Board of Governors


 

 
Jane Cho

Member since 2008

Jane Cho (she/her) is Director of Administration at the Sotheby’s Institute of Art-New York, providing executive leadership in administration and operations. Prior to that, she was the Director of Administration at the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College, after serving as Associate and later Interim Director of Career Development Center at The Juilliard School.

A seasoned leader with experience in arts career development and entrepreneurship, higher education administration, and nonprofit management, Cho is a passionate advocate for building diversity, equity, and inclusion in the arts. She is the current chair of the Music Committee at the National Arts Club, cultivating diverse audiences by engaging more BIPOC (black, indigenous, people of color) artists and creating cross-cultural programming.

A life-time certified Myers-Briggs Tyne Indicator (MBTI) practitioner, Cho holds the Bachelor of Music degree from The Juilliard School, Master of Music degree from Manhattan School of Music, and completed the Management and Leadership in Education Certificate Program at the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
     

 
Tara Cortes

Member since 2006

Tara Cortes is recognized for her distinguished career spanning executive leadership, nursing education, research and practice.  She is currently the Executive Director and Professor at the Hartford Institute for Geriatric Nursing at New York University Rory Meyers College of Nursing. Prior to joining the NYU College of Nursing, Dr. Cortes was President and CEO of Lighthouse International, a leading not-for-profit organization, dedicated to fighting vision loss and helping people prevent vision impairment. Dr. Cortes spent the initial phase of her career in nursing education at Hunter College, and then as the Director of Nursing Research and Information Systems at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center. She was the Chief Nursing Officer at Rockefeller University Hospital and continued her career in nursing leadership and hospital administration at Mount Sinai Medical Center and at Bridgeport Hospital, before assuming the senior leadership role at Lighthouse International. 

Dr. Cortes completed her PhD and master’s degrees at New York University from which she received the Distinguished Alumni Award. Her BSN is from Villanova University, where she served on the Board of Trustees for 10 years. In 2011, she was awarded the Medallion for Outstanding Contributions to the Profession from Villanova University College of Nursing. She was named one of the New York Women’s Agenda 2011 STARS for exemplifying the qualities embodied in NYWA’s mission to advocate and collaborate for the interests of New York women in public policy decisions.  Dr. Cortes enjoys and plays classical piano. Her appreciation of art, particularly watercolor, is from her mother who was an artist from Pennsylvania and had several showings in NYC.  
     

 
David Doty, President

Member since 2006

Mr. Doty is a recognized leader in digital marketing and a sought-after speaker at media conferences around the world.

In 2018, he launched his own consultancy firm, David Doty Digital Perspectives, LLC, after 11 years as EVP & CMO of the IAB, where he was a key executive in the transformation of that membership-driven association into the leading trade body in digital media.

He has taught the History of Paris at the New School and has lectured on culture and art throughout the United States, including about the City of Light at NAC. He has broad experience in international business from China to Africa. He has been Treasurer of the East Hampton Conservators, founded by Alec Baldwin to support environmental candidates on the East End of Long Island. His column in Forbes attracts a global audience of digital ad professionals.

Previously, he was director of marketing for Booz Allen Hamilton, the global consulting firm. He has written about the arts, dining, and other topics for Departures, GQ, Wired, Gourmet, Travel & Leisure, Zagat Guides, and Frommer’s Guide to New York City.

Mr. Doty is the recipient of the high honor of Chevalier de l’Ordre National du Mérite, conferred by President Jacques Chirac of France. He holds a Masters of Art from the University of Michigan and lives in the Flatiron District of New York City and in Wainscott.
     

 
Francis Dubois

Member since 2010

Francis Dubois was born and raised in Alsace, France, and had a very distinguished career with the United Nations. He served as the Deputy Coordinator of the UN Secretary General in the Palestinian Territories, was then posted to Iraq as the Head of the UN Office (with the rank of Ambassador), and subsequently in Algeria and Tunisia in the same capacity.

Since his early retirement, Mr. Dubois has been an active member in New York of several  non-governmental organizations and serves on their boards, among them the Paris American Club. He serves as Chair of Le Cocktail Français at The National Arts Club. Mr. Dubois has always strived to help artists, true messengers of peace.
     

 
Patricia Forelle

Member since 2019

Patricia Forelle trained as a painter and acquired other skills that allowed her to earn a living in the arts. From high end decorating to costume design for period operas and ballets, she has never been without a pen or pencil in hand. Over the last five years, she has devoted herself exclusively to her easel. She paints every day (including Sunday). Her works are in private collections in New York, Los Angeles, Montana, and Florida. She is included in exhibitions in New York and in Vero Beach Florida. She is an Exhibiting Artist Member of the National Arts Club and serves on the Music Committee and Cocktail Français.    

