Martha Kinsella (she/her), Cydney Bronstein (she/her), Dan Roberge (he/him), and El Schoepf (they/them) have joined AGMA’s professional staff. AGMA members are encouraged to explore the contact page on the AGMA website to review AGMA staff's respective signatory company assignments.
"AGMA is thrilled to announce the addition of four exceptional individuals to our team," said Sam Wheeler, AGMA's National Executive Director. "I extend a heartfelt welcome to our new colleagues, whose talents, perspective, and expertise will contribute to the continued success of AGMA. We look forward to working with them to collectively advance our mission to support and empower AGMA Artists across the country."
Martha Kinsella (she/her) joined the American Guild of Musical Artists as Counsel in November 2023. She is based in Washington, DC and grew up in New Jersey, the daughter of a long-serving president of Rutgers AAUP-AFT. She is a conservatory-trained classical pianist.
She comes to AGMA from the Brennan Center for Justice, where she worked to safeguard government agencies’ capacity to regulate in the public interest, including by increasing job protections for government workers. She served on the organizing, negotiating, and executive committees of Brennan Center United, National Organization of Legal Services Workers, UAW Local 2320.
Earlier in her career, Martha worked at the National Labor Relations Board, first as a policy adviser and then as a trial attorney conducting enforcement litigation. During her tenure at the NLRB, she served as grievance chair of the agency’s Professional Association. She is a graduate of NYU School of Law.
Cydney Bronstein (she/her) joined AGMA in December 2023 as a Business Representative. Cydney was born and raised in Connecticut, and currently resides in the often-elusive Central Jersey.
After a successful career as a professional ballet dancer, Cydney retired and ventured toward a new career path. She has worked for Kivvit, a top 20 nationally ranked independent public relations firm, and served as the Development and Marketing Coordinator for Fisherman’s Mark, a regional social services organization.
While her recent experience has predominantly been in marketing and communications, her enduring passion lies in advocating for fellow artists to shield them from the challenges so many professionals face in the performing arts. She is elated to join AGMA’s professional staff and is looking forward to working with AGMA members.
Cydney is currently enrolled at the University of Pennsylvania, where she is on track to receive a bachelor's degree in Applied Positive Psychology and Professional Writing this spring. Her academic achievements include receiving the Bread Upon the Waters scholarship and consistently earning a place on the Dean's List.
Dan Roberge (he/him/his) recently joined AGMA as a Business Representative. A multifaceted arts and entertainment leader, he has held various titles across both art forms, including artistic advisor, rehearsal director, choreographer, producer, and consultant, and was a former leading dancer with The Washington Ballet under the direction of Julie Kent.
While at The Washington Ballet, Dan was an AGMA union delegate and assumed leadership roles in other facets of creating and maintaining a diverse, inclusive, respectful, and successful major American ballet company.
Dan was most recently an Adjunct Assistant Professor at Northwestern University in Chicago and a film and TV producing apprentice under the mentorship of Academy Award winner Peter Spears, Pulitzer-prize nominated Robbie Baitz, and former United Talent Agency partner Brian Swardstrom.
Dan Roberge holds a Master of Science degree from Northwestern University with a focus on leadership and business communications for creative enterprises.
El Schoepf (they/them) joined the American Guild of Musical Artists as a Business Representative in November 2023. They bring experience in labor organizing, counseling, music performance, and instrument repair to the role.
Prior to joining AGMA, El served as an organizer, union steward, and bargaining committee member for Lisa Operators United (LOU). LOU was the first union composed entirely of remote, part-time workers to successfully win their union vote with Communications Workers of America’s Campaign to Organize Digital Employees (CODE-CWA). As part of organizing their own shop, El completed Organizer Trainings with CWA and Industrial Workers of the World (IWW).
El’s passion for worker advocacy is informed by their own career trajectory in music and counseling psychology. They studied music composition, piano, and clarinet performance in college, and clarinet performance and musicology at the graduate level. El went on to work in musical instrument repair before returning to school to become a therapist specializing in performing artists’ issues. El holds a Master of Science in Counseling Psychology and postgraduate certificates in Gestalt Therapy and Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy. They worked in college counseling, private practice, and nonprofit psychedelic peer support before finding their calling in labor organizing – coming full circle to advocate for performing artists’ rights.
Originally from central Pennsylvania, El has lived in many places, including Ohio, Hawai’i, Arizona, and Maryland's Eastern Shore. They now call Baltimore City home.