Board of Directors 2025 - 2026

• Brienne Tinder, President

Brienne serves as the Vice President of Strategic Talent Programs at TIAA, responsible for internal mobility, targeted pipeline development programs, re-imagining performance management, and leading the Skills of the Future Program. 

Before joining TIAA in 2015, Brienne held roles in Leadership Development at Bank of America, UBS, and Morgan Stanley, focusing on talent acquisition, coaching and developing leaders, executing organizational changes, skills assessments, and all human capital initiatives. 

Brienne holds a master's degree in social/organizational psychology from Columbia University and received her bachelor's degree in psychology at Rutgers University. She serves on the Boards of the Charlotte Symphony Guild, a member of the Charlotte Symphony Orchestra Board of Directors, and a member of the Women's Impact Fund.

• Angela Helms, President-Elect and Director of Volunteering

Angela was born in Massapequa, New York, and grew up on Long Island, where she was engaged in school music programs, playing clarinet, bassoon, and singing in chorus and school musicals. She received an Industrial Labor Relations degree from Cornell University and an MBA from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan.

Angela has had a thirty-five-year career as a human resource professional in financial services, healthcare, and consulting. She is presently a Managing Director at Wells Fargo. She lives in Waxhaw with her husband Mike and two dogs, and they have a daughter, Sophia, who attends college at NYU. 

• Jenny Tolson, Immediate Past President

Jenny grew up in New Bern, North Carolina, and graduated from three North Carolina schools, including Peace College, Meredith College, and East Carolina University. Her professional career encompasses 33 years of teaching students with disabilities in various settings, including public schools, a community college (CPCC), and vocational rehabilitation settings.  

Jenny joined the Symphony Guild of Charlotte in 2015, and has held numerous leadership positions, including Board Member 2016-2018, Charlotte Symphony Support 2015-2017, Co-Chair Taste of the Tour Silent Auction 2016, Co-Chair Taste of the Tour Party 2018, Social Chair 2017-2018, VP Membership 2019-2020, President-Elect 2021-2022, President 2022-2024, Immediate Past President 2024-2026 and supporting Membership and Fundraising Committees.

Additional volunteer activities include Queen City Woman's Club - President 2015 2017, Daughters of the American Revolution - State Chaplain (current), Monday's Child Book Club, and Independence Hill Baptist Church - Senior Adult Sunday School Teacher.

• Cookie Parnell, Secretary

Cookie is a 40-year member of The Guild and has served as President, 2008-2009, Vice President in several areas, First Chair of Festival of Trees, Nominating Chair for several terms, and Endowment Committee Chair. She is currently serving her 6th year as Secretary.

In her previous career, Cookie worked as the Admission and Financial Officer at Duke Law School and Assistant Director of Admissions and Financial Aid at Davidson College, primarily managing financial aid.

As a volunteer, Cookie has been involved in many roles, including 40 years at Children's Theater, serving as President in the 1990s; and 30+ years with Friends of the Library at Queens University, serving as President in 2001 and Treasurer for several years. She has also participated on the Board and as Chair at The Sharon at SouthPark. At Trinity Presbyterian Church, Cookie has held roles as Treasurer for 10 years, on the Finance Committee, and Chair of the Weekday School Committee. She has also volunteered for 22 years at Charlotte Country Day.

• Richard McKnight, Treasurer

Richard graduated from the University of West Florida, Pensacola, in 1971 with a BS in Systems Engineering. He is also a Certified Data Processor and Certified Information Systems Auditor. Before his consulting career, he worked for the State of Florida.

Richard joined the Novant Health IT department in 2005 and later became Senior Vice President and CIO. Before joining Novant, Richard held leadership roles for IBM and PricewaterhouseCoopers and was a member of executive committees at each firm. Throughout his career, his skills included large-scale program management, staff management, executive client relationship management, process improvement, practice management, and business development.

During his retirement, Richard has served on the Board of Directors for NC MedAssist, Charlotte Community Health Clinic, Shepherd's Center of Charlotte, Children's and Family Services Center (New name - Ascend), and The Symphony Guild of Charlotte.

• Betty Seifert, Nominating Chair

Betty has been a dedicated member of the Symphony Guild of Charlotte for 23 years and has held various Board positions, including Treasurer (two terms), Vice President of Membership (two terms), Vice President of Fundraising, SOVA Board Representative, and Nominating Chair (two terms).

Currently, Betty serves as Nominating Chair and assists the Treasurer until an Assistant Treasurer can join the Board of Directors.

• Susan Ramsey, Marketing, Communications, and Administration Manager

Susan has been in marketing and communications leadership roles for many years, including in-depth experience as Manager and Director of Marketing for professional service firms (legal, accounting, design/building industry), nonprofit organizations, and home builders. She ran her own marketing consulting practice for fifteen years, focusing on strategic planning, business development, communications, event planning, and project management.

