Wolf Trap Leadership

Arvind Manocha, President and CEO of Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts since 2013, is driven by a lifelong passion for music in all its forms. He has expanded Wolf Trap’s vision as a premier cultural destination and a national leader in arts education and opera training.

Arvind oversees Wolf Trap’s year-round performance schedule, which is among the most artistically diverse in the industry and ranges from major pop acts and children’s productions to opera, classical, and dance. He also directs the Foundation’s acclaimed education initiatives, including its nationally recognized early childhood arts programs, which reach more than 100,000 children and educators annually in the US and Singapore, and Wolf Trap Opera, one of the nation’s leading training programs for emerging artists. His leadership emphasizes both excellence and accessibility, ensuring that Wolf Trap offers world-class, affordable arts experiences for all.

Since his arrival, Arvind has honored Wolf Trap’s storied history while bringing bold new perspectives to its stages. Building upon a legacy of diverse programming, he has expanded Wolf Trap’s reach, embracing new genres ranging from Latin to Hip Hop and beyond. Under his leadership, Wolf Trap has welcomed a greater number of international artists, introduced more debut artists than ever before, and continued to showcase some of the most iconic artists of our time. Arvind also reintroduced multi-stage festivals to Wolf Trap for the first time in decades, launching the Out and About festival in 2023 and 2024 and the Todo Sonido festival in 2025.

A hallmark of Arvind’s tenure at Wolf Trap has been significant growth in classical and fine arts programming. This includes an annual residency of the National Symphony Orchestra, regular presentations of dance and jazz, and remarkable growth both in the scope and audiences of Wolf Trap Opera and Wolf Trap’s acclaimed chamber music series.

Beyond its artistic expansion, the Foundation has also achieved organizational growth under Arvind’s leadership. Since his appointment, the Foundation’s budget has nearly doubled in size while remaining in balance throughout his tenure. Revenue from the Filene Center’s summer concert series has increased by 90% with 2024 marking a record-breaking $26 million season. Membership and philanthropic support have surged, driven in part by a landmark 50th anniversary capital campaign that exceeded its $50 million goal to raise $75 million. The campaign funded transformative improvements across the park including enhanced accessibility and improved seating, expanded dining, renovated backstage spaces to better serve artists, and upgraded theatrical systems at the Filene Center, earning “Capital Campaign of the Year” honors from the Washington Business Journal in 2023.

Wolf Trap’s education programs have grown in both local and national scope, becoming the official provider of early childhood arts education for the state of Virginia, while growing its national affiliate network to 29 sites.

Before joining Wolf Trap, Arvind served as Chief Operating Officer of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association, overseeing both Walt Disney Concert Hall and the legendary Hollywood Bowl. During his tenure, the Bowl was named “Best Major Outdoor Venue in America” by Pollstar for eight consecutive years, with record attendance, expanded diversity in programming, and significant capital improvements.

Growing up in Ohio, Arvind’s musical tastes were shaped by everything from Indian ragas to Beethoven to Queen. He graduated with honors from Cornell University and earned his master’s degree as a Marshall Scholar at the University of Cambridge. He began his career at McKinsey & Company as a strategy consultant in Los Angeles and London.

Arvind’s leadership has been widely recognized. He is a recipient of the Washington Business Journal’s Minority Business Leader Award (2016) and Leadership Fairfax’s Trustee Leadership Award (2021), and he has been named among Northern Virginia Magazine’s “Most Influential People” (2024, 2025). In 2024, he was included on the Washington Business Journal’s Power 100 list. He serves on the board of the Public Lands Alliance.

Arvind lives in Great Falls, Virginia with his husband, Gideon Malone.

Beth Brummel directs the full scope of Wolf Trap’s communications and marketing, hospitality, patron services, education, human resources, and government relations teams and programs, and supports the CEO and Board in advancing the Foundation’s strategic goals. Prior to joining the Foundation in 2005 as vice president, external affairs, Beth served as director of external programs at St. Albans Episcopal School for Boys. As project director of the Survivors’ Fund for The Community Foundation of Greater Washington, she managed a $20 million fund in support of individuals affected by the September 11 attack. Beth’s early career included holding senior fundraising positions at Children’s National Hospital, culminating in her direction of the Medical Center’s $250 million Giant Steps campaign. A graduate of Yale University, Beth is a frequent speaker on philanthropy, fundraising, and nonprofit leadership.

Sara Beesley joined Wolf Trap in 2014 and is responsible for programming and performance operations at the Filene Center at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts and The Barns at Wolf Trap. During her tenure, she has transformed the Foundation’s artistic programming to benefit the Northern Virginia and DMV communities. While increasing Wolf Trap’s artistic profile onstage, her programming led to doubling annual ticketed revenue, increasing sold-out shows by nearly 25%, and welcoming 54% new audience members. Prior to joining Wolf Trap in 2014, Sara was the Associate Director of Joe’s Pub at the Public Theater in NYC, where she programmed more than 800 performances a year at the 187-seat nonprofit. Sara was selected as one of Washington Business Journal’s “40 Under 40” in 2024, and she holds a bachelor’s degree in music management from Manhattanville College.

