Board of Directors

NEWBURYPORT CHORAL SOCIETY BOARD OF DIRECTORS

The day-to-day management of NCS is overseen by an active 16-member volunteer Board of Directors made up of current NCS singers. These individuals bring a wealth of experience to the table including business and financial management, administrative expertise, grant development, technology, community relations, fundraising, media, and professional music performance. NCS is fortunate to benefit from an extrordinary amount of Board management expertise.

President:  Victoria Leal-Bushey

Victoria Leal-Bushey graduated from the University of Massachusetts with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English. Moving for her husband’s career, Victoria always managed to find a chorus to join in her new community. She is the past president of the “other” NCS, Neponset Choral Society in Foxboro, MA. She moved to Newburyport and joined “this” NCS in 2015. In addition to singing, she finds time to volunteer with Yankee Homecoming festivities in Newburyport. Victoria will shortly be retiring from VOYA Financial where her most recent position was as an Operations Specialist supporting the Tax-Exempt markets for Retirement Plan Services. Her responsibilities have included compliance oversight of agents working with plan participants, and reviewing new business submissions for new tax-exempt plans. Victoria is married with two grown children and grandmother to three grandchildren. 

Vice President: Rob Authier, Newburyport, MA

Singing with the NCS First Tenor section since 2017, Rob’s music background extends from youth choir, to five years as rock and roll lead singer, to writing/recording more than 30 acoustic ballads (frequently playing at the Grog), to decades singing classical, jazz, barbershop and gospel music.  He plays guitar, harmonica, jaw’s harp, some flute and drums.  For more than 40 years, he was CEO of REALTOR state associations in Virginia, Massachusetts and New Hampshire and received his national association’s highest staff award of excellence.  Recently, he has served in consulting roles as strategic planning facilitator, leadership speaker and most recently Airbnb’s national Industry Relations Advisor.  He holds a BS degree in Public Affairs from Boston University, served as Boy Scout Council Vice President, Virginia Council of Economic Education Chairman, youth soccer and basketball coach and is an Eagle Scout.  He and his wife Deborah live in Newburyport.

Treasurer: John Moreland, Newburyport, MA

John Moreland brings management and investment experience in the financial services industry, specializing in institutional retirement plans and pensions, investment strategies, regulatory compliance, and public policy. John has sung in choirs since childhood and also plays guitar, bass, and mandolin. An experienced church musician, John has performed with a number of contemporary liturgical music composers, including Tom Booth, Marty Haugen, and Michael Joncas. His favorite musical experiences include playing bass with the Archdiocese of Boston Black Catholic Choir and performing at Fenway Park. In addition to his work on the NCS Board of Directors, he is also the Treasurer for the Newburyport Chamber Music Festival. John holds a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Arizona and has been a member of the NCS tenor section since 2016.

Secretary/Historian: Sandra Starr, Georgetown, MA 

Sandra Starr brings management, technical and writing experience to the role of NCS Secretary. As a retired Director of a Municipal public health department, she directed all administrative, regulatory and inspectional activities of the department, created and wrote regulations, reports, educational brochures and news articles promoting and explaining public health duties. In a previous incarnation as a technical writer she has written software user manuals and quality system manuals. She has a BS in education and has been an NCS member since 1982.

Outreach Director: Maryellen Moreland, Newburyport, MA 

Holds a Bachelor’s degree in English and a Master’s degree in education from Boston College, where she was a member of the University Chorale. She has been a special education teacher for more than twenty years, and serves as Special Education Team Chairperson at Pine Grove School in Rowley, MA. A chorister for more than thirty years, she is also a trained Cantor and music minister, serving for many years at the Paulist Center in Boston. She has assumed leadership roles throughout her professional and performing careers. A soprano, she has been a member of NCS since 2016, and a member of the Board of Directors since 2017.

Media/Publicity Director: Brian Greenberg, Newburyport, MA 

Brian Greenberg has a M.Ed. in Adult and Continuing Education from Boston University and a B.A. degree in Literature. For 26 years, Brian was an educational program manager with AARP in Washington, DC and worked in areas of development, training, promotion, media relations and administration of national educational and community service programs. He currently enjoys doing remote work as a classroom captioner for college students who are deaf or hearing-impaired. Brian has been singing bass with NCS since 2014, has been a board member since 2015 and has been the Media Director since 2017.

Advertisement Director: Al Cox, Newburyport, MA 

Al Cox brings extensive business, leadership, management, and community experience to the Board. Now retired, he previously worked as a technical sales/service representative for both small and privately owned companies and large international corporations, interacting with all levels of management. He has served in a leadership position with the Boy Scouts of America, been a member of the School Advisory Board of the Immaculate Conception School, and volunteered with the International Medical Equipment Collaborative (IMEC) formally based in Andover, MA. Al is a member of the Greater Newburyport / Bura Alliance, a Sister Cities organization which supports orphans, schools, and medical clinics in the village of Bura, Kenya. He is a volunteer of the Firehouse Center for the Arts, has been a member of NCS since 2010, and previously served on the NCS Board as Fundraising Director. 

Sponsorship Director: Linda Marshall, Merrimac, MA 

Linda Marshall is retired from Pfizer where she was a validation specialist, tracking and trending data, tested software and wrote documents for the FDA. Prior to her phamaceutical career, she worked 17 years in the NH Court System with positions in the Administrative Office of the Courts, Court Clerk and Jury Trial Project Court Clerk. She currently plays steel drums and is learning piano. Linda brings her experience to the BOD of working on a capital campaign and fundraisers. She has volunteered with Anna Jaques Hospital, Leeward Light, Jeanne Geiger Crisis Center and Camp Sunshine. Linda joined NCS in 2018, is a second soprano and has sung with other choruses and church choirs. Se is a watercolorist, seamstress and enjoys gardening, knitting and reading.

