Later, the demands of a full-time obstetrics practice and two children motivated Deborah to transition to medical administration.
Deborah focused on building services within Palo Alto Medical Foundation to provide more robust pain management services. She helped to bring the pain management service and the Sutter Maternity and Surgery Center into being, and always favored the care of whole families.
She has always made music a central part of her life, starting with flute and oboe lessons, moving to high school orchestra and marching band, and singing in high school and university choir. She even volunteered as a music teacher in her children’s school. Her patients encouraged her to join the Cabrillo Chorus where she has been a singer for 30 years.
Singing with the Santa Cruz Symphony exposed the value of local symphonic music, and after becoming a docent for the Symphony’s musician visits to schools she was hooked on the Symphony’s mission. She joined the Symphony Board in 2018 and became chairwoman of the Education Committee where she helped manage delivery of the spark and joy of music to children and adults alike. She is currently the Board President.
Linda Burroughs
PAST Board President
GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE CHAIR
Linda Burroughs first joined the Santa Cruz Symphony Board in 1992 where she quickly became the Development Chair. She served as Board President during the 1996-97 season, then took a few years off to focus on her career as a Real Estate Broker while raising her two children.
Her passion for the Symphony brought her back on the board where she served a total of twelve years as the Board President. She is currently the Symphony’s Endowment Chair and Governance Chair.
Linda and her husband, John, believe in community involvement. They are both active members of the Rotary Club of Santa Cruz where Linda served as Club President in 2009-10 and is currently serving as Chairman for the Club’s Endowment. She has also served on the Cabrillo College Foundation Board for a total of 15 years and served two terms as its Board President. In 2008 Linda was honored as Woman of the Year by the Santa Cruz Chamber of Commerce.
Linda has a deep passion for the Symphony and is so thankful to have the talents of Maestro Daniel Stewart working on our behalf. “His connections within the musical world are extraordinary, his dedication to his art is exemplary, and his commitment to our community is cherished,” says Linda.
Roger Knacke
Board Secretary
Roger Knacke is Emeritus Professor of Physics and Astronomy at the Pennsylvania State University Erie, where he was the Director of the School of Science. He received a PhD degree in Physics from UC Berkeley in 1969.
Prior to joining Penn State, he was on the faculty at Stony Brook University in New York, and held visiting positions at NASA Ames, the Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics in Heidelberg, NASA Huntsville, and UC Santa Cruz. He is author/ co-author of more than 100 papers in the fields of interstellar and circumstellar matter and planetary atmospheres, and has held numerous NASA and National Science Foundation grants.
Roger retired to Santa Cruz in 2010, where his retirement gave him the opportunity to become active in his lifelong love of classical music. He joined the Santa Cruz Symphony League and was president in 2013–2015. He then joined the Santa Cruz Symphony Board where he serves on the Education, Executive, and Endowment Committees.
He is a supporter of the Santa Cruz County Youth Symphony, teaches courses in astronomy, global warming, and energy for the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, and has volunteered at Point Lobos State Natural Reserve. While continuing his interests in astronomy, music, and traveling, Roger is enjoying retirement with his family.
Ron Sekkel
Board Treasurer
Finance Committee CHAIR
After his family moved to the U.S. from Argentina when Ron Sekkel was eight, he carved a pathway to success by earning a BA from UCLA, Lieutenant stripes in the US Navy Supply Corps, a second BA, and an MA from Cal State in Long Beach. His education and service experience enabled him to become an Enrolled Agent in the early 1980s.
As an Enrolled Agent (EA) he could represent taxpayers to the IRS. Ron not only established his own Income Tax and Representation Practice, in the 1990s he served on a task force of EAs tasked with benefitting taxpayers.
He is always service-minded and today volunteers as the Santa Cruz County Treasury Oversight Committee Chair. Equally important to Ron, he joined Rotary in 1977 and is currently active in the Rotary Club of Scotts Valley. He has been a District Governor and worked to make significant improvements and changes to the international organization. He is also on the Board of RotaCare Bay Area that delivers free medical services.
