Capstone Mentors

Capstone Mentors & Review Panelists are arts entrepreneurs, foundation leaders, and impact-focused investors who work with GLI Cohort Members to guide the ideation, development, and refinement of Capstone Enterprises.
Carlos Almela is an experienced senior grant-maker at Fondation Daniel et Nina Carasso, with offices in Madrid and Paris.
Senior Grantmaker
Fundación Carasso (Spain)
Janet Anthony has been teaching in Haiti since 1996. Recently retired after 34 years as the cello professor at Lawrence University, where she was the first holder of the George and Marjorie Olsen Chandler Professor of Music chair.
President
BLUME Haiti
Born and raised in Manhattan, Camila Arria-Maury holds degrees from New York Univertsity in Pyschology & Anthropolgy. Camila is currently a Pre-Med Fellow at NYU’s Grossman School of Medecine.
Pre-Med Fellow
New York University

Janielle Beh is head of piano faculty at the Afghanistan National Institute of Music. She holds a Master of Teaching in Music Education from Monash University & a Bachelor of Music Performance from Melbourne Conservatorium.

Head of Piano Faculty
Monash University

Juliana is a Project Manager at the World Bank Group where she leverages creative program development and analytical research to address development challenges ranging from sustainable tourism and climate risk communications, to women empowerment and behavioral change.

Project Manager
World Bank Group
Cum Laude graduate of Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, Andres Brillembourg is an experienced management consultant, business development specialist, and operations manager passionate about leveraging technology, innovation, & entrepreneurship to drive impact.
Operations Manager
Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service

A graduate of Harvard University and University of Southern California, Pedro Burelli is Managing Director of B&V Holdings C.A. Burelli is a frequent contributor to Foreign Policy and appears regularly on CNN and other outlets as an expert on the intersection of Latin American business & politics.

Managing Director
B&V Holdings C.A.

Pamela Calsow is Cultural Director of the Corporación Adelante Amigos de Panguipulli, where she leads the foundation’s music for social justice initiative, Vivé La Musica.

Cultural Director
Corporación Amigos de Panguipulli

Dr. Hermes Camacho is a composer, conductor, and violinist based in Austin, Texas. He is co-founder of Picardy, faculty at Austin Soundwaves & University of the Incarnate Word, and Board Member at El Sistema USA.

Co-Founder
Picardy

Among the most respected trumpet players of his generation, Franco Carranza is a leading social entrepreneur in Peru, where is the Founding Director of a number of educational initiatives including Semana de la Trompeta Peruana.

Founding Director
Semana de la Trompeta Peruana

Ruben Carughi is a prominent trombonist and jazz musician from Santa Fe, Argentina, known for his extensive career in both jazz and Latin music.

Music Director
Sonora D’irse Salsa Band

Salomón manages Banco Santander’s main corporate social responsibility initiatives, Santander Universities and Universia, which focus on supporting higher education through collaborative value-added projects and programs.

Manager of CSR Initiatives
Banco Santander

Alexa Chopivsky is Executive Director of the Women’s Foreign Policy Group. She also serves as Adviser to the Minister of Economy of Ukraine; deputy Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Ukraine Invest; and Executive Director, Ukraine House Davos.

Executive Director
WFPG

Paige Coolidge studied at Harvard College where she started Harvard’s first fashion and design magazine focused on innovation and social inclusion. She currently works as a product manager at a Boston-based, Y-Combinator fertility-tech startup Legacy, where she is scaling the early-stage, high-growth product team.
Product Manager
Harvard College

Architect and LSE graduate, Tomás Cortese is Co-Founder of Fundación Ciudad Emergente, advancing community-driven and sustainable urban development in Chile.

Co-Founder
Ciudad Emergente

After seeing the need for educational development in East Africa, Karis Zeller (née Crawford) founded El Sistema Kenya in 2013. She has worked in international music education and El Sistema programs around the world and is currently living in Berlin, Germany.
Founder
El Sistema Kenya
Maria is a flute player who majored in Music Education at the University of Florida and earned her Master’s Degree in Childhood Education from Brooklyn College.
Flute Player
University of Florida
One of Musical America’s Top 30 Influencers, recipient of the Kennedy Center Human Spirit Award, and Detroit Crain’s 40 Under 40, Afa Dworkin is President and Artistic Director of the Sphinx Organization, one of the nation’s leading organizations in fostering diversity in the arts.
President
Sphinx Organization

Susan Eldridge has imagined and delivered transformation for organisations from the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music (MCM) to the Melbourne Recital Centre (MRC), the Victorian Youth Symphony Orchestra (VYSO) and the Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM).

