Our Story

MATTHEW WARDELL is a dynamic conductor who brings boundless energy and compelling storytelling to every performance. Based in Washington, DC, he is known for his ability to unlock passion in live performances and create deep emotional connections with audiences. Wardell’s commitment to programming—recognized in 2024 when he won the Vytautas Marijosius Memorial Award in Orchestral Programming from The American Prize—spans from unearthing hidden repertoire gems and championing overlooked composers to presenting bold new works alongside the masterpieces of the canon. His performances are marked by what audiences describe as “unabashed enthusiasm” and “youthful energy,” with patrons regularly noting that “he and the orchestra never cease to amaze.”

Currently in his 17th season as Music Director of the Ocala Symphony Orchestra—which composer Michael Daugherty called the “hardest working orchestra in Florida”—Wardell has established himself as a sought-after guest conductor with recent appearances leading the Jacksonville Symphony, the Florida Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra Pittsburgh, the Southwest Florida Symphony Orchestra, the New England Philharmonic, the Gainesville Orchestra, and the Pioneer Valley Symphony Orchestra. When Matthew was appointed Music Director of the Ocala Symphony Orchestra, the Ocala Star Banner declared that “Wardell brings an impressive resume of musical and conducting training … Maybe more important than his musical credentials is Wardell’s youthful enthusiasm and unabashed zest … Wardell is not only a daring and dynamic choice as the Ocala Symphony Orchestra’s new conductor, but a smart one.”

On the podium, Maestro Wardell has conducted more than 520 works across 310 live performances. His repertoire encompasses core orchestral works from all periods, concerti for voice and nearly every instrument, extensive pops offerings, and film and multimedia works. He is particularly committed to the purposeful inclusion of underrepresented and living composers, having led world and United States premieres from composers such as Michael Daugherty, María de Pablos, Paul Richards, Stella Sung, and Jenni Brandon. Wardell has developed deep experience in live-to-film conducting, having led more than a dozen productions including upcoming performances of Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back and Disney’s Aladdin in Concert.

From the opera pit, Wardell has led 19 staged productions of large-scale opera, musical theatre, and ballet works including La Boheme, Bartók’s Miraculous Mandarin, Così fan tutte, Sunday in the Park with George, Carmina Burana, A Little Night Music, and Sweeney Todd. His ability to rise to any artistic challenge was dramatically demonstrated when he conducted two performances of Puccini’s Tosca with only one day’s notice. Critics hailed the performances as “first-rate” and “inspiring,” calling his last-minute substitution a “magnificent feat … when the stakes were high, Mr. Wardell came through brilliantly and proved his mettle.”

Born in Jacksonville, Florida, Wardell holds a Doctor of Musical Arts (2022) and Master of Music (2010) from the University of Florida, where he studied with his mentor Dr. Raymond Chobaz, and a Bachelor of Music cum laude (2007) from the University of North Florida, where he worked under Charlotte Mabrey. He spent five summers at the Pierre Monteux School for Conductors and Orchestra Musicians in Hancock, Maine, where he studied with renowned conducting teacher Michael Jinbo and was recognized as both an Osher and Quimby Family Foundation scholar. Wardell has participated in master classes with Keith Lockhart of the Boston Pops and studied with conductor and composer Peter WesenAuer in Salzburg, Austria.

Rebecca currently serves as the Executive Director of Circle Square Foundation and The Colen Family Charitable Trust.  These private operating foundations primarily focus on educational, health, and recreational initiatives.  She is the former Director of Philanthropy at Hospice of Marion County from 2015-2019 leading all fundraising efforts for end of life care.

Rebecca is presently a member of the Ocala Women’s Network and has served as a Board Member for Kimberly’s Center for Child Protection where she led the Fundraising Committee for her 3-year term.  She is a member of the Non-Profit Business Council and was a Forum Member of the National Healthcare Philanthropy Initiative.

Rebecca has been a Program Presenter at the Florida Hospice and Palliative Care Association and earned her CFRE (Certified Fundraising Executive) certification in October of 2018.  Additionally, Rebecca sits on the Ocala Aquatics Board of Directors.  

Rebecca is a ‘curious’ musician who loves many genres of music and still plays her baby grand piano every day.  She is married to Steve and together they have 3 adult (!) children and 1 Australian Shepherd.

Erin Buss is currently the Executive Vice President of Development and Strategy at Southeast Trust Company in Ocala, Florida.  Prior to joining Southeast Trust, Erin was the Firm Administrator for Purvis Gray and Company, and a commercial loan officer for Community Bank and Trust of Florida.

