Kaufman Center Staff
At the Kaufman Center we recognize that our staff is our greatest resource. A creative and committed management team complements the world-class musicians, dancers and performers who make up our faculty, and our friendly support staff keeps everything running smoothly.
Lydia Kontos
Executive Director, Kaufman Center
Lydia Kontos joined the Kaufman Center in 1979, shortly after the opening of the Goodman House. The principal activity of the center was its community arts school, then called the Hebrew Arts School, which served about 400 students. Lydia was initially a consultant for the concert hall, but soon became an integral part of the organization. Named Director of Merkin Concert Hall in 1980 and then Executive Director of the Hebrew Arts School in 1986, she combined innovation with pragmatism as she set out to put the institution on a firmer footing, and to find its niche in the New York cultural landscape. She wanted the Hebrew Arts School to serve a larger and more diverse population, and to achieve the prominence that Merkin Concert Hall achieved while she was its director; the school is now the largest community arts school in New York City.
While growing the center's programs was the more dynamic work, creating a strong infrastructure was equally important for the center's future: the center needed an endowment and a strong financial base. In 1991, as part of a larger restructuring, and in recognition of major endowment gifts, the Hebrew Arts School, Inc, was named the Elaine Kaufman Cultural Center, and the Hebrew Arts School itself became the Lucy Moses School.
In 1996, Lydia's passion to deepen the Kaufman Center's commitment to education inspired her to found the Special Music School. Based on the pre-college music education system prevalent in the former Soviet Union, the Special Music School is a New York City public school that provides rigorous academics combined with intensive musical training to musically-gifted children. It is the first of its kind in the country and has met with great success for the students and their families. This year will see the graduation of the first senior class.
With an impressive record of building the center's education program, Lydia has more recently turned her attention back to the place where she began: the concert hall. In the midst of exciting and versatile new programming directions, the hall is enjoying a renewed prominence among the city's many concert venues.
Lydia Kontos received her B.A. in Anthropology from Hunter College, undertook additional studies at Merton College of Oxford University and the Catholic University of Milan, pursued an MS in Nonprofit Management at New York University and completed the Institute for Not for Profit Management at Harvard University.
Lydia began her career in the arts as an usher at the Hunter College Concert Bureau while she was attending college there. After graduation, she worked in the concert office full time, as assistant to Mr. Omus Hirshbein. In 1971, she married and left the concert world to become a teacher, but circled back to her professional roots at the Goodman House, after a brief time as a public relations consultant.
In addition to her work at the Kaufman Center, Lydia taught arts administration at SUNY Purchase. She serves on the Board of Trustees at the Garden School, the National Guild of Community Schools of the Arts and the American Society for Jewish Music.
Kathy Hubbard, Director of Administration
Kathy Rody, Exec. Assistant to the Executive Director
Stacey Lancaster, Administrator of Staff Services
Merkin Concert Hall
Gregory D. Evans
Director, Merkin Concert Hall
Gregory Evans enjoys a broad range of activities in his professional career. He has been a sergeant in the Army, a French horn soloist, a touring broadway, studio and jazz musician, chamber musician, contractor, clinician, adjudicator, recording producer, arts administrator and university professor. Gregory was trained at the Juilliard and Manhattan schools of music.
As an educator Mr. Evans has modeled programs for the Midori Foundation, Carnegie Hall Neighborhood Concert Series, The Fischoff Competition, Aspen Music Festival and School, The Juilliard School and more.
As an administrator Gregory has managed the Crosstown Ensemble, Vanguard Chamber Players, STX Xenakis Ensemble USA and served for three years as the membership director of Chamber Music America. He has recorded with the Absolute Ensemble, American Festival of Microtonal Music, Manhattan Chamber Orchestra, Manhattan Brass Quintet and many others.
Greg has taught for the Juilliard Pre-College, Manhattan School and the University of New Mexico. Mr. Evans is currently the Director of the Concert Division at the Kaufman Center and Merkin Concert Hall.
Anne Choe, Booking and Operations Manager
Jake Bloomfield-Misrach, Box Office Manager
Margaret Evans, Program Coordinator
Sam Kellogg, Concert Division Associate
Jenny Liao, Head House Manager
TBA, Head Stage Manager
Jon Anderson, Jonathan Huh, Stephen Cramer, Box Office Assistants
Lucy Moses School
Igal Kesselman
Director, Lucy Moses School
A classical pianist, educator and administrator, Igal Kesselman made his American debut performing as a soloist with the Washington Chamber Symphony at the John F. Kennedy Center Concert Hall. Mr. Kesselman has performed recitals and chamber music concerts throughout the U.S. and Europe in such venues as Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center, Merkin Concert Hall in NYC, Corcoran Gallery in Washington, D.C. and Kravitz Center in West Palm Beach. He received his B.M. degree from S. Rubin Academy of Music in Tel Aviv, and his M.M. and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees from Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore under the tutelage of Prof. Yoheved Kaplinsky. He has also completed his M.B.A. degree at Baruch College in New York City and has previously served as an Executive Director of the Victor Salvi Foundation. Mr. Kesselman currently serves as a Director of Lucy Moses School at Kaufman Center.
Veronica Volpert, Young People's Division Coordinator
Alicia Andrews, Adult Division Coordinator
Sean Hartley, Coordinator of Dalcroze Program; Director, Theater Wing
Megan Keenan, Registrar/Administrative Associate
Emily Chovanec, Registrar/Administrative Associate
Michael O'Day, Billing Associate
Ken Ossip, Administrative Assistant
Special Music School
Jenny Undercofler
Music Director, Special Music School
Jenny Bonnet, Principal
Ellen Brofman, Music Program Coordinator
Sean Hartley, Chair, Admissions Committee
TBA, Admissions Assistant
Theater Wing
Sean Hartley
Director, Theater Wing
Development and Event Management
Erica Raven, Director of Development
Faye Menken Schneier, Manager of Community Relations
Kim Schnaubert, Manager of Institutional Giving
Gabrielle Markand, Development Associate
Marketing and Communications
Joan Jastrebski, Director of Marketing and Communications
Laurel Sheridan, Communications Manager
Ivy Julease Newman, Marketing Coordinator
Gabe Rivera, Marketing and Communications Assistant
Kim Smith, Publicity
Business Office
Susan J. Cohen, Controller
Elena Maftei, Bookkeeper
Birnbaum Music Library
Robinson McClellan, Librarian
Building Operations
Orlando Guzman, Superintendent
José Diaz, Assistant Superintendent/Handyman
Maintenance Services: Edwin Valdivieso, Elias Sanabria, Tony Herrera
Front Desk Reception: Mildred Flores, Peter Yip, Luisa Cruz, Razvan Bunea