bergenPAC, located at 30 N Van Brunt Street in Englewood NJ announces the appointment of two new Board of Trustees members. At the January 19, 2016 Board of Trustees meeting, Esther Lee and Ludmila Golad joined the Board.

“Esther and Ludmila are wonderful additions to our Board,” said Edmondo Schwartz, Chairman of the Board of Trustees.   “They are passionate and active and will help take bergenPAC in the positive direction that it is headed. As the board strengthens, our long-term strength increases and it feeds our exciting upward momentum.”

Esther Lee

"I am extremely pleased to join the Bergen Performing Arts Center's Board of Trustees.  I have vast expertise in both the classical music and education fields, and look forward to using all of my experiences to enrich Bergen PAC's existing programs.  With the Board, I am excited to brainstorm and implement new ideas, and continue our organization's mission.  I wholeheartedly join this Board with much diligence and enthusiasm." Esther Lee

For over 15 years, Esther Lee has been an educator in New York City public and independent schools. A former teacher and dean of students, she is now the Director of Admissions for the Village Community School, an independent co-educational school for grades kindergarten thru 8. 

An advocate for the arts in schools, Ms. Lee has worked closely with the Metropolitan Opera Guild and the Manhattan School of Music, bringing opera to students of all ages. In 2000, Ms. Lee co-opened a specialized public middle school in East Harlem for high performing students. Through her efforts, Ms. Lee’s students were the first in Harlem to travel to France at no cost; performed with Opus 118 (the string program featured in the film Music of the Heart); appeared in the city’s local evening news for being the first school in East Harlem to participate in charitable literacy through Charity Checks; and participated in arts workshops designed for students and parents.

A lyric soprano, Ms. Lee formerly began her music training at the age of 4. At age 15, she independently researched and hired her first voice teacher. Three months later, she was the youngest conductor of the Los Angeles Hanmi Children’s Opera Chorus in Los Angeles, and winner of the prestigious Spotlight Awards in classical voice. Ms. Lee earned her Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degrees from the Manhattan School of Music (NY) and is a graduate of the Crossroads School for the Arts and Sciences (CA). She has performed in New York, Los Angeles, Italy, Korea, Singapore, Brazil and Germany. Master classes with various artists include Sherrill Milnes, Betty Allen, Sumi Jo, Erie Mills, Mikael Eliasen and Henry Mancini. Previous teachers include Jae Woo Lee, Natalie Bodanya, Hilda Harris and Joan Patenaude-Yarnell. She currently studies with Scott Rednour and Dr. Thea Kano. 

Ms. Lee also serves as the Board Chair for the New York City Master Chorale. NYCMC will be celebrating its 10th anniversary and return to Lincoln Center in April 2016. 

A native of São Paulo, Brazil, Ms. Lee speaks Portuguese, Korean, Spanish and French fluently.

Ludmila Golad

“Local performing arts venues are important to the vibrancy of a community and bergenPAC has such a good story to tell as it reinvents itself and becomes well established.  My presence on the Board will help the organization get its message out to colleagues and clients of PNC.” Ludmila Golad

Ludmila K. Golad is a Wealth Management Director for New York and New Jersey. Her top priority is that the team not only meets, but also exceeds every client’s expectations.  Through leadership and commitment, she ensures that clients benefit from a full complement of investment, trust, financial planning and private banking services to help them achieve their financial goals.

Prior to joining PNC Wealth Management, Ludmila was the Senior Regional Fiduciary Manager for New York and New Jersey for Wells Fargo Private Bank.

Ludmila has been in the Financial Services Industry for over 25 years. A graduate of NYU and Fordham University School of Law, Ludmila holds the Accredited Estate Planner Designation and is a member of the Bergen County Estate Planning Council. She is also a member of The Valley Hospital Foundation Committee of Financial & Estate Planning Professionals, the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra Planned Giving Task Force, and a Board Member of Friends of the Glen Rock Library.

###