IgniteLAB Director
The University of Melbourne

Amy Farrell is a Senior Investment Specialist for the Sustainable and Impact Investing team within UBS Asset Management. Previous positions were with Privos Advisory, E*TRADE, Barclays Global Investors, and the International Finance Corporation (The World Bank Group).
Senior Investment Specialist
UBS Asset Management
Laura Feeney is Head String Instructor at ProCorda UK. She is a graduate of Chetham’s School of Music, The Royal Northern College of Music, and Royal Birmingham Conservatoire. She has performed with a wide range of ensembles from the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra to Eminem and Ed Sheeran.

Program Manager
Britten Pears Arts

 
 

María José Ferreyra is Professor of Modern Languages and Literatures at Universidad Nacional de Córdoba and works in Buenos Aires as the Resident Director of Harvard University’s CASA (Consortium for Advanced Studies Abroad) study abroad program.

Resident Director
Harvard University CASA

Sociologist who advises public, private, and civil organizations on territorial development, culture, education, and sustainability. He specializes in turning complex challenges into practical strategies that generate concrete local impact.

Executive Director
Fundación PLADES

Gloria Garafulich-Grabois is President of the Gabriela Mistral Foundation, a Dame of the Order of Gabriela Mistral, Editor of The Mistral Review, and Managing Editor of The Chesterton Review and The Lonergan Review.

President
Gabriela Mistral Foundation

Nadja Giuffrida is a philanthropist and entrepreneur who has transformed millions of lives in developing countries and disadvantaged communities. Her most recognized work has an emphasis on future economic models, work force development and human mobility issues.

Philanthropist

Nacho Gonzalez is a musician and entrepreneur, and founder of the award winning studio Brave Notes.

Founder
Brave Notes

 

Naomi Gonzalez is Dir. of Education and Community Engagement at The Mann Center (Philadelphia). A champion for arts education, Gonzalez has expertise in developing and overseeing community programs, previously serving at The Philadelphia Orchestra Association.

Education and Community Engagement Manager
The Mann Center

Since 2015, Ricardo Marcos Gonzalez has served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of CONARTE (Mexico). A graduate of the University of Monterrey and Universitat Internacional de Catalunya de Barcelona, he has received numerous awards including SEDESOL’s “Social Leader of the Year.”

Chairman of the Board of Directors
CONARTE

Herrera
Barbara Herrera, a leading Mexican cultural philanthropist, she is Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Escuela Superior de Musica y Danza de Monterey.

Chairman of the Board of Trustees
Escuela Superior de Música y Danza de Monterrey

