Festival Staff

Terese Kaptur

Executive Director

Terese Kaptur returns to Fairbanks after being Executive Director at Fort Collins Symphony and National Repertory Orchestra. In addition to working with festivals, orchestras, ballet and opera, Terese worked in Artistic Planning and Education at the Pittsburgh Symphony. Since starting her career at the Fairbanks Symphony and earning her degrees at UAF, Terese composed numerous works which have been performed by chorus and artists internationally. The symphonies of Charlotte, Winston-Salem and Anchorage, Carolina Chamber Symphony, and Pittsburgh New Music Festival have performed her orchestral pieces.

James Smaby

Artistic Operations

Originally from Michigan, James Smaby has been a Fairbanks resident since 2004. James attended Albion College where he majored in mathematics and chemistry, and the University of Maine, where he studied physical chemistry. He is currently working on his masters in music theory at UAF.

Judy Divinyi

Business Manager

Judy came to Fairbanks in 1959. She owned and managed Arctic Travelers Gift Shop for 25 of her 50 years in Fairbanks. She started helping Jo Scott in 2003. Her bookkeeping/accounting skills are valuable to the Festival, and she enjoys doing this work part-time in her home-office. Her husband Carl gives considerable volunteer time to the Festival

Jeffrey Lee

Production Manager

Jenny Applegate

Lirbrary Intern

Michelle Kiec

Music Librarian

Michelle Kiec earned doctoral and master's degrees in clarinet performance at Peabody Conservatory of Music of The Johns Hopkins University and bachelor's degrees in saxophone performance and German from the State University of New York at Buffalo. Currently, Dr. Kiec is an associate professor and Music Program Director at the University of Mary in Bismarck, ND. Her areas of teaching emphasis are woodwind performance, chamber music, woodwind pedagogy, and music theory.

Kathryn Kiefhaber

Production Assistant

Suzanne Kowalsky

Administrative Assistant

Tamara Nuzzaci

Personnel Manager

Born in Maryland, Tamara Nuzzaci spent the last five years in Philadelphia working side-by side some of today's great artists at The Philadelphia Orchestra and Curtis Institute of Music. Prior to moving to Philadelphia, she was orchestra manager at the Washington National Opera and the National Repertory Orchestra in Colorado. With a bachelors degree in oboe performance from Duquesne University, this summer Tamara will complete a masters degree in organizational development at the University of Pennsylvania and return to Maryland to start a new life with Mr. Jin Park.