GET TO KNOW YOUR REPS
Find out more about your student representatives!
YESSICA CALDERON
President
Hi there! My name is Yessica Calderon and I will be serving as your SGA President this year. A little bit about me: I'm a 6th semester Alto Saxophone principal, majoring in Music Business with a concentration of Management. I was born and raised in the South suburbs of Chicago (a little town called Blue Island) and I grew up playing Latin and Classical music. I am a first-generation Mexican-American, and I absolutely love sharing and celebrating my culture. I am the founder and President of La Fuerza Hispana (a club on campus that aims to celebrate Hispanic & Latin culture) and I welcome all students to attend any of our events whether you are trying to celebrate or learn about our culture. After Berklee, I plan to attend law school in hopes of one day being a Lawyer in the Music Industry. This is my 3rd year on SGA and for the last 2 years, I have been serving as the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Director. This year, my goals are simple: connect with the student body, listen to your concerns, and do the best of my abilities to have those concerns addressed. I am beyond excited to be serving in this role for the year, and I welcome anyone from the Berklee community to reach out to her with any questions, concerns, feedback, or just to say hi!
GIGI GEORGE
Vice President, Conservatory
Hi! My name is Gigi George (she/her) and I’m proud to serve on SGA as the Vice President of the Conservatory! I am a current Junior at BoCo, pursuing my BFA in Musical Theater. I was born and raised just outside of Washington, DC, where I attended a small performing arts high school. I am proud to be a Mexican/Indian artist and I feel most passionately about creative work that lets me explore these identities in an artistic way. My biggest focus for this year is to continue uplifting student voices, advocating for positive change, and increasing accessibility for the student body. My greatest hope is that every student at Berklee feels cared for as both a person and a performer. My door is always open!
SHREYA PUJARI
Vice President, College
HI, I’m Shreya Pujari and I’m the Vice President representing the College this year! I want to amplify every voice and help students feel heard no matter the cause. I had a great time as DEI director last year, and I’m excited to keep working!
I’m a Pro Music Major (Music Business + Contemporary Writing & Performance) with a minor in Mediterranean Music! I primarily sing jazz and folk songs from other countries. It’s my goal to combine the rhythms and scales of Mediterranean and “world” music styles with American R&B to open our ears to the beauty of other cultures.
ALEXIA ROSA
Executive Assistant
Alexia Rosa is in her 7th Semester at Berklee College of Music. She is majoring in both Screen Scoring and Composition as well as minoring in Creative Writing. She has lived in both Europe and the Unites States throughout her life. Some of her hobbies include composing cinematic classical pieces, writing books and screenplays, and cooking food. When she's not doing any of those, she is rock climbing and taking hikes in the mountains. Alexia will be serving as the Executive Assistant for SGA this year and looks forward to contribute to the continued success of the institution.
EMILY CAO
Treasurer
Emily was born and raised in San Francisco, California. She is currently a senior majoring in Music Production & Engineering. At Berklee, she is a Resident Assistant in the 150 Mass. Ave building and also serves as a Berklee student ambassador. In her free time, enjoys playing tennis, hiking, and hanging out with friends and family.
Aidah Asrar
DEI Director
Hello! I am a second semester voice principal at Berklee and I intend to major in MP&E. My interests outside of music include crocheting, reading and spending time outdoors!
EMILY KORNICK
Accessibility & Campus Safety
Director
My name is Emily Kornick (she/her), and I’m a 7th semester Music Business Management and Songwriting dual major from Mendham, New Jersey! I’m a voice principal who also plays Celtic harp and the guitar, and am incredibly passionate about mental health awareness and advocacy. Outside of SGA, I’m a runner, a songwriter, an artist manager, a barista, and love to listen and play folk and indie rock music. I’m especially determined to see what I can do on SGA to make Berklee a safe and accessible place for everyone!
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Khensani Silinda
International Director
My name is Khensani, I am from South Africa, and I will be serving as the International Director of the SGA. Community building for international students is one of my personal focuses in this position. I am a vocalist and multi-instrumentalist at Berklee College of Music. As a music therapy major, I prioritize working in music education and I have a passion for working in special education. I am currently leading the development of the student ambassadors’ group for the International Association of Music and Medicine. When I'm not working hard as a student, I love to create helpful video content about living as an international student in Boston.