Development Director: Currently vacant, Advertising Director is helping and is seeking volunteers.

Fundraising Director: Elizabeth Beach Newburyport, MA 

Betsy Beach holds a BA from Cornell University and an MBA from Boston University.   She worked as a channel marketing manager for a number of high tech companies in the Boston area before retiring in 2016.  She has sung without interruption with a choral society since college.  While living in Chelmsford MA, she sang with the Westford Chorus for 28 years where she held numerous leadership roles including publicity, grant-writing, ad sales, ticket manager, fundraising, and most recently President of the Board.  She and her husband moved to Newburyport in June 2019, and she joined NCS in fall 2019.  Her passions include hiking in the White Mountains where she has a summer cottage, tennis, pickleball, and cycling.

Membership Director: Penny Lazarus, Newburyport, MA 

Penny has multiple degrees related to education and the arts including a B.S. in Psychology, a B.A. in Music, a master’s degree with Ph.D. coursework in the Philosophy of Art, and national certification in middle school history and as a teacher of music. She currently runs a studio with 45 piano students of all ages and is a lecturer at nationwide conferences and a published author in professional music journals. She has an online publishing company, Lazarus Publications, that is dedicated to arranging music by women and BIPOC composers so that students can study pieces not normally represented in traditional beginning piano books.  Penny has been with NCS since 2000 as the Alto 1 section leader, member of the music committee, an occasional soloist and former director of development on the board.  She also sings around the world with Berkshire Choral International. All her family is devoted to the arts: husband Josh is a playwright, her oldest son is a theatrical light and sound designer, her other son works in music production and even their dog Tess sits under the piano during music lessons. But most importantly, Penny, like NCS, is committed to social justice in the arts and an equitable choral experience for all.

Concert Manager: Philip Smith, Newburyport, MA 

Phil Smith brings extensive analytical, technical computing, and project management expertise and experience to the Board. Holds undergraduate and advanced degrees in physics, engineering, and business finance, and held a wide variety of positions during his career in the electric utility industry. He has designed power plant systems, coordinated the work of individuals across disciplines of large and small matrix organizations, assisted in managing the operations of business units, and developed listening and negotiation skills during two decades of work focused on regulatory affairs. Phil’s love of singing began as a boy soprano in a church choir, was further developed in school choruses, and has continued as a male tenor. He is pleased to lend his time and energy to helping maintain the NCS, which he joined in 2009, as a high caliber community chorus. 

It Director: Carol Yunker, Groveland, MA 

Carol Yunker is retired from ACT where she managed and maintained all the data systems for videoconferencing (both hardware and software.), and brings extensive technology and database experience to the BOD. She currently coaches swimming and diving and manages all the data for local high school teams and is involved in the New England Masters Swim Club. She has served on the BOD previously in several roles including, Membership, Vice President, and President. She has been singing with the Choral Society since 1987  

Logistics Director: Ralph Johnson, Newbury, MA 

Ralph Johnson has a B.A. in Economics from Columbia University, worked in the banking industry for many years, and brings extensive business and financial planning experience to the Board. Is President and Treasurer of Pert Lowell Company, Inc., a marine equipment manufacturer founded by his father-in-law which has produced custom wooden boats and authentic nautical furnishings for more than 80 years. He serves on the Board of the Howard Benevolent Society of Newburyport as well as the Investment and Outreach Committees of his church. Ralph is a member of the NCS Finance and Music Committees, and has served on the NCS Board as Treasurer (12 years), President (2 terms), Vice President, and Historian for 13 years. Ralph has been a member of NCS since 1969.

Printing Director: Stephen Craft, Haverhill, MA  

Stephen has been in the software engineer industry for over 30 years, with experience in imaging,
automation, safety and security. He is a licensed seafaring Captain, available for sailing charter along
the coast of New England, and has been known to sing a sea shanty or two. If you are a yogi or yogini,
Stephen also teaches yoga on Wednesday nights on zoom. As a two year member of Newburyport
Choral society, Stephen hopes to contribute toward the cultural and collective success of this new family
he has joined.

Member-At-Large: Dave Hempstead, Haverhill, MA

Dave recently retired from a long career developing medical devices, including patient monitors, defibrillators, ultrasound systems, MRI machines, and robotically controlled catheters.  He has a BSEE from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and brings expertise in project management, software management, and electrical and software engineering.  Dave joined NCS in 2019 as a tenor, and has sung with church choirs.  He has held numerous leadership and executive roles at his church.  In addition to singing, Dave enjoys running, woodworking, amateur radio, and antique cars.

Member-At-Large: Janet Nee, Beverly, MA

Janet is retired from New England Biolabs, Inc. where her responsibilities included Lab Assistant,
Shipping/Receiving Coordinator, Purchasing Director and Entertainment Coordinator. Since retiring she
has enjoyed volunteering at the Beverly Senior Center and Beverly Bootstraps and Food Pantry along
with biking, skiing at Sunday River, paddling, gardening and playing guitar. She sang in two other choirs
in Hamilton and Manchester-by-the-Sea before her daughter Jenna suggested joining NCS together in
2015. Jenna has since moved to Chicago while Janet continues to sing with the second sopranos and is
currently part of the NCS sound crew. She has another daughter Michelle and lives with her husband in
Beverly.

If you need to contact any of our Board Members, please click on their job title.