Board of Directors
Anita Engles
Co-President
Anita has been playing the violin with CWO for more than a decade and as well as an active member of the board. She is proud to be a member of the 1st violin section
Linda Kay
Co-President
Linda has been playing viola with CWO since 1996. She is a dedicated member and advocate of CWO. Linda has been an active board member since CWO created a board. She has a BA in Music from the University of PIttsburgh and has been a Registered Piano Technician since 1975.
Claire Baffico
Co-Vice President, Concertmaster
Claire holds degrees in Violin Performance and Music Therapy, and has been playing violin since the age of four. She has been a member of CWO for 4 years and is honored to be joining the board of directors this season. Outside of CWO, Claire provides music therapy services to individuals with mental health challenges and gigs with her rock band in local dive bars.
Sue Leonardi
Co-Vice President, Marketing Committee
Sue has been playing with CWO for 24 years. She has been active on the board since 2020. Sue also plays in several other groups including SF Pride Band, Contra Costa Wind Symphony, Melba’s Kitchen and The Prometheus Symphony Orchestra. She enjoys walking with dogs, practicing, being outdoors and spending time with her family.
Sara Jayne McDonald
Secretary
Sara Jayne has been playing the cello since she was eight, and works as a young children’s music teacher and entertainer. She has been with CWO since 2022, and is so grateful for the opportunity to continue to play symphonic music here in the bay. Originally from upstate NY, she has lived in the bay area since 2018. Sara Jayne co-hosts The Starry Plough’s open-mic night in Berkeley on Tuesday nights.
Barbara Jones
Treasurer
Barbara has been playing with CWO for many, many years, taking breaks during some years. She was previously on the board and treasurer for the orchestra and is excited to be working with the board for our 40th anniversary this year. When not playing music, Barbara loves to travel and meet new people.
Tim Schoof
Marketing Committee
Tim is a violist who has played with CWO for about three years (second year on the board). When she’s not playing the viola, she works as a research scientist at a cochlear implant company and enjoys all sorts of textile and yarn crafts.
Kim Spalding
Marketing Committee
Kim is a bassist with a focus on classical music in her third year with CWO, second year serving on the board. When she’s not playing the bass, Kim leads a start-up working on AI solutions for the food distribution industry and enjoys time with her two kids.
Gillian Henry
Development and Marketing Committees
Gillian plays violin as well as piano with CWO. She is a nonprofit development expert and currently the development manager for the East Bay Alliance for a Sustainable Economy.
Nancy Tennebaum Manheim
Board Member
Nancy has played cello with CWO for one year and she is looking forward to her first year on the Board. Nancy was previously the owner of a structural engineering firm primarily designing upgrades for historic structures throughout the Bay Area and is now retired, enjoying music, hiking, baking, and spending time with her family.
June Bonacich
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Music
June has been playing piano, percussion and writing compositions for CWO for more than 10 years in addition to serving on the board. She is a professor of composition and musicianship at the San Francisco Conservatory Precollege Academy and has composed more than a dozen pieces - including several world premieres with CWO.
Cathryn Bruno
Board Member
Cathryn Bruno grew up studying Suzuki violin in Oakland and has wonderful teenage memories of Friday Group Lessons in Berkeley and Saturday morning rehearsals with Oakland Youth Orchestra at Oakland Technical High School. After a 20 year hiatus, CWO Cellist Emilie Bergmann invited her to a CWO rehearsal and Cathryn was surprised that she could still read orchestra music, and even in her old Principal Second Violinist role. She teaches high school English at Tamalpais High School in Mill Valley.
Jody Reguero
Music Librarian
Jody has been playing violin with CWO for over 5 years and serves as our music librarian. She finds the violin both rewarding and satisfying. When she’s not playing the violin she enjoys spending time at the beach and with friends and family.
Joan Rosen
Board Member
Joan has been playing violin with CWO for more than two decades and is a committed board member. She found a violin teacher in her second year in Yogyakarta, Java - riding her motorcycle to his house amongst taxis, rickshaws and buses - holding her violin across her lap and very carefully!