Bernie Berry joined Wolf Trap as the Director of Ticket Services in February 2001 and is responsible for all aspects of ticket distribution—including managing the box office staff, customer service, web, phone, and in-person operations, and handling of hundreds of thousands of orders—for the Filene Center, The Barns at Wolf Trap, and Children’s Theatre-in-the-Woods. He previously served as the Tickets Services Coordinator for Feld Entertainment (Ringling Brothers) for four years. Bernie has also worked for Ticketmaster, Ticketron, and Ticket Center. In 1994, he served as Box Office Manager for Washington, DC for the World Cup and was responsible for all ticketing-related concerns at RFK Stadium. Bernie also worked the 2000 Summer Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia and the 2002 Winter Olympic Games in Salt Lake City, Utah as Main Ticket Operations Manager and Venue Manager, respectively. Venues Today awarded Bernie the 2011 Box Office Star of the Year Award, and in 2022, Bernie was awarded INTIX's Patricia G. Spira Lifetime Achievement Award.

Damon Effingham joined Wolf Trap in 2023 and is responsible for maintaining and strengthening relationships with public officials, agencies, and partner organizations to advance the Foundation’s position as a leading nonprofit arts and arts education organization. Prior to joining the Foundation, Damon served as the Director of Strategic Partnerships at RepresentUs, where he led the organization’s federal campaigns on democracy reform and served as a liaison to elected officials, business partners, and the reform community. His previous experience includes serving as a senior legislative staffer for members of Congress where he led bipartisan efforts such as the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act. A long-time democracy policy expert, Damon also served as Executive Director of Common Cause Maryland, where he led successful local and state level campaigns to expand access to voting in Maryland through policies like election day registration. In 2022, Damon was cited by Washingtonian magazine as one of Washington DC’s 500 most influential people. Damon holds a bachelor’s degree from NYU in Music Business and a J.D. degree from Emory University School of Law.

John Giambalvo joined Wolf Trap in October 2020 to provide strategic guidance and direction to the Finance Department, overseeing a $40+ million annual budget. John brings a broad range of leadership and organizational skills, having worked for both nonprofit and for-profit organizations. He has worked with executives and boards in all aspects of strategic planning, budgeting, corporate structure, strategic partnerships, and potential investment and funding sources. His comprehensive experience and professional expertise—from both business and legal perspectives—also includes structuring and consummating corporate financial transactions, ranging from straightforward domestic transactions to complex international transactions. He previously served as Chair of the Arlington Public Schools (APS) Advisory Council on School Facilities and Capital Programs (FAC). With a BS in Business Administration (Finance) from the University at Albany, John also holds a Master of Public Policy and J.D. degree from Duke University.

Sara Jaffe has led Wolf Trap Foundation’s philanthropy and special events program since 2012. During this time, support for Wolf Trap’s arts and education programs has doubled, and more than $250 million has been raised. She spearheaded The Campaign for Wolf Trap: Our Next Chapter, the most transformative initiative in the Foundation’s history. The effort exceeded its $50 million goal and ultimately raised $75 million, resulting in major capital improvements across Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts, and a doubled endowment. Sara has dedicated 20+ years to advancing culture in the Washington, DC region, leading nonprofit advancement teams at the Shakespeare Theatre Company, Signature Theatre, and the Community Foundation for Northern Virginia, where she most recently served as Vice President. Sara received a BA with high honors in Theatre and Dance from Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut. Sara currently serves on the Board of Directors of the School for Ethics and Global Leadership in Washington, DC, and she has been a Trustee for PathForward, the Board of Visitors of The Hockaday School (Dallas, TX), and the Board of Directors of The Inkwell. She is a lifetime member of Leadership Arlington. In 2012, WJLA-TV honored Sara with the Tribute to Working Women Award at The National Press Club, and in 2015, Leadership Arlington recognized Sara as one of the 40 Under 40 leaders who demonstrate impact through their exceptional leadership in the DC region. 

As Vice President of Facilities, Fraser Kadera joined Wolf Trap in 2023 and oversees the operational efficiency, maintenance, and strategic development of all facilities within the Wolf Trap Foundation’s campus. He has over two decades of experience in real estate, international portfolio management, development, and construction management. Prior to joining Wolf Trap, he was the managing principal for a capital programming and project management firm where he managed and executed various multi-year projects for several leading performing arts venues in the Washington, DC area, including the early phases of Wolf Trap’s capital campaign. His experience also includes leadership roles in top construction and development companies including L.F. Jennings, SKANSKA USA, ING Clarion Partners, the U.S. Department of State, and CLARK Construction. Fraser holds an MBA with a focus in Real Estate and Urban Development from American University’s Kogod School of Business, and a BA in Government & Politics from George Mason University.

