​Lisa Mancini, Member at Large

Neal Fincher came to Reno in 1981 and attended Mackey School of Mines at the University of Nevada, earning a degree in Geological Engineering. Mr. Fincher has been a Realtor since 2004. He is a member of the Nevada Museum of Art, the Reno Historic Preservation Society and the Nevada Historical Society.
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Sandy Culp is Chairman of the Amici Committee, the volunteer group of Sierra Music Society.
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Mrs. Culp has deep roots in the community having lived in this area since she was 11 years old.  She graduated from the University of Nevada, Reno, with a Bachelor of Science Degree in English and Physical Education.  She also has a Master’s Degree in Education from the University of Phoenix. Sandy taught at four WCSD high schools and, during her last seven years,  worked as a Consulting Teacher, mentoring new teachers. In addition to her teaching duties while at Reed High School, Mrs. Culp acted as a member of the Drama Team which produced many Broadway musicals for the community.  She retired from the school district in 2013 after teaching students in Washoe County for 29 years.

​Sue Arzillo is Sierra Music Society’s Board Secretary and heads up our Marketing and Membership Committee.  She strongly believes in the work of promoting the arts in our community and enhancing quality of life through live theatre, professional touring and arts education.

Sue has been in the advertising/marketing field for her entire career and has recently revamped our show programs and added paid advertising pages to increase our operating budget.

Sue has been a board member of several non-profit organizations including Soroptimists of Reno, Angel Kiss Foundation, and Make-a-Wish Foundation

Pamela Fay began her artistic career in college, touring as both dancer and choreographer.  She received a BA in Dance from Indiana University.  Torn between the artistic and corporate worlds, she began working in administration and finance at Indiana University before moving to Reno.  

​Ms. Fay was Secretary of the Year for northern Nevada in 1985.  She worked in credit analysis at IGT and was a Senior Credit Analyst when she retired.
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​Ms. Kimmel serves as Assistant to the Artistic Director and is a resident artist of Sierra Music Society’s performing arts ensemble, P’Opera! as well as SierrAcappella.  She has been a resident artist with Nevada Opera since 1980, having performed principal and comprimario roles as well as singing in the Nevada Opera Chorus.  She has been assistant director and director for many Nevada Opera productions.  Ms. Kimmel also previously served as Theatrical Director for Skyfire, a musical/dance/theater company for high school students in the Reno area.  She also co-directed a program for teenage boys and girls “at risk”, at China Springs and Aurora Pines Youth Camps in Northern Nevada for six years.  For eight years, Ms. Kimmel directed the award winning Nevada Opera Education and Outreach program, Nevada Opera Studio, which shared the joy of opera with up to 18,000 children annually, in rural Nevada schools, as well as schools in the Reno-Tahoe, and Las Vegas urban and rural areas.  She was awarded the Silver Star Award, for her contribution to education and her work with the Nevada Opera Studio, by “Truckee Meadows Tomorrow”.  She is a long-time resident of Reno.

Jon Fay is the co-Founder and Director of P’Opera! since 2012; and Artistic Director of Sierra Music Society since November 2014. He has degrees in Speech and Theatre, and in Voice Performance from Indiana University.

During his college days, Fay co-founded a musical theatre group in his dormitory (converting the meal facilities into a theatre complete with stage and lighting) which performed numerous shows for the university community.  While an undergraduate student, he was the Musical and Theatrical Director for a university touring company that completed three tours of a musical revue.  Fay was also a soloist during those tours.  Prior to graduating, Fay co-founded and co-directed a Dinner Theatre Company; and performed leading male roles in numerous musical theatre productions professionally. Fay also worked as a scenic and lighting designer for a PBS affiliate station and had the opportunity to work as an assistant conductor under the esteemed Robert Shaw.

Upon graduation, Mr. Fay embarked on his operatic career as a dramatic tenor.  Singing lead tenor, Mr. Fay sang extensively throughout the United States performing over twenty-five leading verismo tenor roles with major companies in New York, Chicago, Seattle, Arizona, California and Nevada among others.

After making Reno his home base to coach with Mr. Ted Puffer, Mr. Fay  worked as an adjunct Professor of Voice at the University of Nevada, Reno for 32 years.  Jon had the privilege of heading up the UNR Opera Theatre program with the assistance of Kathleen Kimmel for three years after Ted Puffer’s retirement.  Along with directing numerous scenes programs, Mr. Fay also directed Amahl and the Night Visitor, and Susannah for the UNR Opera program.
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Equally at home in the opera pit, Mr. Fay conducted Trial by Jury and Jack and the Beanstalk for Nevada Opera; and was assistant conductor for Sweeney Todd, Don Giovanni, and Carmen.  Mr. Fay directed the Die Fledermaus for the Nevada Opera 2012 Reno Artown Program, and served Nevada Opera as Chorus Master for Sweeney Todd, Don Giovanni, Carmen, Reno Artown, and numerous fundraising events from 2012 until 2014.
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Mr. Fay has also served as choral conductor for over 30 years in church choirs.  A highly sought out soloist, Mr. Fay has performed extensively throughout the Reno community.  He is head of Vocal Development at JamPro Music Factory in Reno.