Susan Mark has served as Executive Director of the Skaneateles Festival since 1999, guiding it through a period of strong artistic, financial, and organizational growth. Susan previously held positions with the Landmark Theater, Syracuse Opera, and the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra. She is an active member of Chamber Music America, the Arts and Culture Leadership Alliance of Central New York, and previously sat on the Board of Directors of the Skaneateles Area Chamber of Commerce.

With Susan’s stewardship, the Skaneateles Festival has been 20+ years in the black, a remarkable streak for any non-profit arts organization. She led two successful capital campaigns for our Legacy Funds and the Robinson Pavilion at Anyela’s. In leading this transition from Brook Farm to our new venue, Susan had managed the accompanying need for more paid staff, volunteers, and increase in concert attendance.

Susan says, “This is, by far, the most remarkable job I’ve had, due in no small part to the “Festival Family” I’ve come to know and love.”

“I believe the four decades-long success of the Skaneateles Festival is rooted in the generosity of founders David and Louise Robinson. By opening their home, Brook Farm, to musicians and audiences for nearly 40 years, they made the Skaneateles Festival a true “community” event. The years I spent working with and learning from David and Louise were enriching on every level. It is my honor and privilege to help move their vision for the Festival forward.”

“My most rewarding memory is the harrowing success of our very first concert at the Robinson Pavilion in 2016. Our original opening concert at the venue the previous week was rained out, so we got to “test the waters” with a high-pressure SOLD-OUT concert with Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. An army of volunteers, many working from sunup to sundown, along with a picture-perfect evening, and incredible music made it a night many of us will never forget.”

Since her concerto debut with the Boston Symphony Orchestra at age 17, Julia Bruskin has established herself as one of the premiere cellists of her generation. She performed Samuel Barber’s Cello Concerto with conductor Jahja Ling at Avery Fisher Hall, and has soloed with the Nashville, Utah, Virginia, and Pacific symphony orchestras, among others. She won first prize in the Schadt String Competition and was a prizewinner in the International Johannes Brahms Competition in Austria. As a founding member of the critically acclaimed Claremont Trio, Bruskin won first prize in the 2001 Young Concert Artists International Auditions and was awarded the first ever Kalichestein-Laredo-Robinson International Trio Award. Bruskin also gives frequent solo recitals with her husband, Aaron Wunsch, including tours in China, and is a member of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra in New York City.

Ellen began working with the Skaneateles Festival in May 2021 as the Manager of Marketing and Digital Communications. She is a graduate of Le Moyne College and received her degree in Communications with concentrations in Film and Advertising. Despite beginning her position in the midst of a pandemic, Ellen quickly learned how supportive and enthusiastic the Skaneateles Festival community is.

“Being a part of bringing back live music after a year of silence has been such a blessing. What I’ve seen so far is how easy it is for people to get hooked by the community of the Festival. One-time audience members quickly become family and long-time supporters that plan their summer around us. It has warmed my heart just how much people appreciate and love the Skaneateles Festival.”

Ellen is thrilled to be able to combine her skills in Communications with her love for music. She has played the piano for nine years, been an active member in her community theater, and performed with Le Moyne a Capella group, Fermata Nowhere, throughout her college career. Ellen is so excited for the opportunity to learn and grow in her career and feels honored to be a vital part of such a premier music festival in Central New York.

Reese began her journey with the Skaneateles Festival in 2021 as a summer intern. She quickly fell in love with the festival and returned for the 2022 season as an Assistant Project Manager. Reese has now joined the festival full time in 2023 as the Project and Outreach Manager. She graduated from Syracuse University Whitman School of Management where she double majored in Management and Marketing Management.

In her role as Project and Outreach Manager, Reese will expand and coordinate the Festival’s outreach agenda. “My goal is to make the magic of the Skaneateles Festival accessible to everyone in Central New York and beyond.”

“When I first joined the festival I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect. Seeing months of hard work cumulate into a successful concert and seeing the smiles and reactions from our audience is priceless. I am blown away every season by the love and support the Skaneateles community shows for the festival. Working at the Skaneateles Festival has become more than a job, I truly feel as though I am a part of the festival “family”.”

