Cheryl Ciano Havens received her Bachelor's Degree in Music Education from The Crane School of Music at the State University of New York, Potsdam and her Master's Degree in Music Education from Western Connecticut State University. Mrs. Havens co-founded the Westchester/Putnam Youth Symphony in 1996 and has seen it grow from the original nineteen members to the outstanding organization that it is today. She has been the musical director and conductor for sixteen years and has enjoyed working with the hundreds of students who have participated in WPYS over the years. In addition, Mrs. Havens was the Elementary String Director for the Mahopac Central School District for seventeen years. During her tenure in Mahopac, she had the honor of conducting the Mahopac Elementary Schools Combined Orchestra (MESCO) at Carnegie Hall, the NY State School Board Convention, and various other festivals and competitions. Mrs. Havens is also a guest conductor and has conducted All County Orchestras in Suffolk, Nassau, Sullivan and Saratoga Counties. Mrs. Havens is the director of the Junior and Senior WPYS Orchestras and has conducted the Senior Orchestra during their European Concert Tours in 2002, 2007, and 2011.

Jamie Stroffolino received his Bachelor's Degree in Music Education from the Crane School of Music at the State University of New York, Potsdam and his Master's Degree in Humanistic/Multicultural Education from the State University of New York at New Paltz. Mr. Stroffolino performs regularly with the Greater New York Wind Symphony, the Westchester Music Educators' Wind Ensemble, and several other professional orchestras. In addition to a steady performance schedule, he teaches chorus, orchestra, world drumming, and digital music at Walter Panas High School in the Lakeland Central School District. His groups consistently perform for the NYSSMA Majors Festival and receive stellar ratings. He maintains a private violin, viola, cello, and percussion studio during the summer months. In addition to a career in music performance and education, Mr. Stroffolino is an avid marathon runner and fitness enthusiast.