Board
Officers
Nada Marriott (she/her)
Chairperson
As an accomplished musician with decades of education leadership, Nada has been a featured soloist, seminar leader, and speaker, and has even sung backup for Mariah Carey! Nada is especially skilled as a portrait photographer, specializing in capturing people’s essence, sweetness, and joy. She is an artist at heart, and through music, she is inspired by playing the piano, singing, crocheting, and even baking her famously delectable chocolate chip cookies. In her free time, she plays with her two darling little dogs, Little Buddy and Annabelle. Nada has a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education and a Master of Arts in Organizational Management.
Kathi Fay (she/her)
Vice Chairperson
While living in New York, Kathi sang with and served as a board member of Charis Chamber Voices. She has always loved to sing and is unable to remember a time when she wasn't singing with a choir. As a lifelong music aficionado, Kathi also plays the piano and loves attending local Bay Area performances by artists like the San José Chamber Orchestra, the Peninsula Symphony, and local-area punk bands. She teaches English as a second language and continues perfecting her New York bagels recipe. Kathi lives in Campbell with her husband and two doggos. Her three grown children drop by often, mostly to play with the pups and have a home-cooked meal. She is a TCP soprano.
Jordan Nguyen (she/her)
Secretary
Born and raised in the Bay Area, Jordan is a proud UC Berkeley graduate who studied Cognitive Science & Computer Science as well as sang with the UC Berkeley University Chorus & Chamber Chorus. Making music has always been an integral part of her life. As a young professional in the Silicon Valley tech industry, she works as a user experience and product designer. In her free time, Jordan loves to be with her family and friends, paint her nails, and listen to podcasts.
James Armstrong (he/him)
Treasurer
Born and raised in New England, James’ parents recall him being mesmerized by Beethoven symphony recordings before he started kindergarten. He moved to California for graduate school and has lived in the Bay Area ever since, teaching chemistry at a local community college until his retirement in 2020. In recent years, he returned to his musical roots, including playing the piano, singing with The Choral Project and West Bay Opera, and composing works for chorus, piano, organ, violin, and trumpet. He also enjoys hiking, birding, genealogy, map collecting, traveling, and doting on his identical twin daughters.
Members-at-Large
Kristin Baxter (she/her)
Though she does not think of herself as an activist, as a board member and singer in The Choral Project, she feels like she can be the voice of those in need as the power of music is realized and shared with the world. As a retired speech pathologist, she helped people to literally find their voice through neuro-atypical challenges, injury, disease, or often requiring divergent thinking and creative solutions. As a board member, Kristin strives to celebrate diversity and inclusivity, which gives everyone the power to feel like they belong to something bigger than themselves.
Jason Brittsan (he/him)
Raised in Ohio, Jason began singing at age six and developed a deep interest in choral music. He studied voice and piano, performed in choir and band, and earned a degree in voice from Millikin University. After college, Jason built a career in the software industry with over 20 years of experience as a tester, developer, and program manager. Before joining The Choral Project, he served on the board of the Seattle Choral Company in various roles. He enjoys helping arts organizations leverage technology and continues to sing with passion. He and his husband share a love of travel and food.
Tyler Hagan (he/him)
Tyler grew up in Kansas City before moving to Toronto in Ontario, Canada, at 13 years old. He attended Johnson & Wales University in Denver and relocated to the Bay Area with his wife in 2018. While classically trained as a chef, he works in IT for a multinational company and now enjoys cooking for his friends and family. Throughout the year, he races vintage Porsches with his dad, volunteers at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, and the PURE Insurance Championship as a walking scorer, and enjoys attending the Broadway San Jose season. And much like his wife, Tyler adores their animals and loves animals of all kinds.
Nipuni Siyambalapitiya (she/her)
Growing up in the coastal town of Negombo, Sri Lanka, Nipuni started singing and playing piano at a young age. Her belief in the unifying power of choral music inspired her to pioneer choral groups at her alma mater, the University of Moratuwa, and in her hometown. She has directed and performed with numerous academic and community choirs in Sri Lanka. A designer by profession, Nipuni holds a Bachelor’s in Design and a Master’s in Industrial Design. She moved to San Jose in 2022 and works as a design consultant. Nipuni likes riding her bicycle, hanging out with friends, and making music with her husband.
Josephine Taubert (she/her)
Jo sings soprano with The Choral Project. An accomplished vocalist, she has been a featured soloist, performed with opera choruses and a jazz ensemble, and served as lead singer for a progressive rock tribute band. Before joining The Choral Project, Jo sang with another local choir for 12 years, where she also served on its board for seven years. She also serves as a song leader at her church. Jo holds a music certificate, a Bachelor of Business Administration, a Master of Arts in Labor Relations, and a J.D. She lives in San Jose with her husband and two cats, Chaos and Entropy, and enjoys frequent visits from her college-age son.