FROST - Key Persons


Aaron Tindall

Job Titles:
  • Member of Committee

Abby Young - Managing Director

Job Titles:
  • Managing Director
  • HMI Managing Director
An active performer and committed arts advocate, Abby Young is a violinist, violin teacher, and arts administrator. A former Henry Mancini Institute Fellow herself, Abby earned her Master's and Doctoral Degrees in Violin Performance at the University of Miami's Frost School of Music. Her doctoral research culminated in her...

Adam E. Carlin

Job Titles:
  • Managing Director and Senior Portfolio Management Director at Morgan Stanley Private Wealth Management
Born in New York, Adam Carlin spent most of his youth in South Florida before receiving his MBA from the University of Miami. Carlin is an active supporter of education, having taught at both the undergraduate and graduate levels at the University of Miami's School of Business where he also serves as a member of the School's Board of Overseers. In 2006, he co-founded and helped underwrite the MBA Ethics Fellow Internship program at the University of Miami, for which he also co-founded and underwrote the Bermont/Carlin Group Undergraduate Scholars program in support of the University's most outstanding students majoring in finance. In addition to his professional responsibilities, Carlin is involved in a wide range of community activities. He currently serves as a member of the Board of Trustees of the University of Miami as well the University of Miami's Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center Board of Overseers (for which he is the Chair of the Board), and the University of Miami's Frost School of Music Dean's Advisory Board. Carlin is also a member of the board of New World Symphony (for which he is a Vice Chairman of the Board), The Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis, The Dolphins Cancer Challenge (DCC) Advisory Board, and The Greater Miami Jewish Federation. Carlin is a member of the George E. Merrick Society at the University of Miami. Furthermore, in recognition of his continued support, Carlin holds La Table Ronde d'un Million de Dollars at United Way Miami. In 2011 Carlin was also named Champion of Community Spirit by Cancer Support Community Greater Miami, as well as being recognized as one of Ronald McDonald House's ‘12 Good Men'. In 2014, Carlin and his wife, Chanin, founded the annual Carlin Family Prom at Nicklaus Children's Hospital, providing children and their parents a safe environment to have fun regardless of their current medical condition. Also in 2014, he was awarded the prestigious Morgan Stanley Community Leadership Award, honoring those employees who have consistently exhibited leadership both within Morgan Stanley as well as within their community. In 2015, the Coral Gables Community Foundation awarded Carlin its Arts & Culture Award for his continued commitment to Arts & Culture within the South Florida community. Most recently in 2017, the University of Miami's School of Business Johnson A. Edosomwan Leadership Institute presented Carlin its Excellence in Leadership Award.

Adam Glick - President

Job Titles:
  • President
  • President of Jack Parker Corporation
Adam Glick is president and of the Jack Parker Corporation-New York, a real estate development firm and the grandson of the late Jack Parker, founder of the Jack Parker Corporation and proprietor of Le Parker Meridien Hotel in New York City and the Parker Palm Springs in California. Mr. Parker was internationally renowned for his real estate development throughout the eastern United States. Mr. Parker's obituary from the New York Times suggests he was extraordinarily wealthy and philanthropic. To continue his legacy of giving, Adam and his mother, Mrs. Nancy Magoon, his grandmother, Norma Parker and aunt, Jane Parker, support a number of charitable organizations through the Norjana Charitable Foundation. Adam is president of the Norjana Charitable Foundation, which is based in Ft. Meyers, Florida and gives primarily to ballet, higher education, environmental conservation, and human services and some funding also to juvenile diabetes organizations. In addition, he is managing director of the hedge fund Tesuji Partners, LLC and co-founder of the Floating University which aims to create courses online like its first course "Great Big Ideas." Great Big Ideas is an introduction to the world's most important ideas in a variety of disciplines, including psychology, economics, biomedical research, linguistics, history, cosmology, politics, globalization, and statistics. The courses are offered at Yale University and CUNY and Harvard. Adam is the author of A Child's Guide fo Money, a composer, and a playwright. He is on the board of advisors of the Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy at New York University. He formerly sat on the boards of the Dalton School, the 92nd St. Y, and the Hebrew Free Loan Society. He is a former trustee of the Citizens Budget Committee, a nonpartisan, nonprofit civic organization whose mission is to achieve constructive change in the finances and services of New York City and New York State government. Married to Denise Scruton, they reside in New York City. Son, Noah, attended the University of Miami College of Arts and Sciences as a freshman history major for one semester. They also have a daughter, Zoe Glick.

Aileen Robertson

Job Titles:
  • Manager, Frost Preparatory Program

Alex Thomen

Job Titles:
  • Senior Audio Visual Technician

Allan Herbert - President

Job Titles:
  • Co - Owner
  • President
  • Group Executive and Insurance Company President at Teledyne
  • Proprietor of the Richmond Hotel
Allan Herbert is president and co-owner, with his wife, Patti, of the Richmond Hotel in Miami Beach, which his family opened in 1941. The Herberts divide their time between Miami Beach and their residence in Beverly Hills, California. Allan Herbert have long been involved in the arts scene in Miami. In 2012, they gave $500,000 to the Frost School of Music to create the Patti and Allan Herbert Endowed MusicReach Student Support Fund. In 2017, they gifted over $1 million to rename and endow the Patti and Allan Herbert Frost School of Music Program at Salzburg. The Herberts have both had successful careers. Allan as a group executive and insurance company president at Teledyne, and Patti at the Grubb & Ellis commercial real estate firm. Recently, they renovated the historic Richmond Hotel in Miami Beach, which they continue to own and operate.