Akua F. Kouyate-Tate oversees Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts’ education programs, including the nationally recognized Wolf Trap Institute for Early Learning Through the Arts, and Internship and Apprenticeship program. She also has oversight of Community Programs, including Children’s Theatre-in-the-Woods and Grants for Performing Arts Teachers. With its affiliates, Wolf Trap’s education programs reach more than 100,000 children, teachers, and families annually. Prior to joining Wolf Trap in 2001, Akua worked for more than 25 years as a professional artist and administrator with arts and disability organizations and government agencies; and an educator at the public school and university levels, including Memory of African Culture, Inc., Young Audiences —DC Chapter, DC Public Schools, United Cerebral Palsy, National Endowment for the Arts, and Library of Congress. She holds an MA in Arts Management and a BA in Performing Arts-Dance from American University. She is a recipient of a Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Award and a 2015 BEYA STEM Global Competitiveness Conference K -12 Promotion of Education Award. Akua has conducted postgraduate research in African Cultural Studies at Howard University and in the countries of Mali, Senegal, and The Gambia.

Jo LaBrecque-French joined Wolf Trap in 2014 and oversees communications, marketing, sales, and creative design. With an illustrious career spanning over three decades in the performing arts, Jo has been instrumental in elevating public awareness, engagement, and outreach initiatives for Wolf Trap, contributing towards record-breaking ticket sales and paid capacities. Prior to coming to Wolf Trap, Jo held executive-level positions at several esteemed organizations including Houston Grand Opera, Los Angeles Opera, Washington National Opera, and The Washington Ballet. She honed her arts administration skills at LA’s Davidson & Choy Publicity and her client portfolio included the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Hollywood Bowl, Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, the Joffrey Ballet, Cal Arts, MCA Classics, Nonesuch Records, and more. Jo’s current board and volunteer service includes Visit Fairfax and the advisory council for Virginia Tech’s MBA Hospitality and Tourism program. Past involvement includes the Wallace Foundation, OPERA America’s Strategic Planning Committee, NEA Opera Honors, American Arts Alliance, The Orange Show for Visionary Arts, and more. Jo’s contributions to the arts have been recognized by a regional Emmy Award and two American Marketing Association awards. She pursued her education at Rice University and the University of Houston.

Lee Anne Myslewski joined Wolf Trap Opera in 2006 and has cultivated new partnerships and programs to uphold the company’s widespread acclaim as the country’s most venerated summer training program for emerging artists. She conceived of the UNTRAPPED series of programming in 2016 which has featured artistic partnerships with the Shakespeare Theatre, Taffety Punk, Halcyon, AMP at Strathmore, Children’s National Medical Center, Wolly Mammoth Theatre, as well as ongoing partnerships with The Phillips Collection, the Library of Congress, and the National Orchestral Institute. As the Director of Artistic Administration for Opera and Classical Programming, she created the Artistic Advisor position for Chamber Music at The Barns, has participated in the casting and programming of operatic productions for over a decade, and has heard over 7,500 live auditions. Now the Vice President of Opera and Classical Programming, Lee Anne oversees all aspects of Wolf Trap Opera, an artist-centric program whose alumni are not only singing in every opera house in the nation, but also in the most prestigious houses in the world—including The Metropolitan Opera, La Scala, Vienna Staatsoper, Komische Oper Berlin, Sydney Opera House and Deutsche Opera Berlin. In addition, she also served as the executive producer and co-host of Center Stage from Wolf Trap, a nationally syndicated radio program that aired on public radio stations across the country. Lee Anne holds degrees in opera performance from Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Maryland, and has been selected for several elite leadership programs, including Opera America’s Leadership Intensive and Leadership Fairfax. She also serves as the Chair of the Board of Directors for Opera America.

Elizabeth Schill Hughes (PHR, SHRM-CP) serves as Senior Director, Human Resources for Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts. In her role, she provides direction and management of everything related to the employee experience, including benefits, compensation, coaching, learning & development, and recruitment for over 500 full-time, seasonal, and variable employees. She has overseen over a 50% increase in full-time staff since she joined the Foundation in November 2012. Elizabeth co-chair’s the Foundation’s Culture and Belonging Committee. She has extensive experience in the Human Resources field, working for both nonprofit and for-profit organizations. Previously, she was a Human Resources Manager and member of the senior management team with LCG, a government contractor, and a Senior Human Resources Generalist at the American Council of Life Insurers, a trade association in Washington, DC. Elizabeth earned a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Salisbury University and holds her certifications as a Professional in Human Resources (PHR) from the Human Resources Certification Institute, and as a SHRM-CP from the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM).