Meet Our
Team
Chief Executive Officer
Eric Dillner, CEO of Shoreline Arts Alliance has leveraged his ability to listen, lead and inspire to deliver stability, visibility, and sustainability to this extraordinary organization and community. He has created an endowment fund and operating reserve fund all the while establishing a foundation for arts scholarships and mentorships. In the last seven years, he has leveraged over six million dollars in college scholarships and tripled awards and SAA direct scholarships for artists throughout the pandemic.
Eric is the Founder and Creator of Reopen CT Arts Venues: Science-Based Safety Task Force in partnership with the Dean of Yale School of Public Health. He created 20+ webinars to guide CEOs, venue operators, their staff, leadership, and boards through the reopening and sustaining of operations during and post-pandemic. His webinars have reached over 15,000 viewers in over 18 states and 3 Countries.
As a Director of the Board of The CT NonProfit Alliance, Eric is the Arts and Culture Division Chair for the State of Connecticut as well serves on the Audit Committee and Membership Committee. Eric also serves on the Board of Directors of The Barnum Museum, Guilford Community Television (Strategic Design Chair and Nominating Chair), Madison Economic Development Committee, and Connecticut Arts Alliance.
Eris is the past artistic/producing director of in-house productions of the David A. Straz Center for the Performing Arts (the previously named Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center) – the second largest arts organization in the nation-second only to the Kennedy Center, artistic and general director of Shreveport Opera, managing director of Skylight Opera Theatre, and Director of Opera, Voice Instructor and vocalogist at the University of Missouri, Columbia. Eric has produced several commissions of new works including Corps of Discovery, a Musical Journey, and the National Endowment for the Arts funded children’s productions; Why Dinosaurs Don’t Smoke, Why Dinosaurs Don’t Litter and Herman the Horse, a Healthy Tail.
At Shreveport Opera, Eric more than doubled operating income and secured the company's largest corporate and individual donations in its 59-year history. He is a past board member of the Louisiana Presenters Network and mentor in the Peer Assistance Network program for Shreveport Arts Council. Eric was also a member of Rotary International and recipient of the Paul Harris Fellow Award as well as named one of the Top Young Professionals 40 Under 40 Award by the Greater Shreveport Chamber of Commerce. He is a past member of the Spanish Milwaukee Chamber of Commerce and Milwaukee Historic Third Ward Association BID Board, Board of Directors.
Eric began his career as a tenor with the New York City Opera and has served as a Grant Panelist for the National Endowment for the Arts.
He is the goalie coach for the West Haven High School Ice Hockey team, Fairfield University Ice Hockey teams, the American Hearing Impaired Hockey Association, and the Stan Makita Hockey School for The Deaf and Hard of Hearing.
He resides in Madison with his son, Eric, and wife, Susan Yankee, a Connecticut native and graduate of The Hartt School of Music and Yale School of Music. She is Associate Fellow-Trumbull College Yale University.
Susan is a passionate leader and advocate seeking greater outcomes for all persons with disabilities. She is devoted to ensuring an inclusive environment for all. She is currently serving as Chair of the State of Connecticut Advisory Council for Special Education. Susan is a member of the CT ESF-15 Committee for Emergency Messaging for Diverse Communities and is a committee member of the Connecticut Parents Advocacy Council (CPAC) Parents Round Table. She has served on the CT Governor’s Advisory Board for the Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and DeafBlind; CT Legislative Work Group Concerning Issues Affecting Deaf, Hard of Hearing, DeafBlind Persons; Working Group Public Act 19-184 to develop guidelines for language assessments of Deaf/Hard of Hearing students; The CT Coalition for Education of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children; and is a Disability Rights CT Partner in Policymaking Graduate.
Their son Eric is pursuing an Engineering and Math degree with a minor in photography at Fairfield University and plays for the STAGS Ice Hockey Team.
Andrew Scotella
Marketing & Arts Programming Intern
Andrew is an online college student at Southern New Hampshire University pursuing his B.S in marketing. Andrew has been an intern at SAA for 4 years & has sat in many roles. He plays guitar, paints and does photography in his free time.
Lynn Fisher
Official Photographer
Nathan Durante
Jr. Board Vice President of Community Outreach
Nate Durante is a junior in Branford High school. He plays many instruments such as guitar and piano. Following high school, Nate aims to go into pre-medical for dental medicine.
Jade Johnson
Jr. Board Vice President of Communications
Samantha Johnson is a senior at Three Rivers Middle College Magnet High School. While she is not creating art or working, she is interns at SAA and serves on the Jr. Board. Samantha hopes to study animation at one of the top universities for art in the country.
Madison Ruffo
Jr. Board Director
Madison Ruffo is a Sophomore at Daniel Hand High School. When she is not playing volleyball or painting, she interns at SAA and helps out with projects in the office. Madison hopes to study psychology and human behavior in college and work in a school setting.
Aven Kellert
Jr. Board Director
Susan Yankee
Arts Access & Legislative Liaison
Susan's passion for arts and advocacy shines through in her work, as she constantly strives for greater outcomes for all.
Ethan Richmond
Arts Administrative Intern
Ethan graduated cum laude from Williams College as Class Poet with a B.A. in English and a concentration in Africana Studies, earning highest honors in English & awarded the Ernest Brown Africana Arts Prize. In addition to working at SAA, Ethan is a dancer in NYC and a big fan of museums.
Dianne Provost
Office Volunteer
Ella O'Malley
Jr. Board Vice President of Fund Development
Ella is a senior at Daniel Hand High School. She is a student-athlete on Hand’s fencing team. In her free time, Ella enjoys creative writing and drawing cartoon characters. Her favorite subject is physics and she is interested in pursuing a STEM career.
Isabelle Weissberg
Jr. Board Director
Isabelle is a Senior at Coginchaug High School, where she on their tennis team. Outside of school, she dances contemporary ballet, and enjoys reading, & hiking. She plans on attending college to become a physical therapist focusing on dancers.
Antoinette Lowy
Jr. Board Director
Antoinette is a senior at Daniel Hand High School. She plays the violin and ballet dances. When not doing school related activities, she enjoys cooking and concocting fun recipes. She loves to travel and spend time with friends.
Yuki Aalgaard
Jr. Board Director
Andrea Aron
Future Choices Chair
Juliana Bell
Jr. Board President
Juliana is a senior at Daniel Hand High School. When she’s not drawing, she spends her time reading, volunteering at the Yale Hospital, tutors, & plays violin. She hopes to double major in science & humanities, pursuing a career in academic surgery.
Erin Maniebo
Jr. Board Vice President of Marketing
Erin is a senior at Nathan Hale-Ray High School in East Haddam, CT. She is on the SAA Jr. Board and an intern. In her free time, she enjoys painting & drawing. She hopes to pursue a degree in civil engineering or architecture.
Sam Forman
Jr. Board Chair of Open Mic Night Task Force
Sam Forman is a junior at Hopkins School in New Haven. He is an avid guitar player, and has a fixation on music and the arts. Sam is an intern at SAA and has worked on various tasks related to marketing and grant writing.
Evren Akin
Jr. Board Director
Fahad Syed
Jr. Board Director