Ron and his wife Cindy have been regulars at Santa Cruz Symphony performances since 1986. He calls Cindy his “better three-fourths” and she supports all of his activities. Ron joined the Board of the Symphony in 2018.
Mark Chambers-Bray
DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE CHAIR
Growing up in a northwest suburb of Chicago with his 10 siblings, it became obvious to his parents that Mark had an intense love of music. They recognized his attraction to the piano wherever they went, and purchased his first piano at the age of five, supporting him and arranging for piano lessons with Melanie Rost who at that time was the pianist for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. After years of study, Ms. Rost accompanied Mark to his entrance audition at the American Conservatory of Music in Chicago where he studied with Francisco Godino and acquired his degree in piano performance. After graduating, Mark traveled throughout the US and Canada performing solo concerts as well as accompanying singers in recitals from the Lyric Opera of Chicago. During this time, Mark recorded an album called Expressions of Faith at a recording studio in Kansas City accompanied by a small group of musicians from the Kansas City Symphony Orchestra.
In 1990, Mark moved to Denver where he turned his passion to the beauty industry and studied to obtain his license in cosmetology. Along with working in the Cherry Creek area at the prestigious Antoine du Chez Salon, Mark worked for ten years as Resident Hairdresser and Makeup Artist for the Colorado Ballet. In 1990, Mark continued his life journey westward to the Santa Cruz area and once again turned his passion towards sales and finance. After three decades of working as Director of Administration for a local Scotts Valley landscape and maintenance company, Mark now lives in Felton with his husband Roy who both love and are supporters of multiple San Francisco museums and are season subscribers to the San Francisco Ballet, Jewel Theatre in Santa Cruz, and the Santa Cruz Symphony.
Mark is an avid gardener, loves to read and is active in a Book Club he and a friend organized 18 years ago, and loves walking in nature. As of 2022, Mark is new to the Santa Cruz Symphony Board and Symphony League, and is honored and excited to turn his passion towards participating and supporting the Santa Cruz Symphony.
Brett Taylor
EDUCATION COMMITTEE CHAIR
Brett Taylor’s dream job started in 1989 when he began volunteering as a radio programmer and broadcaster for local public radio station KUSP. He spent over 20 years doing radio shows and live broadcasts that included wonderful musical and personal moments.
“Special moments came on the air during live broadcasts from the Monterey Jazz Festival interviewing the likes of Tony Bennet and Eddie Palmiere,” he says, “and those memories are with me forever.”
Brett also had a day job that began when Brett moved from San Francisco to Santa Cruz to join the Santa Cruz City Fire Department in 1986. In addition he worked with the American Red Cross as a CPR/First Aid Instructor and served on the Board of the Santa Cruz Chapter.
Since retiring Brett fills his time enjoying his three grandchildren, birding, mountain biking and creating origami. He joined the Santa Cruz Symphony Board in 2021 and is enthusiastic about working with the organization. “I love of all types of music, and I appreciate having such a great orchestra as the crowning glory of the extensive and diverse music scene here in Santa Cruz County,” he says. “It’s a pleasure to work with such dedicated and talented people and I’m fortunate to be able to contribute in some small way, to help bring the music to the people.”
Anna Hackenbracht
Symphony League President
Anna Hackenbracht grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area with parents who treasured classical music. A special memory was attending a concert at the War Memorial Opera House in San Francisco, at the age of eight, to hear the Cleverest Symphony perform Tchaikovsky’s Symphony no. 3 under Maestro George Szell. Another wonderful influence in her love of music was attending concerts in San Francisco under the direction of innovative director Seiji Ozawa who brought a vibrancy and new voices to the Symphony.
Anna and her husband David moved to Washington, D.C., where David did a series of post-doc fellowships in Astronomy and Anna began and completed a PhD in Environmental Engineering at John Hopkins University. They moved to Santa Cruz in 1989, David as a Professor of Astronomy at the University of California Santa Cruz, and Anna as Director of Strategic Planning for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regional office in San Francisco.
She retired in 2008 and her activities include trying to learn cello, working with a migrant worker organization to bring assistance, serving on the Board of Santa Cruz Shakespeare, and singing with the Cabrillo Symphonic Chorus. Through the Chorus, Anna “met” the Symphony and Maestro Danny. She is currently the proud Co-President of the Santa Cruz Symphony League and a member of the Symphony Association Board.
