The Mockingbird Foundation has no salaries and no paid staff. The board, its grantmaking process, and all of our fundraising projects; and the content, IT, and user management at Phish.net, are all undertaken on an entirely volunteer basis. From the Phish.net site credits to the Inquiry Review Committee, and more, Mockingbird couldn’t operate without the donated hours and often daily dedication that our volunteers provide. These are largely informal efforts, and somewhat ad hoc. We also acknowledge a handful of supporters each year who’ve gone above and beyond, designating them Mockingbird Ambassadors for helping further our mission and spread the Foundation’s word.
The governing body of the Mockingbird Foundation is the board of directors. The directors represent various ages, professions, and backgrounds; but all share a common passion for music education. With no salaries, staff, office, or endowment, the directors live in more than a dozen states and work with volunteers worldwide.
Executive Team
Bill Ryan
President (2024-); Treasurer (2021-); Director (2019-)
Bill Ryan
President (2024-); Treasurer (2021-); Director (2019-)
Bill, a Senior Wealth Advisor at Ryan Wealth Advisors, graduated from Boston College with a B.S. in Finance. Bill earned his Accredited Portfolio Management Advisor designation from the College for Financial Planning. He holds Series 7 and Series 65 securities registrations, and is an investment advisor representative. He also has his life, accident and health insurance licenses. Bill is past President of the Pingree School Alumni Leadership Board and is a past member of the school’s Board of Trustees. Bill also served as president of the Friend’s of KIPP Academy Lynn Foundation. Bill also currently sits on the Professional Advisors Committee of the Essex County Community Foundation. Bill enjoys golfing, playing the drums, and live music. His first Phish show was 10/30/92. Bill and his wife, Britt, live on the North Shore of Massachusetts with daughter Cate, and sons Marty, Jimmy, and Pete
Colleen Heller-Stein
Vice President (2022-); Director (2021-)
Colleen Heller-Stein
Vice President (2022-); Director (2021-)
Colleen Heller-Stein is the Director, Office of Human Resources and Deputy Chief Human Capital Officer at the Department of the Treasury, with responsibilities for providing leadership in developing, directing and evaluating human resources policies and programs supporting Departmental Offices’ (Headquarters) mandate to promote economic prosperity and ensure the financial security of the United States. Before joining the Treasury Department Colleen held numerous positions in state and Federal government with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, U.S. Government Publishing Office, and the Department of Veterans Affairs. Her experience also includes work abroad supporting active duty military personnel and veterans in Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands. Colleen is a graduate of the Partnership for Public Service’s Excellence in Government Fellows program, and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in American Studies from Dickinson College and a Master of Public Administration degree from the George Washington University’s Trachtenberg School of Public Policy and Public Administration.
Kurt Vile
Vice President (2023-); Director (2021-)
Kurt Vile
Vice President (2023-); Director (2021-)
Not that Kurt Vile, but amazing in his own right. Kurt has been a phish fan for 30 years and is looking forward to the next 30. He currently leads the data science platform team for a major asset manager and has been working in as a leader in technology for as long as he’s been seeing phish. He is lives in Newport Beach California with his wife, two daughters, and an overly rambunctious puppy.
Mike Bove
Secretary (2023-); Director (2022-)
Mike Bove
Secretary (2023-); Director (2022-)
Mike has more than fifteen years’ experience with grantmaking in the volunteer non-profit world and believes deeply in the mission of the Mockingbird Foundation. His first Phish show was 8/16/97, and he considers the MSG floor a second home. He is Professor of English Literature at Southern Maine Community College and the award winning author of four full-length poetry collections. In 2024 he served as Writer-in-Residence for Acadia National Park. Born and raised in Portland, Maine, Mike still lives there with his wife, two sons, and a 1974 VW Beetle named Wilson.
Charlie Dirksen
Director (1997-); Executive Advisor
Charlie Dirksen
Director (1997-); Executive Advisor
Charlie is an antitrust and securities lawyer practicing with Cera LLP in Boston and San Francisco. He has been assisting the Foundation with a wide variety of projects since the inception of the Foundation in 1996.
Ellis Godard
Executive Director (1997-)
Ellis Godard
Executive Director (1997-)
Ellis is Associate Professor of Sociology at California State University, Northridge, where he teaches Statistics, Research Methods, the Sociology of Law, and Deviance & Social Control. He saw his first Phish show 10/10/90, has volunteered for Phish.Net since 1991, and never believed the "breakup" would be permanent. He has served as volunteer Executive Director of the Mockingbird Foundation since its beginning in 1996. Ellis (151 shows) lives in Ventura County with his wife Kristen (113 shows) and two children (Noah and Maya; 6 shows each).
