Board of Directors

Michigan was my homeland before I migrated to New York in 1986. I have now lived longer in NY than MI, so New York is my “real” home. Growing up, I was surrounded with music. My mother was an excellent music teacher. Music belonged to all of us at home. We all listened, practiced, created, and performed. I played flute in numerous ensembles and I sang with multiple choral groups. One of my life changing moments began when I was selected to participate in Musical Youth International band and chorus with a hundred exemplary Michigan and Ohio youth. (We practiced every Saturday near Ann Arbor). In June, we were ready to depart to Greece, Africa, and Yugoslavia, where we presented close to 30 concerts during the month. (This is where I met Evans Mirageas- he was our translator and equipment manager). The following year I was again selected. We toured Venezuela, Belize, and Mexico. Having the opportunity to prepare with accomplished directors with youth selected from numerous locations, and performing in far off locales for smiling audiences (who were touched by our music, yet they did not understand our words) left a lasting impression on me as to the value and necessity for music around the world. Music transcends language. It is beautiful, it touches the soul. During my college years, I continued flute and voice lessons and sang with multiple groups. I pursued a double major in music and education. My early teaching jobs began with teaching music K-8 in Michigan. Due to lack of funding for music, I later moved to classroom teaching. We moved to Ohio, while my husband Bill (college sweeties) completed his residency in Optics at OSU. In 1986, we bid good-bye to the Midwest and began our lives as New Yorkers. Bill was working at Bausch + Lomb, and I began teaching in Fairport. Several years later, we were blessed to became parents of two fabulous daughters. We loved those “growing up” years, and miss the activities and nuclear family time together “at home.” Alison is now a veterinarian in Gloversville and Amsterdam. Kristin is a manager pharmacist with Strong/UR with specialty pharmacies. This past June I retired after 48 amazing years of teaching K-8, and college/adult levels. During those years, I was involved in numerous school, district, church, and community volunteer roles. I am a good team player and enjoy collaborating with others. I am able to lead, yet, I enjoy participating as a worker under another’s direction as well. It often “takes a village…” to accomplish magnificent things. Relating my discovery from my MYI experiences that music touches our souls and has tremendous value. The power of music connects the world (all over). I yearned to again be a part of a challenging performing musical ensemble again. After attending an ROS spring concert (Peace) about 2018, and learning more about ROS from Patricia Van Dussen, Molly Sanchez, and Jeff Moran, I knew that ROS was the group I aspired to join. I am in awe of the excellent teaching techniques that Eric Townell brings to his vast repertoire of knowledge, as he directs ROS through a vast variety of beautiful yet challenging music. It’s a joy to sing with others. During our ROS trek to France and Switzerland, I had the great privilege of singing/performing with choral members. I also was privileged to meet ROS members on a more personal level. Trust me, the members of ROS have incredible stories to share. Connections made between singers is truly a virtuoso experience. Finally, the feeling I get as a part of this unique performing group is enriching, fulfilling, and heartwarming (at times I feel tingles, and even “choke up” with the glorious sounds we create together). I hope to be able to share these feelings with others. We have a “good thing” going. I would like to help keep us moving forward as we continue to share soul touching music together, and for others.

I am a a 60-year-old first soprano who has been singing since freshman year of high school. I was born and raised in Colorado and lived there my entire life. I’ve had the opportunity to sing in many community courses there over the years, primarily within the LGBTQ+ community. Since moving to Rochester 2 and 1/2 years ago from Colorado, I have been thrilled to find such a rich singing community. I am a member of the first Unitarian Church and sing in the choir there as well. Joining the ROS board will be my first opportunity to serve on a board of directors and I’m very much looking forward to learning and finding where I can be of best service.  I am a psychotherapist by trade and have been in private practice for over 25 years. I live in Brighton with my 82-year-old mother, two dogs and one elderly cat. I love to garden and grow beautiful flowers.

Doug Smith is an attorney at Harter Secrest & Emery LLP in Rochester, NY and has been practicing for nearly 20 years. His practice focuses on advising clients on domestic and global patent prosecution, as well as patent portfolio management and strategy development. He received his J.D. from the University at Buffalo School of Law, as well as a Ph.D. in Chemistry (University at Buffalo); B.S. in Chemistry (SUNY Brockport) and a B.A. in English (SUNY Geneseo). Doug lives in Brighton, NY with his wife, Stephanie, and their two boys, Kieran and Quinn.