DIRECTORS OF THE BOARD
Ralph Boroff
Ralph Boroff moved to Santa Cruz from Los Angeles in 1974 after completing law school at UCLA. Now retired, he lived and practiced in Santa Cruz in a litigation specialty for more than forty years. Like his fellow Board members Ralph spends much of his free time in service to the community, first as a founding member of a now nationally recognized land trust, then a disability resource center and, finally, as a board member of a local substance abuse non-profit.
Ralph came to the Symphony Board in 2018 and has served as its governance chair. His thoughts about the Symphony and its mission: "We are both a governing body for a community organization and a part of a magical artistic experience. When I attend a concert, I enjoy the camaraderie of my fellow board members. They are creative and collegial, problem solvers with smiles. And there is then the magic created by Daniel Stewart and his fellow musical artists in their exacting interpretations of the Masters. Being a part of that phenomenon, even a small and attenuated part, is a joy and a fulfillment of an enjoyable life.”
Angela Chesnut
Angela Chesnut is the District Director for State Senator John Laird in the 17th District since he was sworn into office on December 7, 2020. Prior to this appointment, she spent four years as the Chief of Staff for Santa Cruz County Supervisor John Leopold in the 1st Supervisorial District.
Angela has led various capital and fundraising campaigns for local nonprofit organizations in Santa Cruz County and Silicon Valley that support the arts, STEM education, ocean conservancy, and healthcare for children. She was also a fundraiser for the Obama, Hillary Clinton, and Biden/Harris presidential campaigns both as a bundler and as part of the advance team for the DNC conventions in 2008, 2012, and 2016.
In 1999 Angela ran the Fraud Investigations Team at eBay and brought online mediation and dispute resolution to the online auction company. She moved to California in 1999 after nine years as a special agent with the Department of Justice in Washington, DC, where she served on the FBI’s Joint Terrorist Task Force and the DEA’s Violent Gang Task Force, and she also focused on human trafficking cases in the INS Anti-Smuggling Unit.
She received her MA in International Studies and Sociology at the American University and her BA from Hofstra University in Hempstead, NY. She is an ardent supporter of the arts and live music. She is not an accomplished musician, though she has taken drum lessons from Don Demut of Oscar Peterson’s Ink Spots during her time in Washington, DC. She fantasizes about being a touring drummer.
Rachel Dann
Rachel Dann is Chief of Staff to Third District County Supervisor Ryan Coonerty, where she has worked for 15 years. She also worked for his predecessor, Neal Coonerty. Prior to taking on local government responsibilities, Rachel was on the staff of Congressman Sam Farr for five years.
Rachel grew up in San Francisco attending the public schools and began playing piano in elementary school. Her passion for music blossomed when she took up the viola in 6th grade and played in the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra for five years, where she gained a wealth of rich musical experiences and musical friendships.
She attended UC Berkeley and UCSC where she played in both university orchestra, and later settled into a Santa Cruz family life with her husband and daughter. Rachel loves the beaches, the redwoods, and the entire Santa Cruz environment. Her passion for music has never waned. Starting in 2020, Rachel became a member of the Santa Cruz Symphony Board of Directors.
Lee Duffus
A native Californian, Lee Duffus has lived in Santa Cruz since 1968 when he joined the pioneering staff and faculty at UC Santa Cruz. He served in a variety of administrative roles, retiring in 1992 as Assistant Vice Chancellor. He owned and managed an independent bookstore in Aptos until his second retirement in 2003.
Lee has served as a leadership volunteer with many organizations, including United Way, American Red Cross, UCSC Retirees Association and the systemwide Council of UC Retirement Associations, and the Cabrillo College Foundation. He served two terms on the Santa Cruz City Arts Commission, and currently is a member of the Santa Cruz Shakespeare board where he chairs the education committee. He joined the Santa Cruz Symphony Board in 2005 and served as chair of the Education Committee for 10 years, during which time he introduced the Symphony’s Classical Music Classrooms and Link Up programs to Santa Cruz County elementary schools. He continues as a member of the Education Committee.
