Peter Stoltzfus Berton is Founding Executive Director of The Choir School of Newport County, directing the musical program and organizational goals. He holds degrees from The University of Michigan School of Music and the Yale University School of Music. His principal teachers have been David Bartlett, Robert Glasgow, Gerre Hancock, Charles Krigbaum, Walden Moore, Thomas Murray, and Carl E. Schroeder. Integral to his training was serving as Assistant Organist at the Cathedral Church of St. Paul, Detroit, Trinity Church on the Green, New Haven, and Saint Thomas Church Fifth Avenue. Prior to his appointment in Newport in June 2014,

Kate Longo has served as the music director at St. George’s School since 2019. A native of Newport, she graduated from the University of Connecticut with a bachelor’s degree in music and education; the University of Oregon with a master’s in music choral conducting; and the University of Miami with a doctorate in choral conducting. She began her teaching career at Farmington High School in Connecticut. Following her doctoral studies, Kate served as

CSNC Board Chairman Nick Brown is a scion of the Brown family that has been active in Rhode Island philanthropy and commerce since the mid-17 th Century. A 1956 graduate of the US Naval Academy and subsequent 27 years USN active duty, Brown then was named Director of the National Aquarium in Baltimore in 1983, serving in that position for the next 11 years.

A lifelong performer, musician, and deep believer in the transformative power of the arts, Jay joined the board of the Choir School of Newport County soon after he and his chorister daughter traveled with the School to Argentina in 2024. Jay has sung with the Aspen Opera Theater Festival, DiCapo Opera Theater (NYC), and Target Margin Theater (NYC), among others. He is a co-founder of the Ward Studio Theater Company,

Originally from North Carolina, Ms. Boyer has lived in Newport several times as she followed her Navy husband to duty stations domestically and abroad, finally settling locally. She then worked as a Navy system and software safety analyst for twenty years before semi-retiring into real estate office administration. She is a member of Boyer Partners, which supports book publishers with copyediting services. She holds a BS in Biology and an MS in Information Systems Science.

Meredith Rugg grew up in New York City in a musical, philanthropic family.  During her college years, she traveled abroad singing in a small “European” chorus. In 1968 that group traveled to the USSR for a concert tour as well. As an adult, she has lived in London, Hong Kong and Dallas. For 28 years she served on the Board of The Children’s Aid Society in

Jim Burress recently retired after 32 years as Director of Finance for the Preservation Society of Newport County (the Newport Mansions). He attended St. John’s College in Annapolis, MD and received a master’s degree in accounting from Georgetown University. Prior to joining PSNC, Jim worked for 11 years for a Congressman in Washington, D.C., and for 10 years in

Ann Conner grew up in a musical family where she and her brother played the piano for many years and sang in a church choir in their youth. After college and working in Boston, she married and moved to Newport where she taught math in a private girls school. She served for many years as a member of the Board of Trustees of Rhode Island Foundation, and established the