Erin is currently a member of the Blessed Trinity Catholic School Board and Blessed Trinity Core Youth Ministry Team; she also serves as a member of the Board of Trustees for Dance Alive National Ballet.  Her past community involvement includes March of Dimes and serving on the board of United Way of Marion County.

Born and raised in Ocala, Florida, Erin is proud to call Ocala home where she lives with her husband and their three teenage boys. The arts community continues to be a place she finds joy – especially music and dance (which she still enjoys teaching).  Choosing to use each day to its fullest, Erin enjoys running, yoga, hiking, and spending as much time with her family on the water or in the mountains.

Mike Mangan is a native of Ocala and has resided in his hometown for much of his adult life. He is a graduate of Forest High School and completed his education as a graduate of the College of Central Florida and the University of South Florida. For more than 25 years he was the co-owner and President of George Mangan Insurance. After leaving the insurance industry, Mike’s career path led him to his current position with Duke Energy. As a member of the Duke Energy Large Accounts team he is responsible for the relationships with governmental and industrial customers over a six-county territory throughout Central Florida.

   Mike has always valued the importance of community service and his past involvement has included serving terms on the board of directors of the College of Central Florida Foundation, the former Ocala/Marion County Economic Development Council and Chamber of Commerce, the Salvation Army, as well as being past president of the Metropolitan Ocala Rotary Club.

   Mike and his wife Amy are approaching their 30th wedding anniversary and have a son Griffin and daughter Gillian. They also have two very spoiled Lhasa Poo dogs – Lucy and Lizzy – who keep the nest from feeling too empty. In his spare time, Mike enjoys travel, hiking and walking, and reading a good detective novel or historical fiction. And most evenings include listening to the music of John Coltrane, Miles Davis and Pat Matheny.

Bill Nassal is the Chairman and Founder of The Companies of Nassal based in Orlando/Los Angeles. He is a graduate architect of Kent State University and a graduate engineer of New York State University. He has been a board member with the OSO for 13 years, and is the immediate past president. He has also served as past president for the Orlando Philharmonic and past board member of the Orlando Ballet.

Nick Robinson has been active in the commercial real estate industry since 2009, specializing in retail landlord and tenant representation, site selection, build-to-suit development, and lease negotiations throughout Florida. He works closely with clients to identify and secure strategic real estate opportunities and to execute market expansion initiatives that support long-term business growth.

Nick delivers a comprehensive, start-to-finish approach to retail real estate, combining market analysis and research with entitlement coordination, site development, and transaction execution. His experience spans local, regional, and national assignments, allowing him to guide clients through complex real estate decisions with clarity and efficiency.

He brings a proven track record of sales and leasing success and has been recognized by national publications, including Southeast Real Estate Business Magazine. Nick was also named Top 40 Under 40 in Ocala in 2016. Prior to joining Avison Young, he served as a Director at Front Street Commercial Real Estate Group, where he helped launch the firm’s first satellite office in Ocala and expanded its leasing portfolio. His background also includes representing institutional and local landlords across retail, office, and industrial sectors, as well as advising a top national bank on REO dispositions throughout Florida.

Nick is actively involved in the community and regional real estate industry. He currently serves on the ICSC West Florida Idea Exchange Planning Committee and is a board member of the Reilly Arts Center in Ocala, Florida, where he resides.

David A. Velez, Actuary, MBA is a seasoned Pharmaceutical Industry expert with over four decades of entrepreneurial and executive experience in the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries. He successfully launched and led businesses across the United States, Latin America, the Caribbean, and Russia, consistently driving growth and innovation in complex markets. As President and Founder of AxxessValue Solutions, LLC, David provides integrated contract analytics and consulting services to emerging biopharmaceutical companies, building on his extensive expertise in managed markets and U.S. pharma access strategies.

Earlier in his career, David held senior leadership roles at Merck & Co., Inc., where he spearheaded managed Medicaid and Medicare contracting, directed federal sector operations covering more than 25 million lives, and established Merck’s operations in Russia and further develop the Company’s Commercial Operations in the Caribbean, Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico. His leadership consistently delivered doubledigit revenue growth, earning him multiple Merck Presidential Awards. Beyond corporate achievements, David has contributed to academia as an Adjunct Professor at the College of Central Florida and to public health as Chairman of the Mexican Foundation Against HIV/AIDS.

Fluent in English and Spanish, with working knowledge of Portuguese, Russian and French, David combines global perspective with deep technical expertise. He was a private pilot and is avid enthusiast of aviation, piano, classical music, and computer sciences.