Patricia received a B.A. in Studio Art from Newton College of the Sacred Heart (now part of Boston College) and an M.A. in French Language and Civilization from NYU.   She has studied at the Boston Museum School, the American Centre in Paris, the Sorbonne, and the Art Students League. She was previously a Board Member of the Mannes College of Music at The New School and was the recipient of its Distinguished Service Award in 2008 and remains active in the Mannes Piano Department. She is also a past Board Member of Pro Musicis.  

Ms. Forelle divides her time between New York and France.
     

 
David M. Glanstein, First Vice President
Member since 2010

David M. Glanstein is a partner in the law firm Glanstein LLP.  An experienced contract negotiator and litigator, he also counsels his clients on fiduciary duties, internal audits and investigations, and in formulating compliance and governance policies.   His clients are involved in myriad industries including transportation, real estate, financial services, construction, professional sports, hospitality, and health care.  

David received a Bachelor of Science degree from Cornell University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations in 1994.  He is a member of The Cornell Club of New York, and served on the Cornell ILR Alumni Association’s Board of Directors from 2007 to 2013, chairing its Nominating Committee in 2012.  He received his J.D. from Brooklyn Law School and a Master of Laws Degree (L.L.M.) from New York University School of Law.  David previously worked as a staff attorney for the National Basketball Players Association from 1997 to 2000.   

From 2009 to 2016 David was a member of the Board of Directors of Chashama, Inc., a not for profit corporation which converts commercial real estate in New York City for use by artists as work, display, and performance space in partnership with landowners, private foundations, and corporate sponsors.  From 2014 to 2016 David was Chair of Chashama’s Board of Directors, and in this position he oversaw its compliance with the New York Nonprofit Revitalization Act of 2013.  

David has been a member of The National Arts Club since 2010 and previously served on the Club’s Finance Committee.  He presently chairs the Kesselring Committee which administers the Joseph Kesselring Fund and annually awards the Kesselring Prize for Playwriting, a $25,000 award along with a residency in the Club’s Studio Building to a promising but not yet nationally recognized playwright. 
     

 
Rhoda Elison Hirsch 
Member since 2011

Rhoda Elison Hirsch, Ph.D., attended Stony Brook University, obtained a Master’s degree from Columbia University, and a Doctorate in Biology at New York University. She is currently Professor Emerita at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Department of Medicine (Hematology) and Department of Anatomy & Structural Biology. She is the recipient of numerous research fellowships and awards, research grants from The American Heart Association, The National Institutes of Health, Universities Space Research Association, and the Einstein Global Health Center, amongst other granting agencies.  Additionally, she was named the Jeanette & Samuel Lubell Fellow in Hematology of the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. To date, she has authored over 200 scientific articles and abstracts in professional journals. At Einstein, in addition to serving as Faculty Member and Principal Investigator on awarded research grants, she taught Histology to first-year medical students, mentored graduate students and Post-Doctoral Fellows. 

While a Board Member of the non-profit Hudson Highlands Music Festival in Cold Spring, NY, she obtained funding from the NYS Council of the Arts and helped plan fund-raising concerts for music programs in local schools. 

Rhoda is an active member of The National Arts Club Literary Committee, Roundtable Committee, and Music Committee.  
     

 
Steve Kass

Member since 2003

Mr. Kass is currently Chair of the House Preservation Committee, Co-Chair of Arts Programs, and Co-Chair of Architecture at The National Arts Club.

Steve Kass has worked in a long career of Management Consulting for numerous large corporations, institutions, and government agencies.  He has led large corporate initiatives for IBM Global Services, KPMG, JPMorgan Chase, Guardian Life, and Johnson & Johnson, et al.  His government clients have included NY State DMV, NY City Housing Authority and the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission, among others. He has been a frequent participant in leadership of industry conferences, frequently as a speaker and often leading workshops.  

Steve has served on several industry and arts Boards including The Project Management Institute and The University Glee Club.  Mr. Kass brings a portfolio of professional and mature skills to the task.  His dedication, sincerity and experience drive an ethic that adds levels of capable leadership to boards.
Mr. and Mrs. Kass are also socially active in the club, with many friends in the membership.  They lead a life in Manhattan and the Berkshires combining business and arts in richly rewarding ways.
     

