Bold. Brave. Brilliant.

Our Team

As is our mission, the Arizona Opera staff strives to elevate the transformative power of storytelling through the music—cultivating community, strengthening a state and people as adventurous and diverse as the place they call home.

 

Arizona Opera Staff

Joseph Specter, President & General Director 

 

Artistic

Samuel Carroll, Director of Artistic Operations and Marion Roose Pullin Studio
Katherine Kozak, Head of Music, Chorus Master, and Principal Coach of the Pullin Opera Studio
Cody Steele, Associate Artistic Administrator
Shawn Campbell, Orchestra Manager
Laura Tagawa, Orchestra Librarian

 

Box Office

Morgan Pruitt, Assistant Box Office Manager
Francisco Diaz, Box Office Associate

 

Community Engagement and Education

Cassie Hollerbach, Director of Education and Community Engagement
Madalyn Kiewiet, Education and Community Engagement Manager

 

Costume Shop

Kathleen Trott, Costume Shop Manager
Katie Kenna, Lead Cutter/Draper
Becky Giblin, Master Stitcher
Shelby Joiner, First Hand & Painter/Dyer
Emily Stovall, Workroom Assistant & Costume Rentals
Cody Grasher, Staff Stitcher
Kayla Zeimet, Journeyman Apprentice (Wardrobe)
Koleton Cox, Wig & Costume Apprentice II
Tenaya Tidwell, Costume Apprentice II
April Maytorena, Costume Apprentice I
Kenzie Laughlin, Costume Apprentice I

 

Development

Ashley Parks, Director of Development
Michael Hoke, Associate Director of Development
Abigail Brow, Individual Giving Manager
Molly Flores, Institutional Relations & Sponsorship Manager

 

 

 

Finance and Administration

Joann Serra, Director of Finance, Administration, & HR
Iryna Comstock, Accounting Associate

 

Marketing

Heidi Kelley, Director of Marketing, Communications, & Public Relations
Ellen Hinkle, Associate Director of Marketing, Communications, & Public Relations
John McCoy, Marketing Manager

 

Production

Clayton Rodney, Director of Production
Alanna Maniscalco, Properties Supervisor
Bradley Taylor, Production Manager and Lighting Supervisor
Robert Auchter, Production Coordinator and Supertitle Cuer
Noah Dettman, Sound Supervisor

 

Production Stage Crew

Margaret Soland, Production Electrician
Kristopher Medrano, Assistant Production Electrician
Connor Greene, Programmer
Randall Huot, Head of Audio

 

Scenic Shop

Ryan Bruner, Head Carpenter and Scenic Shop Manager
Robert Bruner, Steward & Lead Carpenter
Raz Vela, Metalwork
Craig Cheply, Head Scenic Artist
Marisa McGuire, Scenic Artist
Jeff Slim, Scenic Artist

 

Stage Management

Luci Burdick, Stage Manager
Dustin West, Stage Manager: The Sound of Music
Megan Ross, Assistant Stage Manager
Chris Colbourn, Assistant Stage Manager
Therese Cudmore, Apprentice Assistant Stage Manager

 

Wigs and Makeup

Alita Lopez, Wig & Makeup Manager

 

Arizona Opera Orchestra

Violin 1

Ikuko Kanda, Concertmaster
Linda Lambie, Assistant Concertmaster
Galina Sukhina
Mutsuko Tatman
Dasha Hlavenka
Hisami Iijima Dillard
Carla Kountoupes
Jisu Choi

 

Violin 2

Cynthia Baker, Principal
Helga Kolosick, Assistant Principal
Priscilla Benitez
Richard Hoffman
Laura Tagawa
Tamara Freida
Grave Wills
Luke Hill

 

Viola

Christina Beasley, Principal
Vivi Erickson, Assistant Principal
Caroline Ruiz
Katherine Shields
Jeffrey Norman
Monica MacMichael

 

Cello

Debra Pearson, Principal
Mary DiBartolo, Assistant Principal
Margaret Gilmore
Tom Hoisch
Abe Liebhaber
Yeil Park

 

Bass

Chunyang Wang, Principal
Claudia Botterweg, Assistant Principal
Derek DeVelder
Jason Roederer

 

Harp

Lynn Gorman DeVelder, Principal

 

Flute

Paula Redinger, Principal
Melanie Winans

 

Oboe

Neil Tatman, Principal
Scott Morano

 

Clarinet

Brian Viliunas, Principal
Marianne Shifrin

 

Bassoon

Melanie Sanguinetti, Principal
Jill Marderness

 

Horn

Peter Erb, Principal
Nathan Mitchell
Bruce Hembd
Shawn Campbell

 

Trumpet

James Benitez, Co-Principal
Leslie Linn, Co-Principal

 

Trombone

Martin Demos, Principal
Michael Becker
Grant Jordan

 

Tuba

Steve Mapes, Principal

 

Timpani

Neil Dunn, Principal

 

Percussion

Corey Ritter, Principal