Dr. Barbara Connor is a retired emergency room physician; a part-time physician in charge of vaccination clinics for Cayuga County; does clinical research at Velocity Clinical Research, which is affiliated with Upstate; and is a long-time supporter of the Festival.

Barb has been with us since the beginning “Library days” and has spent over four decades serving on the board, volunteering on committees, fundraising, and attending concerts.

“Dr. David Robinson was one of our professors in medical school, and he used to hang up mimeographed sheets on the bulletin boards to notify us about concerts. That’s how I first learned about the Festival. Now, I am so proud of our Festival and am truly passionate about all aspects of it!”

Barb is delighted to have so many experienced physicians on the Festival Board to help guide safety protocols related to COVID-19. She looks forward to every summer and especially loves to extend a warm hand of friendship to musicians for homestays, dinners, and post-concert soirées during their visits to Skaneateles.

Sidnie is a life-long musician with a deep love for music. Born and raised in the festival, she has fond memories serving brownies and lemonade during intermission as a child and helping her grandparents, David and Louise Robinson, host dinners for musicians and friends. Sidnie is honored to continue the family legacy and serve the Skaneateles Festival. Sidnie sits on the board and teaches Spanish at the Holy Trinity Preschool. She lives in Skaneateles with her husband and two children.  

Jessica Cogan Millman is the Executive Director of the Elsa & Peter Soderberg Charitable Foundation. The mission of the Soderberg Foundation is to enhance access to quality health services and economic empowerment opportunities by boosting the quality of life for all people with a specific emphasis on improving the lives of women.

Jessica is an expert and leader in urban planning and environmentally sustainable development and known as a passionate and energetic organizer for the public good. Presently, Jessica is a member of the Environmental Advisory Committee of the Village of Skaneateles and is on the Board of Directors for the Skaneateles Festival. Jessica served as a member of the Strategic Planning Committee and the School Safety Committee of the Skaneateles School Board, the Skaneateles Lake Association, and the Skaneateles Music Guild. In addition, she was a member of various local government committees including the Planning Board of the Town of Skaneateles.

Jessica has extensive experience working at all levels of government and in the non-profit arena. Through the Natural Resources Defense Council’s Green Neighborhoods Program, Jessica worked with communities around the country to design, plan, and catalyze the building of model, neighborhood-scale development projects that combine equity, environmental justice, green stormwater infrastructure, efficient transportation options, green building, public health practices, smart growth, and new urbanism. 

Jessica served as the Planning Director for the Coalition for Smarter Growth, an organization dedicated to the adoption of sound planning policies around the Washington region. Jessica has held many other positions including: Deputy Director of the Smart Growth Leadership Institute at Smart Growth America (where she ran a technical assistance grant program); Chief of Staff for the Governor’s Office of Smart Growth in Maryland (where she helped directed the State budget towards the Governor’s top environmental priorities); and a variety of grant-making positions at the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

Carrie joined the Festival Board in 2021. Since moving to Skaneateles in 1998, my family has
enjoyed the magic of the Skaneateles Festival, which helps make our community so special.
Over the years, we loved picnic dinners at Brook Farm while exposing our young daughter to
exceptional music.

The Christmas Suite gala is always enchanting and the new Anyela’s outdoor
venue is extraordinary. That music of this caliber is so easily accessible in our community is a
remarkable treasure. As a Board Member, I look forward to helping to sustain this wonderful
resource and its traditions.

Bridget is a Casting Director for Matchbook Company, a company that specializes in casting talent for digital, and print advertising. Their clients include beauty, apparel and editorial brands.

Prior to joining Matchbook, Bridget worked at Conde Nast Publications in New York City for over a decade as the Bookings Director of Lucky Magazine. She booked all of the models for both inside editorials and covers as well as influencers and designers that were featured in the magazine. She started her career working at Wilhelmina Models, also in New York City.

In the Summer of 2019, Bridget, her husband, Dan, and their three young children, Eleanor, Timothy, and Alexander relocated to Skaneateles from Jersey City, NJ. Bridget is a native of Geneva, NY. In addition to spending time with her family/friends she coaches her
daughter in soccer and is an avid runner who enjoys running races.