Officers

President: Yasmine Askalani

Yasmine Askalani is a passionate advocate for education, the arts, and individuals with disabilities, influenced by her upbringing across multiple countries. As founder of "Beautiful Minds Club," she provides tailored support programs for children on the autism spectrum, celebrating their unique talents. She also established "Saving Innocents," an anti-trafficking organization raising awareness and alleviating suffering. Her advocacy extends to serving on "the Catholic Coalition for Special Education" promoting inclusion in Catholic schools. Yasmine contributes to community initiatives including St. Jude "Hearts of Fashion" and "Keen," where she helps raise funds and facilitates athletics for children with special needs. Before dedicating herself to nonprofit work, she had a successful career as an interior designer, working on notable projects and creating welcoming spaces for her nonprofit initiatives.

Vice President: Traudel Lange

Born and raised in Germany, Traudel Lange studied Finance and Economics at the Academy of Bankers in Munich and Art History at Ludwig Maximilian University. After working as an Investment Consultant at a major bank in the Rosenheim/Munich area, she declined a branch manager position to relocate with her family to Ecuador. There, she worked for Foster Parents Plan as an English to Spanish translator while raising two children. She later spent two years in Malawi, Africa, continuing her humanitarian contributions before settling in the United States. For over 30 years, Ms. Lange has assisted clients in real estate transactions throughout the Greater Washington DC Area. Outside of her professional life, Traudel's passions include ballet, opera, dance (especially tango), socializing with friends, outdoor activities, and supporting causes like Hope Connections, All Stars Project, and St. Jude's Children's Research Center.Vice President:

Treasurer: Karen Cinibulk

Karen Cinibulk is Vice President and VA Market Lead for Maximus Federal Health, bringing over 25 years of experience in Federal Health and Civilian markets. She specializes in strategic growth, client development, and partner relationships. Before joining Maximus in 2019, Karen served as VA Client Account Executive at Atlas Research, overseeing operations and driving growth in the firm’s largest market. She has held executive roles with L-3 Communications and CGI-AMS, following a federal service career at the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Karen holds a B.S. from East Carolina University and an M.A. in Public Administration from George Mason University. A native Washingtonian, she resides in the area with her family. Her philanthropic work includes contributions to the Elizabeth Dole Foundation and numerous Veteran Service Organizations.

Secretary: Stefan M. Lopatkiewicz Esq.

Stefan M. Lopatkiewicz is a practicing attorney in Washington, D.C., specializing in commercial and regulatory telecommunications law. He formerly served as General Counsel of Eutelsat America Corp., the U.S. subsidiary of Paris-based Eutelsat SA, which operates a global fleet of communications satellites. A graduate of the University of Virginia Woodrow Wilson School of Government and Foreign Affairs and Harvard Law School, he served as Editor-in-Chief of the Harvard International Law Journal. Mr. Lopatkiewicz has long contributed as a pro bono advocate for the arts community in the nation's capital, working with both the Washington Opera Society and GALA Hispanic Theatre. He previously served as 1st Vice President and General Counsel of the American Council for Polish Culture and as President of the Polish-American Arts Association of Washington, D.C. He is the recipient of the Officer's Service Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland.

Directors

President-Elect: Zidi Berger, M.D.

Founder and Medical Director of the Women's Wellness Institute, Dr. Zidi Berger is recognized by Continental Who's Who as a Pinnacle Professional in Health and Wellness. Initially Board Certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology, she pioneered integrative approaches combining mainstream medical solutions with natural remedies. A certified Naturopathic Physician, Dr. Berger specializes in anti-aging medicine, gynecology, and clinical nutrition. Her practice is a leading center for endocrinology, bioidentical hormone replacement, and cosmetic dermatology. Dr. Berger earned her Medical Degree from Argentina's National University of Cuyo and completed a post-doctoral fellowship at Stanford University. Her residency at Washington Hospital Center included affiliations with Johns Hopkins and Walter Reed Hospital.She stays current through regular participation in medical conferences nationwide.

