Our People

Amy Richter, a native of Portland, Oregon, boasts a diverse background that blends her passions for music, marketing, and community service. Graduating from Whittier College with a degree in both Music and Psychology, Amy’s journey in music began at the age of six, shaping her into a seasoned musician and educator.
With over two decades of marketing experience under her belt, Amy’s expertise lies in project management, honed during her 10-year tenure at adidas. At adidas, she spearheaded marketing initiatives with budgets ranging from $3 to $12 million, showcasing her adeptness at navigating complex campaigns.
Beyond her professional achievements, Amy is deeply committed to giving back to her community. For five years, she served as a dedicated board member for Camp Ukandu, a retreat for children battling cancer, where she also volunteered her time for an additional 13 years. In 2010 and 2011, Amy lent her marketing prowess to Salud, an organization providing crucial medical care to seasonal vineyard workers, further exemplifying her philanthropic spirit.
Amy’s involvement extends to her children’s education, where she has been an active volunteer in their schools for over a decade. With a passion for nurturing young minds, she has conducted over 800 Music Workshop classes for students from kindergarten to eighth grade, leaving an indelible mark on countless young learners.

Amy Hall’s journey with Music Workshop began as a labor of love, volunteering her time and expertise from its inception. Her dedication and commitment were quickly recognized, leading to her appointment as the Program Facilitator in 2016 and then a full-time role as the Program Manager in 2020. Today, she serves as the Director of Communications & Outreach, leveraging her experience and passion to amplify the organization’s mission and impact.
With a diverse professional background including marketing, accounting, and entrepreneurial ventures, Amy brings versatility and adaptability to her roles with experience in many settings from small start-ups to large international corporations.
A native of Portland, Oregon, Amy has lived and learned in various parts of the United States, including Seattle, New York, and South Carolina. Amy’s academic pursuits include an undergraduate degree in History from the University of Puget Sound and an Associate’s degree in Photography from the Art Institute of Seattle, honing her creative vision and technical skills.
Beyond her professional endeavors, Amy is deeply committed to the joy of life and giving back to her community. She dedicates her time and talent to multiple charitable organizations, is an avid hiker, and finds inspiration from her role as a parent to two remarkable young adults, who continually fuel her passion for life and drive her to new heights.

Dr. Giuliana Conti’s journey in music began in the Bay Area, where she began learning viola in fourth-grade public school music class and continued as a classical musician through high school. Her dedication to the classical arts flourished, eventually earning her BA in music with honors from UC Berkeley. Throughout this time her passion for music listening and finding new international music grew and she ventured into research on music and child development.

After graduating, Giuliana’s path diverged from performance to pedagogy, as she embarked on a career teaching elementary school music. Over five years, she crafted a global music curriculum that ignited her students’ imaginations and instilled in them a love for music from all corners of the world. It was this profound connection with her students that led Giuliana towards higher education, driven by a desire to better understand the intersection of music education, culture, equity, and child development.

Her academic pursuits led her to the University of Washington, where she obtained her Master’s and PhD in Music Education. Her professional experiences include lobbying and advocacy, research and curriculum development, equity evaluations and consulting, as well as public speaking and teaching. She now plays blues and rock with her five-string viola, is a dedicated cat mom, and believes “Music is for Everyone”. She is thrilled to be part of the Music Workshop team as their Director of Education & Equity.

Sarah is a music educator, content creator, and digital marketer in Seattle, WA. Originally from North Carolina, Sarah has called Seattle home for 15 years, where she has spent her time honing her craft in various educational and marketing roles.

Her journey began as a music teacher and band director in Seattle area K-8 Catholic schools. She was Director of Bands for the San Juan Island School District, and she pioneered a band program at Seattle Preparatory School. As high school band director, she was known for fostering creative collaboration among her students and for experimenting with student-centered teaching techniques.

Earning her Master of Arts in Music Education from the University of Washington further solidified Sarah’s expertise in her field. However, the onset of the pandemic prompted her to pivot her career trajectory, leading her to explore opportunities in marketing.

She plays percussion in Formation Wind Band, Seattle’s all-female wind band. She loves gardening, cooking, being outdoors, and hanging with her cat, Bubba.

Now serving as the Director of Programming for Music Workshop, Sarah seamlessly integrates her background in music education with her newfound marketing skills. With a focus on creating impactful messaging and innovative curriculum, she remains dedicated to leveraging the power of music to inspire and educate others.

Amy Sloan recently graduated from the University of Oregon Clark Honors College with a major in Psychology and minors in Music and Business Administration. Born and raised in Portland, Oregon, Amy grew up playing piano, guitar, and ukulele. With seven years of experience leading and coordinating community center camps for kids aged 3-12 and six years of experience as a volunteer and lead volunteer at a youth crisis hotline, Amy is passionate about the role of music in child development and using a trauma-informed approach to helping others. Amy has led and been involved in community outreach and fundraising events, advocacy and research projects, and public speaking opportunities including TEDx, and she is excited to bring her experiences together in her role as Program Facilitator for Music Workshop.

Marvin A. Kaiser is Dean Emeritus of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Portland State University, Portland, Oregon where he served for 17 years. He followed this work by serving as the CEO of Mary’s Woods at Marylhurst, a Life Plan Community located in Lake Oswego, Oregon, for five and one-half years, retiring from that position in 2016. He served as an Encore Fellow for Music Workshop through June of 2019 and continues to support Music Workshop as our program and board advisor.

Dr. Kaiser has served as staff fellow and consultant to the United Nations Office at Vienna, Centre for Social Development and Humanitarian Affairs, as a staff fellow and consultant to the United States Agency for International Development and to the House Select Committee on Aging, United States House of Representatives.

Melanie is currently a high school student that has been working with Music Workshop as the voice of Maestro Girl for over 5 years. While continuing her work as Maestro Girl, she is taking on a new role as the host of our Soundwaves series. She is active in her school in academics, theater and sports.

Rhi is currently a student in the Honors College at Portland State University majoring in Social Work. Rhi has experience working with youth communities through trauma and crisis prevention and intervention work in the past, and now is excited to join the Music Workshop team as a program assistant through an internship program at PSU to continue their passion of supporting youth.