Palm Beach Opera Announces Three New Members to Expanding Board of Directors

Palm Beach Opera Chairman Dennis K. Williams is excited to announce the recent addition of three members to Palm Beach Opera's board of directors for the company's upcoming season.

"We are delighted to welcome three distinguished directors, who bring a variety of professional expertise to our growing board family," said Dennis Williams. "Their passion and commitment will strengthen Palm Beach Opera's ability to carry out its mission, and enable our management team to continue producing world-class operas and impactful community engagement programs for South-East Florida."

A board-certified dermatologist and founder of a successful nonprofit, Dr. John Strasswimmer brings unique experience to Palm Beach Opera's board of directors. Dr. Strasswimmer has worked with spinal muscular atrophy, discovering a function of the disease gene, and actively researches skin cancer, receiving the Sulzberger Award from the American Academy of Dermatology in 2006. Dr. Strasswimmer worked at Massachusetts General Hospital before moving to South Florida, where he founded Dermatology Medical Missions, a nonprofit treating underserved communities across the country and abroad for skin cancer care. Dr. Strasswimmer is also the assistant editor of the Journal of Dermatologic Surgery, and continues to serve on several leadership committees, including the American College of Mohs Surgery.

Jeffrey Alderton, senior partner with Deloitte Consulting, joins Palm Beach Opera's board of directors with an extensive career in operations, human resources, and business transformation. Alderton mainly serves companies in the technology, healthcare, and public sector industries, with clients including Verizon, Cisco, and the state of New Jersey. During his career at Deloitte Consulting, Alderton has led the company's human resource initiatives in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, transitioning an acquisition of more than 13,000 consulting partners and staff, and creating numerous diversity and market development programs. Alderton has been published in trade and professional journals, and has participated in many panel discussions on organizational change within a variety of industries. An active member in several Palm Beach organizations, Alderton along with his wife Lee are this season's chairman and chairwoman of American Heart Association's Palm Beach Heart Ball.

Sanford Fisher is the former CEO of Media Access Corporation, a New York-based company that provides production, marketing, and special event services to corporations and nonprofits in the performing arts industry. With years serving as a board member at numerous arts organizations under his belt, including the Metropolitan Opera and the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Fisher brings a range of experience to Palm Beach Opera's board of directors, of which he was vice chairman from 2012-15. Fisher has produced various special events at notable, prestigious organizations, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Lincoln Center's Alice Tully Hall, and the Broadhurst Theatre, where he worked on a revival of Terrence McNally's Tony Award-wining play "Master Class." Fisher is the recipient of two Emmy Awards, has produced two off-Broadway productions, and is the former director of program development for CBS, where he was instrumental in developing "The Muppet Show."

"It's very exciting to see Palm Beach Opera's board of directors continue to attract such talented and passionate professionals who are eager to participate in the company's expanding reach and sustained growth," said General Director Daniel Biaggi. "We're looking forward to a great season together."

To learn more about Palm Beach Opera's board of directors, please contact General Director Daniel Biaggi at 561.835.7563 or dbiaggi@pbopera.org.

Palm Beach Opera is dedicated to producing live opera at an international standard of excellence and to enriching the life of the communities it serves with a diverse offering of educational programs. Founded in 1961, the fully professional Palm Beach Opera presents main stage performances at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts in West Palm Beach and is a proud member of OPERA America and the Cultural Council of Palm Beach County.

Photo: Dr. John Strasswimmer