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Festival Orchestra de Las Cruces
Advisory Committee
Wanda Bowman
Advisory committee chair
Wanda Bowman has a vision for expanding the opportunities for professional musicians and making classical music more accessible to residents in Southern New Mexico and surrounding areas. She gained a greater appreciation of the uplifting and inspiring value of the arts as her grandchildren started a ballet company and became professional singers and artists.
A long-time successful businesswoman and former owner of Ashley Furniture, Wanda Bowman has been a generous philanthropist to NMSU athletic and academic programs and non-profits throughout the community. In 2026, she was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from New Mexico State University.
Lonnie Klein
Music director/conductor
Lonnie Klein has had a passion for music since childhood. He has conducted symphony orchestras for more than three decades in the United States, Canada, Mexico, South America, and Europe. His repertoire is broad from classical music to pop. No matter the genre, he brings together professional musicians to thrill audiences with every performance.
He holds a Doctorate of Musical Arts from the University of Illinois. His creativity led him to commission ten world premieres with the Las Cruces Symphony Orchestra at New Mexico State University during his tenure as the Music Director and Conductor of the symphony.
FULL ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Staci C. Allen
Jesus Candela
Sharon Carillo
Denise Cooper
Dr. Ammu Devasthali
Jeanette Dickerson
Chayo J. Garcia
James Gerwells
Lonnie Harrison
Laura Holguin
Barbara Hubbard
Vivian Johnson
Maria Elena Jurado
Penny Kaiser
Deborah Knapp
Georgiana Lavery
Ana Mangino Vaskov
Wanda McCormick
James McGuire
Sandy Montoya
Erin O’Donnell
Patricia Rothengrass
Cristina Salazar
Diane Schutz
Dr. Christa Slaton
Greg Smith
Joy Zalkind