Directors & Trustees

Board of Trustees

President
Laura Garcia

Treasurer
Josh Keller

Secretary
Beth Robinson

Board Members
Jamey Espina
Jody Espina
James Hunt
Shonah Jefferson
Mary Morrison
Brian Orr
Carol Wirth

Roger Moss, Artist Director and Co-Founder

Rogers Moss, Jr. is originally from Chattanooga, Tennessee where he received numerous awards for civic and artistic accomplishments. He graduated from  Wheaton College and sang in the Wheaton College Concert Choir and Men’s Glee Club. His extensive performance career has included singing for the Archbishop of Canterbury, singing to sold out crowds with the Savannah Symphony Orchestra and performing the role of “Jake” in the Opera Memphis production of Porgy and Bess. He was a finalist in the American Traditions vocal competition.

Moss’ aim when co-founding the Savannah Children’s Choir was to create a positive way for Savannah’s children to represent their community and showcase positive accomplishments.  Also, through education and performance, to instill in the next generation love of the beauty and variety of American music. His boundless energy and enthusiasm are an inspiration to all who work with him, as is his life philosophy, which is “You can never dream too big!”

Cuffy Sullivan, Managing Director and Co-Founder

Growing up in Rochester, New York, Sullivan was part of an intensely musical environment, with music part of every aspect of her life; family, church and school.  She moved to Savannah in 1983 to become an early graduate of the Savannah College of Art and Design, graduating in 1986 with a degree in Historic Preservation.  After working for over 13 years in the field of downtown revitalization, a career that took her all over the country with the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s National Main Street Center, Sullivan returned to Savannah to settle with her husband, Justin, and to start a family, which now includes a three girls.  She has her own professional organizing business, and consults with a variety of organizations.

With Roger Moss, she founded the choir in 2006 in order to give her children—and the children of Savannah—a chance to experience music in the way she did as a child.

In addition to working with the choir, Sullivan also founded and served as Managing Director of the Ensemble Con Spirito, Savannah’s women’s sacred music ensemble, and currently sings with the Goliards, a medieval music ensemble.

Timothy Hall, Associate Conductor

Timothy Hall earned the Bachelor of Music degree in Sacred Music and Organ Performance, and the Master of Music degree (with distinction) from Westminster Choir College.  While at Westminster, he sang in the Westminster Symphonic Choir under such notable conductors as Bernstein, Kubelik, Leinsdorf, Mehta, Muti and Flummerfelt, as well as Westminster Singers, a smaller ensemble focusing on chamber works and vocal jazz. 

Now in his nineteenth year as Director of Music and Organist at Wesley Monumental United Methodist Church, Hall has played organ, piano and celesta with Savannah Symphony Orchestra, Charleston Symphony Orchestra and Savannah Sinfonietta.  He was Conductor of Savannah Symphony Chorus for nine seasons, and later the founding Artistic Director of Savannah Choral Society for three seasons.  He has performed solo organ recitals in both in this country and abroad.  During the summer of 2007, Hall studied organ at the Conservatoire Régionale de Paris under the auspices of the French Organ Music Seminar.  He is active as choral conductor and clinician, adjudicator, and as vocal coach and accompanist.  His Wesley Chancel Choir has toured England, Scotland, Austria and the Czech Republic, and was recently featured in two episodes of the BBC’s weekly series, “Songs of Praise,” singing hymns of Charles Wesley.   Mr. Hall is also Choirmaster for Christ Church, Episcopal.  He is the proud father of two lovely and talented daughters, and recently became a grandfather.  Mr. Hall is honored to be working with The Savannah Children’s Choir and finds their amazing talents, both individually and collectively, a great inspiration in his life!


Emmy Williams, Director of Education

More coming soon!

Anne Beetem Acker, Accompanist

Anne Acker is a full time Historic Keyboard Specialist based in Savannah, Georgia and the mountains of northeast Pennsylvania. Much of her work has grown out of her quest for a selection of keyboards for her own collection and study.   As a member of the Piano Technicians Guild, and the Music Teachers National Association she is a regular published author and lecturer, teaching modern piano technicians and a wider public about historic pianos and harpsichords.   She taught piano from the age of 16 until recently, when her travel and work schedule precluded a regular teaching schedule .

As a performer, she has played and recorded with several professional choirs, soloists and chamber groups.  In 2007, her solo performance at the Savannah Music Festival on harpsichord and fortepiano was sponsored by the Georgia Music Hall of Fame and Museum. In addition to restoring and consulting, speaking, and writing about the restoration, history and values of 18th and 19th century pianos, she professionally builds, appraises, restores and decorates harpsichords, clavichords and fortepianos and is the east coast U.S. representative for The Paris Workshop.  A sought after early keyboard technician, she has clients all along the east coast of North America.

Laura Garcia, President

Ms. Garcia serves as executive vice president and chief operating officer at the Georgia Historical Society.

A graduate of the University of Virginia, she has more than 15 years of experience in the nonprofit sector. Prior to her work in Savannah, she was deputy director for operations with the National Immigration Forum on Capitol Hill; an English professor in Spain and a consultant for a firm handling Department of Defense contracts in Washington. 

"I'm involved in the SCC because I believe in helping small nonprofits to be well-run and compliant in terms of financial, legal, operational, development and other business matters.  Strength in these areas leads to increased financial support which makes it possible to create additional programs and opportunities for the children we aim to help."

Josh Keller, Treasurer
More information coming soon

Beth Robinson, Secretary

Beth Robinson is the Human Resources Director for the City of Savannah, Georgia.  She is responsible for a full-service centralized human resources department, serving a workforce of 2,600 employees.  She has a master’s degree in Public Administration from the College of Charleston, SC and her two decade career has been entirely in the area of public service.  Beth holds the designation of Certified Professional by the International Public Management Association for Human Resources.

