Board of Trustees

  • Eugene Bak, Trustee, President. Former CEO of OMG-Mooney Chemicals, Inc., a New York Stock Exchange listed company, Executive Director of the Polish-American Cultural Center JPII.
  • Elliott Schultz, Executive Vice President. Former President of Cleveland Opera League for 12 years, actively involved in community support for Opera Circle throughout many years.
  • Eugene J. Trela, Trustee, Treasurer. Former owner of Fowler Electric Co., director of the Builders' Exchange, President of the Cleveland Chapter of the National Electrical Contractors Association, and Trustee at the Cleveland Society of Poles of America.
  • Julian Boryczewski, Trustee, Secretary. Former art teacher, involved in other non-profit organizations.
  • Shirley Dawson, Trustee. Formerly involved in opera boards, especially Lyric Opera Cleveland.
  • Chris Holley-Starling, Trustee. Photographer-artist; her studio is located on Mayfield in Cleveland Heights. Involved in many organizations and groups.
  • Seanmichael Kvacek, Trustee. Arts activist; multimedia & promotion.
  • Dr. Howard Simon, Trustee. Classical music lover.
  • Dorota Sobieska, Ph.D., Trustee. Executive Director of Opera Circle; holds a Ph.D. from Kent State University, Artist Diploma from the F. Chopin School of Music in Warsaw, Poland, and two Master's degrees: from the University of Warsaw and from Kent State.
  • Jacek Sobieski, Trustee. Artistic Director of Opera Circle, former Music Director of the National Theater in Warsaw, Poland, for 19 years. Jacek and Dorota Sobieski founded Opera Circle in 1995.
  • Peter Strom, Trustee. Served as Director of Operatic Adventures, educational program series in Cleveland, for 11 years.
  • Karen Zoltowicz, Trustee. Active member of Opera League in Cleveland for many years.

Advisory Board

  • Piotr Beczala, world-renowned tenor
  • Halim El-Dabh, world-renowned composer
  • Andrzej Knap, international conductor
  • David Krakowski, Director of Music Program at Shrine Church of St. Stanislaus
  • Peter Laki, Ph.D., Former Program Annotator for The Cleveland Orchestra. Presently, professor at Bard College
  • Christina Littlejohn, Executive Director, Pensacola Symphony Orchestra; friend from Stanford EPNL Program
  • John Schambach, media & marketing
  • Christina Thoburn, Opera Circle's consultant for two years through TA Program at Ohio Arts Council
  • Sabatino Verlezza, Artistic Director of Verlezza Dance