About Ann

Born in Vancouver, Canada, I reside in San Francisco, California. Introduced to the classical musical arts at an early age, I instinctively knew I wanted a career involving music and theater. After completing a Master’s Degree at the Yale School of Drama in New Haven, with a focus on production, I began my professional career as a stage manager.

As my skills matured I moved into arts management in the fields of opera and World Expositions. I was Executive Director of OPERA America, the international opera service organization, Director, Opera-Musical Program at the National Endowment for the Arts, and Producer of the Expo 86 Royal Bank World Festival, a $10 million cultural festival, which I created and produced, managing a staff of 18, for the six-month 1986 World Exposition in Vancouver.

I discovered I was dyslexic while at the National Endowment for the Arts. Not long after I changed my professional focus and became a consultant working in the United States and Canada providing organizational development and planning tools for arts organizations. Eight years later I joined Robert Half International where I was a recruiter and on the administrative team. Interested in sharing my insights about dyslexia I developed and taught classes to adult dyslexics and produced a book, The Other Side of Dyslexiaand a DVD, Dyslexia, Taking Control of Your Confusion. More recently I discovered I am also hyperlexic and took steps to correct the issues that come with this challenge.

Classical music continues to play an important part in my life. It provides a welcome relief from the world of words and thinking.