Scott Harrison, Exec. Director of the LA Chamber Orchestra, worked previously for the Indianapolis, New Jersey, Boston and Dallas symphony orchestras. Harrison holds degrees from Northwestern University and Southern Methodist University, and is founder of BLUME Haiti.
Provost
Cleveland Institute of Music
Jennifer Heflin is a Senior Manager at Accenture and member of Accenture’s North America Education Leadership Team. Heflin leads Accenture’s K-12 initiatives and research.
Senior Manager
Accenture PLC (USA)
Winner of the National Critics Award in the Orchestra Direction (Valparaíso in 2002), his career has taken him to important states of the world, such as Konzerthaus in Berlin, Hermitage Theater in St. Petersburg. In recent years, he was invited to direct Orchestra of the Hermitage in St. Petersburg, Orchestra
Orchestra Teacher
Universidad Alberto Hurtado
Bio coming soon.
Director of Leadership Training
League of American Orchestras
Stefan Hersh: President of Darnton & Hersh Fine Violins and Midwest String Rentals. Founder and Artistic Director of Guarneri Hall. Accomplished violinist, performing nationally, and Associate Professor of violin.
President
Darnton & Hersh Fine Violins
Pianist & advocate MaryAnne Huntsman has performed as a concert soloist on tour in Asia, Europe, and North America. Board member of Carnegie Hall, she serves as Chair of the NYO2 National Youth Orchestra.
Chair | NYO2 Board
Carnegie Hall
Danny Hyon, the founder of Opus Live, a mobile application that connects musicians with venues looking to hire performers. Opus Live was the winner of the 2017 Startup Weekend Music Edition in NYC.
Co Founder CEO
Opus Live
Calida Jones is a graduate Indiana Univ. n of Pennsylvania & Connecticut’s Hartt School, where she earned a Master’s degree in Performance & Pedagogy. Calida is Founding Artistic Director of Bravo! Waterbury & Board Member of El Sistema USA.
Founding Artistic Director
Bravo! Waterbury (USA)
Kabanda has consulted for the Office of Senior Vice President and Chief Economist at the World Bank. He received an MA in Law and Diplomacy from The Fletcher School at Tufts University and a BM at the Juilliard School.
Undercover Artist, Author, & Consultant
Kinneary graduated with honors from the Eastman School of Music in December of 2015 with a Bachelors of Music degree in Viola Performance and Music Education along with an Arts Leadership certificate.
Orchestra Teacher
Berlin Cosmopolitan School
Maria Kramvi (BMus, City University of London; MA, Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance) is coordinator of System Cyprus’ Larnaca Nucleo and leader of community music workshops at the shelters of unaccompanied refugee minors in collaboration with Hope for Children.
Program Coordinator
Sistema Cyprus
With extensive experience as both a consultant and an executive, Mary guides and supports CEOs for today and tomorrow, helping organizations make choices to thrive in times of change and create organizational alignment.
Partner, Consulting Services
MNP
John Kulback trained as a musician in conservatory and economics before moving into law and building a career as a high profiled entertainment industry deal maker and startup investor in Los Angeles.
Partner
Loeb and Loeb LLP
Sebastiaan Kwakkenbos is a co-founder and Managing Partner of Buffalo Thorn Capital Management, an investment partnership focused on publicly listed equities in Small Emerging Markets. Sebastiaan has over sixteen years of experience working in hedge funds and private equity.
Co-Founder
Buffalo Thorn Capital Management
Monica Lawson is Co-Founder of the film production company BOND MOTION PICTURES, whose award-winning projects have screened at festivals worldwide.
Co-Founder
Bond Motion Pictures
Lai-Ling Lee is Director of Americas for The Red Cross (Canada) and holds an MBA from McGill and HEC Montréal. Lee has coordinated large-scale emergency assistance and reconstruction following humanitarian disasters across Latin America & The Caribbean.
Deputy General Director
Médecins Sans Frontières
Ernesto Lewis: Seasoned wealth management pro with 15+ years advising HNW clients. Partner & MD at MMG Bank, leading a team. Board member at Quantia AFP. Business development expert, SMU & Thunderbird grad.
Partner & Managing Director
MMG Bank
Amanda Lubniewski is the Post-Graduate Fellow with DRCLAS Regional Office. She received a Master’s Degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, with a concentration in Human Development and Pyschology.
Post-Graduate Fellow
Harvard University DRCLAS
Founding Executive Director of the the Lakes Area Music Festiva, Scott Lykins is an active performer and a graduate of the Arts Leadership Program at Eastman School of Music. Lykins is an alumnus of the Institute for Executive Director Leadership at St. Thomas University.
Founding Executive Director
Lakes Area Music Festival (USA)
Leslie Maasdorp is responsible for the treasury, portfolio management, and financial functions of China’s New Development Bank. He has held a number of leadership roles, including President of Bank of America Merrill Lynch (Southern Africa) and Vice Chairman at Barclays Capital.
Vice President & CFO
The New Development Bank
Guillermo Madriz (MBA) is Executive Director of Centro Cultural Costarricense Norteamericano. Former President of Centro Nacional de la Musica Costa Rica, Madriz has been CEO of Costa Rica’s Nacional Symphony & National Music Conservatory.
Former President
Centro Nacional de la Música