Anu Mendsaikhan
Student Life Director
Anu Mendsaikhan is a current 5th semester student from Mongolia, majoring in Music Business and Management. Greatly passionate about music education, she strives to make music education accessible to everyone and hence holds the position of the Mongolian ambassador & representative to many international music competitions and festivals as well as create and publish resources for children to utilize to learn music.
TBA
Student Programs Director
Jackson Bradford
Student Programs Director
Jackson is currently working towards a BFA in Contemporary Dance at Boston Conservatory at Berklee. Jackson is thrilled to be a part of SGA for their first time. Feel free to reach out to Jackson with any questions or concerns you have about your experience at Berklee.
ISABELA GARCIA
Theater Division Representative
Hi y’all! I’m Isabela Garcia, a junior musical theater major at Boston Conservatory, as well as being the Theater Representative. I love singing, dancing and food! I strive to make the theater division and student body a safer place, where we can all feel secure in voicing our needs and goals! My main goals are establishing and maintaining clear communication between the faculty and student body, and making sure we all feel heard and helped.
Brooke Webster
Theatre Division Representative
Hi! My name is Brooke Webster, and I’m a current sophomore musical theater major at the conservatory. I’m incredibly passionate about making every student’s time at Berklee as fulfilling and positive as possible, and I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to do that on SGA!
GRIGORI BALASANYAN
Music Division Representative
Grigori Balasanyan is an Armenian composer. He was born in 2004 in Yerevan, Armenia. Balasanyan has been composing music since the age of 8. The projects Grigori is working on range from concert pieces to multimedia collaborations, and film scores. His compositional style strongly blends his Armenian cultural heritage and contemporary writing styles. Using various musical languages of different cultures from around the world, he tries to create his own musical style that allows him to portray modern issues of the world.
One of the biggest projects in Balasanyan's career is his first ballet based on a fairy tale written by the former First Lady of Armenia Nouneh Sarkissian. It was recorded in 2019 by the Armenian State Symphonic Orchestra and premiered in 2021 at the Yerevan State Choreographic College. It became the first children's ballet in the history of Armenian music. Balasanyan is a winner of multiple international and local composer competitions such as "Rebirth", "Vahe & Lucie 2018", "Composition Competition Novosibirsk 2015", etc. He has released 2 CD albums: Melody and Alice in Wonderland, which contain 6-7 instrumental compositions each. From 2020-2022 Balasanyan wrote multiple large ensemble pieces that were performed by BHS Instrumental Music Association in Burbank, California. During the same period, he collaborated with the BHS Animation Program and IMA on a piece called "The Maya" presented in Nickelodeon studios. Balasanyan also did multiple multimedia collaborations with companies such as a London-based global media localization and access company Haymillian. He wrote the music for an educational animation in Latin American Spanish that teaches children basic English. He is also the composer of multiple short film scores, for collaborations with multiple Yerevan State School of Cinematography students.
After becoming a part of the Berklee community in 2022, he had 13 premieres of concert pieces at the Boston Conservatory at Berklee: ranging from solo to ensemble pieces. One of the recent premieres was "Purgatorio" written for a symphonic orchestra. It premiered in February 2023 as part of the "New Music Festival". Currently premiering his first opera "Silent Tears" in Boston, MA: soon to be premiered in NYC.
Gabriel Garza
Music Division Representative
Gabriel Tomás Garza is a second year composition student at the conservatory, whose music centers on the epistemology of Tejano and Latin X cultures specifically 2nd generation individuals who identify with multiple cultural cohorts and ethnic backgrounds. Drawing from his South Texas roots to represent not only his own culture(s) but the larger Mestizo (mixed) community in America.
KAYENNE CHARLES-PIERRE
Dance Division Representative
Kayenne Charles-Pierre (she/her) is an 19-year-old College Sophomore from Brooklyn, NY, she attended Laguardia High School as a dance major and is currently attending The Boston Conservatory at Berklee in her second semester. She has been dancing seriously since the age of nine. She started at Abundance Academy of the Arts, a local community program, where she was part of the youth ensemble performing around the city, from there she went to train at Brooklyn Ballet in their conservatory program where she performed in the Brooklyn Nutcracker for three years. She has trained in all forms of dance and especially enjoys Ballet, modern, and contemporary. 2018 - 2022 she is with Flightpath Dance Project for her third season where she continues working on polishing her techniques and working with various choreographers. She continues to assist and teach choreography when back in New York. In the fall she will be entering her third semester at The Boston Conservatory at Berklee.
