BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Tiana Wimmer

  • Tiana Wimmer worked for over 20 years as a senior marketing executive at American Express and Wells Fargo. She was raised in a musical household with parents who were professional string players and teachers. Tiana became an avid amateur violinist, playing with orchestras and chamber music ensembles in the Bay Area, New York, and Europe. An active community volunteer in Marin County, Tiana chaired the Mill Valley Emergency Preparedness Commission and coordinated donations of 18,000+ brown bag lunches for St Vincent de Paul during the Covid Pandemic. She received her MBA from Columbia University and her BA from Yale. In 2023, Tiana received the Heart of Marin Award for Excellence in Board Leadership for her work with ELM.

Chair

Rosa Gonzalez

  • Since 2011 Rosa has been the Family Center Coordinator at San Pedro Elementary School, one of two elementary schools in the Canal neighborhood served by ELM. In this role, she oversees a variety of parent engagement and support services, including school-based counseling, family advocacy, and parent education. During the past six summers, Rosa has also led the SRCS Summer Bridge program, which promotes school readiness for kindergarten-bound students and their families. Born and raised in Mexico, Rosa holds an Associate degree in Accounting from CBTIS Mexico and, in 2021, was awarded the Above Self award by the Evening Rotary Club of San Rafael. Rosa’s daughter was in the first class of cellists at ELM and currently plays in ELM’s Youth Orchestra.

Secretary

Stephanie McNally

  • Stephanie is the Director of Healthy Aging at Vivalon, a nonprofit that advances independence, health and quality of life for Marin County's older adults and people with disabilities. Prior to Vivalon, she was the Director of Advocacy and Policy at Canal Alliance. Stephanie worked in management consulting and software earlier in her career. Over the years, she provided leadership to several youth-focused nonprofit programs. Stephanie has a Master’s Degree in Nonprofit Administration from the University of San Francisco and a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Business Administration from the University of Texas at Austin. Though raised in Texas, much of Stephanie's family lives in Argentina and she enjoys integrating its language and culture into her day-to-day life.

Vice Chair

Karen Dunn

Treasurer

  • Karen, an active volunteer in Marin County’s youth development community for the past 18 years, serving as PTA President and Treasurer for Neil Cummins Elementary School, as Treasurer of the Tidalwaves recreational swim team, and as a costume volunteer at Stapleton School of the Performing Arts in San Anselmo. For the past four years, she has been in charge of the costumes at Stapleton, leading a team of 20 volunteers as they prepare up to 280 children for The Nutcracker and the spring show. Karen also serves on the Board of Directors at Stapleton. Karen has experience in the private sector as a financial analyst and project manager at Hewlett Packard. She has a BA in History from Stanford University and an MBA from the University of Washington.

Jane Kramer

  • Jane has a Ph.D. in health policy from the University of California, Berkeley and worked for over a decade conducting adolescent health policy research at the University of California, San Francisco. She is the founding executive director of Enriching Lives through Music, an El-Sistema inspired program that uses intensive engagement in a vibrant music community as a powerful tool towards individual and social transformation. Jane plays oboe and English Horn and loves to kayak. She is the recipient of the 2016 Marin County Humanitarian Award for her social justice and music leadership. Jane is also a member of Marin Promise, a partnership committed to a common vision that all Marin students meet the educational milestones that are critical to assure lifetime success.

Executive Director

Linden Berry

Director

Rita Escajadillo

Susan Gilardi

  • Susan has taught high school, practiced law, and helped run a business with her husband. A very active volunteer in the community, she has served not only on civic committees and Chamber of Commerce in Larkspur, but also on the boards of the Marin Theatre Company for 9 years, Bread and Roses for 9 years, Dominican University Board of Trustees for 9 years, and is currently serving on the MarinHealth Foundation Board. She has maintained a passion for education, volunteering in St. Patrick’s kindergarten for 28 years, at Laurel Dell Elementary for several years and establishing scholarships at Dominican University and at 10,000 Degrees for college-bound students with financial need. Susan currently enjoys being a Reading Buddy at ELM and Laurel Dell. She has been honored for supporting Twin Cities Little League for 35 years, received a Spirit of Marin award in 2004 and was Larkspur’s Business Citizen of the Year one year.