Board of Directors
David Beckwith
Director (2019-)
David Beckwith
Director (2019-)
David is a Fine and Rare Wine Advisor who lives in New York with his wife and three daughters, all of whom have directly benefited from music education. He has helped with numerous charity events throughout the years and enjoys thinking creatively to accomplish his goals. His first Phish show was 12/28/94 and he believes the band is playing at the top of their game in recent years.
Bill Bowman
Director (2019-)
Bill Bowman
Director (2019-)
Bill is Executive Director of Pivot, a non-profit agency in Watertown, New York, which provides a variety of prevention and health services, primarily to youth. He saw his first show, entirely by accident, in May, 1989. He purchased the Junta cassette at the show, and shortly thereafter consumed the "Kool-Aid". He has extensive experience with not-for-profit boards, loves his left leaning life, and believes in the power of music to heal and build resiliency.
Adam Detsky
Director (2021-)
Adam Detsky
Director (2021-)
Adam is excited to join the Mockingbird Foundation board in 2021. He is a civil trial attorney residing near Boulder, Colorado. After spending over a decade as an insurance defense attorney, Adam began representing the injured in 2018. He practices law in both Colorado and New York. In addition to practicing in both State and Federal trial courts, Adam has argued before multiple appellate courts. Adam began following Phish in 1996 as an undergraduate at the University of Maryland. His first show was October 21, 1996 at Madison Square Garden and he has been to over 100 shows since. Phish's storied 1997 Hampton two-night run was his second and third show. His tenth show was Big Cypress. In addition to serving on our Board of Directors, he also serves on the Board of the American Mock Trial Association ("AMTA"). AMTA is the academic non-profit that organizes undergraduate-level mock trial. The organization serves over 6000 students from over 350 colleges and universities each year. In his spare time, Adam enjoys spending time with his wife and young son.
Cameron Garrison
Director (2023-)
Cameron Garrison
Director (2023-)
Cameron lives in Kansas City with his wife, two high-school aged children, and his dogs Bear and Rosco P Coltrane, all of whom grew tired of Phish long ago. He saw his first show at the Horizontal Boogie Bar in Rochester on 9/27/91 and was permanently hooked at 12/30/92 and, in particular, by the Bowie -> Timber -> Bowie. This naturally means that he has waited through all of 3.0 and 4.0 for either or both of Bowie and Timber to return to their rightful places of glory. In his spare time, Cameron maintains an unhealthy obsession with Arsenal FC and all things UVa sports. Cameron is incredibly honored to join the Mockingbird board and looks forward to helping in whatever way he can
Andrew Hitz
Director (2013-)
Andrew Hitz
Director (2013-)
Andrew Hitz has appeared as a soloist, clinician and speaker in over 40 states and 30 countries including China, Brazil, Russia, and Singapore, performing with some of his heroes including Trey Anastasio, Jonathan Fishman, the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, and Medeski, Martin & Wood. He is probably best known for the 14 years he spent touring the world as tuba player and co-owner of Boston Brass. His first Phish show, New Years ’93, changed both his life and career. He lives with his wife Tiffany, their son Nicholas, and their dog Izabella in the Washington, DC area.
Stephanie Jenkins
Director (2019-)
Stephanie Jenkins
Director (2019-)
Stephanie Jenkins is an Associate Professor in the School of History, Philosophy, and Religion at Oregon State University. She designed and teaches the first and (for now) only for-credit college course about Phish, using the band as case study for exploring the Philosophy of Art and Music. She unapologetically believes in “chalk dust without the torture,” the importance of combining profession with passion, and unicorns.
Alison Kleiman
Director (2023-)
Alison Kleiman
Director (2023-)
Alison has been volunteering with the Mockingbird Foundation since 2023. She spends her days - and nights - working as a freelance graphic designer in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where she lives with her husband Rob, a musician and music professor, and their tiny poodle, Donna Jean (yes, named after *that* Donna Jean). Music has played a huge role in Alison's life since she was a child. Growing up in a house where music was always playing and seeing live music was of high importance, she dabbled in school orchestras for a while before realizing she was a much better audience member than performer. She was first exposed to Phish at summer camp in the 90s (a tale as old as time) and the rest is history. Alison earned a BFA from the Rhode Island School of Design and an MA in Arts Administration from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Being able to help raise awareness of the life changing power of music education is truly the perfect mash up of her interests and abilities.
Scott Marks
Director (2015-)
Scott Marks
Director (2015-)
Scott played trombone for over a decade while growing up and saw his first Phish show on November 26, 1997. Scott graduated from Bryant College in 2001 with a degree in marketing and has worked in the insurance industry since 2002. Scott joined the Mockingbird Foundation and the Phish.net setlist team in 2009, helped revamp the entire setlist file with numerous updates, and curates the tease chart. Scott lives in Cranston, RI, loves to ski, travel and see live music.
