Our People
Our People make us stronger - and we meet and welcome each and every person right where they are.
Board of Directors
pam burns
President and Creative Director
Pam Burns (she/her/hers) has been presenting music on a volunteer basis for over twenty years. She was a Founding member of two nonprofits, Freedom Road Productions and The Susquehanna Music and Arts Festival. She spent the majority of her career in the Healthcare industry (Medical Billing and Coding) teaching students and employees in trade schools, hospitals, private practices and a Welfare to Work grant-based nonprofit company. The True North Project is her response to the belief that education and exposure to the arts is vital to personal growth and happiness. It is a dream coming true as she follows her path in finding her own True North.
Elizabeth l.k. berman
Treasurer and Managing Director
Elizabeth L.K. Berman (she/her/hers), Director of Foundation and Corporate Relations at the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, is passionate about making the world a better and more just place. In her 15-year career in arts administration, she helped small, mid-sized, and large nonprofit organizations craft their stories, manage their resources (human, financial, and capital), and build long-lasting relationships. She enjoys strategizing and dreaming as much as she enjoys rolling up her sleeves and getting the work done - both are crucial to any mission. She is inspired by the arts, nature, and her two children, and is grateful for her life path to date - she is eager to see what the future holds!
Stephanie Corby (She/Her) is a tech media executive and an award-winning singer-songwriter. She is currently VP of Market Insights & Publisher at TechTarget, Inc. and has worked in tech media for almost 20 years. Prior to her career in tech media, Stephanie toured professionally for 10 years as a singer-songwriter throughout the US and Canada. As an artist she has released 3 solo albums and has had several of her songs featured on network television. She believes that music is the great unifier and that every child should have access to arts education. She is passionate about singing, writing songs, playing tennis, traveling, reading, spending time with loved ones and giving back.
Stephanie corby
Singer/Songwriter, Director
Patrick Haskins
Secretary, Director
Patrick Haskins earned a BA degree from St. Mary's College of Maryland and a JD degree from the University of Maryland School of Law. He engaged in the general practice of law for 15 years before becoming involved in financial advising for 23 years prior to retiring in 2019. He assisted individuals with addressing their needs and concerns in dealing with everyday issues and planning for their future life goals. He hopes to continue assisting people with achieving their aspirations and providing insight and guidance through life's challenges.
Gabriel Kabik (he/him/his) is the head of Instructional Design at Amazon Web Services' Machine Learning University, and has over a decade of experience in designing and developing precise and effective technical curriculum for everyone from community college students to warehouse workers to CTOs. He has a passion for democratizing access to technology by making complex concepts and tools easy to understand and available for anyone to access. In his personal life he loves playing board games with his family and friends and coaching his daughter's U6 soccer team, the wild and crazy "Green Dragons."
Gabriel kabik
Web/Data Expert, Director
Susan Moss was a mover and shaker in the South Florida folk and acoustic music scene from 1998 to 2019. She attended national music conferences and festivals, judged songwriting competitions, ran a booking agency, was interviewed on public radio multiple times, and presented house concerts in her living room; for fourteen years, Susan served as coordinator of The Labyrinth Café, a monthly concert series in Ft. Lauderdale FL. Segueing to the perfect storm of retirement + post-pandemic, Susan's priorities are now community gardening, ethical eating, herbalism/kitchen witchery, and Radical Self-Care: music (always), reading, walking, blogging, being Lala to four-year-old grandson Colin and, following Benjamin Franklin's advice, doing well by Doing Good.
Susan Moss
Booking Lead, Director
Ben Yust started his public accounting career in 2006 with Anderson, Davis & Associates, CPA. Ben received his Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Mount St. Mary’s University and is a Certified Public Accountant in Maryland. He also plans and performs audits, reviews and compilations of for-profit and non-profit organization financial statements, as well as providing tax and consulting services to businesses and individuals. Ben is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) and the Maryland Association of Certified Public Accountants (MACPA).
Benjamin m. yust, CPA
Director
Advisory Council
Gerrad Alex Taylor (he/him/his) is an award-winning director, actor, and educator. He leads the Black Classical Acting Ensemble at Chesapeake Shakespeare Company, an affinity space for black artists in and around Baltimore, MD to engage with their community and train in Shakespeare and the classics. He also serves as a faculty member in the theatre departments of University of Maryland, Baltimore County and The Johns Hopkins University. He has worked with theatres and educational institutions across the country including the Great River Shakespeare Festival, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis, Everyman Theatre, Mosaic Theatre Company, and many more. In 2021 he was named one of Baltimore's "40 Under 40" by the Washington Business Journal. He is a member of the Actors’ Equity Association and the Society of American Fight Directors.
Gerrad Alex Taylor
Education Lead, Actor and Theater Educator
Art Lead, Renowned Mural Artist
Ezra Berger
Amanda Bendis, SHRM-CP
Carmen Gilotte, graphic designer
Robby Greenberg, presenter
Jay Kohn, stage manager
Melissa Nein, LCPC
Sherry Panzer, house concert presenter
Patty Prasada-Rao, nonprofit management consultant
Tom Prasada-Rao, singer-songwriter and educator
David Roth, singer-songwriter and educator
Linnea Tober, art educator, artist, yoga instructor, and energy worker
Sloan Wainwright, singer-songwriter and educator