American tenor Christopher Pfund officially assumed the role of President of the National Opera Association in January 2026 at the organization’s annual conference held at the Fairmont Copley in Boston, MA. Pfund is an Associate Professor of Music at the University of Florida where he teaches voice and serves as the voice area coordinator. 

Additional changes in leadership included Shelby VanNordstand’s move from her role as Vice President of Conferences to President-Elect; Shelby is an Assistant Teaching Professor at Iowa State University. Ann Marie Wilcox-Daehn stepped into the role of Vice President for Conferences. Wilcox-Daehn previously served on the Board of Directors and was the Editor of NOA Now; she is on faculty at Missouri State University. After his two-year term as President, Isaí Jess Muñoz shifted into the role of Immediate Past President; Muñoz is the Chair of the Vocal Arts Department at Boston Conservatory at Berklee. The role was previously filled by Lisa Fauntleroy Moore from Indiana Wesleyan University.

Three members were added to the Board of Directors including Patrick Hansen (McGill University & Tri-Cities Opera), Emily Howes Heilman (Sam Houston State University), and Sahoko Sato Timpone (University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music). The following members rotated off the board after their dedicated service: Darryl Cooper (University of Nevada, Las Vegas), Kristin Roach (Lawrence University), and Jon Truitt (Ball State University). You can view the full leadership team here.

Many of our members serve on one or more of nineteen committees; their work is vital to the success of NOA. A full list of committee members, updated January 2026, can be found here. 

The National Opera Association extends their deepest thanks for all those who have served and wholeheartedly welcomes those who have accepted new roles in leadership and on the committees.