Jonathan Chellis, President
A lifelong Mainer, Jon graduated from the University of Maine in 2011 with a BA in Music Education. While his primary instrument is the trumpet, Jon has maintained a deep passion for choral music throughout his career. He previously served as President of the University Singers under the direction of Prof. Dennis Cox. Professionally, Jon serves as the AI Knowledge Enablement Lead at Park Place Technologies, where he focuses on optimizing organizational intelligence and accessibility. Jon lives in China, Maine, with his wife, son, and a house full of pets.
Rachel Turner, Treasurer
Rachel is a current member of UVCC. She works in Social Services assisting Youth, Adults and New Mainers with setting goals and connecting to resources for greater independence and stability. Previously, she worked as a Special Education teacher for fifteen years, and in Long Term Care for ten years. She holds a BA in Music Education from Hartt School of Music in Hartford, CT and a Master’s Degree in Special Education from Bridgewater State University in Massachusetts.
Growing up in Connecticut, Rachel discovered the joy of Choral singing at a young age and has made it an integral part of her life ever since. She has a full appreciation for how music impacts our lives and our communities. She sang with local community choirs and church choirs before joining Vox Nova Chamber Choir in 2015.
Rachel has also lived in Massachusetts, Louisianna and Virginia. She is very happy to call Maine home and lives in Rockland with her husband and their beloved Bluetick hound.
Molly Wagner, Secretary
Molly is a Stage Manager based in the Portland area and has worked on productions of various sizes with Portland Theater Festival, Mad Horse Theatre Company, Lyric Music Theater, Portland Players, Portfringe and Fenix Theatre Company. She is a lover of performing arts and when not at the light board or in the wings can be found in the costume department, the box office, or behind a spreadsheet preparing for yet another show. She holds bachelor’s degrees in Chemistry and in Geological Sciences from George Washington University and a master’s degree in Earth and Environmental Studies from Wesleyan University. She currently works as a Finance Senior Associate, and previously worked on the Education Programming team, at the Children’s Museum and Theatre of Maine, where she sometimes lends a hand at Maddy’s Theatre as well. She lives with her partner, who is a current member of UVCC, her dog Frisco, and many plants.
Sable Strout
Sable is an opera director from Richmond, Maine. Known for her immersive, site-specific, and alternative stagings, she is the Artistic Director and Co-Founder of Opera in the Pines – a Maine-based company dedicated to reimagining the opera experience through unique productions in non-traditional settings. Her recent directing credits include La Traviata (Kentucky Opera) and The Barber of the Cape (Opera in the Pines). Previous directing credits include the touring production of The Ugly Duckling (Tri-Cities Opera) as well as The Crucible, Bar Crawl Bohème, and The Diary of Anne Frank (Opera in the Pines). As an assistant director Sable has worked for Seattle Opera, Central City Opera, and On Site Opera. Sable holds a Bachelor of Music from the University of Southern Maine, a Master's degree in Opera Performance from Wichita State University, and a Certificate in Opera Direction from Ithaca College.
Emma DeMelim
Emma has worked in the medical field for the past decade, and is a non-singing board member. She received her Bachelor of Science from the University of Vermont in Medical Laboratory Sciences. She worked as a medical technologist in Burlington, Vermont for four years before taking a three year break from the medical field to farm. Returning to a career in Medical Technology, she worked for MaineMed in the microbiology department before transitioning to a position as a generalist at Intermed P.A. in South Portland where she has been since 2023. She was introduced to UVCC through her wife who sings with the choir and enjoys supporting the arts in this way. Emma lives in Bath with her wife and their two cats.
Stephanie Bernier
Stephanie has been living in Maine for over 45 years. She has spent her career as an early educator, first in the public school system and then running her own school for 30 years. Music has played a most important role in Stephanie’s life and some of the experiences she has been lucky enough to be a part of have been; studying voice at the New England Conservatory of Music, singing with the University Singers at the University of Maine in Orono (1976-1980), performing with the Cathedral Chamber Singers in Portland and the Bowdoin College chorus. Stephanie joined Vox Nova in 2016 and now has the privilege of singing with Una Voce Chamber Choir since its inception. Stephanie is a mom, grandmother, and lives with her husband Ren and their beloved dog Poppy in Topsham, Maine.