In addition to her work with the SCC Board of Trustees, Beth is the parent of one the choir’s original members.  She is also an active member of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, the facility which provides rehearsal space for the Choir.

Jamey Espina

Jamey is Hospice Savannah’s Community Liaison, and has worked for Hospice Savannah for over seven years. He has a Masters Degree in Rehabilitation and Mental Health Counseling, and is a licensed Professional Counselor.  He previously served as the Director of Full Circle Center for Education and Bereavement Support at Hospice Savannah. 

He is originally from Tampa where he was a therapist for Tampa Aids Network, taught psychology at the International Academy of Design and provided private practice counseling to individuals who suffered from traumas from the medical system. He is also on the board of Savannah Small Business Chamber and serves on the Georgia Hospice and Palliative Care Education Committee.

Jody Espina

Jody Espina is the founder and president of JodyJazz Saxophone & Clarinet Mouthpieces, and is a highly regarded  jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, and educator.

Mr. Espina served as the Director of the Jazz Department at the Hoff Barthelson Music School in Scarsdale, New York, and was adjunct professor of Saxophone and Clarinet at Concordia College in Bronxville, New York.

Prior to this, Espina was professor of saxophone, clarinet and flute, and the Director of the Big Band at the Aula de Musica i Moderna Jazz in Barcelona, Spain.  Additionally, he is a conductor in the musical sign language system called Sound Painting.

Mr. Espina has been involved with the Grammys In The Schools program, bringing performing artists to inner city schools and has written and performed "What Is Jazz?",  an educational concert for children.

After majoring in classical clarinet at the University of South Florida, Espina transferred to Berklee College of Music where he won a Phil Woods Performance Scholarship. Espina graduated magne cum laude with a degree in Performance.

James Hunt

Owner of a successful downtown boutique, The Hunt Club Custom Clothier, Mr. Hunt is an avid supporter of local arts organizations.  Before opening his own store, Hunt had been selling men's clothing in addition to working as a regional salesperson in the restaurant business. Prior to that, however, he worked around the nation for Ralph Lauren and Ferragamo.

Shonah Jefferson

Shonah P. Jefferson is an attorney with Hunter Maclean.   Before joining Hunter Maclean, Ms. Jefferson worked as a lawyer in Atlanta, Georgia, where she represented commercial banks and insurance companies as providers of municipal reinvestment products.  Ms. Jefferson also worked at AT&T for several years, where she was responsible for managing various financial processes.

Ms. Jefferson represents for-profit and non-profit developers in the area of multi-family housing development.  She helps them finance and develop affordable housing projects funded from a variety of sources, including low income housing tax credits, HOME funds, conventional loans and tax-exempt municipal bonds.  Ms. Jefferson also represents hospitals and universities as borrowers of tax-exempt bond proceeds and as purchasers of municipal reinvestment products.

Ms. Jefferson has a B.B.A. in Finance and a B.A. in Plan II Honors Liberal Arts from The University of Texas at Austin, where she graduated Phi Beta Kappa. She also has a J.D. from Georgia State University College of Law.

Originally from Houston, Texas, Ms. Jefferson currently resides in Savannah. She is a member of the State Bar of Georgia, the Savannah Bar Association and the American Bar Association.

Mary Morrison

Mary Morrison is originally from Atlanta, Ga. During her years in Atlanta, Mary was involved in various volunteer organizations, including Atlanta Speech School, a school for children with hearing impairment, the Atlanta Botanical Garden and was chairman of the Atlanta Flower Show.
 When she and her husband moved from Atlanta to Savannah, she got involved with the Savannah Music Festival, serving on the board for the festival, as well as serving on the board for the Telfair Museum of Art. Mary became involved with the Savannah Children’s Choir from its inception.

“The youth are our future, and if you can do something for a child and turn their lives around, it makes a large impact. You can volunteer or give monetary support, but it’s all so important for them to get this experience in music.”

Mary serves as a judge for flower arrangements for the Garden Club of America and spends much of her free time decorating and planting gardens. Mary is also an active member of First Presbyterian Church in Savannah.

Brian Orr

Brian Orr is a Senior Vice President and Portfolio Management Director for Morgan Stanley Smith Barney. He has been providing financial advice to families and institutions for 16 years.

Brian enjoys fishing and spending time with his wife Kirsten, whom he met at while they were both attending Furman University, and their 6 year-old son.

He has been involved with other community organizations including the Emerging Leaders Committee of the Savannah Foundation, the YMCA, and Savannah Country Day School.

Carol Wirth

Carol Wirth owns and operates TWC Consulting, a practice specializing in strategic communications and public affairs. She provides strategy, planning and execution pertaining to public relations, government relations, grassroots and community relations for corporations and non-profits.

Formerly with the Hawthorn Group (2000 - 2004), a Washington, D.C.-based public affairs and public relations consulting firm, Carol headed up the energy practice and media relations department for the firm. As a Senior Vice President, Carol provided public affairs counsel and strategy to the energy, timber and defense industries. Prior to Hawthorn, Carol was with Blanc and Otus Public Relations (1999 - 2000), a subsidiary of Hill and Knowlton based in Washington, D.C. that specializes in servicing the high-tech industry.

A former press secretary and communications director in the United States Congress, Carol continues to maintain her political contacts in D.C. where she worked for U.S. Representative Kevin Brady of Texas (1996 -1999).

Carol’s career began in journalism as a news and sports reporter for Texas gulf-area dailies, the Baytown Sun and Galveston Daily News. She graduated from the University of Kansas with a B.A. in journalism and mass communications.

A native of Houston, Texas, Carol now resides in Savannah, Georgia with her husband and two sons.