Yael Marciano is a Venezuelan analyst and attorney. She is a graduate of Harvard University (M.S.), NYU (M.S.), American University (LL.M.), Universidad Catolica Andres Bello (JD), and a member of the Latin American Board of Georgetown University.
Founder
Strathos Consulting
With more than 15 years in Cultural Management focused on the performing arts sector, Alejandra Martí is CEO of the Latin American Theater Association and Opera Latinamerica (OLA). She is also Co-Founder of Escena Marketplace, the first digital marketing platform for operas and ballets already premiered.
CEO
Opera Latinoamerica
Michael McCarthy: Cathedral director of music & principal choirmaster. Founder & director of London Oratory School Schola, premier boys’ concert choir. Renowned performances on London concert platform & film recordings (Sleepy Hollow, LOTR, Harry Potter).
Director of Music
Washington National Cathedral
Robert Mercuri (MBA, McGill University/HEC Montréal) is an experienced sales team leader in the medical equipment sector. Mecuri is Director of Regional Sales for Medline Industries, in addition to volunteering with a number of community projects in Montreal.
Director of Regional Sales
Medline Industries Inc. (Canada)
Pilo Mella is Director of Harvard University’s Consortium for Advanced Studies Abroad. Mella has taught on Faculty at Harvard University, Tufts, University of Massachusetts, and Boston University, and is a graduate of Universidad de Chile.
Director
Havard University CASA Consortium
Arturo Nuñez: Founder of AIE CREATIVE, offering immersive experiences for brands. Former Head of Marketing (Latin America) at APPLE INC, overseeing marketing, corporate communications, product marketing, education content, enterprise marketing, and developer relations in 38 countries.
Founder
AIE Creative
Colombian conductor Santiago has been Artistic Director of Sistema Cyprus since 2019. His responsibilities focus on the artistic supervision of the education project.
Artistic Director
Sistema Cyprus
A Graduate from the music therapy program at New York University, Gabriela conducted her practical work at the Nordoff-Robbins Center for Music Therapy. Gabriela is a singer and guitarist.
Workshop Faciliator at Escutatória
Syntese Educação Corporativa
Eileen Pennington has over 16 years of experience designing and supporting gender, human rights, and education programs for the Asia-Pacific region.
Associate Director
The Asia Foundation
Mercedes García Pérez is Head of Global Issues & Innovation at EU Delegation to USA. She leads climate, energy, environment, transportation, research, innovation, & public health. She formerly worked at The Embassy of Spain & European External Action Service.
Head of Global Issues & Innovation
European Union USA Delegation
Simone is a dynamic, creative professional deeply committed to promoting and sustaining programs that enrich communities both locally and globally.
Director
Arabella Advisors
Nick Pozek is an educator and strategic advisor. He explores how leaders from all sectors can collaborate to solve seemingly intractable social, political, and economic issues through the exchange of ideas, culture, and knowledge.
Assistant Director
Columbia Law School
Michaela Pratt is the President & CEO of Mentor Foundation, a nonprofit organization that works with innovative, evidence-based programs to prevent youth substance use and promote health and well-being.
President & CEO
Mentor Foundation USA
Cecile Prieto is a Senior Grantmaker at Fundación Azteca. Prieto is also part of the management team of Esperanza Azteca, Mexico’s largest network of youth orchestras with over 400 socially-motived projects nationwide.
Senior Grantmaker
Fundación Azteca (Mexico)
Celebrated statesman, diplomat, and humanitarian, Nirupama Rao served as India’s Foreign Secretary from 2009 to 2011. Rao also held appointments as India’s Ambassador to the US, China, and Sri Lanka. Rao is Founding Chairman of the South Asian Symphony Foundation.
Founding Chairman
South Asian Symphony Foundation
Amy Rhodes is the Director of Ensemble Connect (formerly Ensemble ACJW), a program of Carnegie Hall, The Juilliard School, and the Weill Music Institute in partnership with the New York City Department of Education.
Director of Ensemble Connect
Carnegie Hall
Robert Richter is a real estate professional, community leader, and avid guitar player and song writer. His career has spanned the commercial real estate industry, including development, investment, project management, private lending and brokerage.
Director of Growth Strategy
McCraney Property Company
A native of France and the United Kingdom, Fabien Rossini (MBA, McGill University/HEC Montréal) is an experienced team leader and producer in the gaming industry. Mercuri is currently a Director and Head of Business Development at Square Enix Montréal.
Head of Business Development
Square Enix (UK & Canada)
Cristina serves as the Arts Programs Coordinator at the Daniel and Nina Carasso Foundation, overseeing philanthropic programs focused on Cultural Democracy. She previously worked in arts marketing and fundraising roles in private theaters, music schools, and Carnegie Hall in New York City.
Arts Programs Coordinator
Daniel and Nina Carasso Foundation
Angel Saltos: 30+ yrs experience representing Fortune 500 firms in international business & public affairs. Leader in CSR & philanthropy. Co-founder of Ricky Martin Foundation. MBA in International Marketing from Marymount University, Virginia.