 
Gordon Kendall, Secretary
Member since 2018

Gordon Kendall serves as Secretary to the National Arts Club's Board of Governors and is a member of the Executive Committee. He sits on the Club’s Fashion and Culinary Arts Committees and has brought numerous speakers to both in-person and virtual programs, including conducted interviews for the NAC @Home series.

A multi-published author of fashion-related books and articles, he has taught at fashion design and merchandising institutions in New York City. As well, he has made numerous presentations throughout the U.S. on topics related to fashion history, contemporary trends and styles, and current business and political issues affecting the fashion industry. His earlier service to the fashion community included co-sponsorship with Neiman Marcus Group of the Southwest Premier of Dressed, a fashion documentary film, at Dallas’ famous Texas Theatre and chairing its sold-out gala.  

At present, he sits on the Collections and Acquisitions Committee of The Museum at F.I.T., New York, as well as being a Couture Council member. While serving on the Advancement Board of the College of Visual Arts and Design at The University of North Texas, Denton, Texas, he advises on and promotes the growth of the Texas Fashion Collection, the state’s largest archive of fashion-related items. Gordon has previously worked as an attorney and real estate broker and holds an M.B.A. in Finance and Marketing and has a variety of business interests.  
 

 
Catherine Kleszczewski
Member since 2014

Catherine Kleszczewski is a Senior Executive Assistant in Risk Management at CitiBank. She provides administrative support and reports for her department.  Previously, she has worked for CFA Institute, JP Morgan, Boosey & Hawkes, and various chamber ensembles. 

Ms. Kleszczewski holds an MA in music composition from the Aaron Copland School of Music at Queens College (CUNY), and a BFA in music composition from Bard College. She has composed works for chamber, orchestra, dance, flute, choir, voice, religious, computer/electronic, film and served as music director of the Chapel of the Holy Innocents. She studied with Thea Musgrave, Joan Tower, and Richard Teitelbaum. She is also an alumna of Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music and Art and the Performing Arts, majoring in flute, graduating with Music Honors. 

On September 25, 2022, Catherine and her husband, Paul, were married at the club. Catherine had the world premiere of her wedding march entitled, “Catherine’s Wedding March,” composed for flute and handbell choir, dedicated to Paul.  She performed flute in this work while walking down the aisle as the bride with her father. 

Currently, she serves as a co-chair of the Fashion Committee, and the Chair of the Audit Committee at The National Arts Club.




 
Anne Lacombe
Member since 1999
 
A resident of Gramercy Park and long-time member of the National Arts Club, Anne has been a patron of the arts and supporter of various artists, film makers, architects, photographers, writers, singers, theater companies and chamber ensembles.

A member of the National Arts Club Architecture Committee, Anne heads up the Samuel Tilden Mansion tour group which conducts tours of the National Arts Club’s historic and architecturally significant club home at 15 Gramercy Park.  Anne has sat on the boards of non-profit organizations including the National Arts Club board of governors from 2013 - 2019.

An experienced business professional in the fields of advertising, marketing, and public relations, Anne most recently held the position of Senior Vice President of Public Relations for The Corcoran Group overseeing external communications for the country’s premiere residential real estate firm and marketer of U.S. luxury residential real estate developments.  Her extensive background in marketing and advertising includes working with global consumer luxury brands such as Ralph Lauren, L’Oreal and Giorgio Armani, among others. 

Anne received her Bachelor of Arts in Literature and Art History from Binghamton University. She grew up on the north shore of Long Island in Northport, New York, where the village’s proximity to Manhattan exposed her at an early age to the fantastic and transformative worlds of art, dance and music. Her passion for the arts started at an early age and continues unabated to this day.




 
Angela Lui
Member since 2008

Angela Lui is Co-Chair of the Fashion Committee at The National Arts Club, which presents events for Club members and the public. As a member of its host committee, Ms. Lui helped organize the April 2019 “Miracle in Rwanda” commemoration at the United Nations. As a pianist, she was a gold medalist in the U.S. Open Music Competition. Ms. Lui received a BS Degree in Business Administration from the Walter Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley.    

Ms. Lui is a Managing Director and Head of Business Development at Schultze Asset Management, a hedge fund specializing in distressed securities and event-driven investing. Before joining Schultze Asset Management, Ms. Lui was Director in the Investor Group at Autonomy Capital, an investment manager specializing in thematic, multi-asset class investing across developed and emerging markets. Before that, she was Director of Marketing and Investor Relations for a global macro hedge fund, Sibilla Capital, and worked on developing the firm’s marketing efforts, investment offerings, and asset growth strategy. Between 2007-2012, she was the Principal and Vice President at Malbec Partners, a hedge fund platform, where she helped co-found and launch the alternative investment manager and strategies, drove sales efforts, and oversaw investor and consultant relations.

