Senior Administration
Thomas Novak
Interim President, Provost and Dean of the College
Phone: 617-585-1308
Email: tom.novak@necmusic.edu
Location: Jordan Hall Building
A member of NEC’s administration since 2001, Thomas Novak served as Performance Outreach Manager and Director of Admissions within his first two years on staff. Novak’s role expanded as Assistant Provost and Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid in 2003, and in 2007 he was appointed Dean of the College. In 2012, he was promoted to Provost and Dean of the College, and, following President Woodcock’s departure in 2015, he has additionally served as Interim President.
An active chamber musician and freelance bassoonist in New York for 10 years, Novak was a founding member of the Amerigo Ensemble, presenting educational programs under the auspices of the New York Philharmonic, Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, and Chamber Music Northwest. He is a former member of Quintet of the Americas, with whom he made his Carnegie Hall debut in 1992, recorded four albums, and presented concerts in Bermuda, Colombia, Venezuela, and around the United States. Novak has also performed at such festivals as Tanglewood and the Pacific Music Festival in Sapporo, Japan.
Kathleen Kelly
Vice President of Institutional Advancement
Phone: 617-585-1154
Email: kathleen.kelly@necmusic.edu
Location: St. Botolph Building
Kathleen Kelly brings more than 25 years of experience in designing and implementing entrepreneurial fundraising strategies; leading campaign planning; driving stakeholder engagement initiatives; and building impactful relationships with diverse constituencies including board leadership and prospective donors. Kathleen oversees a 12-person team responsible for philanthropic relationship building and revenue generation, along with implementing programs to increase engagement across the global NEC community. In addition, Kathleen serves as an essential member of NEC’s senior administration team that sets the strategic direction for the institution.
Prior to joining NEC, Kathleen led strategic planning and successful fundraising initiatives garnering over $250 million dollars for institutions including WGBH, Concord Academy, Milton Academy, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Northeastern University, and Providence College. Kathleen holds a M.Ed. in Counseling and a B.A. in Social Science with a concentration in History from Providence College.
Ed Lesser
Senior Vice President for Finance and Operations
Phone: 617-585-1211
Email: ed.lesser@necmusic.edu
Location: St. Botolph Building
Ed Lesser has been the Senior Vice President for Finance and Operations at New England Conservatory since September 2007.
Prior to NEC, Ed held several leadership positions with the Boston Stock Exchange, including Executive Vice President for Finance and Administration and culminating in Chief Operating Officer. From 2005 to 2007, Ed held the position of Managing Director and Chief Operating/Financial Officer at the Boston Options Exchange and led the development of the company from its inception; raising the startup capital, securing regulatory approvals, building the physical and technical infrastructure, hiring staff, and building the sales force. He drove the company’s market position to over 7% of the US options market before the company was sold.
Kairyn Rainer
Vice President of Administration
Phone: 617-585-1207
Email: kairyn.rainer@necmusic.edu
Location: Jordan Hall Building
At NEC, Kairyn Rainer provides strategic oversight to the business operations of the organization and manages the Human Resources, Information Technology, and Security teams. A member of senior management, Kairyn has served as an advisor and strategist to the President and Chairman of the Board on all aspects of the Conservatory to fulfill its educational and artistic mission. Assessing policy, programming, operations, personnel and administration matters, she also supports the implementation, review, and monitoring of strategic planning and growth.
In her previous role as Manager of Practice Group Administration at Brown Rudnick LLP, an international law firm, Kairyn worked directly with Managing Directors and Practice Group Leaders, as well as the firm’s Finance, Marketing, Recruiting and Professional Development teams. She supported the growth, profitability and overall success of Brown Rudnick’s legal practice groups. In addition to business planning and execution, Kairyn was responsible for the firm’s practice group budgets, led new partner integration, and facilitated cross-selling initiatives across the firm’s practice areas.