Staff

Renay Conlin, Executive Director

Renay Conlin is a former executive director of Napa Valley Museum and the San Francisco Chamber Orchestra and has served as Director of Development at the Museum of Craft and Design and the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. She brings to her position at the Vallejo Community Arts Foundation a wide-ranging background of experience and accomplishments in music, theater, dance and other performing arts and a passion for painting. sculpture and all the visual arts.

While still a high school student In New York City, Renay attended the prestigious Juilliard School of Music at Lincoln Center and the Conservatoire de Fontainebleau in Paris. Later she earned degrees from the Peabody Conservatory of Music at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. After a 20-year International career as a professional operatic soprano, she embarked on a second career, in arts administration and education.

Prior to relocating in Napa in 2010, Renay was Commissioner of the West Virginia Division of Culture and History and executive and artistic director of Toledo Opera. At the University of Charleston, she served first as chair of the Department of Music and then as director of development and alumni relations. While there she founded the Appalachian Children's Chorus and served on the boards of the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra and the West Virginia Youth Orchestra.

Renay Is married to Grammy award-winning symphony and opera conductor Thomas Conlin. Their daughter, Vanessa, is Vice President and Head of Wine at the Napa-based online wine distributor WineAccess.com. Renay continues to serve as fundraising consultant for local non-profits in whose mission she sympathizes, such as Jameson Animal Rescue Ranch. She recently stated that she regarded the opportunity to collaborate with VCAF's visionary board and supporters of the arts a real privilege, and that she shares their commitment to creating a vibrant and robust community of artists In Vallejo.