Our Story
Using Music To Cope
Then, two developments quickly brought the future UKC sharply into focus. First, Corey connected with music therapists at Miami Children’s Hospital, Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital and others, and gained exposure to the field of music therapy. Through music therapy, certified professionals help patients use music to achieve clinical goals, which in the case of young children might include lowering anxiety and stress, improving vital signs, and a multitude of other results. Second, the simplicity and small size of the ukulele made it seem like the ideal vehicle for music therapy with even the smallest patients. In 2014, Corey and his wife Edda incorporated the UKC. Its mission was, and remains, to support music therapy for hospitalized children, by giving children a ukulele to use during their hospital stay, and to keep when they go home. Each year, the UKC delivers thousands of ukuleles, to a growing network of more than 200 hospitals in the U.S. and in North America, Europe and Asia.
Meet Our Founders
Corey Bergman
Founder | Director
Corey Bergman founded the Ukulele Kids Club Inc. in 2014 . In his TEDx Coconut Grove talk “Music Heals“, Corey explains how music helps and inspires, even in the toughest times.
Watch “Music Heals” on YouTube
Edda Bergman
Senior Manager, Talent Business Advisor for Deloitte Services LP, retired.
National Board Of Directors
Our board members are the fiduciaries who steer Ukulele Kids Club Inc. towards a sustainable future by adopting sound, ethical, and legal governance and financial management policies, as well as making sure that we have adequate resources to advance our mission.
Tom Bales
Board Chairman
President Symbiosis Foundation
Casper Casparian
Vice-Chair
Owner at CMC, LLC Strategic Marketing Communications
Lynda B. Scearcy
Treasurer
MST, CPA Member of the Board of Directors at Bank of the Sierra BSRR
Meg Kerr
Secretary
Judge of Compensation Claims, Miami District Division of Administrative Hearings
Steven Burghart
Director
President SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital Saint Louis, MO
Connie Ryan
Director
Registered Nurse RN, BSN
TEDx Organizer Volunteer
Jay Lichty
Director
Luthier, Lichty Guitars
Ann Hannan
Director
Director, Riley Cheer Guild and Music Therapy MT-BC Riley Hospital for Children at Indiana University Health Affiliate Faculty, Charles Warren Fairbanks Center for Medical Ethics
Casey Paton
Director
Co-Founder Encore Apparel Co.
Samuel Borbor-Sawyer
Director
Attorney, Phillips Lytle LLP
Kallie Velazquez
Director
RN, BSN, UKC Parent
Staff
Marlén Rodriguez-Wolfe
Chief Executive Officer
M.M Music Therapist
Stephanie Epstein
President
Director of Programs
Amber O’Leary
VicePresident Operations & Development
Samantha Hassold
Outreach & Programs Manager
Larry Agovino
Website Administrator
Musician
Advisory Board
Kristiana Miner
Advisory Board
Creative Arts Therapist
Neurologic Music Therapist
Ruth Fehilly
Advisory Board
Salesforce Strategist
Stephana Sneed
Advisory Board
Director, Partner Engagement with International Justice Mission or IJM
Neal Chin
Advisory Board
Ukulele Musician Teaching and Recording Artist
Abby Jaros
Advisory Board
Director UKC Broadway Professional actor, dancer and singer
Laura Benanti
Advisory Board
UKC Broadway Tony Award Winning Actress
Eric Kraus
Advisory Board
Partner, New York City Phillips Lytle LLP
Joe Zenas
Advisory Board
Owner/CEO Thinkwell Group thinkwellgroup.com
Tom Duffy
Advisory Board
Broker Associate Berkshire Hathaway HS Verani Realty
Jay Della Valle
Advisory Board
Owner & Event Producer Spinners Entertainment
Owls & Lions NJ/NY & Montreal
Gena Rositano
Advisory Board
Stage Manager Saturday Night Live
New York City
Ashley Orlando
Advisory Board
Musician Lead Singer for Vintage Point Leader of Houkulele, Houston’s Ukulele Club
Corrie Woods
Advisory Board
Lichty Guitars Tryon, NC
Jeffrey Noll
Advisory Board
Global Head, Connected Devices
IQVIA, Inc.
Music Therapy Advisory Board
Jasmine Edwards
MT Advisory Board
MA, LCAT, MT-BC Bachelor of Music in music therapy, FSU Master of Arts in music therapy, NYU
Kimberly Bell
MT Advisory Board
MM, LCAT, MT-BC
Board-Certified Music Therapist Neurologic Music Therapist Children’s Hospital of New Orleans
Amy Furman
MT Advisory Board
M.M., MT-BC
Past President of the American Music Therapy Association Lead Music Therapist Minneapolis Public Schools
Marial Biard
MT Advisory Board
MM, MT-BC, NMT
Board-Certified Music Therapist Texas Children’s Hospital Houston, TX
Kelli McKee
MT Advisory Board
MA, MT-BC
Music Therapist SM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital St. Louis, MO
James R. Maxson
MT Advisory Board
MM, LCAT, MT-BC
Music Therapist Elizabeth Seton Children’s Center
Jeniris Garay
MT Advisory Board
EdM, MT-BC, LPMT
Licensed, Board Certified Neurologic Music Therapist and Clinical Educator