Rose Hong

Rose Hong is an internationally recognized author, television producer and host, business executive, and public affairs professional whose distinguished career spans more than three decades across the United States and Asia. A respected leader in international media, business, and government, she has built a reputation for fostering cross-cultural understanding through journalism, broadcasting, publishing, and public service. As Executive Producer and host of hundreds of television programs in both the United States and China, Hong has become a trusted voice on issues ranging from culture and international affairs to health, education, and community engagement. An accomplished author, Hong has published numerous articles in leading Chinese and American newspapers and magazines and has written several books that reflect her passion for history, culture, and personal achievement. Her recent publications include American Odyssey: From Beijing to Washington, Born in Asia, and Natural Healing Discoveries, each highlighting her commitment to education, intercultural dialogue, and empowering readers through knowledge. Her work continues to inspire audiences around the world by celebrating the shared values that unite diverse communities.

Anne L. Lantry

Anne Lantry is the immediate past president of the board of directors and is honored to be a part of Washington Opera Society. She feels that music enriches lives, transcends differences and stimulates curiosity. She is a firm believer that exposing young people, in particular, to music affords a generational change that is exciting to be a part of.

Christyne Nasbe

To begin her retirement, Chris was a Peace Corps volunteer from 2011-2013 in Kenya doing Economic Development. The community charmed her and led to the development of her charity in this community. Polkadot Library serves over 36,000 children annually with classes, eco garden and library programs.

Prior to retirement, she was a management consultant in Rockville, MD. For 25 years she provided solutions to the myriad of problems and challenges faced by small businesses and closely held corporations. She served on the Board of the Rockville Chamber of Commerce, Washington Area Heart Association and was an honored Mentor for Montgomery County Office of Economic Development. She is an alumni of Leadership Montgomery.

Her prior experiences as Elementary School teacher, Financial Planner and Management Consultant have all merged to bring her to this next stage of her career—mentoring new non-profit organizations.

Chrystine Nasbe is President of Polkadot Library Inc., a charitable non-profit (www.thepolkadotlibrary.org) in Kabarnet, Kenya.

Lisa Porter

Lisa Porter is a luxury brand, hospitality, and experiential marketing executive with over twentyfive years of experience creating meaningful relationships and exceptional experiences across hospitality, wine, travel, jewelry, fashion and philanthropy. Throughout her career, Lisa has been trusted to be the face of distinguished luxury brands, representing their values and cultivating connections with remarkable and influential stakeholders. Her expertise spans brand experience, community development, membership, partnerships, events, and bespoke client engagement. Today, Lisa brings her expertise, industry relationships, and distinctive perspective to luxury brands through consulting, while serving as U.S. Director of Client Engagement and Market Development for Safiyaa, an elegant European fashion brand expanding in the U.S. Lisa also served as a senior executive at Lugano Diamonds, where she led community development and represented the brand across prominent cultural, philanthropic, and social circles. Previously, she was Vice President of Membership, at Robb Report, overseeing its invitation-only membership community and signature global programs. Her background in fine wine and luxury hospitality includes work with Harlan Estate and Meadowood Napa Valley, where for nine years she created and managed high-profile guest occasions for collectors and distinguished visitors, including sitting presidents and A-list celebrities. A certified sommelier and licensed travel advisor, Lisa brings together deep knowledge of fine wine, luxury hospitality, and bespoke travel. She is passionate about creating experiences that are highly personal, thoughtfully curated, and grounded in authentic connections. On a personal note, Lisa is the proud mom of two mini dachshunds, Otter & Goose.

Rafael A. Prieto

A founding member of the Washington Opera Society, Mr. Prieto sang as baritone in religious bands and choirs both in Puerto Rico (where he was born) and in Washington DC, where he settled in 1991. Rafael also sang with the accompanying chorus of Opera Camerata of Washington, a small opera company in the DC area. Participating in the chorus of Handel’s Messiah is a treasured moment of his. Mr. Prieto has been involved in opera organizations for more than 20 years. Mr. Prieto served as the secretary to the Washington Opera Society’s board of directors since its inception in 2015 until December 2023.