Amy McCullough

Job Titles:
  • Director, Color Guard and Choreographer

Andrea Jimenez

Job Titles:
  • Director, Frost Online

Arthur Black

Job Titles:
  • Private Investor
Arthur Black is a private investor based out of Highland Beach, Florida. Presently, he spends his time investing in private companies and particularly enjoys both non-profit and for-profit participation in music and motion picture projects. Arthur was an Advanced Leadership Fellow at Harvard University for the 2016 year. In the past, he has worked with entrepreneurs and wealthy families at BBR Partners, a wealth management firm he co-founded based in NYC, San Francisco, and Chicago. While at BBR, Arthur oversaw the launching of the firm from startup to over $12B in AUM. In addition to running the firm as Managing Partner, his responsibilities included oversight of new business acquisition and client management. Prior to founding BBR, Arthur was a client advisor within the Investment Management Division of Goldman Sachs. Arthur has also held positions in the Family Business Group of the Chemical Bank and the Legal Department of Constitution Reinsurance. Arthur earned a BA in Economics and Legal Studies from Bowdoin College, which included coursework at the London School of Economics, and an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. Arthur was a 2016 Advanced Leadership Fellow at Harvard University. Arthur presently serves on the Board of Trustees of Bowdoin College and is on the Board of Trustees of Tikva Children's Home in Odessa, Ukraine. He serves on the advisory committee of the Frost School of Music and is on the council of Guitar Mash, an organization focused on bringing together guitar players to make music. Arthur is a member of the Palm Beach chapter of the Young Presidents Organization and has served as an Entrepreneur in Residence at Wharton. He is also a member of the Economic Club of New York. He was awarded the Young Jewish Professionals Wealth Management Investment Award in 2011.

Austin Wing Mayer

Job Titles:
  • Managing Partner of the MDMC Group
During four decades of business strategy & valuation enhancement consulting, Austin Wing Mayer has focused on highly competitive and/or rapidly changing industries. With particular emphasis on undervaluation, turnarounds, new management, strategy changes and perception issues, his campaigns to foster rapid & sustainable market cap enhancement have focused on Street penetration, reputation & credibility, crisis communications, assessment of valuation issues and remediation strategies. His client roster has included Apple, Bell & Howell, Bristol-Myers Squibb, BP, Ceridian, Cheesecake Factory, Cray Computer, Georgia-Pacific, Infinity, Information Resources, Informix, Intel, Pfizer, Quantum, Smuckers, Sun Microsystems and The NASDAQ Stock Market.  He is a founding partner of The MDMC Group, a boutique consultancy serving clients in healthcare, technology, financial and industrial realms (theMDMCgroup.com) During his tenure at Sun Microsystems, Wing was simultaneously Director of Investor Relations, Director of Corporate Development and Director of Global Alliances. His program on behalf of Sun was judged Most Effective Investor Relations Program by the Financial Analyst's Federation, leading The Wall Street Journal to refer to Mayer as "the father of the analyst conference call." In addition, Wing is a 5-time winner of Financial World's business communications award, 3-time winner of the National Association of Investors' communications award, was recognized by the International Association of Business Communicators for the most effective financial communications program worldwide, and was cited by Institutional Investor as "one of the best and brightest business communicators today." In his role as Director of Global Alliances for Sun Microsystems, Wing forged and managed multi-million-dollar investment/strategic/technology partnerships with AT&T, Kodak, Toshiba, Fujitsu, Samsung, LG, Siemens, and Philips. Wing has served on the board of the Marketing Committee of The NASDAQ Stock Market, has served as chairman of a regional NASDAQ Steering Committee, director of several chapters of the National Investor Relations Institute, and has been a frequent panelist and guest speaker on business policies, financial communications, disclosure issues, and strategies to maximize market value. He also served on the faculties of the Executive MBA program at Emory University's Goizueta Business School, San Jose State University's business program, and Executive Enterprises Institute. Wing graduated magna cum laude from New York University (B.A., Journalism) and holds an MBA from Stern School (NYU) with an emphasis on corporate strategy and management. For distinction in business communications, Wing was awarded the National Journalism Honor Society Award and was inducted into the Gold Key International Honour Society.  He is also a 3-time recipient of the Hermes Creative Award for excellence in creativity in communications. Mayer is an avid cyclist, hiker, served as Aspen's first Snowboard Ambassador, he is a paraglider pilot, served on the board and as CFO of Aspen Public Radio, and has been actively involved with the Vail Jazz Foundation since its inception in 1994, having served as Associate Producer and Contributing Editor. For nearly 20 years, Wing has managed the Vail Jazz Workshop which, in 2017, was the recipient of the DownBeat Jazz Education Achievement Award. Mayer also served as Associate Producer of NYC's Washington Square Festival for the Arts and Lincoln Center's Mostly Mozart Festival.

Barbara Ham, Sr.

Job Titles:
  • Business Officer, Finance and Administration

Beat Instrumental Accompanying

Job Titles:
  • Vocal ( Producer )

Brent Swanson

Job Titles:
  • Member of Committee

Brian Lynch

Job Titles:
  • Member of Committee

Brian Russell

Job Titles:
  • Member of Committee

Carlos R. Abril

Job Titles:
  • Associate Dean of Research
  • Professor
  • Undergraduate Program Director

Charles Damon

Job Titles:
  • Assistant Director, Programs

Cheryl Gowing

Job Titles:
  • Head, Marta and Austin Weeks Music Library

Christine Vignolio

Job Titles:
  • Member of the ACADEMIC DEPARTMENT MANAGEMENT Team
  • Office Manager, Music Media and Industry

Corin T. Overland

Job Titles:
  • Associate Dean, Undergraduate Studies
  • Associate Professor in Practice
  • Member of Committee

Craig Morris

Job Titles:
  • Assoc. Professor

Cristina Lopez

Job Titles:
  • Senior Financial Analyst

Dana Salminen

Job Titles:
  • Director, Production Services

Dania E. Gorriz

Job Titles:
  • Managing Executive Director, Development
Dania E. Gorriz joined the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami in June of 2019 as Executive Director for Major Gifts. She is responsible for the implementation of all fundraising strategies, focusing on major and planned gifts, for FROST. Dania has more than 17 years of experience in fundraising and 15 years of management...