PENN BURRALL
Dance Division Representative
My name is Penn Burrall, and I am a current senior in the Dance Division. While this is my last year at school, it is my first time being on the SGA board! I am so excited to be jumping into something new to continually learn more about the Berklee community and discover what we all have to offer. I am originally from Geneva, New York which is very far upstate- but I love being in Boston for school. I enjoy creating/sharing with my friends and hope to perform, teach, and be a leader in the dance world. My hope for this year is to take an active role in building community between Berklee and Boston Conservatory and represent the voices of the amazing dancers here. I’m excited to meet new people this semester through all the amazing events in the works. I’ll see you there!
TBA
Professional Writing & Technology Division Representative
MEGHAN KHARSYNRAP
Professional Writing & Technology Division Representative
I'm a EPD/CWP passionate about all things music technology, writing and arranging. I'm here to help and or guide you to resources that may help you!
Matthew Suchman
Professional Performance Division Representative
Hi, I'm Matt. I'm a guitar principle majoring in Performance and Music Therapy. I am responsible for Berklee events such as Casino Night, Fireside Chats in the Music Therapy department, and the Berklee Ball. I have also hosted a number of events through my presidency in AAIME (Asian Americans in Music and Entertainment) such as the Snowport Trip, Mentorship Program, and AAIME Tiny Desk. I'm am passionate about serving my community through enhancing the experience of my peers to foster a progressive and encompassing journey for all.
GABRIELLE DODARO
Professional Performance Division Representative
Elle Dodaro is an active performer and in music management. She prides herself on making continuous connections with others, spreading human spirit and creating new ideas. The genre styles that influence her are Jazz, Soul, Reggae, Afro- Cuban, Neo-Soul, Pop, Rock and Musical Theatre. Having emerged herself in these musical styles and grooves, her interaction with people and connections have overflowed and will only continue to grow.
ADIA CLARK LAY
Professional Education Representative
Adia Clark Lay is a 3rd semester vocal principle majoring in Professional Music with tracks in Songwriting and Music Business. She was born in Chicago and moved to Colorado for high school. Adia is a songwriter and performer, which is her main purpose for being at Berklee. She has experience on student government through her presidency in high school. Adia is so excited to be your Professional Education Representative this year and looks forward to working closely with all students at Berklee!
DESIREE TAY
Professional Performance Representative
Desiree, a passionate percussionist and drummer, embarked on her musical journey in 2007 when she joined her school band. Over nine years of dedication and countless performances, she honed her skills and nurtured her love for music. Desiree's commitment led her to work with industry veterans like Marcelo Woloski, Erik Hargrove, and Eguie Castrillo.
Currently a Berklee College of Music student, Desiree has explored various facets of the music industry, from drum technician to live sound engineer, instrument repair specialist, backline manager, session musician, and recording artist. She has performed at notable festivals and events alongside renowned artists, showcasing her talent and versatility.
Desiree's humility, passion for improvement, and strong interpersonal skills set her apart. Her purpose-driven approach and determination reflect her ambition to make a lasting impact on the music industry.
MONTSERRAT MARTINEZ BUGANZA
Member at Large
Hello! My name is Montserrat Martínez Buganza, and I am a senior Vocal Performance major at the Boston Conservatory at Berklee. This year I’m participating in SGA as a member at large in order to support the President, Vice Presidents, Directors, and Representatives in their endeavors this year. You can find me at the Conservatory library most week days learning my music, if not cross stitching or playing Skyrim! I hope you come say hi if you happen to spot me!
Shawn Gaskill
Member at Large
Hi Everyone! My name is Shawn Gaskill, and I am a 7th semester student at Berklee dual majoring in Contemporary Writing and Production and Music Production and Engineering, and dual minoring in Screen Scoring and Video Game Scoring! I'm a rock and metal guitarist primarily, and am on the SGA as a Member at Large. My goal as a member of the board is to promote, improve, and sustain the core values of diversity, equity, and inclusion across all areas of Berklee in any way I can, as well as improve the student experience at Berklee in general, so please reach out if there's anything you feel should be improved on campus!