Board & Staff
Board
Cordelia Delson, President. Vice chair, Astral Artists, Philadelphia, Pa.
Scott Kessler, Vice president and finance chair. President, H.W. Marston and Company, Swarthmore, Pa. Former General manager, The Pennsylvania Opera Theater.
Mary McTernan, Secretary and development chair. Former chair, Valentine Foundation, Haverford, Pa. Former trustee, Williams College. Former Vice president, Pennsylvania Hospital, Philadelphia, Pa.
John Alston, Founder and director, Chester Children’s Chorus. Associate professor of music, Swarthmore College. President and founder, The Chester Fund for Education and the Arts, to provide children at the Chester Charter School for the Arts with a world-class education: one that combines academic rigor with artistic creativity; encorages personal responsibility; and addresses the intellectual, emotional and social needs of each child.
Maurice G. Eldridge, ex officio, Swarthmore College. Vice president for college and community relations, Swarthmore College. Chair, The Chester Fund for Education and the Arts (see Fund description under John Alston)
Wendy Emrich, ex officio,The Chester Fund for Education and the Arts.
Managing director, The Chester Fund for Education and the Arts (see Fund description under John Alston)
Philip H. Lebowitz, partner at Duane Morris, LLP. Former president, Wallingford-Swarthmore Board of School Directors. Practices primarily in the area of healthcare law and litigation.
Marlene Mackason, parent of chorus member. Administrator, Morgan, Lewis, Bockius, Philadelphia, Pa. Board member, Abundant Life Empowerment Missions, Yeadon, Pa
Elizabeth Rubin. Board president, Suburban Music School, Media, Pa. Vice president, national board, Transplant Recipients International Organization. Board secretary, Greater Philadelphia Coalition Against Hunger.
Jay Tucker, parent of chorus member. Full-time parent. Former owner/head coach of Delco Mustangs semi-professional football team, Delaware County, Pa.
Frances Vilella-Velez. Consultant and attorney specializing in design, development and evaluation services for social policy, education, and non-profit initiatives.
Ian B. Wilcox. Global director of the pharmaceutical practice, Hay Group consulting, Philadelphia, Pa.
Staff
John Alston, Founder and director. Associate professor of music, Swarthmore College. Doctorate in choral conducting, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana.
Kirsten Halker-Kratz, Executive director. Former Manager of Executive Affairs, Settlement Music School and current Director of Music Ministries, Trinity Lutheran Church, Havertown. Joined chorus July, 2012. Master of Music, Bowling Green State University.
Daniel J. Beal, Assistant music director. Former music teacher and choral director, York Suburban School District (Pa.) and Ephrata Area High School (Pa). Joined chorus June, 2009. Bachelor of Music, summa cum laude, West Chester University.
Amie Richan, Piano teacher. Private piano teacher for 20+ years. Singer. Published in music teachers' journals. Voting member of NARAS (Grammys). Joined chorus in 2007.
Elisa DeNofio, Administrative assistant. Former Human Resources assistant, University of Pennsylvania, Van Pelt Library. Joined the staff in September, 2005. B.A., Holy Family University.
