Leading the Team

Liz Sunde

Liz Stookey Sunde
Co-founder

As the daughter of Noel “Paul” Stookey (of the 1960’s folk trio Peter, Paul & Mary), Elizabeth Stookey Sunde spent her childhood surrounded by music artists who dedicated themselves and their music to contemporary causes, and she witnessed the profound capacity of that music to transform audiences.

This experience fueled her desire to become a changemaker herself. For more than twenty-five years, she has consulted with a variety of large and small nonprofit organizations, helping them conceive and implement creative solutions to their communications, organizational, and fundraising challenges.

As Music to Life’s Co-Founder and Executive Director, Sunde guides Music to Life's national team of advisors and connects with the most influential multi-genre activist artists of our time to develop music-driven programming that supports human rights, equality, freedom and justice, and revitalizes our communities.

Noel Paul Stookey
Co-founder

Singer/songwriter Noel Paul Stookey has been altering both the musical and ethical landscape of this country and the world for decades—both as the “Paul” of the legendary Peter, Paul and Mary and as an independent musician who passionately believes in bringing the spiritual into the practice of daily life. At the 1963 March on Washington when Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech, Peter, Paul and Mary delivered the compelling “If I Had a Hammer” and “Blowin’ in the Wind”. Stookey’s sound has been shaped by huge cities, as well as the smallest hamlets of the Heartland, housing projects, coastal Maine villages, towns up and down the Mississippi, and by his search for a common language that enables everyone no matter their origins and experiences to communicate with each other and celebrate the mystery of life. Funny, irreverently reverent, thoughtful, compassionately passionate, Stookey’s voice and passion for social change is known all across this land.

Staff and Consultants

Music to Life is a virtual organization with a lean staff, highly engaged board, and skilled contractors from around the country.

Liz Stookey Sunde
Co-Founder and Executive Director
Verónica Pérez-Picasso
Director of Programs
programs@musictolife.org
Camryn Wells
Development Director
devdirector@musictolife.org
Sarah Morge
Operations & Special Projects Manager
team@musictolife.org
Kyra Shaughnessy
Artist Liaison
artists@musictolife.org
Paige Menneci
Communications Manager and Programs Associate
mediateam@musictolife.org
Jenifer Simon
Special Projects & Artist Coach
Leti Bueno
Special Projects & Artist Coach
Elyza Wylder-Wilcox
Marketing Strategist

Board

David Altschul
Partner, Altschul Olin & Vandergast, LLP
Nancy Buffington
Principal, Communications Trainer/Coach
Andrew Casillas
Attorney, Oracle America, Inc.
Belinda Chiu
Founder, Hummingbird Research, Coaching & Consulting
Richard Choi
Global Marketing Consultant
Elexa Dawson
Artist & Graduate, Musician Changemaker Accelerator
Eric Dozier
Artist & Graduate, Musician Changemaker Accelerator
Karen Hudson

Marketing & Strategy Consultant
Deana McCloud
Owner/Partner, Museum Collective
Barbara Newman
Not-for-Profit Consultant, Retired CEO; The Blues Foundation
Ruth Scheer
Former Director, Cabot Family Charitable Trust
Peri Smilow
Artist; Executive Director Shards of Light Foundation
Noel “Paul” Stookey
Artist; Co-Founder, Music to Life
Elizabeth Stookey Sunde
Co-Founder and Exec Director, Music to Life
Adrianne Waddell
Associate, Holland & Knight LLP

Advisors

Jan D’Alessandro
President and Founder, Blue J Strategies
Robyn Brady Ince, Ed.M.
Executive Director, Newark City of Learning Collaborative
Ralph Jaccodine
Assistant Professor, Berklee College of Music; President, Ralph Jaccodine Management
Colleen McDonough
Executive Director, ASCAP Foundation
Kevin Merritt
Producer and Writer, One Foot Productions
Diana D. Northrop
Fundraising Consultant
Joseph Pineda
Founder, JRNE Artist Management
E.W. Stetson III
Nonresident Senior Fellow, Atlantic Council’s Global Energy Center
Ken Sunshine
Founder and Co-CEO, Sunshine Sachs
Keith Wheeler
Sustainability Strategist

Ken Kragen (In Memorium)
Organizer, We Are The World and Hands Across America; Recipient, United Nations Peace Medal

 

Artist Advisors

Ysaÿe Barnwell

Paul Beaubrun

Judy Collins

Reggie Harris

Diana Jones

Tom Paxton

Jasiri X 

Peter Yarrow (In Memorium)