Ms. Lui began her career with PricewaterhouseCoopers Advisory where she focused on Mergers & Acquisitions for global bank acquisitions and divestitures, earning the PwC Chairman’s Award during her tenure there. She earned her BS in Business Administration from the University of California at Berkeley. She lives in New York and enjoys volunteering with her church, music, and Off-Broadway shows.
     

 
David Masello
Member since 1993

David Masello moved to New York City from Evanston, Illinois, following college and has made his living as a writer and editor ever since.

He began his career as a nonfiction book editor at Simon & Schuster, followed by senior editorial positions at many magazines, including Travel + Leisure, Art & Antiques, DeparturesCountry Living and Town & Country (where he was a features editor). He’s currently executive editor of Milieu, a national print magazine about design and architecture, and has been in that role since the magazine’s inception.

He’s a widely published essayist and poet, with pieces appearing in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Fine Art Connoisseur (where he is a longtime columnist), Best American Essays, and numerous literary and art magazines. His plays and monologues have been produced and performed by The Players Theatre, Winterlight Productions, Manhattan Repertory Theatre, Chelsea Repertory, Artistic New Directions, The Braid Theatre of Los Angeles (where he is a playwright-in-residence), National Arts Club, Big Apple Theater Festival, Fresh Fruit Festival, et al. He is the author of Architecture Without Rules: The Houses of Marcel Breuer and Herbert Beckhard (W.W. Norton, published in English, as well as numerous foreign editions) and Art In Public Places (City & Company). His newest book, Collaborations (Rizzoli), looks at the most notable recent projects by the architectural firm of Ferguson & Shamamian.

He has lectured on writing about art and journalism to many colleges, including Sarah Lawrence College, where he has taught a course on writing about art and culture. He is an active member of the National Arts Club’s literary and theatre committees, often conducting on-stage talks with writers. He is a frequent performer for Read650.org, a live essay reading series. His Instagram (@davidmasello) posts about New York architecture, gardens, and history are widely followed.      
     

 
Deborah Montaperto

Member since 2010

Deborah Montaperto, Private Wealth Advisor, is responsible for strategic business development as well as executing liability management transactions for clients of The Polk Wealth Management Group’at Morgan Stanley Private Wealth Management. Additionally, she has developed the Team’s family advisory platform, a holistic approach to dealing with the interface between wealth, family dynamics, and the next generation. 

Deborah began her career on Wall Street in 1986. As a Managing Director in Citigroup's Investment Banking division, she was responsible for fostering client relationships between the Institutional Clients Group and Global Wealth Management. Deborah joined the Polk Group at Morgan Stanley Private Wealth Management in 2008 and is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™. Additionally, she is a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst. 

Deborah has been named to Barron’s Advisor Hall of Fame (2019), Barron’s Top 100 Advisors (2019-2022), Barron’s Top 100 Women Financial Advisors (2010-2022), Barron’s Best-In-State Advisors (2020-2022), Forbes’ Top 100 Women Wealth Advisors (2018, 2022), Forbes' Best-In-State Women Wealth Advisors (2022), and Forbes’ Best-In-State Wealth Advisors (2019-2022). She is a frequent presenter at Morgan Stanley and industry conferences, such as Barron’s. 

Deborah is an active member of The Lincoln Center Women’s Leadership Council, the National Arts Club, The Economic Club of New York, and Hunts Point Alliance for Children. She is also a member of the Board of Directors of Teen Cancer America. Deborah graduated with a B.A. cum laude from Tufts University and earned an M.A. degree from the Villa Schifanoia in Florence, Italy.


2019-2022 Barron's Top 100 Financial Advisors (formerly referred to as Barron's Top 1,000 Financial Advisors: State-by-State). Source: Barrons.com (Awarded 2019-2022).  Data compiled by Barron's based on 12-month period concluding in Dec of the year prior to the issuance of the award.

2020-2022 Barron's Top 1,200 Financial Advisors: State-by-State (formerly referred to as Barron's Top 1,000 Financial Advisors: State-by-State). Source: Barrons.com (Awarded 2020-2022).  Data compiled by Barron's based on 12-month period concluding in Sept of the year prior to the issuance of the award.