David Weaver

Job Titles:
  • Trustee
  • Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Intercap Energy Systems
  • Chairman Emeritus & CEO of Intercap Energy Systems, LLC
David Weaver is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Intercap Energy Systems, LLC., a technology company that provides energy-conserving artificial intelligence software as a service. David's community involvement includes serving as a chairman of the University of California's Institute of the Americas and as a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. He previously served on the Board of the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), served as the Assistant Manager of the City of Miami in charge of developing the Rouse COmpany's Bayside Center and led the community's successful effort with the Federal Government to keep Homestead Air Force Base open after Hurricane Andrew. At the University of Miami, David has been a trustee for 28 years. Now a senior trustee, he has served as vice chairman of the Board of Trustees, chaired the University's Finance Committee for six years and co-chaired the highly successful Campaign for the University of Miami, which was launched in 1984 and helped raise $517.5 million. In addition to the Weavers' recent generous commitment to the Phillip and Patricia School of Music, David has supported the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, the University's Launch Pad, and the President's Initiatives Fund. David is currently Momentum2 Campaign Chair for the Frost School of Music. He hails from a musical family and worked throughout his college years as a church organist...and still plays the organ, as time permits. David, along with daughter Christina, son Andres, and extended families, have hosted several large soirees with Dean Shelly Berg and other musical luminaries on behalf of the Frost School of Music. David received his undergraduate and MBA degrees from Harvard University.

Diana Frances Rush

Job Titles:
  • Manager, Frost Preparatory Program

Dianne Gross

Job Titles:
  • Member of the ACADEMIC DEPARTMENT MANAGEMENT Team
  • Office Manager, Music Education and Musicology, and Henry Mancini Institute

Diego Matallana Rodriguez

Job Titles:
  • Manager, Production and Concert Halls

Dorothy Hindman

Job Titles:
  • Member of Committee

Doug L. McCullough

Job Titles:
  • Assistant Director, Athletic Bands and Director, Marching Percussion

Dr. Richard M. Krasno

Job Titles:
  • Lead Director of Ladenburg Thalmann Financial Services, Inc.
Dr. Richard M. Krasno is currently the Lead Director of Ladenburg Thalmann Financial Services, Incorporated. From 1999 to 2014, he served as Executive Director of the William R. Kenan, Jr. Charitable Trust and as President (1999-2010) and director (1999-2014) of the four affiliated William R. Kenan, Jr. Funds. The five Kenan philanthropies provide grants to institutions throughout the United States in the fields of education, private enterprise, science and technology, arts and ethics. Prior to joining the Kenan Trust in 1999, Dr. Krasno was President of the Monterey Institute of International Studies in Monterey, California. From 1981-1998, he served as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Institute of International Education in New York. He also served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Education in Washington, D.C. and as an officer of the Ford Foundation in Brazil and New York. Dr. Krasno holds a Ph.D. from Stanford University and honorary doctorates in law and humane letters from Sacred Heart University and the College of St. Rose. He has held academic appointments at the University of Chicago, Stanford University, the University of Massachusetts, the University of London, the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro and the University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain, where he was a Senior Fulbright Professor. From 2004-2012, Dr. Krasno served as a director of the UNC Health Care System, the governing body for the University of North Carolina Hospitals and the School of Medicine. He served as Chairman of the Board from 2009-2012. In addition to Ladenburg he currently serves as a corporate director of OPKO Health, BioCardia, and Castle Brands and as a trustee of the Miami Heart Research Institute. Dr. Krasno also serves as a member of the Leadership Council of the Center for Public Leadership of the Kennedy School at Harvard University and on the Board of Visitors of the Colin Powell School for Civic and Global Leadership at the City College of New York. Dr. Krasno served as chair of the regional Rhodes scholarship selection committee in North Carolina and as a trustee of the Eisenhower Fellowship Program. He has served as a director of the Ivax Corporation and the Whitman Education Group. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and is listed in Who's Who in America and Who's Who in the World. In 2009, Dr. Krasno received the William Richardson Davie Award from the Trustees of the University of North Carolina for extraordinary service to the University and society. In 2013, Dr. Krasno received the Distinguished Service Award from the University of North Carolina School of Medicine for the leadership of the UNC Health Care System board and his influential advocacy for access to high-quality health care. He is married to the former Carin Britt Blucher from Tidaholm, Sweden and has two sons and three granddaughters.

Dr. Stephen Zdzinski

Job Titles:
  • Chairman of Committee
  • Graduate Program Director

Elizabeth Arguelles

Job Titles:
  • Administrative Assistant

Emilio Estefan

Job Titles:
  • Producer of Estefan Enterprises
  • Television and Film Producer
Emilio Estefan is a world-renowned music, television and film producer who has been instrumental in shaping, developing and directing the careers of his superstar wife, Gloria, as well as Shakira, Ricky Martin, Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony and Jon Secada among many others. Emilio has achieved incredible success throughout his career, boasting more than 40 years of industry-leading achievements, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and induction into the Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame just to name a few.  With a resume that includes 19 Grammy Awards, Emilio has experimented and pushed the envelope of blending Latin, pop and world rhythms creating a unique style and personality that has created chart-topping worldwide hits. It is this vision that transcends the music field and spills over into film, television, hotels and restaurants, among other business endeavors including serving as the Executive Producer of the Tony-Award nominated smash Broadway musical, On Your Feet! Most recently, Emilio Estefan (director, producer, musician), Gloria Estefan (actor, musician, singer), and director Kenny Ortega celebrated the World Premiere of their film A Change of Heart, at the 34th edition of Miami Dade College's Miami Film Festival on March 10, at the Olympia Theater in Downtown Miami. A Change of Heart stars a diverse cast including Jim Belushi, Virginia Madsen, Kathy Najimy, William Levy, Aimee Teegarden, Eduardo Yañez, Cody Horn and Gloria Estefan.