Conchita Sarnoff Woolsey

Conchita Sarnoff Woolsey is an internationally recognized author, investigative journalist, and strategic communications advisor whose distinguished career spans more than three decades in international affairs, media relations, and human rights advocacy. A prominent voice in the global fight against human trafficking, she has dedicated much of her professional life to exposing exploitation, advancing accountability, and championing justice for vulnerable populations. Her investigative work brought significant attention to the Jeffrey Epstein case, which she explored in a groundbreaking six-part series published by The Daily Beast between 2010 and 2015. Her acclaimed book, TrafficKing (2016), offered an extensive examination of the case and established her as an influential voice in investigative reporting on human trafficking and institutional accountability. Her literary and advocacy endeavors continue to address the intersection of power, financial misconduct, and human rights. Throughout her career, Sarnoff Woolsey has contributed to leading international publications, including the Financial Times, The Miami Herald, Paris Match, and The Huffington Post. Her expertise has also been sought by major media networks and prestigious academic institutions, including Johns Hopkins University, Georgetown University, Rockefeller University, and Pepperdine University. Earlier in her career, she held senior communications and advisory positions with internationally respected organizations, including Burson-Marsteller, Young & Rubicam, and Ares-Serono in Geneva, Switzerland, where she developed strategic communications initiatives for prominent multinational corporations and international institutions. A graduate of Columbia University, Sarnoff Woolsey also pursued graduate studies at its School of International and Public Affairs and completed executive education in negotiation at Harvard Business School. Today, she remains deeply committed to investigative journalism, human rights advocacy, and fostering greater transparency and accountability across international institutions.

Advisory Council

Alessia Ardesi

Alessia Ardesi is a communications and public affairs professional with over a decade of experience in domestic and International policies at the highest levels of government.

She started her career as an anchorwoman for Sky Salute! Television, as a journalist and a political television commentator. She worked in the communication office of the Prime Minister of Italy and then became chief of staff of Silvio Berlusconi, former Prime Minister of Italy. She was the advisor to the president of the Italian Committee of the World Food Program for International and Institutional Affairs. She run for the House of the Representative of Italy for the party of the current Prime Minister of Italy. She is VP for Governmental Affairs for GV Group.

She possess an extensive network with international leaders, politicians, diplomats, religious dignitaries, business owners, opinion leaders, and academia. Skilled in back-channel diplomacy, effectively connecting people from different backgrounds and nationalities to resolve conflict. Specialized in European Institutions and Vatican affairs. She has thought Leadership and Communication to a group of International Cadets at the Navy Academy in Italy.

She wrote a book on the Oratory, the Catholic Institution, that will be published on October 3rd 2025. The preface is written by the Secretary of Vatican State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin.

She had a master degree at Sais, Johns Hopkins University, in International Public Policy. She is a member of WIFA (Washington Institution of Foreign Affairs), Foreign Policy Discussion Group and Women Foreign Policy Group. She contributes as volunteer at the work of the Andrea Bocelli Foundation.

Barbara Bennett

Barbara Bennett, founding President of the Washington Opera Society and Board member for nearly a decade, now serves on its Advisory Council. With an MBA in Finance, Ms. Bennett built an impressive career in banking, holding senior positions with expertise in lending and restructuring throughout Latin America. True to her high school yearbook prediction that "Art, dancing and opera are her true passions," Barbara's artistic journey began early—dancing at Carnegie Hall and experiencing her first opera, Wagner's "Das Rheingold," at Lincoln Center on her sixteenth birthday. This lifelong dedication to the arts culminates in her current role as proprietor of Q Street Fine Art Gallery, which she elegantly operates from her Washington DC Carriage House home, creating a unique space where her financial acumen and artistic passions converge to support the cultural landscape of the nation's capital.

Peter Crawford

Peter M. Crawford is a lifelong resident of the Washington, D.C. area, with more than four generations of Washington, D.C. roots. He was raised in Bethesda and Annandale and has since resided in the Kalorama, Dupont, and Georgetown neighborhoods of Washington, D.C.