2010-2021 Barron's Top 100 Women Financial Advisors.Source:Barrons.com(Awarded June 2010-2021). Data compiled by Barron's based on 12-month period concluding in Mar of the year the award was issued. 

2018, 2022 Forbes America's Top Women Wealth Advisors (formerly referred to as Forbes Top Women Wealth Advisors, Forbes America's Top Women Wealth Advisors). Source: Forbes.com (Awarded 2018, 2022). Data compiled by SHOOK Research LLC based on 12-month time period concluding in Sept of year prior to the issuance of the award. 

2022 Forbes Top Women Wealth Advisors Best-In- State (formerly referred to as Forbes Top Women Wealth Advisors, Forbes America's Top Women Wealth Advisors). Source: Forbes.com (Awarded 2022). Data compiled by SHOOK Research LLC based on 12-month time period concluding in Sept of year prior to the issuance of the award. 

2019-2022 Forbes Best-In- State Wealth Advisors. Source: Forbes.com (Awarded 2019-2022). Data compiled by SHOOK Research LLC based 12-month time period concluding in June of year prior to the issuance of the award.

Barron's Hall Of Fame 2019 ListSource: The Barron’s “Hall of Fame” list, published throughout 2019. Based on Barron’s rankings received over the prior 10 years. 

Awards Disclosures

The use of the CDFA designation does not permit the rendering of legal advice by Morgan Stanley or its Financial Advisors which may only be done by a licensed attorney.  The CDFA designation is not intended to imply that either Morgan Stanley or its Financial Advisors are acting as experts in this field. Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. (CFP Board) owns the certification marks CFP®, CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™, and CFP® (with plaque design) in the United States, which it authorizes use of by individuals who successfully complete CFP Board’s initial and ongoing certification requirements. 

Morgan Stanley Private Wealth Management, a division of Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC. Member SIPC. CRC 5076394, 11/2022.    

     

 
John Olsen

Member since 2015

Mr. Olsen served as Chairman of the Club’s House Preservation Committee from 2018 to 2020. He remains a member of the Committee, which is responsible for maintaining and improving the Club’s 1845 Tilden mansion, a federal and state landmark, as well as its adjacent residential studio building completed in 1906. In this role John works with fellow committee members and the Club’s staff supported by a team of professional conservation specialists who each bring their unique expertise to the property. John has had lifelong interests in architecture, fine art, decorative arts, landscape design, gardening, and automobiles. He served as Vice Chairman of the NAC’s 120th Anniversary Gala Committee, and is an active supporter of Bideawee, one of the nation’s oldest no-kill animal welfare organizations. There he contributed as chairman of its 2016 and 2017 benefit galas which raised more than $1 million for the charity’s important work.

Outside our clubhouse John is President and Lifetime Trustee of the Frederick R. Koch Foundation, established upon Mr. Koch’s death in 2020 to support the arts and humanities. There he is actively involved in the management of several American and European estates of historic and architectural importance, and extensive collections of fine and decorative arts, rare books, literary and music manuscripts, and photography, with works of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries predominating. Prior to this work he was senior vice president of marketing and advertising for global apparel designers Tommy Hilfiger and Ralph Lauren, and jewelry designer, David Yurman.  He was born and reared in Dayton, OH, and is a graduate of Miami University in Oxford, OH.  He lives primarily in Narrowsburg, NY on the Delaware River in Sullivan County.
     

 
Roland Riopelle

Member since 2013

Roland Riopelle has been engaged in the practice of law in New York City for more than thirty years.  Mr. Riopelle represented the Club nearly full time during 2011-13, and joined the Club as a member shortly after his intensive representation of the Club ended.  Since that time, he has occasionally represented the Club on certain minor matters, and has served as chairperson of the Club’s Governance Committee. As Chairperson of the Governance Committee, Mr. Riopelle and the other members of the Governance Committee recommended that the Club modify its Constitution and By-Laws to make them more democratic and responsive to the membership of the Club. The Constitution and By-Laws as they now exist are the product of that work.  

Mr. Riopelle spends a good deal of time at the Club, and can often be found in the Bar or Dining Room.  He enjoys many of the programs put on by the Club’s Committees, and loves to show the Club off to friends. Previously, Mr. Riopelle  served as a Board Member, Secretary-Treasurer, Vice President and President of a not-for-profit organization that is related to his principal area of law practice, and he has also served as the Chairperson of a subdivision of the United Jewish Appeal in New York City.  Although he is not a practicing artist himself, Mr. Riopelle is an avid theater, opera, museum and concert goer, and he is related to Jean Paul Riopelle and Mark Tobey, both of whom are very well-known 20th Century painters.
     

