The Westbrook Village Voices Board of Directors
Nancy Connolly • President
Nancy is a scarcity in The Westbrook Village Voices choir – one of only a handful of native Arizonans! Born and raised in Mesa, Nancy’s father introduced her to music at a very young age. He taught her to read music which led her to conquer the piano, and then the flute. As an active young member of her Methodist church, Nancy joined the Board of Trustees, eventually taking on the leadership role of Chairperson of the Board of Trustees, the highest-ranking lay person on the Board. Nancy’s professional career spanned 50 years in the Tax Department of U-Haul International, which included time working in the areas of Income Tax, Sales Tax and Property Tax. Nancy has sung in numerous church and community choirs over the years. In addition to the Westbrook Village Voices, Nancy performs with Sounds of the Southwest Singers. Nancy and her husband Jerry, who recently retired from his position with the City of Phoenix, moved to Westbrook Village in 2018.
Ivan Fortin • Vice President & Public Relations
Ivan is originally from Augusta, ME, and grew up in New Jersey ("down the shore"). Ivan worked 44+ years in the airline industry, starting as an airline reservation agent at Eastern Airlines in the early 70s. He also worked as an airport supervisor (you may have seen him at Newark Airport in the 80s) and as an airline ticket agent in Rockefeller Center (the famous ice skating rink was in full view). Ivan moved from airline airport operations into the airline Computer Automation Technology team in the late 1980s. After stints heading Quality Control, Implementation and Consulting teams, Ivan retired as a Product Manager of Travel Agency Software, in July, 2017. Ivan lived in Miami, FL, for 18 years prior to his moving to Vista Crossing in Westbrook Village with his wife Gale in the summer of 2017. Ivan and Gale met at Eastern Airlines in 1973 and were married in 1975 (she's everything Elvis & Engelbert; he's strictly Sinatra & Sondheim). They are avid theatre goers whose Facebook pages are filled with selfies taken from their seats in a wide variety of Phoenix area theatres. Ivan serves as the Vice President of The Westbrook Village Voices and is also responsible for Public Relations and Communications.
Linda Hofman • Secretary
Linda is a native Phoenician and 4th generation Arizonan whose great-grandfather was a trolley car conductor in downtown Phoenix. A graduate of Phoenix Union High School and Phoenix College, Linda’s mother always encouraged singing around the house while doing chores, as the radio or phonograph invariably played the classics of the 40's and the 50's. During her pre-teen years, Linda tried playing several musical instruments and decided that she preferred singing! After singing in her high school choir, Linda continued her love of singing in multiple church choirs, and currently sings with The Westbrook Musicians, in addition to The Westbrook Village Voices. Linda moved to Westbrook Village in 2005 and subsequently retired in 2015 after many years in the insurance industry. Linda keeps very busy pursuing her love of music - she has performed in The Fabulous Follies since 2017 and can be seen singing at numerous venues around Westbrook Village. In her "free time," Linda volunteers at Abrazo Hospital and assists as an usher at the Arizona Broadway Theatre and Westbrook Village performing arts events. Linda serves as a board member for several Westbrook Village clubs and also serves as Secretary for The Westbrook Village Voices.
Diane Kane • Treasurer
Diane is among that rarest of denizens – a native Phoenician! She is an avid dancer who joined the country-western performance team “Hot Desert Dancers” in 1996. She met her husband John in the late 90s at a dance convention doing the “West Coast Swing” and they were married in 2000. Diane spent the majority of her professional career employed by the City of Phoenix working on the Information Technology team. During her 26-year tenure, Diane held positions in Data Entry, Programming and finally as a Database Administrator, from which she retired in 2005. After retirement and while living in Overgaard, AZ, for six years, Diane refused to sit still – she kept very busy as Manager of the Senior Center and also ran the Overgaard Chapter of the Salvation Army. A 2013 move brought Diane and John back to the valley. Diane joined the Village Dancers very soon after moving to Westbrook Village in 2015 and has been a member of the Westbrook Village Voices since 2016. Diane is the Treasurer of the HOA Board in her Westbrook Village sub-division. Prior to her current position as Treasurer of the Board of Directors of the Westbrook Village Voices, Diane previously served as President, Vice-President and Treasurer.
Joan Behrens • Music Librarian
Joan has been singing with The Westbrook Village Voices for a number of years. As a frequent soloist with the Westbrook Village Voices, she is widely recognized around the community. Her renditions of "Cry Me A River" and "Nature Boy" at recent concerts were met with critical acclaim!
Pat Loch-Shaw • Community Liaison
A Bethesda, MD, native, Pat Loch-Shaw attended Wake Forest University where she earned a degree in Mathematics. Pat worked for IBM and Metropolitan Life as a programmer and eventually struck out on her own as a Business Consultant, which afforded Pat more flexibility and family time to raise two children. Pat has lived on both coasts, as well as several cities in between – New York City, the San Francisco area, Minneapolis, Peekskill, NY, and Raleigh, NC. In 1994, Pat found herself in Scottsdale, where she followed a large client who moved their headquarters from the Bay Area to Arizona. Pat has chosen to sidestep all retirement protocols and continues her work as a Business Consultant for the same company that brought her to the Valley of the Sun two plus decades ago. Pat and husband Bernie moved to Westbrook Village in 2006 and when Bernie lost his battle with cancer in 2013, Pat decided it was time to start exercising her vocal chords. After 10 years of attending Westbrook Village Voices concerts but being unable to commit to the regular rehearsal schedule, Pat joined the Westbrook Village Voices in 2016, and “has enjoyed every minute of being a part of this wonderful choir!”
Karen Sendelback • Social Chairperson
Karen has been singing with the Westbrook Village Voices for several years.
Betsy Stuehling • Historian
Betsy comes to us from Pittsburgh, PA, where she attended Baldwin High School, enjoyed singing in the 120-member Highlander Choir and met and married her husband Rich in 1968. They moved to Arizona in 1972, to escape the cold Pennsylvania winters, enjoy the southwestern sunshine and raise their two sons. Betsy worked in the computer field and in bookkeeping until completing her degree in Psychology at Arizona State University. She has worked in various positions in the Behavioral Health field and spent the last fifteen years prior to her retirement as an Investigator for the Division of Behavioral Health Services. Rich and Betsy moved to Westbrook Village in 1997 and currently live in Scotland Hills, where they enjoy traveling, going to movies and spending time with family and friends. Betsy sang with the Glendale Women’s Chorus for several years and has very much enjoyed singing with the Westbrook Village Voices since 2017. Betsy currently serves on the Westbrook Village Voices Board of Directors as its Historian.