After a successful 35 year international energy and public policy consulting career at Lewin and Associates, ICF, and INTEK Inc, Peter changed gears and embarked on a career in residential real estate with Long and Foster in DC, Maryland and Virginia.

Active in his community, he has served as Board President of The Oakland Condominium for over 15 years, and is a member of the Kalorama Citizens Association, the Dupont Circle Citizens Association, and the Georgetown University Club of Washington. He serves of the advisory councils of The Hillwood Estate and Gardens and the Washington Opera Society. He previously served on the boards of the Fund for Kalorama Park and the Washington Shakespeare Company. He is also a proud supporter of the Friends of Mitchell Park, the Phillips Collection, Food and Friends, and other local organizations and charities. Other interests include photography, travel, and the arts.

Jan Du Plain

Jan Du Plain's journey began near Hollywood, where she cultivated her love for the arts through local performances and later with a repertory company in Northern California. Her distinguished career spans decades in the entertainment industry, representing luminaries through prominent organizations including Ziegler-Ross Literary Agency in Los Angeles, CBS Films in New York, Ford's Theatre in Washington DC, and WETA, America's thirdlargest producer of public television and radio programming. For the past fifteen years, Jan has dedicated herself to promoting cultural diplomacy within Washington DC's influential diplomatic community. While her passion encompasses all artistic expressions, opera holds a special place in her heart. Jan serves on the advisory board of the Washington Opera Society and the Board of Directors for Theatre Washington, representing 90 theaters and the Helen Hayes Awards. In her leisure time, she enjoys relaxing in her Virginia hot tub with her dog "Prince Oscar," aptly named after the Academy Awards—a testament to her lifelong dedication to the arts.

Benedict J. Hastings

Benedict J. Hastings is a manager and principal of Hastings and Associates, a full-service appraisal firm specializing in fine art, antiques, decorative arts, and estates. With expertise since 1976 and based in Washington DC since 1980, he provides appraisals for insurance, tax deduction, donations, and estate evaluations. His professional background includes leading the Russian and Silver Departments at Phillips Auction House (1986-1989) and working in Sloans Auction House's decorative arts department (1990-1993) before establishing his own f irm.Mr. Hastings has served as an appraiser for television shows including Metropolitan Magazine (1993-1996) and Fox 5's Trash and Treasure. His distinguished clients include The White House, The National Portrait Gallery, and various museums. He has lectured at the Smithsonian Institute, Hillwood Museum, and the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and was commissioned to sell the contents of the renowned Jockey Club and Fairfax Bar in 2001.

Anne L. Howard-Tristani

Anne L. Howard-Tristani is President of Howard-Tristani International Consulting, specializing in Government Relations, International Public Affairs, Higher Education, and Diplomatic and Cultural Affairs. Her career includes executive positions at the University of Puerto Rico and Universidad del Este, alongside service in the Carter Administration as Special Assistant to the U.S. Deputy Secretary of Commerce. Mrs. Howard-Tristani was promoted to the U.S. Senior Executive Service under President Carter and received the Department of Commerce Certificate for Outstanding Congressional Liaison Work. She serves on the National Advisory Board of the Smithsonian's National Museum of African Art, the Board of Directors of The Embassy Series, and Advisory Councils for UNA/NCA and Washington Opera Society. Currently working on "Sibling Citizens," an oral history about her uncle Hubert H. Humphrey and mother Frances Humphrey Howard, she holds an M.A. from Georgetown University and a B.S. from Boston University. She is married to Dennis Chavez Tristani with three adult children.

Doria E. Kaplan, PhD

Doria Kaplan is a founding member and Board Director of the Washington Opera Society, whose passion for opera began during her university years listening to Metropolitan Opera radio broadcasts. Her distinguished career includes a Fulbright Grant to study French literature at the Université of Montpellier, service at the U.S. House of Representatives, and roles with the U.S. Department of State and the United Nations, where she coordinated international conferences and supervised the Video Presentation Center for the U.N. Habitat Conference in Vancouver. Dr. Kaplan holds a PhD in French from U.C. Santa Barbara and has taught at New England College in England and the University of B.C. in Canada. She has served on the boards of Le Neon French theatre, the Beethoven Society, and The Cosmopolitans. Later transitioning to Information Technology as a Senior Technical Writer for U.S. Government departments, she continues her lifelong engagement with opera, attending performances at prestigious venues worldwide.

