Rory McLeod is a musician, entrepreneur, and concert designer who takes joy in creating authentic human connections through shared musical experiences. As Executive and Artistic Director of Xenia Concerts, he works with stakeholders in the disability and neurodiversity community, presenting partners, and performing artists to co-create concert experiences that are inclusive for people who face social and systemic barriers to inclusion.

Determined to widen the circle of inclusion in the performing arts, Rory is pursuing his Master’s in Inclusive Design at OCAD University. Rory is also the founder and Co-director of Pocket Concerts, an organization that presents intimate concert experiences in alternative venues all over the GTA. Rory believes that music is a catalyst to emotional connection: he brings an enthusiastic spirit of collaboration to his performances in chamber music festivals across North America and with the Canadian Opera Company and National Ballet Orchestras.

Sara works as a user experience researcher at the Government of Canada and is a part-time professor in the Interdisciplinary Studies in Human-Centred Design postgraduate program at Algonquin College.

Previously, Sara worked for the Human-Centred Design Lab at Algonquin College, where she used design research to help educators administer VR in a way that can help children access their emotions in safe spaces. As part of her studies in human-centred design, she helped create new ways for national museums to bring playful experiences to adults. Sara spends her time in her current work speaking with people all over the world who use government services, all with the goal of placing their needs at the centre of design decisions. Sara holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts in History from the University of Ottawa and a Graduate Certificate in Human-Centred Design from Algonquin College.

Justus Wachs is a facilitator, participation specialist, and PhD student at McGill University in Montreal. His work integrates contemplative and creative practices, including theater, storytelling and meditation, to catalyze multi-stakeholder transformations across organizational networks. He loves working with values, mindsets and beliefs to weave internal and collective systems change.

PRESIDENT of Longy School of Music

Karen Zorn has been President of Longy School of Music of Bard College since 2007. With the merger of Longy and Bard College in 2012, she assumed the role of Vice President, Bard College. Since her arrival, Zorn has led Longy through a process of radical change unprecedented in its 100-year history. A fearless educational entrepreneur, she has balanced the budget, boosted enrollment, executed a merger with Bard College and established partnerships with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and FundaMusical of Venezuela (El Sistema) to launch innovative programs of study and community engagement. These include the Take a Stand program and Longy’s Music education programs, as well as teaching by Longy Conservatory students in public schools, community centers, prisons, nursing homes, and other external venues where the traditions of music education can contribute to public life.

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TEACHING ARTISTRY

In 2015 Eric Booth was honored with American for the Arts’ Arts Education Leadership Award, and was named one of the 50 most influential people in the arts in the U.S. He began as a Broadway actor, and became a businessman (his company became the largest of its kind in the U.S. in seven years), and author of six books, the most recent is Playing for Their Lives (W.W. Norton) which reports on the global growth of the El Sistema-inspired movement. He has been on the faculty of Juilliard, Tanglewood, The Kennedy Center, and Lincoln Center Education, where now he is the leader of their Teaching Artist Development Labs. He serves as a consultant for many arts organizations, cities, states, community organizations, and businesses around the U.S. A frequent keynote speaker, he founded the Teaching Artist Journal and the International Teaching Artist Conferences. .

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Rachel Roberts has navigated both the non-profit performing arts and higher education sectors, having held unique positions in both. In 2018, Rachel was named Associate Professor of Music Leadership and Graduate Degree Program Director, within Eastman School of Music’s Institute for Music Leadership. In this newly created faculty role, she leads the new MA in Music Leadership, which aims to support the development of a unique combination of artistic and executive skills in the preparation of music leaders. As of June 1, 2021, her role expands to also include serving as the third Director of the Institute for Music Leadership. In this role, Rachel is responsible for overseeing all Institute activities and programs, including the Catherine Filene Shouse Arts Leadership Program, the Paul R. Judy Center for Innovation and Research, and the Careers and Professional Development Office.

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