As part of our mission to advocate and support opera volunteers and their organizations throughout North America, we’re pleased to announce our newest initiative, our 3-part Volunteer Advocacy Webinar Series. The series is thoughtfully crafted to explore the current landscape of volunteer engagement. Scroll down to register, and for more information on our webinar topics and panelists!

Participants who attend all three events live will receive an OVI Certificate of Completion in Volunteer Advocacy—a distinguished acknowledgment from Opera Volunteers International, celebrating your commitment to strengthening and growing the opera volunteer community.

Mark Your Calendars!

March 31, 12 PM ET –  Harnessing Volunteer Power: Building Resilient Organizations – online webinar –  REGISTER FOR FREE 

May 22 – Volunteers Reach a Wider Audience – In person at Opera Conference 2025 in Memphis: OVI Members save $350 on Tickets Here!.

July 14, 12 PM ET – The Volunteer Multiplier: Elevate Your Impact by Leveraging Skills with Purpose – online webinar – REGISTER FOR FREE

Session 1: Harnessing Volunteer Power: Building Resilient Organizations
Monday, March 31, 2025, 12 PM ET; Online Webinar
In this first part, a panel of three industry experts will join us to spotlight inspiring success stories and share actionable strategies for building community on and offline to build a tight-knit volunteer base—all aimed at helping arts organization grow its impact and bottom line.  
  
Meet Our March 31 Panelists
   
Pedro Carreras, Jr.: tenor, Executive Director of Peach State Opera Peach State Opera Website 

An accomplished executive and arts administrator, Pedro Carreras, Jr. serves as Executive Director of Peach State Opera, bringing strategic leadership, financial oversight, and a passion for arts advocacy to the organization. With expertise in business analysis, account management, fundraising, and online advertising, he drives operational success while expanding outreach and engagement within the opera community.

Pedro’s background blends administrative excellence with deep artistic experience. A tenor and educator,
he was also an Adjunct Professor of Voice at Reinhardt University, shaping the next generation of vocalists. His career spans performances at Carnegie Hall, the Atlanta Philharmonic, and the Utah Philharmonic,
as well as roles in major operatic productions across the Southeast.

Holding a Master of Music from Florida State University and a Bachelor of Music from Georgia Southern University, Pedro leverages his artistic and executive expertise to support Peach State Opera’s mission of making opera accessible and engaging for diverse audiences. 

     
Danielle Di Stefano: soprano, Award-Winning Artistic Director of the Erwin H. Johnson Memorial Fund, Inc.
for Opera Erwin H. Johnson Memorial Fund, Inc. for Opera Website
Ms. Danielle Di Stefano, soprano and multi-hyphenate artist, attended SUNY Fredonia for Vocal Performance, and holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Buffalo State University for Entrepreneurship for the Arts, as well as a Higher Education Teaching Certification from Harvard University. At 16, she made her operatic debut and has sung internationally in Italy, Canada,
and the US.
 
Danielle specializes in creating innovative ways to engage the community with opera and opera education, on local, national, and international levels. She is the Artistic Director of the Erwin H. Johnson Memorial Fund, Inc. for Opera, and has created award-winning opera outreach and education initiatives for children and adults.
  
Her most successful outreach initiative so far–a historical thriller web novel (written for gamers) with an operatic soprano protagonist–was rated in the top 10 out of 60,000+ web novels by
Screen Rant, one of the largest and most respected entertainment websites in the world.
    
Tyler McKenzie: tenor, Manager of Volunteer Engagement at Opera Theatre of Saint Louis
Opera Theatre of Saint Louis Website  
An experienced arts administrator and community builder, Tyler McKenzie is the Manager of Volunteer Engagement at Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, where he oversees volunteer coordination, engagement strategies, and community outreach. With a strong background in event planning, leadership, and arts administration, Tyler plays a key role in fostering connections between the opera and its dedicated supporters.
  
His expertise extends to board leadership, having served as a Board Member for the Clarksville Community Concert Association, where he managed front-of-house operations and social media strategy. Passionate about both the performance and administrative sides of the arts, Tyler also contributed as a Graduate Teaching Assistant at Austin Peay State University, supporting the next generation of musicians.
   
Holding both a Master and Bachelor of Music in Performance from Austin Peay State University, Tyler combines his performance background with strategic arts administration, ensuring meaningful engagement and support for the opera community.
   
Session 2: Volunteers Reach a Wider Audience

Thursday, May 22, 2025; In person – OVI-Opera America Opera Conference, Memphis, TN

Speakers:

Jason Hardy, General Director and CEO at Knoxville Opera  Knoxville Opera’s Website

Paul Powers, Director of Development, Chattanooga Symphony and Opera   Chattanooga Symphony and Opera’s Website

Volunteers in the arts significantly contribute to the success of arts organizations by providing essential support in operations, marketing, fundraising, audience engagement, and artistic production. Jason shares practical strategies on training and resources to empower volunteers as effective opera company ambassadors.

OVI Members save $350 on Tickets Here!

   

Session 3: The Volunteer Multiplier: Elevate Your Impact by Leveraging Skills with Purpose

Monday, July 14, 2025, 12PM ET; Online Webinar

Speaker: Rhonda Sweeney, Non-Profit Leader and Volunteer

Rhonda takes us on a journey through what it takes to elevate opera volunteers from worker to unshakable advocate. Gleaning from her experience, she gives us actionable strategies, upskilling tips, and more in the last of Opera Volunteers International’s three-part Volunteer Advocacy Webinar series.

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR FREE