Roy Kirvan earned A.B. (Phi Beta Kappa) and Ph.D. degrees in German literature (philosophy concentration) at Rutgers–New Brunswick, with grad work also at Penn and Göttingen. In 1983 he joined the U.S. Intelligence Community (IC) and served nearly 31 years in Washington, DC, in civilian and uniformed (U.S. Navy reserve officer) capacities. He produced, often as principal author, highly classified intelligence studies; engaged in extremely sensitive strategic influence operations against state and non-state actors; gave hundreds of presentations to IC, Pentagon, and White House audiences; and played an intelligence support role in our nation’s wars (cold and hot). After retiring from the IC, he was for several years an adjunct instructor in an online university’s Intelligence Studies graduate program. In 2013, Roy and his wife Debbie moved from DC’s Virginia suburbs to Rochester, where they live near their son Lars (Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra assistant principal cellist), daughter-in-law Liana (RPO violinist), and grandsons Max (14) and Ty (11). Roy avidly pursues interests in classical music; U.S. and European history and philosophy; paleoanthropology and paleogenomics; French, German, and Classical Greek languages and literatures; and football and baseball (now only as a spectator!).  Roy’s music career began in earnest after he won the prestigious award of shower-room soloist of his high school football team, of which he was the captain. This achievement inspired him to pursue singing under more formal circumstances. To this end he joined men’s and mixed choral groups in college and later sang for some 20 years with men’s choruses in DC. Today he can be heard in the bass section of the Rochester Oratorio Society and its Resonanz chamber group.

Ben Willmott serves as Director of Operations for the School of Performing Arts at RIT, a position he’s held since January 2017 after spending over a decade in the entertainment industry. Following his graduation from Ithaca College, where he earned a degree in music and business, Ben returned to his home state of Massachusetts and was promoted to Lead Contract Administrator at Ted Kurland Associates; a booking agency specializing in world and jazz music, representing artists including Wynton Marsalis, Chick Corea, Bela Fleck, and Pat Metheny. In 2009, Ben joined Wilkins Management, a firm that oversees the careers of musicians Joshua Redman, Branford Marsalis and Harry Connick, Jr. There, Ben planned and negotiated the worldwide performances of Redman and Marsalis, as well as ticketing for Connick’s concerts. Since relocating to Rochester, Ben has become involved in many local organizations including Lollypop Farm, Friends of Eastman Opera, Rochester Oratorio Society, as well as the Fort Hill Performing Arts Center in Canandaigua. Ben joined the ROS bass section in 2018.

Katherine Clark Walter has been an ROS member (Soprano 2) since 2007. She has previously served for two terms on the ROS board, during which she was Board Vice-President for one year and President for three. She also sings with ROS’ small choir, Resonanz. When she is not singing, Katherine teaches medieval and ancient history at SUNY Brockport. A Rochester native, Katherine has lived in various places around the US and abroad but has called Rochester home once again since 2004. She lives in the Neighborhood of the Arts with her husband (and ROS tenor) Patrick Walter and their son (and future ROS singer) Carl.

Stan joined ROS in 2018 and joined Resonanz shortly thereafter. Prior to relocating to Rochester, he sang for 7 years with the Mississippi Chorus whose repertoire is equivalent to ROS’. He received both his B.S. in Accounting (1999) and his B.M. in Pipe Organ (2004) from Belhaven University in Jackson, Mississippi. His organ professor was Dr. Roy Stillwell (one of the first DMAs from the Eastman School of Music in 1969). Since 2012, Stan works as a Senior Auditor in Field Detachment for the Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA) of the Department of Defense (DoD). He also serves as coach/mentor for new hires across the agency. In his Field Audit Office (FAO), he serves as the Price Negotiation Memorandum Monitor, and the Data Analytics Monitor, helping employees analyze contractor data to conduct their audits. Outside of work, he sings baritone for St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church of Rochester. He also serves as Trustee member on the Audit Committee of the Episcopal Diocese of Rochester.

Philip L. Burke is a Partner and Chair of Woods Oviatt Gilman’s Family Wealth and Estate Planning Department. He concentrates his practice in estate planning, charitable giving, estate administration, probate, estate tax law and long term care planning. He works closely with clients and their advisors to develop appropriate estate plans for them and their families, including drafting of Last Wills and Testaments, Revocable and Irrevocable Trusts, Family Limited Partnerships and Limited Liability Companies, Business Succession Documents, Powers of Attorney, Living Wills and Health Care Proxies and other related documents. Mr. Burke is also a firm liaison to Meritas, an international association of law firms, and a former member of its Board of Directors. Mr. Burke received his J.D. degree from Albany Law School and his B.A. degree with Distinction from Boston University. He is a Fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel and also a Fellow of the New York State Bar Foundation. Phil has been a member of ROS since 2011.