As one of the newest members of the Local 802 Executive Board, I want to take this opportunity to introduce myself. I moved to New York after college and two years of playing abroad in Italy. Not being a native New Yorker, I found New York City to be both exciting and terrifying at the same time. The idea of settling down here felt daunting and challenging. One of the first things I did was join Local 802 and even though I didn’t know very many musicians, I instantly felt a sense of community and belonging. During my nearly 35 years as a rank-and-file member, I have had the fortune of cultivating a diverse career, playing opera, ballet, Broadway, recordings, production shows with headliners, symphonic orchestras, touring and educational programs. Over the years, my family and I have consistently benefited from the advocacy, protection, benefits and services that our union provides.

My goals for the board are to continue to help our membership survive and thrive in all aspects of our industry. I believe that we must constantly grow our membership, organize groups and politically fight for our livelihoods. I also hope to de-mystify the board to our members by being approachable and willing to listen to any member’s questions, issues and concerns.

I am honored to have been appointed a seat on the Executive Board and I thank my colleagues for their vote of confidence in me. I look forward to going forward eagerly to serve, learn, contribute and get things done.