Susan is from Birmingham, Alabama, and graduated with a BA in Communications from The University of Alabama and received an MBA from Averett University. She and her husband, Blake, have lived in Charlotte since 1997, after fifteen years in Washington, DC, and have three sons. Susan has worked for The Guild since 2019, supporting its leadership and membership in a wide range of marketing, communications, and administration responsibilities.

• Debbie Abels, Director of Fundraising Strategy

Debbie is retired from the newspaper business, where she worked as publisher of The Herald (Rock Hill, SC), and previously as Vice President, Human Resources, Director of Advertising Strategy, and Director of Distribution for The Charlotte Observer.

Debbie has served in many capacities with area nonprofits, including President of The Symphony Guild of Charlotte, Advisory Board chair for WDAV, Board member of the American Society of Symphony Orchestra Volunteers, President of The Summer Camp Fund, Board chair for United Way of York County, Board member and strategic advisor for the Arts Council of York County, President of the Rotary Club of Rock Hill, Board chair for Community School for the Arts (now Arts+), Board chair of International House, and Board member of the South Carolina Press Association.

Debbie was a cellist with the Western Piedmont Symphony for 10 years. She is married to Wedge, and they have one daughter, Jennifer.

• Hilary Coman, Director of the Silent Auction

Hilary graduated from Davidson College (BA), Georgetown University (MA), and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (MBA). She is also a Certified Economic Developer (CEcD). Hilary speaks fluent Spanish and conversational Portuguese. A music lover and Charlotte native, she is a Board member of the Symphony Guild of Charlotte and Director of the Silent Auction. Hilary is also an active supporter of cultural institutions throughout North Carolina.

Hilary has worked with businesses and organizations for over twenty-five years, helping them achieve financial and operational goals while managing their risk profile. She is currently the Operational Risk Program Leader at Key Bank, overseeing critical processes.

She previously worked at Citizens Bank, Silicon Valley Bank (during First Citizens Bank integration), and Wells Fargo, where she served in leadership roles for strategic initiatives. Before Wells Fargo, she was a principal in her own consulting practice, working with financial services clients. She began her career at McKinsey & Company.

• Elizabeth Leaton, Director of the Heart of the Home Tour

Elizabeth moved to Charlotte from Virginia four years ago. Her deep passion for symphonic music, education, and interior design found a perfect fit in The Guild working as Director of the Heart of the Home Tour. 

Her professional background is in Corporate Human Resources, project management, and event planning.She holds an MS in Human Resources Management from The University of Texas at Arlington and a BA in English from Texas A&M University. Elizabeth has four children (two of whom are singer/songwriters) and four grandchildren.

• Melissa McCrory, Director of Member Events

Melissa was born in Charlotte, North Carolina, but moved to Coral Gables, Florida, as a young child. Her early career included marketing and event planning for large corporations in Miami before fate brought her back to The Queen City in 1990.

She joined The Guild in 1993 and has served in numerous leadership roles, including as Designer House Chair in 2000 and President, 2004-2005. She and her husband, Dennis, are retired and travel frequently. They have three children and four grand dogs. 

• Michael Olynick, Director of Recruitment & Engagement

Michael was born in New York and raised in Connecticut, and graduated from Fairfield University with degrees in Accounting and Music, and is a North Carolina Certified Public Accountant. Michael currently works as a Senior Financial Analyst at First Citizens Bank, where he supports forecasting the Branch Network division.

Michael enjoys playing piano and attending concerts in his spare time. He has been active in other community organizations, such as Charlotte City Tennis and The Salvation Army of Greater Charlotte. As Director of Recruitment and Engagement, Michael's goal is to share The Guild's mission and the joy of music to a broad audience. 

• Tammy Matula, Director-At-Large, Class of 2024-26

Tammy joined the Symphony Guild of Charlotte as a youth orchestra parent. She became the Assistant Treasurer on the Board and then served as Treasurer from 2019 to 2022. She then served as Vice President of Membership.

During her time in The Guild, Tammy volunteered at the CSO office. Her volunteer role there became a part-time job in 2020, and she transitioned to working full-time there in 2022. Tammy is currently the Director of Donor Services for the Charlotte Symphony and continues supporting The Symphony Guild in an active role.

• Jin Wang, Director-At-Large, Class of 2024-26

Jin's background is in IT; she holds a BS and MS in Computer Science. Jin has been involved with The Guild for several years and worked on the 2023 Silent Auction. Her background includes years of experience in black tie galas and silent auctions for fundraising in other organizations.

• Nicola Baker, Director-At-Large, Class of 2025-27

Nicola has served as a member of The Guild for the past year, bringing a deep passion for music and a strong background in event planning. In her role, she contributes creative energy and organizational insight to support The Guild's mission and programming.

Outside of her Board work, Nicola enjoys spending time outdoors, whether traveling, golfing, or kayaking. She is committed to building community through the arts and creating memorable experiences for others.

• Ellen Caldwell, Director-At-Large, Class of 2025-27

Ellen is a native Charlottean and is currently a retired educator. She has been a member of The Guild since 2014.  Ellen enjoys music, theater, sports, and reading, and loves being outdoors. She was involved with Mecklenburg County senior sports for many years.