Eva Alonso

Job Titles:
  • Director, Student Support Services

Gabriel Benitez

Job Titles:
  • Manager, Music Operations

Gabriela Neville

Job Titles:
  • Development Officer

Gabrielle Cornish

Job Titles:
  • Member of Committee

Gary Wood

Job Titles:
  • Member of Committee

Gonzalo Mejia

Job Titles:
  • Director, Media Production Services

Gregg Field

Job Titles:
  • Producer / Musician / Educator, Gregg Field Music
Eight-time Grammy winner, 2018 Emmy nominee and Latin Grammy "Producer of the Year," Gregg Fi eld is one of the most musically diverse and highly sought-after producers, musicians and educators in music. World class musicians and singers alike, a veritable who's who of the music world including Placido Domingo, Michael Buble, Pharrell Williams, Barbara Streisand, Alejandro Sanz, Stevie Wonder, Frank Sinatra, Quincy Jones, Garth Brooks, Juan Luis Guerra, Ar iana Grande, James Taylor, Andrea Bocelli, Mariah Carey, Alejandro Fernandez, Christina Aguilera, Kevin Spacey, Josh Groban, Mark O'Connor, Tim McGraw, Jason Mraz, Ray Charles, Seal, Gloria Estefan, Jeff Beck, Herbie Hancock, Count Basie, Natalie Cole, Ell a Fitzgerald, Barry Manilow, LeAnn Rimes, John Williams, Steve Miller, Arturo Sandoval, Dave Koz, Phil Ramone, Sean Combs, Brian Wilson, Wynonna Judd, Vince Gill, Amy Grant, Johnny Mathis and Carole King are among his many musical collaborators. At age 24, FIeld toured with Count Basie as his drummer from 1980 through 1982, Ella Fitzgerald from 1985 through 1986 and Frank Si natra from 1991 through 1995. He can be heard on Sinatra's historic, multi-platinum Duets and Duets II recordings. Field has performed with major symphonies worldwide including London, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston, Nashville, Pittsburgh and the National Symphony in Washington D.C. and has been invited by President s Obama and Bush to perform at the White House. Re cently Field received an Emmy nomination for "Outstanding Music Direction" for the 2017 PBS "Library of Congress -Gershwin Prize" honoring Tony Bennett. Field also produced the historic Apollo Theater's "Ella 100 t: Live From the Apollo" birthday celebration of Ella Fitzgerald and Apollo's Nina Simone tribute. In 2017 Field received a Grammy for producin g the "Bluegrass Album of the Year" and Billboard #1 album "Coming Home" by the O'Connor Band. He also produced the 2015 Grammy-winning recording "Life in the Bubble" for Gordon Goodwin's "Big Phat Band". Among his recent recordings are Seal's "Standards", Arturo Sandoval's "Ultimate Duets" with Pharrell, Ariana Grande, Stevie Wonder, and Placido Domingo among others. Michael Buble's #1 Billboard album "To Be Loved", Alejandro Fernandez #1 Billboard album "Confidencias", Jason Mraz's "Love is a Four Letter Word", and Barbara Streisand's "What Matters Most", In 2013 Field received five Latin Grammy nominations including nods for "Album of the Year" and "Producer of the Year", winning three Latin Grammys including "Best Engineered Album". In 2010, Field was awarded the coveted "Producer of the Year" Latin Grammy. Recently Field produced the Gloria Estefan / PBS TV Special "The Standards" and he is a regular music producer/director for the "In Performance at the White House" series for PBS and is also a regular producer for the Los Angeles Philharmonic-Hollywood Bowl summer series. Field is also an author and Vanity Fair magazine contributor. Currently, he serves as Chairman of the Board of Councilors at the USC-Thornton School of Music as wel l serving on the Library of Congress-"Gershwin Prize" Advisory Board and is a board member of the University of Miami-Frost School of Music. He has served as a Recording Academy Gov ernor and Trustee and Chairman of the Grammy Producers Committee. The Bay Area native lives in Los Angeles and is married to singer Monica Mancini.

Hazel Rosen

Job Titles:
  • Philanthropist
Hazel Rosen graduated from La Universidad de las Americas, Cholula, Mexico (formerly in Mexico City) in 1963. She taught advanced Spanish at Dumont High School, Dumont NJ for 20 years. While teaching, she worked with her husband, Larry Rosen, forming GRP records as an independent record label in 1982. After selling GRP to Universal, Hazel and Larry started N2K, one of the first Internet e-commerce content companies, which became a publicly traded company. Hazel and Larry worked together on the PBS series "Legends of Jazz" and started the Jazz Roots concert series, a concert and educational program created for performing arts centers. Hazel is currently involved with the documentary "Recording: The History of Recorded Music."

Henry Mancini

Henry Mancini was one of the most versatile talents in contemporary music. The Mancini name is synonymous with great motion picture and television music, fine recordings, and international concert performances. During his lifetime Mancini was nominated for 72 Grammy Awards, winning 20. He was nominated for 18 Academy Awards winning four, honored with a Golden Globe Award, and nominated for two Emmy Awards. Henry Mancini died in 1994 and his wife Ginny Mancini, and their three children Chris, Monica and Felice, and two grandchildren Christopher and Luca, continue the Mancini legacy.

Jay C. Rees

Job Titles:
  • Director, Athletic Bands

Jeffrey M Buchman

Job Titles:
  • Member of Committee

Jeffrey Miller - Chairman

Job Titles:
  • Chairman of the Board
  • Co - Founder of Krillion Ventures
  • South Florida Business Leader
Jeffrey Miller is a South Florida business leader having had businesses in commercial real estate, banking, utilities and healthcare. Jeffrey has been an ac tive investor in these industries for approximately 30 years. Jeffrey holds a bachelor degree from the University of Miami. Most recent ly, Jeffrey co-founded Krillion Ventures, a $100 Million venture capital fund that provides Seed and Series A stage funding to tech-enabled companie s based in Miami, New York City, Boston and San Francisco. For the past 15 years, Jeffrey has dedicated his time and effort to improving education on a local, statewide an d national level. He serves as chairman of the Board of Breakthrough Miami, and is immediate past board chair for Ransom Everglades School and the Council for Educational Change. Jeffrey serves on the board and is active with Miami's Institute of Contemporary Art, United Way, Jewish Federation, and the University of Miami. Presently, Jeffrey is spearheading the creation of and serving as board chair for Beacon College Prep, a nonprofit charter school that will be located in Liberty City, Florida. Jeffrey along side of his brother Stuart and sister Leslie, received the 2015 United Way prestigious Tocqueville Award----- the highest honor given by the United Way. Jeffrey is a board member of The Miller Foundation, the charitable arm of the Miller Family. Through The Miller Foundation, $150 Million has been don ated to the University of Miami, to name the Medical School after his late father, now known as the University of Miami's Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine.

