Board of Directors

Timothy Savage is the Director of Bands Grade 7-12 at Canton Central School.  He also serves in an adjunct capacity at the Crane School of Music and in the St. Lawrence University Music Department.  Tim became involved with the Orchestra when wife Jill joined the violin section in 1992.  He has served as board president since October 2011.

Mary Jane Watson is a retired Certified Public Accountant and was a founding partner of Pinto, Mucenski & Watson, PC located in Potsdam.  She received a B.A from Elmira College in Classical Languages, an M.S. from Clarkson University in Accounting, and an M.S. from McGill University in History.  She joined the Board of the Orchestra of Northern New York in 1995.

Kimberly Busch currently teaches Vocal Music and Technical Theater at Canton Central School. A graduate of the Crane School of Music, Kimberly has been teaching music and directing plays and musicals in public schools for over twenty years. Her love of symphonic music and a desire to give back to the community has lead her to the position of ONNY Volunteer Guild President. She is proud to serve on the ONNY board and encourages everyone to invest in live music by attending concerts and bringing friends!

Vernice Church moved back to the scene of her Bachelors degree upon retiring as Superintent of Schools in Afton, NY. She earned a Masters degree in Educational Administration at Syracuse University and is definitely not a musician, but served as President of the Board of Directors of the Orchestra for several years in order to help provide the live music experience still needed in this electronic age.

A native of Chicago Illinois, John Ellis has performed as soloist and chamber musician throughout the United States, Canada and Europe. He holds the degree of Doctor of Music from Arizona State University. A versatile performer and educator, Dr. Ellis has appeared with a variety of musical organizations and artists, including the Canadian Brass, the Moody Blues, Calgary Philharmonic, Les Violons du Roy, Chris Botti, Studio de Musique Ancienne de Montréal, as well as Grammy Award winners David Clayton-Thomas, Diana Krall, Tony Bennett and Anne Murray. He performs frequently with the National Arts Centre Orchestra in Canada, and has been heard internationally on broadcasts by the CBC and PBS. He has presented clinics and recitals at prestigious institutions and festivals throughout the world, including The Juilliard School, Cincinnati Conservatory, Summit Brass, the Banff Festival, and the 2005 International Trumpet Guild Festival in Bangkok Thailand. He performed in Carnegie Hall in New York City and the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles with Les Violons du Roy for their 25th anniversary tour in December 2009. Currently Principal Trumpet of the Ottawa Symphony Orchestra, the Orchestra of Northern New York, a member of the Capital BrassWorks and the Potsdam Brass Quintet, Dr. Ellis holds the position of Professor of Music at The Crane School of Music, State University of New York at Potsdam where he teaches trumpet and the history of Rock and Roll. Dr. Ellis is a Yamaha Performing Artist.

Dr. Michael Greenwald is an associate professor of religious studies emeritus who just retired after 28 years at St. Lawrence University.  Originally from Kingston, New York, Dr. Greenwald earned his B.A. in astronomy from the University of Pennsylvania in 1970, a Master of Arts in Hebrew Letters from Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion in 1973 where he was ordained “rabbi” in 1975. He earned his Ph.D. in New Testament and Christian Origins at Boston University in 1989.  His academic focus is the history of the New Testament Canon.  In what he calls his “other life,” he is also an avid birder who has travelled to many parts of the world looking for birds and has served for 39 years as a volunteer naturalist for the Appalachian Mountain Club, most recently training hut naturalists in the White Mountains of New Hampshire.  His membership on the board is the culmination of a life-long interest in classical music.