Director

Lori Lerner

  • Lori a proud 3rd generation San Franciscan, loves bringing people together to achieve their common goals. She began her early career as a teacher and administrator working with blind and visually impaired individuals in the US and Australia. Upon returning to Marin she worked as a Children’s Librarian. Her passion for the arts extends to being on the Advisory Board of Marin Theater Company and the Lark Theater Brain Trust. Lori thrives on being active outdoors, taking Improvisation classes, listening to jazz, experiencing live theater and spending time with her family and friends.

Director

  • Rita is the Deputy Director for the Bay Area office of PIQE (Parent Institute for Quality Education), overseeing the implementation of parent educations programs for grade K-12 in schools throughout the region. Involved with ELM since 2014, Rita’s two daughters study violin in the program. Rita serves as ELM’s Parent Facilitator, orienting new families and organizing parent presentations and activities. Rita is originally from Peru and holds a degree in Pharmacy and Biochemistry from Inca Garcilaso de la Vega University in Lima and an Associate degree in Business Administration from College of Marin.

Director

Sara Sackner

  • Sara is the Director of Advancement at The College Preparatory School in Oakland where she leads fundraising and external relations. Prior, she was the Director of Development at the UC Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive. She worked in development at The Thacher School in Ojai, CA and served on the board of the Ojai Music Festival. Sara has made several feature-length documentary films and was a partner in a multimedia company. Her passions are new music and arts education.

Lynn Roy

  • Lynn has a Ph.D. in finance from Rutgers University and began her working career as an assistant professor of finance at Brooklyn College. After leaving academia she worked at several large investment management firms. Lynn left professional life several years ago to help shepherd her two children through high school and college. In her retirement, Lynn has been an active volunteer at Marin Academy High School, Marilyn Izdebski Productions, served on the board of Northern California Al-Anon, and currently is on the board of Congregation Rodef Sholom, where she serves on the finance committee and was their treasurer. Outside of volunteering, Lynn spends most of her time with friends and family, and nurturing a variety of interests. She is a devotee to movement; dancing West Coast Swing, hiking, and practicing yoga. She also is a ceramicist. Additionally, Lynn enjoys a robust spiritual life, she is currently training to lead retreats focused on expanding consciousness to connect with the Divine. Lynn’s association with ELM started at its inception. She strongly believes in its mission and the power of music and community to change lives. She was a reading buddy during COVID and is thrilled to be able to join its Board to support ELM more formally.

Director

Director

Karen Rosenquist

  • Karen is an educator and nonprofit leader with a passion for improving educational access and outcomes for underserved communities. After a 15-year career in film and digital media, she returned to the Bay Area in 2006 to focus on raising her two sons. During this time, Karen pursued a Master’s in Education from Dominican University, concentrating on educational policy and parent engagement. She became a founding board member of Minds Matter San Francisco, supporting first-generation high school students, and a mentor with the Meritus College Fund. In 2016, when it became clear there were no adequate schools for her dyslexic son, Karen founded North Bridge Academy to provide specialized education for children with dyslexia. Currently, Karen's role is as Executive Director/Founder. 

    Committed to addressing the literacy gap in low-income communities in Marin, Karen went on to earn a second Master’s in Education from Johns Hopkins University, specializing in mind, brain, and teaching. She now works to improve kindergarten readiness in under-resourced populations. In addition to her professional work, Karen serves on the board of Canal Alliance, where she chairs the governance committee and serves on the executive committee. She volunteers as a CASA (Court-Appointed Special Advocate) for foster and newcomer youth. 

    Karen lives in San Anselmo with her husband, Matt, their two dogs and parakeets. A recent empty-nester, she has deepened her knitting skills and attempts ceramics and pickleball.

Director

ELM provides youth with an immersive music education that empowers them to pursue their dreams and access resources they need to succeed in life.