Dear BYC members and friends,
 

Madeleine Stephens has informed the BYC Board of Directors that she will resign as Executive Director at the end of February in order to join Village Theater in a full-time capacity. We are overjoyed for Madeleine for this great opportunity and wish her great success!
 
Madeleine joined BYC in 2017 after graduating from St. Olaf College. Her tireless efforts as Executive Director, grant writer, and fundraiser have been instrumental to BYC’s mission. We will miss her. 

Staffing plans for the future are currently being evaluated. While what that exactly will look like is still unknown, we do know that as we move forward BYC is looking for families to become involved with the leadership of the organization. Keep an eye on your email in the coming weeks for details about how you can support BYC and make your voices heard by engaging with the BYC community in a deeper way. Please see Madeleine’s message below for further information.

BYC Board of Directors
Bill Brueggemann, Allison George, Kimberly Hernandez
Staff representatives Heidi McIlroy and Nathan Shiu

A message from Madeleine

After five years of working with Bellevue Youth Choirs, I have now accepted a full time position as Marketing Manager – Mainstage at Village Theatre. While I am eager for this new opportunity to advance my career, it is also a bittersweet moment. Working with this organization has been formational both in my personal and professional lives. I have loved being the Executive Director of BYC!

Over the past five years the organization has grown and changed in so many ways. When I began, BYC had just received its 501 (c) 3 designation and was in many ways learning how to become a nonprofit. Since then, we have steadily increased our grant funding and donations, helping to sustain us through the difficult virtual 2020-21 season. We have sent singers on the first international tour, offered the first summer camp, produced virtual concerts, and survived a pandemic. I am so proud of the resilience of this team in continuing through the impossible and excitedly returning to in-person music-making. After a year of teaching only 10 students over Microsoft Teams, we are now welcoming more and more new students to BYC. This past Monday we ended up pulling out additional chairs for new students!

Looking forward, changes will surely come as the board and staff transition into new leadership. Changes need to come along with increased support from you all, as BYC moves on. Current members should look out for ways to get involved with BYC, more generally and through the transition.

Regardless of who is in charge, what will remain is BYC’s continued dedication to teaching new musicians, inspiring a sense of play in their lives, and creating a joyful, spirited community.

I look forward to seeing what is next for BYC as an audience member and volunteer!

Madeleine

Madeleine Stephens 
BYC Executive Director 

[email protected]