Jennifer Grim

Job Titles:
  • Member of Committee

Joan Chalakani

Job Titles:
  • Member of the ACADEMIC DEPARTMENT MANAGEMENT Team
  • Office Manager, Instrumental Performance, and Music Theory and Composition

Jodi Levitz

Job Titles:
  • Member of Committee

John McCann

Job Titles:
  • Assistant Director, Admissions
  • Asst. Director, Admissions

John Richard

Job Titles:
  • President and Chief Executive Officer of the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami - Dade County
John Richard has served as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts of Miami-Dade County since December 2008. Now entering its second decade, the Arsht Center has cemented its role as Miami's New Town Square through Mr. Richard's leadership. The Center is a presenter of world-class performances, an openly-accessible community resource, a source of education for children and adults, and a catalyst for economic growth in downtown Miami. Mr. Richard has also prioritized financial strength, with 2016 marking the organization's ninth consecutive fiscal year with a balanced budget.

John Smyth

Job Titles:
  • Board Member of the University of Miami 's Frost School of Music
  • Managing Director and Wealth Manager
  • Wealth Manager, First Republic Investment Management
John Smyth is a Managing Director and Wealth Manager with First Republic Investment Management. Prior to joining First Republic in 2020, Mr. Smyth was an Executive Director and Portfolio Manager at J.P. Morgan Securities. He began his career in 1994 at the Chicago Board of Trade. Mr. Smyth focuses his practice on asset allocation. Active in his local community, Mr. Smyth serves as a board member of the University of Miami's Frost School of Music. He is Vice Chairman of Choate Rosemary Hall Alumni Association's executive committee and is also Chairman of the school's Annual Fund. Mr. Smyth is a Honda Classic Ambassador and an investment committee member of the Lost Tree Village Charitable Foundation. Mr. Smyth earned his bachelor's degree in Political Science from Northwestern University. He holds the Accredited Investment Fiduciary® designation.

Jordyn Whitaker

Job Titles:
  • Events Planner

Jorge Mejia

Job Titles:
  • President & CEO, Latin America and U.S. Latin at Sony Music Publishing
  • Steinway Artist
Jorge Mejia, B.M. '96 is President & CEO for Sony Music Publishing Latin America and US Latin, a role in which he is responsible for Sony Music Publishing's operations across Latin America and the US Latin market, with offices in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Miami. During his tenure at Sony Music Publishing, Jorge has been instrumental in guiding Sony Music Publishing Latin to become the leading music publisher in the Latin industry, with a record-setting 17 ASCAP Latin Publisher of the Year wins, multiple Billboard Publishing Corporation of the Year, BMI Latin Publisher of the Year, and SESAC Publisher of the Year awards. In 2016, Sony Music Publishing became the first Latin publisher to win the ASCAP, BMI, and SESAC Publisher of the Year awards in a single year, the ‘Triple Crown of Publishing', a feat repeated in 2017 and 2018. Sony Music Publishing owns or administers over 3 million copyrights by such artists as The Beatles, Beyonce, Ed Sheeran, Luis Fonsi, Daddy Yankee, and Maluma to name but a very few. A Latin GRAMMY® nominated composer and a Steinway Artist, Jorge studied piano at the New World School of the Arts, the New England Conservatory of Music, and finally earned his Piano Performance degree from the University of Miami. His most recent release is An Open Book: A Memoir in Music, a set of 25 Preludes for Piano and Orchestra plus narratives a project which went on to garner a Latin GRAMMY® nomination for Best Classical Contemporary Composition. Jorge sits on the advisory board of the University of Miami Frost School of Music, as well as the board of the Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame. He has been named to the Latin Power Players list every year it has been published, starting in 2010 and, most recently, in 2020. Jorge is based in Miami where he lives with his wife and two dogs.

Joseph Burleson

Job Titles:
  • Director, Donna E. Shalala MusicReach Program

Judi Prokop Newman

Job Titles:
  • President of Robert and Judi Newman Family Foundation
  • President of the Robert
Judi Prokop Newman is president of the Robert and Judi Newman Family Foundation in Denver, Colorado, which focuses on the arts. The foundation gives primarily in Colorado and Florida. In 2008, three of the largest recipients were the Denver Center for the Performing Arts (her husband, Robert C. "Bob" Newman, Newman Family Foundation vice president, is on the Center's board of trustees), the University of Miami and the Colorado Symphony Association. In 2007, the Denver Center for the Performing Arts received a six-figure grant. Judi graduated from UM with a bachelor's in business administration and parlayed her educational training into a successful career with United Airlines in the Computer Technology, Airline Maintenance, and Apollo Reservation Divisions. She retired after 26 years with the company. A passionate champion of the arts, she has been affiliated with the boards of the Colorado Symphony Association, the Lutheran Family Services, the Art and Culture Committee of the Denver Foundation, and the University of Denver Campaign for Music and Theater (national campaign chairwoman). She was a board member of the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts (NFAA/YoungArts). The Newmans divide their time between Miami and Cherry Hills Village, Colorado, where Bob owns Greenwood Gulch Ventures, which provides financial and strategic support to technology companies. He is co-founder and former director of the software company J.D. Edwards, now Oracle, which was purchased by PeopleSoft in 2003. In addition to the Robert and Judi Prokop Newman Alumni Center at UM, Judi and Bob are the namesakes of the Newman Center for the Performing Arts at the University of Denver, the Robert and Judi Newman Center for Theatre Education at the Denver Center of the Performing Arts, and the Robert and Judi Prokop Newman Box Office at the Sanford and Dolores Ziff Ballet Opera House at the Adrienne Arsht Center in Miami.

Julio Bagué

Job Titles:
  • Vice President Latin Division East Coast and Puerto Rico, Peermusic
As Vice President Latin Division East Coast and Puerto Rico, Julio Bagué has helped build a formidable U.S. Latin roster of major label artists/writers including Chayanne, Prince Royce, Victor Manuelle, De La Ghetto, Chocquibtown, A&X, Sofia Reyes, and crossover classical urban artists, Black Violin. Bagué has also been instrumental in the acquisition of important catalogs such as Gilberto Santa Rosa's PMC and Alejandro Jaen's Ventura Music. As Manager of Puerto Rico, Julio also supervises all publishing aspects on the island including both mechanical and synchronization agreements. As a Latin Grammy-winning music producer, Bagué has worked with a variety of artists including Luis Enrique, Jon Secada, Eddie Palmieri, Charlie Sepulveda, Nestor Torres, Melina Leon, Marger Sealey, Manu Manzo, C4 Trio, KerreKe and produced Rafael Hernandez' seminal operetta entitled Cofresi which was recognized by UNESCO as the cultural patrimony of Puerto Rico and was nominated as Best Classical Album at the 2013 Latin Grammy awards. Julio is on the Board of Governors for the Florida Chapter of NARAS and on the Board of Directors of the Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame graduating with a Masters in Music from the University of Miami's Frost School of Music.