Pete Mason
Director (2021-)
Pete Mason
Director (2021-)
Pete Mason is a teacher, writer and author living in Albany, NY. He promotes PhanArt shows and runs PhanArt.net, highlighting music-inspired fan creations while supporting The Mockingbird Foundation and Groovesafe. He is Publisher of NYS Music.
Reed Meschefske
Director (2019-)
Reed Meschefske
Director (2019-)
Reed Meschefske is a Neenah, WI native who currently resides in Santa Fe, NM with his beautiful wife, step-daughter, and basset hound Frodoug. He has been involved in theater for over 35 years and has acted for companies and directed productions all over the world. He received his Bachelor's Degree from Columbia College-Chicago and his Master of Fine Arts in acting from The National Theater Conservatory in Denver, CO. Reed currently runs the theater program at Santa Fe High School. He believes that arts education is essential and that the Riverport Gin is the greatest piece of music Phish has ever played.
Steve Paolini
Director (2017-)
Steve Paolini
Director (2017-)
Steve is an attorney and Director in the Compliance department of a foreign banking organization. Steve ran his car into the ground driving to his first Phish show on 11/15/91. A mere $5,000 later he considers it money well spent. Steve is the editor of the song histories section of phish.net and a member of the setlist team. Steve lives in New York with his wife Mo, daughter Lucy and, and dog Zara.
Mike Pryzblyzski
Director (2021-)
Mike Pryzblyzski
Director (2021-)
Adam Scheinberg
Director (2010-); President (2017-2023)
Adam Scheinberg
Director (2010-); President (2017-2023)
Adam can trace his first contributions to Phish.net back to notes in the FAQ in the mid-90′s, followed by an improved random setlist generator in the early 2000′s. In 2009, Adam officially became webmaster of phish.net, unveiling the first entirely dynamic site, and mockingbirdfoundation.org, a major improvement to the Foundation's web presence. Since then, he has introduced the Phish.net API, the Phish.net forum, Phish.net mobile, and scores of ancillary features, such as jam charts, setlist stats, and tease charts.
Adam is passionate about music and arts education; he also serves on the Board of Directors at the Orlando Family Stage as Past Chair. He is also a Past Chair of the Orlando Tech Community and serves as a mentor at Startup Weekend Orlando. Adam lives in Orlando, FL, with his wife Jennifer and two children, Jillian and Jack.
David Schlesinger
Director (2023-)
David Schlesinger
Director (2023-)
OTW
Matt Sexauer
Director (2015-)
Matt Sexauer
Director (2015-)
Matt is a veteran public school music educator and band director of fifteen years as well as a freelance woodwind player and recreational cellist. His history with Phish began on July first, 1995. Some twenty years later he and his wife Kate were fortunate to be able to introduce their two daughters, Abbey and Nora, to the live Phish scene at Magnaball. Matt and his family live, teach, and perform in the greater Boston area.
David "ZZYZX" Steinberg
Director (1997-)
David "ZZYZX" Steinberg
Director (1997-)
David earned his Masters degree in Mathematics from New Mexico State University in 1994, and is currently a computer programmer in Seattle. He first saw Phish in his undergraduate days at Bard College, later created the Phish Stats web site, and used that knowledge to create the statistics for the first two editions of The Phish Companion.
Current geographic distribution of board members:
We thank these Emeritus Directors for their years of service:
- Chip Parker (2019-2024; Past President)
- Liora Sponko (2021-2024)
- Ali Stone (2022-2023)
- Britt Ryan (2021-2023)
- Kim Sia (2020-2023)
- Peter Skewes-Cox (2016-2023)
- Phillip Harrison (2015-2023)
- James Macdonald (2021-2022)
- Andrea Nusinov (2019-2021)
- Jack Lebowitz (1997-2021)
- John Demeter (2015-2020)
- Chris Cagle (2019-2020)
- Katie Irwin (2019-2020)
- Brian Baker (2019-2020)
- Brian Feller (2018-2020)
- Chris Bertolet (1997-2016, 2018-2019)
- Marco Walsh (1997-2018; Past President)
- Elayne Best (2014-2018)
- Dan Purcell (1997-2017)
- Herschel Gelman (1997-2015)
- Jeremy Goodwin (1997-2015)
- Jim Raras (2004-2014)
- Marcie Vogel Frahm (1997-2014)
- Craig DeLucia (1997-2009; Founder)
- Dan Hantman (1997-2009; Past President)
- Charlz Franz (1997-2003)
- Dave Donohue (1997-2002)
- Mark Toscano (1997-2001; Past President)
- Mark Goldberg (1997-2000)
- Dan Seideman (1997-2000)
- Eddie Dinel (1997-1999)
- Joe Rioux (1997-1999)
- John Wood (1997-1999)