From HMA National Board President, Jill Fedon…
I am pleased to announce Linda Onorevole as Executive Director of Handbell Musicians of America. Linda comes to HMA with extensive experience in arts administration and development, as well as a passion for arts advocacy and education.
Although she has not rung since she was a child, her enthusiasm for handbell and handchime ringing is contagious and we are excited for the expertise and perspective Linda brings to fulfilling the mission and goals of our organization.
About Linda
Linda Onorevole is an experienced nonprofit administrator whose primary focus has been on music education and the performing arts. She gets immense fulfillment with being part of arts administration teams at organizations that provide people of all ages with opportunities to engage in musical creation and performance. Linda has successfully formed partnerships and collaborations and raised contributed revenue for her organizations through her positive attitude, eagerness to continue learning, and openness to listening.
Linda’s experiences over the past two decades have provided her with a rich knowledge of arts and nonprofit management. She began her arts administration career with the New Jersey Chamber Music Society, where she managed a 23-school instrumental training program that partnered university music education students with professional musicians to teach music lessons for elementary school children in underserved districts.
Linda spent four years as executive director of the New Jersey Youth Symphony, collaborating with music educators to provide more than 400 students annually in grades 3-12 with advanced instrumental music opportunities. In 2010, Linda joined the South Orange Performing Arts Center (SOPAC) in New Jersey, as their director of development, and in addition to her fundraising responsibilities, held the role of interim executive director in 2012-2013. During her tenure at SOPAC, the organization received its first major awards from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, New Jersey Cultural Trust, and numerous foundations and corporations.
In 2014, Linda relocated to Southwest Florida and accepted the post of managing director at the Gulf Coast Symphony. She was part of the team that developed and launched an El Sistema-inspired program to provide students in one of the area’s most vulnerable districts with free instrumental music education.
Most recently, Linda has served as director of operations for the Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce, where she managed the daily operations and activities for the membership-based organization that represents more than 700 regional businesses in Southwest Florida. While with the Chamber, Linda convened area arts groups to collaborate with the Chamber to focus on the mutual benefits of strong arts and business partnerships.
Linda has served on the boards of the Youth Orchestra Division of the League of American Orchestras, the New Jersey Association of Museums, and the South Orange Village Center Alliance. She was a grant panelist for the Florida Department of Cultural Affairs, Essex County Local Arts Grants (NJ), and Westchester Arts Council (NY).
Linda was born and raised in northern New Jersey and earned a B.A. in Music Education from Montclair State University. She is a lyric soprano who studied with countertenor Jeffrey Gall. She continues to perform, and maintains a studio in Cape Coral teaching voice, piano, and music theory.
Linda will officially assume her role on January 3, 2022. To help with the transition, Interim Executive Director, Ed Rollins, will continue in his role through January 31, 2022. We are incredibly grateful to Ed for his dedication and leadership over the past eighteen months, particularly as he helped HMA navigate the pandemic. We also wish to express our thanks to Rick Minnotte and the Search Committee for their time, service, and commitment to the future of our organization.
Please join us in welcoming Linda to Handbell Musicians of America.
Sincerely,
Jill Fedon, President
On behalf of the National Board
Handbell Musicians of America