Gerd Lange

Raised in Germany, Gerd Lange studied Wood Engineering at the Wood Technological University in Rosenheim, a leading institution in this highly specialized field. While earning his degree, he worked at the Munich State Theater in set construction, stage setup, and rehearsal stage design, developing creative and organizational skills that have remained with him throughout his life. Later, while living in Ecuador, he continued his work in stage design and construction, managing performances and collaborating with artistic teams.

In 1987, Gerd relocated with his family to Washington, D.C., to join the International Finance Corporation (IFC) as an Industry Specialist, overseeing business proposals and technical aspects of timber processing and forestry projects worldwide. His lifelong passion for theater and music, combined with his expertise in project coordination and design, makes him a valued member of the Washington Opera Society Advisory Board.

Cary Pollak, Esq.

Cary Pollak served as WOS Vice President of the Board of Directors until May 15, 2024, having previously held the position of President (2016-2018). As a retired Senior Assistant Attorney General for the District of Columbia, he was nominated for the DC Bar's prestigious Rosenberg Award for exemplary service as government council. Mr. Pollak currently serves on the faculty of the National Institute for Trial Advocacy, teaching litigation skills to lawyers nationwide, and has taught at the National Advocacy Center, U.S. Department of Justice Legal Education Institute, and Practicing Law Institute. He is also a member of the William Bryant Inn of Court at the D.C. federal courthouse. Beyond his legal career, Mr. Pollak is an accomplished food and travel writer and cooking instructor who has been featured in media across the country. His writing has appeared in Capitol File and DC Style magazines and The Wire, the National Press Club's online publication. He serves on the Press Club's House Committee and has twice received its Vivian Award for outstanding service.

Alexandra N. Sényi de Nagy-Unyom, Esq.

Alexandra N. Sényi served as President of the WOS Board of Directors from 2020 until May 15, 2024. Currently an attorney in private practice at Elliot & Chatain, she specializes in family law and immigration matters. A native of Vienna, Austria, Ms. Sényi has extensive international experience, having clerked for the Department of Trade and Commerce in the Czech Republic and served as an Austrian diplomatic representative in Japan. Her impressive academic credentials include a B.A. from the University of Paris II PanthéonAssas, a Socrates-Erasmus scholarship at Charles University in Prague, a J.D. from Paris II Panthéon-Assas, an M.A. from Georgetown's School of Foreign Service, and an L.L.M. from Georgetown Law. Committed to community service, Ms. Sényi is actively involved with the Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center as an Executive member and Benefit Committee Co-Chair. She also serves on the Executive Board of FAIR Girls, combating human trafficking in the DMV area. In her leisure time, she enjoys water sports, reading biographies, and traveling. A passionate classical music and opera enthusiast, she is a longtime supporter of the Kennedy Center and the Salzburg Opera Festival.

LTC James Smith USAF Ret.

James F. Smith is the owner and operator of Jim Smith Marina on the Chesapeake Bay. With degrees from universities on both U.S. coasts, Mr. Smith built his career in the United States Air Force and the Defense Energy Center of the U.S. Department of Defense. His professional expertise focused on developing concepts, plans, and strategies to protect U.S. military resources and facilities from attack. Earlier in life, he considered pursuing botany and worked as a high school science teacher, even taking on the challenging role of driving a school bus on icy Rocky Mountain roads in Colorado. In retirement, Mr. Smith divides his time between managing his marina and pursuing his passions for music—especially opera—as well as visiting museums, appreciating art, and collecting antique treasures. His diverse background in military service, education, and business demonstrates his adaptability and wide-ranging interests.

Legal Counsel

Stefan M. Lopatkiewicz Esq.