Lee played alto and French horns in middle school and was a member of his high school orchestra, marching band, and chorus. While pursuing degrees at UC Berkeley, his taste for symphonic music was whetted at many concerts by the San Francisco Symphony. Locally, he was a member of the Cabrillo Symphonic Chorus and the choir of Trinity Presbyterian Church for more than 20 years.
Lee resides with his wife Emily in Santa Cruz.
Bob Edmund
Bob Edmund grew up in California, spending summers in Santa Cruz where his grandparents lived. After attending Stanford then UC San Francisco for medical school, he joined the US Army as an Internal Medicine Doctor and Psychiatrist, serving in Washington D.C., Italy, and Korea. He retired in 1996 and moved back to Santa Cruz, where he was a volunteer and board member of the Homeless Garden Project of Santa Cruz, and volunteered at UC Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz County Mental Health, and the Juvenile Hall.
After the exciting arrival of Danny Stewart at the Santa Cruz Symphony, Bob wanted to be more involved with the Symphony and became a Board member. He serves in the South County sub-committee and loves being part of the school programs.
“It has been a joy to be part of such a talented and dedicated board,” says Bob, “and I have had the great opportunity to host musicians at my home and have gotten to know our accomplished and passionate players, and hear their music in my living room.”
Catharine Gill
Catharine Gill was an active board member of the Santa Cruz Youth Symphony when her two daughters played violin in that orchestra. She and her husband, Jim, have been Santa Cruz Symphony subscribers and supporters for decades, and when she was asked to join the SC Symphony Board, several decades ago, she was glad to accept.
Because of her professional background as a secondary school English teacher, Catharine is especially interested in the educational outreach programs of the Symphony. Jim is a retired UCSC earth sciences professor who used to play flute in his school orchestra, and Catharine had piano lessons while growing up in Japan.
The Gills’ musical background deepens their appreciation of what the Santa Cruz Symphony gives to the community. “A privilege of being on the Symphony Board has been the opportunity to get to know some of the musicians, and our brilliant conductor, at a more personal level,” says Catharine.
Catharine was a founding member of the Pacific Collegiate School Board and has served on several school boards. Catharine says, “I have especially appreciated the collegiality and dedication of the Santa Cruz Symphony Board.”
Lesley Harris
Lesley hails from NYC. She switched her allegiance from the Yankees to the Giants in the early 80s after discovering her true roots in San Francisco and then Santa Cruz.
She's an attorney representing local businesses in corporate and commercial matters, as well as individuals and their families in serious injury/wrongful death cases.
Lesley is a strong advocate for mediating, rather than litigating, disputes, and works as a mediator both as a volunteer with Santa Cruz County Conflict Resolution Center and in her private practice.
Lesley is part of the LunaFest committee that brings short films by and about women to Santa Cruz each year, a major fundraiser for WomenCare. She also serves on the Board of County Parks Friends, which works to make the parks and its programs accessible, inclusive and awesome.
Lesley has been a subscriber of the Santa Cruz Symphony for 12 years. She describes her experience at the concerts as “an escape into something, someplace deep, moving and peaceful.”
Lesley spends her free time doing yoga, forest bathing, playing softball, and playing ukulele poorly and passionately.
Kent Imai
Kent is a retired physician, father of 3, grandfather of 6. He and his wife, Marie, have loved and supported the Santa Cruz Symphony for many years — years when orchestras have struggled to survive in other communities.
Kent grew up on the Peninsula in Burlingame, where he played violin in the high school orchestra. As an undergraduate at Stanford, he sang in the University Chorus. Those experiences fostered a lifelong appreciation for classical music. When he moved to Santa Cruz County, he joined the Cabrillo Chorus and Cantiamo, and enjoyed singing under the direction of Cheryl Anderson for 25 years. Highlights were performances with the Cabrillo Music Festival and the Santa Cruz Symphony.
Although discouraged by the general attrition of classical music in our public schools, he and Marie were greatly impressed by the work of the SCS Education Committee to bring the orchestral artists directly into our schools through the classroom visitation and Link Up programs, and Kent and Marie have enjoyed being docents for the outreach program.
