Important News from El Sistema USA®
We want to congratulate Angelica Cortez, Interim President and CEO of El Sistema USA®; she has accepted a new position as Executive Director of the Suzuki Associations of the Americas. Please join us in thanking Angelica for all she’s done as thought leader, board member, and interim President and CEO here at El Sistema USA®!
El Sistema USA® welcomes Lauren Shelton and Elizabeth Moulthrop to serve as part-time, Interim Co-CEO’s starting January 17th, 2022. This part time arrangement will allow both to continue to serve in their respective organizations while supporting ESUSA’s operations, including the launch of the national search for a permanent leader, a national symposium, and continued member support and engagement.
Lauren Shelton
Lauren Shelton (she/her) is the Director of the Butler Community Arts School. Mrs. Shelton has a strong background in arts education, arts advocacy, and arts management. She has been a classroom educator, music director for the San Diego Children’s Choir and Girl Scouts San Diego, and began the Community Opus Project with the San Diego Youth Symphony in 2010. Prior to arriving at Butler University, Mrs. Shelton implemented the return of the visual and performing arts to the Chula Vista Elementary School District using the district’s investment of $18 million dollars to employ 94 arts teachers at 47 schools district-wide. She also served as faculty for the Longy School of Music of Bard College Masters of Arts in Teaching program at the Los Angeles Campus. Mrs. Shelton advocates for equitable arts education for all students and has held speaking engagements at The Western Positive Psychology Association Conference; NAMM Show, Nonprofit Institute; Little Kids Rock Virtual Summit; Save The Music Foundation; and Grantmakers in Education Conference, to name a few.
Lauren Shelton holds a California Teaching Credential, California Administrative Credential, and completed her Masters in Educational Leadership with a focus on Arts Integration and Common Core Standards Implementation with honors. In June 2015 she was a recipient of the Yale School of Music Distinguished Educator of the Year Award and most recently received the Outstanding Administrator Award from the California Music Educators Association at the state and local level.
Elizabeth Moulthrop
Elizabeth Moulthrop is a violinist, music educator, and nonprofit leader who is passionate about using music as a vehicle for equity and community. She is the Director and a founding member of the Paterson Music Project (A Program of the Wharton Institute for the Performing Arts) an El Sistema-inspired after school music program established in 2013 in Paterson, NJ. Ms. Moulthrop is also the founder and President of Notes for Change, Inc., a non-profit organization that has run music education programs in Pisco, Peru and served as the fiscal agent for the World Ensemble. Ms. Moulthrop is also the manager of a statewide El Sistema NJ research project studying the impact of El Sistema programs on community formation, student identity, and student social emotional growth. She is also an active member of the El Sistema NJ Alliance, ESUSA, and in the local Paterson community, serving on various nonprofit community boards and the Paterson Arts Education Taskforce.
Ms. Moulthrop holds a Bachelor of Music degree from The Boyer School of Music and Dance at Temple University and a Performer’s Certificate from the John J. Cali School of Music at Montclair State University. Currently, Ms. Moulthrop is pursuing a Master of Public Administration in Social and Urban Policy at the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University.
