Biography
Bonnie Callahan (she/her) is a musician, writer, administrator, and creative strategist passionate about using her skills to make impactful change in her community.
Bonnie’s administrative expertise and interests lie at the intersection of development and fundraising, strategic planning, research, and community-centered program coordination, with particular emphasis on addressing systemic inequities in the arts, education, and social service. She prides herself on her ability to consult organizations and entrepreneurs on how to better communicate their mission and impact to their community, expand their reach, and achieve organizational stability. She has been fortunate to work with many organizations in this capacity, including ASAP!, Rising Tide Music & Arts, Positive Legacy, the MusicLink Foundation, AK Artist Management, Manhattan Grant Writers, and Atlantic Brass Band.
Bonnie is currently the Development Coordinator of the Philly Pops, Development Specialist for the Philadelphia Civic Symphony, Grant Writer for Easterseals NJ, and a development consultant for the East Brunswick Symphony Orchestra (EBSO) and many other local arts, education, and social service organizations. She also maintains an active portfolio of clients through INFLUENTIAL WRITINGS by Heather Macaulay, which offers services in grant writing, grants management, copywriting, and strategic content development for executives and students. Committed to giving back and serving her profession, Bonnie is on the Board of Trustees of the Princeton Brass Band, serving as the band’s Social Media Manager and on the fundraising committee, the development committee for the Athena Brass Band, and serves as editor of the Product and App Reviews column of the International Trumpet Guild (ITG) Journal. Previously, Bonnie was the Development Associate for the Academy of Vocal Arts, the world’s only tuition-free institution solely dedicated to the training of opera soloists, and a consultant at Corner Alliance, working with Federal agencies to help them design and implement impactful and innovative programs through consulting in grants management and administration, strategic planning, technical assistance, legislative and policy analysis, and more.
Bonnie is also a professional musician, bringing the insight of a performer and artist to her administrative work and her eye for detail and nuance to her performing projects. She regularly performs with the East Brunswick Symphony Orchestra, Princeton Brass Band, and Coda Brass Quintet, of which she is a founding member. Since its inception in 2023, Coda Brass has been accepted into the Bespoken fellowship program, hosted performances throughout New Jersey and Delaware, commissioned and performed new works by gender-marginalized composers, and performed at the International Women’s Brass Conference New Works Recital in May 2025.
Bonnie frequently performs with other groups and ensembles throughout the Northeastern US in a variety of genres and settings, including orchestras (Adelphi Orchestra, Greater Newburgh Symphony Orchestra, PROTESTRA), brass quintets (Central Brass Quintet, Richmond County Orchestra Brass Quintet, East Brunswick Symphony Orchestra Brass Quintet), wind bands and British Brass Bands (Garden State Symphonic Band, Atlantic Brass Band, Chesapeake Silver Cornet Brass Band, Imperial Brass Band, New England Brass Band, Lambertville Brass Band, Atlantic Brass Band), and for choral ensembles (Greater South Jersey Chorus, Pocono Concert Chorale, Marist College) and stage productions (Bard College, Count Basie Theater). Bonnie is also a frequent church musician, performing in worship services throughout NJ, PA, and DE.
Bonnie holds a Master of Music in Trumpet Performance from West Chester University, where served as a Graduate Research Assistant for the Department of Music Education and Music Therapy and an Outreach Assistant for Music Service Learning, a non-profit organization providing diverse, project-based experiences to college students to supplement collegiate music education curricula. She also received bachelor’s degrees in Music Education and Trumpet Performance with a minor in International Studies from Rowan University, graduating summa cum laude and receiving multiple scholarships and awards throughout her academic career, including a full tuition scholarship through the Rowan Scholars program. Bonnie is a proud member of the International Women’s Brass Conference, International Trumpet Guild, Maestra Music, and Local 16-248 AFM.