Kent also serves on the Board of Directors for Santa Cruz Shakespeare and has been a volunteer for the Cabrillo College President’s Circle. These experiences have helped him to appreciate the success of the Santa Cruz Symphony Board in recruiting Maestro Danny Stewart, a superstar who has assembled an impressive roster of musicians and guest artists and introduced innovative programming to the Symphony.
Kent is honored to be able to join the Symphony Board to help spread the joy of classical music, engaging an ever larger and more diverse audience for many years to come.
David Kramer-Urner
After Dave graduated from high school in Burnsville, MN, he moved to northern California, settling in San Francisco for 20 years. There he received his degree in Physical Therapy from UCSF, worked at the VA and met his wife, Mary Anne, who is also a PT. Before their daughter turned a year old they moved to Santa Cruz, recognizing it as even better than San Francisco and a great place to raise a family. Dave’s been in Santa Cruz for over 25 years now and he’s sticking around.
Dave’s love of music began early and was solidified when he was recruited to join his junior high school choir, and he continued throughout high school. When he had to miss a basketball team practice to perform in a choir concert, his coach said he’d have to decide whether to “sing with the girls or play ball with the men.” Dave’s choice was clear and he’s been singing ever since. He performed for years with the San Francisco Choral Society, and for the past 14 years has been part of the Cabrillo Symphonic Chorus under Cheryl Anderson, recently as its Bass section leader. Each spring this choir performs with the Santa Cruz Symphony, which has been a musical highlight and fostered Dave’s love of the Symphony. “I find it incredible to be part of this small community that has not only an incredible vocal music program, but also a world-class orchestra. We are so fortunate here!”
Dave’s work with the County’s California Children’s Services and Children’s Medical Services programs defined his career, and led to his participation as a board member with SPIN (Special Parents Information Network), which supports special needs families in our community. His early introduction to music inspires him to want to bring more music into local classrooms, and he looks forward to working with the Symphony's Education Committee to continue their work.
Vance Landis
Vance Landis joined the Symphony Board in October 2020. A resident of South County, she serves on the South County Committee and the Governance Committee. She is impressed by the world-class quality of the Santa Cruz Symphony under the leadership of Maestro Danny Stewart and grateful that our community has this incredible asset.
Vance is Founder, CEO and President of Gateway Health Management, a healthcare consulting company that manages industrial catastrophic injuries. There, she handles strategic planning, governance, and fiscal oversight.
Vance is an avid sailor and cruiser on her sailboat Ethos. She served as Commodore of the Santa Cruz Yacht Club in 2022 and is Treasurer of the Santa Cruz Sailing Foundation board, supporting Junior sailing.
She has served on several other boards in Santa Cruz County. She is currently on the Cabrillo College Foundation Board; she was co-chair of the Cabrillo College Foundation President’s Circle Committee in 2020-2022; President of the Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History, where she greenlighted the Abbott Square Market project in 2012; Vice President of Big Brothers Big Sisters Santa Cruz (now Monterey Bay) Chapter where she successfully petitioned to take over the Day on the Monterey Bay Regatta; the UCSC Alumni Association; and the Case Management Society of America.
Vance holds a BA degree in Psychology from UC Santa Cruz and a MA degree in Marriage, Family and Child Counseling from Azusa Pacific University. She loves travel, learning from other cultures, good wine, good food, and good friends. And most important of all, her three grandsons have stolen her heart.
A favorite quote from Pablo Casals: “Music is the divine way to tell beautiful, poetic things to the heart.”
VALERIE MACKEN
Valerie Macken was born in Yokohama, Japan where her father was serving in the Navy. The family returned to Santa Cruz when Valerie was one year old. She attended Westlake Elementary, Mission Hill Jr. High and Santa Cruz High School. At SCHS Valerie was a cheerleader, President of the Girls Athletic Association, President of the California Scholarship Federation Club and graduated 3rd in her class. She attended UC Davis and received her Bachelor of Science degree in 1977.
