THE COUNSELOR PROGRAM

VANDY was one of the founding counselors of Carpe Diem, serving as Choreographer from 2011-2014. She currently works at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. as the Manager of National Community Partnerships. There she supports the Any Given Child and Partners in Education programs, which help communities throughout the U.S. develop equitable arts education programs in schools, and provide professional learning in the arts for teachers, respectively. Vandy received her bachelor's degree in Islamic Studies from Wheaton College in Massachusetts, and her master’s degree in Theater Education from Emerson College, which focused on community engagement through the arts. Professionally, Vandy has taught English in Turkey and Morocco and worked for arts organizations such as WaterFire Providence, ArtsEmerson, and The Santa Fe Opera. 

BRADY was one of the founding counselors of Carpe Diem, serving as Music Director from 2011-2014. He is currently the Associate Director of the Metropolitan Opera's prestigious Laffont Competition. Mr. Walsh judges for the Met throughout North America, presents master classes, and hears young artists in screening auditions both at the Met and at various summer festivals across the country. In 2019, he was named a special guest for the finals of the inaugural Nicola Martinucci International Vocal Competition in Lucca, Italy and was a technician at the 2020 NATS National Conference in New York, where he co-presented with Melissa Wegner their workshop “The Self-Assured Singer”, as well as at SUNY Potsdam. A high school graduate of Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake, Brady went on to receive a bachelor’s degree in Music Education and Music Business and a certificate of Vocal Performance from the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam. With regional and community theaters in the New York City area, he has performed such roles as Tateh (Ragtime), Cinderella’s Prince/The Wolf (Into the Woods), Bill Sykes (Oliver!) and others. He is also an avid hiker and writer, with both screen and stage projects in development.