Justin Chervony

Job Titles:
  • Studio Production Engineer

Kathy Acosta Zavala

Job Titles:
  • Director, Events

Kendall Nelson

Job Titles:
  • Development Coordinator

Laurie Scott

Job Titles:
  • Founder and CEO of the Laurie Melchior Scott Foundation.
At Harvard Kennedy School, Laurie serves on the Board of the Center for Public Leadership. Laurie has served as an overseer at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, and is a member of the National Council of McLean Hospital. She served as a trustee of the Benjamin School in Palm Beach and for eleven years as a director and executive committee member of the Hobe Sound Community Chest. She focused on developing district-wide reading initiatives and creating and funding mentorship opportunities. Laurie is a graduate of Wellesley College and Harvard Business School. Music was always important in her upbringing; at age 5, she began playing the piano "by ear". Stemming from her family's multi-generational leadership in higher education, she appreciates the imperative of training students to become inspired and make the world a better place. The Foundation actively develops, promotes, and funds educational and cultural programs.

Leticia Jack

Job Titles:
  • Member of the ACADEMIC DEPARTMENT MANAGEMENT Team
  • Office Manager, Vocal Performance

Logan A Busacca

Job Titles:
  • Development Officer

Manny Santana

Job Titles:
  • Manager, Graduate Programs

Maria Schneider

Job Titles:
  • Artistic Director
Maria Schneider's music has been hailed by critics as "evocative, majestic, magical, heart-stoppingly gorgeous, and beyond categorization." She and her orchestra became widely known starting in 1994 when they released their first recording, Evanescence. There, Schneider began to develop her personal way of writing for what would become her 18-member collective, made up of many of the finest musicians in jazz today, tailoring her compositions to distinctly highlight the uniquely creative voices of the group. The Maria Schneider Orchestra has performed at festivals and concert halls worldwide. She herself has received numerous commissions and guest-conducting invites, working with over 90 groups in over 30 countries. Artistic director Maria Schneider, resident conductor Scott Flavin, managing director Abby Young, and renowned guest artists are infusing the Henry Mancini Institute with new energy, new leadership, and new types of experiences that are broadening the musical landscape and incubating new artistic collaborations.

Marilyn Vazquez-Aparicio, Sr.

Job Titles:
  • Classroom Planning Scheduling Analyst

Mario Madriz

Job Titles:
  • Manager, Box Office and Concert Halls

Martin Peeples

Job Titles:
  • Library Supervisor

Matt Serletic

Job Titles:
  • Producer
Matt Serletic is a songwriter, producer, record-label owner, and technology entrepreneur Ma Serletic is the owner and CEO of Emblem Music Group and the Director of Creative Content at Google. He has wrien, produced, and marketed recordings that have sold more than 110 million albums and generated more than $1 billion in revenue for music creators. Serletic has wrien and produced recordings that have earned multiple GRAMMY, ASCAP, BMI, Billboard, Diamond, Platinum and CMA Awards. In 1999, he produced the most successful Billboard cha single in the rock era to date: Carlos Santana's "Smooth," which, since its release, has sold 25 million units. Ma founded his rst music company, Melisma in 1996. Melisma became one of the most successful independent labels of the 90s and 2000s with breakthrough aists like Rob Thomas and Matchbox Twenty. Sholy thereaer, he was hired as Chairman and CEO of Virgin Records America, helping guide the careers of Janet Jackson, The Rolling Stones, and Lenny Kravitz while breaking new acts including 30 Seconds to Mars, Norah Jones, the Gorillaz. Inspired by the poweul connection between creation and technology, Serletic founded Zya to empower everyone to express themselves through music. Zya's app Diy became a #1 app in 26 countries, #1 Alexa Skill in the US, and was named Top Social App of 2018 alongside Twier and Snapchat. Zya and its 48 patents sold to Google in 2019. Ma now leads Creative Content at Google Search, a 200+ person team of inventors, engineers, designers and product specialists working across parent company Alphabet to bring relevant, useful and modern visual and audio content to all Google users. The Creative Content team has invented, launched and landed several billion+ user oerings of informative, expressive, and creative visual experiences.

Matthew Cooperman

Job Titles:
  • Director, Music Operations

Megan Anne Walsh

Job Titles:
  • Director, Frost Preparatory Program

Michael P. Lazarus

Job Titles:
  • Partner of Main Post Partners
Michael Lazarus is a partner of Main Post Partners, the successor fund to Weston Presidio, a $3.3 billion growth equity fund which he Co-Founded and was CEO since its inception in 1991. Michael currently serves on the Board of Directors for Azul Linhas Aereas Brasileiras. He was previously the founding Chairman of JetBlue Airways (NASDAQ: JBLU), Co-Chairman of Fender Musical Instruments Corp. and served on the Board of Directors for Jimmy John's Gourmet Sandwiches, Restoration Hardware (NASDAQ: RSTO), Morris Air/Southwest Airlines, Guit ar Centers, Inc. (NASDAQ: GTRC), Integro, Inc., and Ap ple American Group (Applebee's), as well as other privately-held growth companies. Raised in Lancaster, PA, Michael graduated with a B.A. in Accounting fro m Grove City College. He currently serves the community as the Board Chair of SFJAZZ and a Trustee of the Frost School of Music. He previously served as a Trustee of Bowdoin College and San Francisco Day School.

