Meet the Board of Trustees

Dave Perron serves as Executive Director of Bread & Roses Presents, the Bay Area non-profit dedicated to uplifting the human spirit by providing free, live, quality entertainment to people who live in institutions or are otherwise isolated from society.

He began his career in philanthropy overseeing the Oakland A’s Community Affairs Department and Community Fund, before moving on to direct sports programs for the Prostate Cancer Foundation created by Michael Milken.

A graduate of Novato High School, Dave played football at College of Marin, University of the Pacific, and UC Davis, where he earned his bachelor’s degree. He earned a teaching credential at Sacramento State University, with an emphasis in Early Childhood Education and taught first grade at Marin Country Day School for the first seven years of his professional career.

David A. Lusterman founded Stringletter Media in 1986, home of Strings, Acoustic Guitar, and Ukulele magazines, along with their companion websites, books, videos, and services. 

David has served as a Director and Chair of the Guitar and Accessories Marketing Association; the National String Project Consortium, a coalition of 45 university-based teacher-training institutes; the Association of Magazine Media; and Bread & Roses Presents, the Marin-based non-profit providing free, live performing arts programs to people who are isolated, institutionalized or otherwise marginalized.

In 2009, David founded the Marin Community Music School. He served as Executive Director until 2016, and returned to the role in late 2024.

Prior to starting Stringletter, he held staff positions at The New York Review of Books, The Nation, [more], and democracy.  He earned the Bachelor of Arts degree in comparative literature at Columbia University, New York.

Lane Murchison is a versatile musician, songwriter, producer, and educator deeply rooted in the San Francisco music scene. As the founder and CEO of Bird School of Music and Bird Records, LLC, Lane has been instrumental in nurturing talent and providing a creative space for students and artists since 2005.

Lane’s career spans decades of performing, songwriting, and collaboration across a wide range of musical styles. He has contributed his skills to numerous bands and projects, including:

• APE: Playing bass and adding his signature groove to their unique sound.
• The Badass Chickenbones: Known for their high-energy shows and genre-bending sound.
• Big Hat No Cattle Band: Delivering memorable performances rooted in Americana.
• Big Twang Theory: Laying down solid drum beats for their twang-infused music.
• Brass Animals: Bringing infectious brass-driven performances to stages and events.
• Gold Dust Brothers: Captivating audiences with their eclectic musical styles.

Lane also shines as a solo artist, showcasing his songwriting and storytelling skills in his original works. In addition to performing, Lane is a dedicated educator, teaching all ages and genres at Bird School of Music, where students receive mentorship from seasoned professionals in a supportive and inspiring environment.

Through Bird Records, LLC, Lane offers top-tier recording and production services, supporting emerging and established artists alike. His experience as a performer, educator, and producer ensures every project benefits from his years of expertise and dedication to music.

Lane’s commitment to fostering a vibrant musical community in San Francisco’s cultural landscape is his greatest joy.

Para Ambardar, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist with over 20 years of experience, maintaining a private practice in the San Francisco Bay Area and New York City. She supports clients in exploring the intricacies of their emotional worlds, addressing unresolved trauma, and building fulfilling relationships that foster both self-regard and a renewed sense of vitality. Through her approach, clients often rediscover joy, humor, and deeper connections with themselves and others.

In addition to her clinical work, Para serves as a clinical supervisor at The Wright Institute in Berkeley, California, and is an experienced leadership coach and group consultant. With a foundation in psychodynamic and systems thinking, she specializes in helping individuals understand the dynamics of their personal narratives and how they influence group interactions, both seen and unseen. Since 2001, she has taught executive education programs around the world and currently works as an executive coach for Columbia University’s Program in Organizational Change and Consultation. She is also skilled in a range of assessment tools, including MBTI, FIRO-B and Hogan 360-degree feedback.

Outside of her professional practice, Para is passionate about fostering community and connection through the transformative power of music. Drawing from diverse global traditions—such as Kashmiri devotionals, Sufi qawwalis, and Afrobeat—she values the ways these forms celebrate group participation, improvisation, and collective rhythm. She believes in music’s ability to create powerful, sometimes unexpected bonds that resonate on both individual and collective levels. Motivated to share these enriching experiences, Para joined the board of the Marin Community Music School to help develop programs that unite people of all skill levels through music, creativity, and self-expression in a space where everyone feels welcome and has fun!  Alongside her musically talented husband and two daughters, both of whom studied at MCMS, she finds joy in creating music as a family, treasuring how these shared experiences not only deepen their bonds but also expand her sense of connection to the larger community.

Dr. Ambardar earned her PhD in Clinical Psychology from the City University of New York- GC and Harvard Medical School’s Cambridge Hospital Clinical Psychology Program, with postdoctoral work at MIT. She also holds a B.A. in Economics from Columbia University and previously worked in finance at a Wall Street investment bank.

Pete Sutherland has been performing in the San Francisco Bay Area as a musician since the early 1990’s as a founding member of Indigo Swing, with his own group Groove Unit, and with countless other configurations of musicians and musical styles including swing, jazz, latin, disco and big band. While continuing to perform and compose into the new millenium Pete has also led several non-profit organizations as Education Director aboard the USS Pampanito, a WWII era submarine, Director of the Oakland Aviation Museum, and the Chief Operating Officer and CEO of the USS Hornet Aircraft Carrier Museum. He currently composes sync music for TV and media projects at his home studio.

A faculty member at Marin Community Music School since 2018, drummer Sean Nelson joined the Board of Trustees in May  2024.

Nelson earned his Bachelor of Arts degree at Boston’s Berklee School of Music and moved to the Bay Area in 1996, where he established himself as a sought-after instructor at the Community Music Center of San Francisco, Marin Country Day School, and New Village Music. He is also an active performer in jazz, rock, and pop settings in Northern California and beyond.

“I’m excited to play a role in Marin Community Music School’s governance and planning new and better ways to serve our community. There is so much more we can be doing to encourage music making among Marin County residents of all ages and interests.”