Returning to Santa Cruz, Valerie became an active member of the community. In 1978 she joined Omega Nu (a women's charitable group) and was President in 1990. This is the year their main fundraising event, the Ducky Derby, was established. Valerie was in the first class of "Leadership Santa Cruz County" sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce in 1985. She served on the Board of Directors for Skills Center Santa Cruz from 1986-1989. Then the Skills Center merged with Hope Services and she served on their Fundraising Board of Directors.
When women were allowed to join Rotary Clubs, Valerie became the first woman to join the Santa Cruz Rotary in January, 1988. She has served on the Rotary Board of Directors (2006-2008), has been an Endowment Trustee since 2010, and is still an active member of the Club.
Valerie is a Commercial Real Estate Broker, owner of V. Macken Commercial Properties. She has retired from sales but is still actively managing her own property portfolio. She is thrilled and honored to be a member of the Santa Cruz Symphony Board since 2022.
Mary Ann Orr
Mary Ann Orr moved to the Santa Cruz area in the late 1980s when she and her husband Peter started a strawberry company, Pacific Gold Farms. She and her family also own and operate Margaritaville in Capitola Village, and they recently opened a second restaurant in Monterey, called Stokes Adobe. Mary Ann has been a tireless community volunteer with numerous nonprofit organizations, including the Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History, the Homeless Services Center, and the Symphony League. She is currently the co-President of the Santa Cruz Symphony League.
As a child growing up in the Midwest, Mary Ann learned to play the piano and became a lifelong lover of classical music. She has been both a supporter of the Santa Cruz Symphony and a member of the Santa Cruz Symphony Board for over 20 years. She is honored to serve on the board of an organization that brings outstanding musical excellence to this community.
Dennis St. Peter
Dennis St. Peter joined the Santa Cruz Symphony Board in 2023. He first discovered the joys of symphonic music with his wife, Alice Kollman, when they lived in Santa Barbara in 1977. Four times a year, Zubin Mehta and the Los Angeles Symphony would visit the historic Mission Revival style Arlington Theater, where one could imagine being in a Spanish courtyard, complete with houses, staircases, balconies, and the stars above! It was truly magical. Later, when Dennis and Alice moved to Santa Cruz in 1980, they were delighted to become ardent fans of the Santa Cruz Symphony, first under the tutelage of Larry Granger and now blessedly under Daniel Stewart for the past 10 years. It has been amazing to see the extraordinary growth in talent and repertoire, thanks to the musicians and their maestro.
Dennis grew up in the Northeast. His love of chemistry and mathematics led him to choose chemical engineering as a major in college, only to discover that he really wanted to work more with people. He chose medical school so that he could become a psychiatrist and attend to people’s emotional needs and hopefully make a difference in people’s lives. He spent seven years doing general/family practice, thinking that was a broader societal need, only to realize in the end that psychiatry was his true calling. 42 years later, he still enjoys working as an outpatient psychotherapist, adding in a little medication when needed. That time spent in general practice turned out to be most useful!
Other than the symphony, Dennis’ primary passion is hiking. He has led hiking tours with Alice and their son Michael over the last 30 years to Switzerland, Norway, Argentina, and Morocco. He has also become an enthusiastic supporter of Music in May, Family Service Association, Survivors Healing Center, and the Santa Cruz AIDS Project. And to make sure he isn’t too sane, he closely follows national and world politics.
Dennis agreed to join the Board because he regards the Symphony to be one of the finest treasures in Santa Cruz County. He serves on the Development Committee. He very much wants to help turn on those who are missing out, so the magic can continue to expand. He is, after all, still a child of the ’60s!
Jill Stone
Jill Stone brings her long experience in marketing to the Santa Cruz Symphony Board, including communications strategy, social media marketing, public relations, media planning and event production and management.
She is the Media and Engagement Director at local marketing firm Miller Maxfield, where she creates and executes marketing and communications strategies for government, economic development, human services, arts, energy, and transportation clients. When Jill joined the Board in 2020, she brought a high level of marketing expertise backed by years of experience at West Marine and other companies.
Jill works to create communications and messaging strategies, social media marketing programs, public relations, and media planning for the Symphony. Her enthusiasm is infectious and creates an atmosphere of moving ahead with our programs and creating new and exciting ways to help us inspire, engage, and educate community members.