Co-Founder
Ricky Martin Foundation
Cara Sawyer completed graduate studies at DePaul University, and was a member of the Chicago Civic Orchestra. Ms. Sawyer is currently Marketing Manager of Absolute Process Instruments.
Marketing Manager
Absolute Process Instruments (USA)
Sat Sansar Singh received his MSc in Environmental Sciences from Stanford University, with 25+ years of work experience in the US, UK, Finland, and several Latin American countries. For more than a decade, Singh has served as Executive Director of MAYCO Environmental Consulting.
Executive Director
MAYCO Environmental Consulting
French violin soloist Alexandra Soumm has performed with leading orchestras including the Royal, BBC, London, and Hungarian National Philharmonics. Alexandra is co-founder of Esperanz’Arts, a collaborative of artists dedicated to performing in schools, and is a director of El Sistema France.
President & Co-Founder
Esperanz’Arts
Marina Spindler is President of LATAM Board, and previously was CEO of the Group of Fifty (G5). Spindler holds a master’s in public administration from New York University and a bachelor’s in international affairs from The George Washington University.
Former CEO
Group of 50 (G50)
Catherine Surace serves as Academic Director of Fundación Nacional Batuta. Previously, Surace was Director of Career Services and Chamber Music Coordinator at Universidad Javeriana.
Academic Director
Fundación Batuta (Colombia)
Lars H. Thunell is former CEO of the International Finance Corporation, a member of The World Bank Group. PhD in Economics from Stockholm University, Dr. Thunell was Director of Trygg-Hansa insurance and Chief Executive of Sweden’s largest bank, SEB.
Former CEO
IFC, The World Bank Group
Yvonne Thunell is Chairman of Mentor Foundation International; Founder of Thunell & Partners, an executive coaching firm; co-founder of EMCC, Sweden European Mentoring & Coaching Council; and co-founder of DMF, The Association for Certified Mentors.
Chairman
Mentor Foundation International
Harvard MBA Esteban Torbar is a Venezuelan social entrepreneur and founder of Eposak, a non-profit that promotes sustainable tourism development in unique, remote, and underdeveloped destinations.
Founder
Eposak
Mariano Vales is Head of Music at the Organization of American States, where he oversees a range of national and pan-national development initiatives. He is a graduate of Yale University.
Director of Music Initiatives
Organization of American States
Native of Spain and based in Los Angeles, Carla Vázquez Jones is Marketing and Communication Manager for North America at CH Carolina Herrera.
Director of Communications
ETRO
2020 Young Global Leaders of The World Economic Forum, Venezuelan conductor and social entrepreneur Elisa Vegas is founder of Orquesta Sinfónica Gran Mariscal de Ayacucho.
Young Global Leader
The World Economic Forum
Steven Vetrone is District Operations Manager for Home Depot’s operations in Quebec. Vetrone holds a Bachelor’s from McGill University and an MBA from McGill & HEC Montréal.
Director of Operations
The Home Depot (Canada)
Sofi is a Brussels-based international development & security specialist from Venezuela. Formerly she held positions at Council of the Americas in New York with a focus on public policy. She holds a Masters’ in International Security from Sciences Po (France) and has managed digital security programs in Africa and the Middle East for the European Union.
Board Member
European Cultural Heritage Fund
Nichlas Vranos of Ellington Management Group is a graduate of Harvard College where he studied Philosophy and Evolutionary Biology. In the financial sector his work with hedge funds focuses on Non-Agency RMBS.
Business Development
Ellington Management Group
Paul Walker is a Brooklyn-based technologist and philanthropist. He advises companies and investors in AI and FinTech, and is a board member at OpenFin and a senior adviser at Motive Partners.
Partner (retired)
The Goldman Sachs Group
Mollie Westbrook is a facilitator, educator, and musician living in Baltimore, Maryland. Currently, Mollie holds the position of Senior Program Manager with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra’s OrchKids
Senior Program Manager
OrchKids Baltimore Symphony
Darren Young is a viola player and musical director of the National Youth Orchestra of Jamaica (NYOJ)
Music Director
NYO Jamaica
Sara Zanussi, Founding Director of ComMusicAction, holds a postgraduate certificate from New England Conservatory and a B.A. in Music from Luther College. Zanussi was an Abreu Fellow in 2013.
Founder
ComMUSICation (USA)
Nicolas Žekulin, originally from Canada, studied Classical singing at the Universities of Calgary and Toronto. From February 2017 he was delighted to take up the role of Chief Executive and Artistic Director of the National Youth Orchestras of Scotland.
Chief Executive & Artistic Director
NYO Scotland
Paulo Zuben—Managing Director of Santa Marcelina Cultura— has an extensive history in cultural management having served as the head of prominent festivals and institutions in Brazil including Campos do Jordao, the Tom Jobim Conservatory & Project GURI.
Founding President
Santa Marcelina Cultura (Brazil)

“The Global Leaders Institute prepared me to take my arts startup to the next level. I had the chance to learn from influential impact entrepreneurs, from their struggles and successes.”

Zubaida Azezi, (Canada | 2014 Cohort)
Silk Road Youth Orchestra