Miryam Gonzalez

Job Titles:
  • Technician, Library Conservation

Natalee Bell

Job Titles:
  • Academic Advisor

Neil DeFeo

Job Titles:
  • Director of the Prostate Cancer Foundation
  • Founding Executive Partner
Neil DeFeo is a Founding Executive Partner of Nonantum Capital Partners, a private equity firm he started with his brother and several partners from the Boston area in 2017. Since then, they have purchased eight companies in a range of businesses. Prior to co-founding, Neil was a Senior Advisor to Charlesbank from 2012 to 2017. He has over 40 years of experience in the consumer products industry and has been involved with over 50 different businesses and brands. Neil served as the Chief Executive Officer and President of The Sun Products Corporation until May 20, 2011, a private $1.5 billion company he helped to found in 2008. He was President, CEO, and Chairman of Playtex Products from 2004 to 2007, a NYSE listed company that he successfully sold to Energizer brands, effectively tripling its' share price in three years. He served as President, CEO, and Chairman of Remington Products from 1997 to 2003 again successfully selling this private equity backed company. From 1993 to 1996, Neil DeFeo was Group VP of U.S. Operations at The Clorox Company, where he was responsible for all their North American businesses and also Corporate Marketing, Manufacturing and Logistics. As part of this, he purchased the SOS brands business from Bayer. He began his professional career at Procter & Gamble leading such brands as Cascade, Dawn, Crisco, Joy, Folgers and many others over a 25-year career. Neil received a BS in Electrical Engineering from Manhattan College while performing as a nightclub, radio and television trombonist to pay for his education--appearing on the Ed Sullivan and other shows of that era. The trombone and music have been a lifelong passion. Neil is a longtime director of the Prostate Cancer Foundation and Chairs their marketing committee. Neil is married and he and his wife Sandy have three daughters and six grandchildren.

Oona R Connell

Job Titles:
  • Senior Program Coordinator, Frost Preparatory Program

Patricia L. Frost

Job Titles:
  • Philanthropist & Phillip Frost, CEO & Chairman of OPKO Health
  • Professor of Music
Dr. and Mrs. Phillip Frost have a longstanding tradition of involvement with UM with a total recognition of over $130 million, primarily to the Frost Institutes of Chemistry and Molecular Science and Frost School of Music. Their $33 million gift to the School of Music in 2003 was the largest ever given to a university-based music school in the United States; the school was then officially renamed the Phillip and Patricia Frost School of Music. The new state-of-the-art Patricia Louise Frost Music Studios complex opened in February 2015 on the University of Miami campus. It houses over 77 individual teaching and chamber music studios, plus classrooms for percussion and contemporary music production. The Frosts thoughtful support continues to fund program endowments, faculty chairs, student scholarships, and facility improvements. The Frosts began their philanthropic relationship with the School of Music in 1989, when they donated three gifts, establishing the Patricia L. Frost Professor of Music Chair for the Dean of the Music School, the Anna Frost Music Scholarship Fund and the Abraham Frost Prize in Music Composition. They also donated $1 million to establish the Frost Band of the Hour and more recently donated $1 million to rename the Frost Music Reach (community music program) in honor of UM's former president Donna Shalala. It is now known as the Donna E. Shalala MusicReach Program at the Phillip and Patricia Frost School of Music. At President Frenk's inauguration in January 2016, he announced a transformational and historic $100 million gift from the Frosts to support basic and applied science, technology, engineering and mathematics at the University. This is the largest single gift ever announced at an inauguration. Dr. Phillip Frost served as campaign chair for UM's first Momentum campaign during his tenure as chair of the Board of Trustees. He is currently a member of the UHealth and School of Law visiting committees, and both he and Patricia serve on the Frost School of Music Board of Advisors. Dr. Frost is CEO and chairman of OPKO Health, a biopharmaceutical and diagnostics company. He founded IVAX Pharmaceuticals, one of the largest U.S. generic drug manufacturers, selling the company to TEVA Pharmaceuticals in 2006 while continuing to serve on the TEVA board until 2015. Mrs. Patricia Frost, formerly principa l of West Lab oratory School, worked closely with UM's School of Music to develop music program s at the school. She is Chair Emeritus of the Smithsonian National Board and Smithsonian American Art Museum and is currently a member of the State University System of Florida's Board of Governors.

Paul Bruno

Job Titles:
  • Supervisor, Keyboard Instruments

Paul T. Lehr

Job Titles:
  • CEO of GroundUP Music
  • Member of the Screen Actors Guild
Paul T. Lehr, J.D., has been involved in the arts since the age of six, having trained as a classical pianist and worked as a musician as well as an actor in film and theater.  He earned his B.A. from Brown University and his J.D. from the University of Florida with high honors.  He worked as a law clerk for a federal judge, practiced law, and built and ran a successful for-profit business and non-profit foundation before joining the Arison Arts Foundation/National YoungArts Foundation in 2010.  From 2010-2015, Lehr served as CEO of YoungArts, where he led the transformation of this national non-profit arts organization including development of its first national headquarters through the acquisition and expansion of the landmark Bacardi campus in Miami, working closely with Frank Gehry on the master plan.  Lehr also helped to create programming around the country with MoMA PS1, LACMA, PAMM, the Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, and the Hirshhorn/Smithsonian; music and television partnerships with Universal Music Classics, Sony Music, PBS, and HBO; performances and exhibitions with Robert Redford, Bobby McFerrin, Shelly Berg, James Blake, Plácido Domingo, Chick Corea, Joshua Bell, Olafur Eliasson, Bruce Weber, Ben Folds, and Marina Abrámovic; and development, branding and roll-out of Emmy-Award winning HBO series YoungArts MasterClass and its accompanying educational study guide distributed across the country.  Lehr now serves as the CEO of GroundUP Music, an imprint of Universal Music/Verve, which includes on its roster three-time Grammy Award-winning Snarky Puppy, two-time Rock & Roll Hall of Fame legend David Crosby, and 15 other global artists. GroundUP provides publishing, management, production, and other artist services. In addition to overseeing operations and developing partnerships, Lehr also produces the annual GroundUP Music Festival in Miami Beach, with performers including Esperanza Spalding, Béla Fleck & the Flecktones, Chris Thile, The Wood Brothers, Shelly Berg, Robert Glasper, and others from around the world, with plans to expand the festival s to Buenos Aires beginning in 2019 and Italy and elsewhere in 2020. Lehr is a member of the Screen Actors Guild (Taft Hartley) and serves on the Board of Trustees for the Robert & Sibylle Redford The Way of the Rain Foundation, and the University of Miami Frost School of Music Visiting Committee.  In addition to his work in the arts, Lehr also works in the science/health/medical field, having co-founded a biotech company, HeartGenomics, which developed gene-signature-based diagnostic and prognostic tests for heart failure, and is the International Executive Director for Longeveron, a stem-cell/regenerative medicine company with clinical trials in Aging Frailty and Alzheimer's, co-founded by Dr. Joshua Hare, the Chief Sciences Officer at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, and Director of its Interdisciplinary Stem Cell Institute.

