Staff
BYSO's Administrative Staff
Ruth Brewster, Executive Director, has a BA in Music Education from Seattle Pacific University and an MFA in performance from the University of Minnesota.
She taught instrumental and choral music in northern Minnesota and was vocal instructor, opera workshop coach, and choral conductor at Northwestern College, Roseville, MN. She has performed under conductors Edo de Waart, Neeme Jarvi, Gerald Schwarz, Eric Ericsson, Robert Shaw, Dennis Russel Davies, and Dale Warland. With the Dale Warland Singers, she was soprano soloist and section leader. She has sung with The St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, Minnesota Opera, Riksteatern (Sweden), the San Francisco Symphony, and the Seattle Symphony Chorale. She was the conductor for the Bellevue Eastside Youth Symphony from 1993 to 1997. She has conducted handbell choirs at several area churches and in Califorinia.
Ms. Brewster became the Executive Director of BYSO in 1993. She serves as the co-treasurer for Thalia Allied Artists, and has served on the board of Standing Ovation, Eastside Arts Coalition, and Highland Covenant Church.
JoAnne Jones, Administrative Director, has a degree in Business from Central Washington State University, and has been actively involved in the volunteer arena with nonprofits since 1974. She has worked with everything from volunteering at local hospitals, her children's schools, and serving on the Mercer Island schools' foundation board. In 2006-07, she was Convener of the Eastside Arts Coalition, which is based on the Eastside of Lake Washington. She has also served as president of the Junior League of Seattle, which is a member of the International Association of Junior Leagues. JoAnne is a member of Strikepoint handbell choir at First Presbyterian Church of Bellevue.
Courtney Russell, Assistant for Marketing, Assistant for Production.