 
Paul Schwendener
Member since 2015

Paul Schwendener is Executive Director of the All-Star Orchestra, an ensemble comprised of top players from major American orchestras that has produced fiveseasons of public television programming in collaboration with WNET/Thirteen. The programs have won sevenEmmy® awards. The All-Star Orchestra also produces music educational content and lessons for the Khan Academy, providing free instruction to oversevenmillion students worldwide.   

Over a 30-year career in the classical music recording industry, he has been instrumental in producing and marketing the Complete Mozart Edition (180 CDs) for Philips Classics, the Milken Archive of Jewish Music (600+ recordings), and hundreds of recordings with leading artists and ensembles.    

At The National Arts Club Mr. Schwendener is Chair of the Music Committee and is also sits on the Theater Committee. He enjoys spending time at the Club and is continually amazed by the great variety of interests and talents of its members.      

Born in Michigan, Mr. Schwendener studied at the Eastman School of Music and at the Hochschule für Musik in Vienna where he also performed with the Choral Union of the Vienna Philharmonic for several years. He and his wife Barbara live in Larchmont, NY. 
     

 
Robert Siegel, Second Vice President
Member since 2019

Mr. Siegel is the president of Ghent Realty Services, Inc., a privately held project consulting and financing company engaged in development management, financing and work out of problem projects. Ghent Realty Services, Inc. is the development consultant to a college located in Manhattan, building a multi-story, mixed use, educational and residential facility on the institution's campus. They are also a development consultant for a new 5 story building in Tribeca.

Mr. Siegel hold a degree from Bucknell University A.B. and is a Licensed New York Real Estate Broker. He previously was on the Board of Directors of Grace Church School.
     

 
Alyson Stone, Treasurer

Member since 2018

Alyson Stone is an attorney in private practice. She is also the founder and principal of Attion Consulting, which offers business affairs and strategic advisory services to the financial services industry. A former banking executive, Alyson’s expertise spans a broad spectrum, including strategy, marketing, finance, product management, disruptive technologies, and intellectual property. 

Alyson holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance from La Salle University’s School of Business Administration in Philadelphia, and a Juris Doctor degree from Fordham University School of Law in New York.  She sits on the board of directors of 826NYC, a creative writing charity for students in underserved communities, and serves on the Fordham Art Law Alumni Advisory Board, providing support and guidance to students exploring legal issues in the visual arts.   

Alyson is a member of the National Arts Club’s Finance Committee and Literary Committee.  
     

 
Hillary Weldon

Member since 2004

Hillary Weldon has been an active member of the Club since 2004 along with her husband Bill and daughter Whitney, who joined the Club in 2021. She has supported many club events and programs including the Exhibiting Artist Member shows and talks while working with the Club’s Curator Robert Yahner for more than ten years. She is presently a Board Member of the New York Pops Orchestra at Carnegie Hall, and previously served on the boards of the United States Bone and Joint Initiative and the RWJ Barnabas Health Children’s Specialized Hospital in Mountainside, New Jersey. 
     

 
David Zyla

Member since 2006

David Zyla is an author, stylist, Emmy® award-winning costume designer, and recognized authority on the transformative power of color and design, and its application to wardrobe, home, and lifestyle. A sought-after resource for personal consultation as well as a variety of commercial forums, he travels the globe advocating a person’s right to feel empowered, look fantastic, and live their most authentic self.    

David is currently the Head Costume Designer for The Young and the Restless, and served in the same capacity for additional television shows including All My Children and General Hospital. He has designed for Broadway, Off-Broadway, regional theater, commercials, and film and continues to do so.    

Earlier in his career, Mr. Zyla launched his own Seventh Avenue label featuring progressive designs of eveningwear that were featured at New York’s Fashion Week and sold at the nation’s top luxury stores. Additionally, he has authored The Color of Style (Dutton), Color Your Style (Plume) and How to Win at Shopping (Workman).    

Mr. Zyla lectures at major design institutions, museums, and schools. He is a former faculty member at Marymount Manhattan College, where he currently sits on the Advisory Board of the Business School. An advocate for the arts, education, and animal welfare, he is the recipient of the New York Animal Cares New York’s Kindest Award.  

He has been a member of The National Arts Club since 2006 and currently serves as a co-chair of the Fashion Committee.