Reynaldo Sanchez

Job Titles:
  • Associate Dean, Strategic Initiatives Innovation
  • Professor

Richard Morales

Job Titles:
  • Library Technician

Richard Todd

Job Titles:
  • Member of Committee

Robert Gallardo

Job Titles:
  • Event Marketing Specialist

Ron Stone

Job Titles:
  • President of the Comprehensive Companies
Ron Stone is President of The Comprehensive Companies, a financial services organization specializing in insurance, employee benefits, and financial planning has resided in greater Miami since 1968. A resident of the City of Miami Beach since 1990, he has practiced continuously in insurance and employee benefits since 1974 servicing over 1,000 business and professional clients. He previously served as President of Automated Pension Services, Inc. specializing in pension administration and actuarial services. In 2012, he was inducted into the Workplace Benefits Hall of Fame. A School of Business graduate of the University of Miami in 1973, Mr. Stone remains active with the University. He has served, since 1981, as a member of the Board of Trustees of the University of Miami, and as Chairman of the Academic Affairs, Athletic Affairs, Governmental Affairs Committees, and Employee Benefits Committees of the UM Board as well as serving as a member if its Executive and Finance and Audit Committees. A Past President of the University of Miami National Alumni Association of over 100,000 members, he is the recipient of its Alumnus of the Year award for 1985 and is a donor to the Society of University Grand Founders. In addition to Trustee and Frost School of Music Visiting Committee responsibilities, he has served as Chairman of the Visiting Committees for the School of Continuing Studies and the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences. An active participant and leader in Greater Miami community activities, he has served as Chairman of the Code Enforcement Board for the City of Coral Gables, Director of the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce, Director of the Rotary Club of Coral Gables and recipient of its Outstanding Rotarian of the Year Award. He has served on the Boards of the Comprehensive Cancer Center of the State of Florida, the Doral Eastern Open, and the Mailman Center for Child Development, Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of the New World Symphony, America's Orchestral Academy, and is currently a Director of the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute/Anne Bates Leach Eye Hospital at the University of Miami. Mr. Stone is a Director and Chairman of the Audit Committee of Gibraltar Private Bank and Trust, FSB, and a former Director of Barnett Bank of South Florida, and a member of the Orange Bowl Committee.

Scott Thomas Flavin

Job Titles:
  • Lecturer
  • Managing Director Abby Young
  • Resident Conductor
Quote Teaching is one of my greatest joys - to be able to help motivated students grow as musicians is endlessly fascinating and rewarding. My goal as a teacher is to help students become their own best teachers, and use that skill to strive to ever-greater heights. Biography Scott Flavin is a lecturer in violin performance and chamber...

Serona Elton

Job Titles:
  • Associate Dean, Administration
  • Professor

Shannon de l'Etoile

Job Titles:
  • Associate Dean, Graduate Studies
  • Member of Committee

Shannon Kay

Job Titles:
  • Professor

Shelton G. Berg

Job Titles:
  • Dean
  • Dean, Frost School of Music

Sonia Henriquez

Job Titles:
  • Executive Assistant

Stephanie Hernandez

Job Titles:
  • Director, University Communications
  • MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS

Tadd Jack McGuire

Job Titles:
  • Live Production Engineer

Ted Hall

Job Titles:
  • Co - Founder of Long Meadow Ranch
  • Founding Director and Chairman of Progenco LLC
  • Member of the National Academy of Recording Arts
Ted Hall is an entrepreneur and business leader with deep experience in agriculture, wine, specialty foods, food service, consumer products, retailing and music production. Mr. Hall is co-founder of Long Meadow Ranch, an innovative group of family-owned companies producing grapes and ultra-premium wine, olives and extra virgin olive oil, grass-fed beef and lamb, and fruits and vegetables, using diversified, organic, and sustainable farming methods. Long Meadow Ranch also operates a sustainable food, wine, and agricultural education destination located in St. Helena, CA, which is anchored by the distinctive farm-to-table restaurant, Farmstead at Long Meadow Ranch. Hall is currently founding director and chairman of Progenco LLC. He has served as a director of Basic American, Inc., Peet's Coffee & Tea, Inc. (NASD: PEET), and Williams-Sonoma, Inc. (NYSE: WSM). Hall is a former chairman of the board of The Robert Mondavi Corporation (NYSE: MOND). An accomplished trombonist, Mr. Hall has pursued his musical interests throughout his career. In 1977, he co-founded and led a 17-piece big band in San Francisco, known as the Midnight Rounds. In 1993, he co-founded the independent jazz record label, Monarch Records, which became part of Tambourine, Inc., in 1999. He continues to perform professionally with local ensembles, including the LMR Jazz Orchestra. Acknowledged for records he creatively produced, Mr. Hall has been a voting member of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Hall has served as the chairman of Tambourine, Inc., a specialty music production, and distribution company and as a director of Dolby Laboratories, Inc. (NYSE: DLB), a leading provider of technology to the global entertainment industry. As a former senior partner of the global consulting firm, McKinsey & Company, Mr. Hall has more than 25 years of experience in both the private and public sectors, working with chief executives and boards of directors of Global Fortune 50-size companies in the areas of strategy and organization. Sharing worldwide leadership for the firm, he served for twelve years as an elected member of McKinsey's board of directors. Mr. Hall holds a BSE degree in electrical engineering from Princeton University and a MBA degree from Stanford University Graduate School of Business. He has served on the boards of directors of a wide range of educational and civic organizations, including the Foundation for Teaching Economics, Stanford Graduate School of Business, SFJAZZ, and San Francisco Symphony.

Thuong Vothang

Job Titles:
  • Senior Library Assistant

Tocarra Ware

Job Titles:
  • Executive Assistant / BUSINESS OPERATIONS

Travis Quinn

Job Titles:
  • Student Emergency Fund

Vitoria Guimaraes

Job Titles:
  • Administrative Assistant

Viviana Venero

Job Titles:
  • Social Media and Communications Specialist