Tricia Williams – President and CEO
Prior to transitioning to Incoming President and CEO in 2023, Tricia Williams served as MHOF’s Program Director for 24 years where she supervised and implemented all aspects of the program including the donation of musical instruments to schools, Music Rising and Holland’s Heroes, a group of dedicated music and arts directors representing school districts across the nation. In 2017, Tricia created the Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation’s Music (and Arts) Education District Support Services® (MEDSS), a revolutionary districtwide assessment and consulting service that utilizes data and teacher voices leading to systemic change by removing barriers in order for all interested students to have access to quality, sequential and sustainable music and arts education. To date, districts have used MEDSS results to secure over $14M in new music and arts funding, hire additional teachers, implement new programs, remove barriers for student access and to provide instruments, classroom supplies, teacher professional development and numerous other materials and resources to best support teacher and student needs. A Berklee College of Music graduate with Percussion Performance and Music Business/Management Bachelor degrees, Tricia was awarded scholarships from Vic Firth, Inc., the Eubie Blake Scholarship Fund and the Berklee College of Music U.S. Scholarship Tour. She performed with the Boston Chamber Ensemble, Brookline Symphony, American Repertory Theatre, New England Brass Band, Disney Grammy Collegiate Orchestra and with former Frank Zappa guitarist Mike Keneally. In 2007, she was awarded for outstanding community service from the City of Los Angeles. Through a highly selective international process, Tricia was acknowledged by American Express as a leader in the nonprofit sector and selected for the American Express Leadership Academy held in New York City in 2017.
Todd Shipley – Program Director
On August 1, 2023, Todd Shipley joined the Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation as the next Program Director. He guides and administers the foundation’s programs, including musical instrument granting, the Music Rising disaster relief program, and the Music (and Arts) Education District Support Services. Most recently, Todd served as the Director of Arts Education at the Tennessee Department of Education, earning recognition as a state a national arts education leader. Previously, Todd served as a middle and high school band director and music teacher. He was a recipient of the inaugural CMA Foundation Music Teacher of Excellence award in 2016 and was named a Metro Nashville Public Schools Blue Ribbon Teacher in 2018. He is regarded as a regional and national arts education leader serving in several arts professional learning and public interest organizations and is a Past President of State Education Agency Directors of Arts Education (SEADAE), the national organization representing those persons at state education agencies who are responsible for arts education. He is also a board member of the Tennessee Performing Arts Center and ArtsEd Tennessee, an arts education advocacy coalition.