Besides being a Symphony Board member, Jill is an active member of the Rotary Club of Santa Cruz, joins into race events, loves exploring her favorite parks, and, of course, never misses a Symphony concert.
KIEFER TAYLOR
Kiefer Taylor is a native son of Santa Cruz, having gone through Santa Cruz City Schools and listening to Santa Cruz Symphony in his youth. Primarily a self-taught musician, Kiefer obtained his degree in Piano Performance at UC Santa Cruz and later a Masters in Musicology at San Jose State University.
Kiefer has rejoined the Santa Cruz music scene as a music educator and performer, and speaks of his deep honor to play piano in Santa Cruz Symphony concerts. He is also an active community music educator, working as a collaborative pianist at local middle and high schools within the Santa Cruz City School as the district accompanist, driving daily between schools to teach and play in music classrooms. He is also an Associate Piano Professor at Cabrillo College, offering the hugely popular piano courses. He has passion for not only teaching his students music, but also promoting entrepreneurship and how to make a living as a musician. He also maintains an active teaching studio located in Aptos.
When not promoting music in all of these ways, Kiefer may be found doing outreach to local schools as part of the Kuumbwa Jazz Center's Education Board where he collaborates with local jazz musicians in bringing small ensembles into the schools to introduce music at all age levels. Oftentimes, students have their first experience in hearing and seeing a live pianist with him at the keyboard, and he laughingly relates that more than a few students are moved to believe that the job of a keyboardist is referred to as “a Kiefer”!
Kiefer is excited to use his connections to the community as a music educator in many schools to bring more students into the Symphony experience, and to bring more Symphony experiences into local classrooms.
Nancy Van Natta
Nancy Van Natta grew up in Connecticut where she loved exploring the natural beauty around her childhood home. She earned her BA at Case Western Reserve University, her MA at Simmons College, and nine tenths of an MBA at Santa Clara University. She has two grown children with families of their own and four wonderful, young-adult grandchildren. She and her husband live three doors away from their daughter and her family.
Nancy began her career as a corporate marketing executive where she could employ her love for clear communication and promotion. As Vice President of Corporate Marketing at Logitech during its startup years Nancy created the company’s corporate identity and launched its consumer product line into the market. Later as Vice President of Marketing at consumer software company Mindscape she launched products for LEGO, National Geographic, Doonesbury, and others.
In 2001 Nancy opened her interior design practice focused on home design, and commercial projects including office, hospitality, and senior living facilities. She and her dedicated team continue to work on wonderful projects throughout the Bay Area.
Nancy’s work life has been based on listening for cues from the market and creating clear, considered responses with a creative edge. She is dedicated to the success of the symphony as an arts organization and to the artistry of its musicians.
Matt Wetstein
Matt Wetstein moved to the Santa Cruz area in 2018 when he was named President of Cabrillo College. A native of East St. Louis, Illinois, he earned his Ph.D. in political science in 1993 from Northern Illinois University. He followed his partner (and now spouse) Cindy Ostberg to California when she took a teaching job at University of the Pacific in Stockton.
Matt secured a teaching job at Delta College in Stockton, and later became a Dean and Vice President of Instruction there. He and Cindy are active researchers who write about the politics of judicial decision making, especially in the Supreme Court of Canada and U.S. appellate courts. Even though they are not Canadians, they have written several books and more than 15 articles on judicial behavior in Canada.
When he is not working at Cabrillo College or serving on the Symphony Board, Matt devotes his time to many causes in the community. He has served on the boards of the United Way, Santa Cruz County Business Council, Chamber of Commerce, Monterey Bay Economic Partnership, Sutter-PAMF Community Advisory Board, and Agri-Culture, a non-profit dedicated to agricultural education.
Matt started listening to orchestral music as a teenager and today likes all forms of music. Matt says, “I especially enjoy the symphony concerts because of the incredible teamwork and musicianship, and because they deliver such a powerful emotional feeling when it all comes together.” Matt joined the Symphony Board in 2018 and is active on the Education Committee. “I love the connection the Symphony has with local schools through the Link Up Program.”