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Paolo Bordignon is Organist & Choirmaster of St. Bartholomew’s Church and harpsichordist of the New York Philharmonic. He previously served St. Bart’s as Associate Director of Music and Director of the Choristers for eight years.

In 2019-20, he performed with Camerata Pacifica, the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival, Boston Symphony Chamber Players, the MET Orchestra Musicians, the All-Star Orchestra, Orpheus Chamber Orchestra, Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra, New Jersey Symphony, the Florida Orchestra, and the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra. 

Festival appearances include Aspen, Bard, Bridgehampton, Grand Tetons, Mostly Mozart, and Palm Beach, as well as New York Fashion Week. He has collaborated with Renée Fleming, Sir James Galway, Wynton Marsalis, Bobby McFerrin, Midori, and Itzhak Perlman. He has appeared on NBC, CBS, PBS, CNN, NPR, the CBC, and on Korean and Japanese national television.

Paolo has performed organ recitals at venues such as St. Thomas Church Fifth Avenue and St. Eustache in Paris, and he has been a frequent recitalist at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, including a 10-recital residency.

Born of Italian heritage, Paolo’s early musical training was at St. Michael’s Cathedral Choir School in Toronto. He studied at Philadelphia’s Curtis Institute of Music before earning a doctorate from the Juilliard School. He is an Associate of the Royal Conservatory of Music and a Fellow of the Royal Canadian College of Organists. 

Phil Conte brings more than 24 years of Senior Nonprofit Leadership, Strategic Planning, Operations, Finance, and Human Resources experience and expertise to St. Bart’s. He recently served as a Strategic Advisor to Wings Worldquest; served as an Interim Chief Finance & Administration Officer at the World Monuments Fund (WMF); and prior to the WMF he served as Interim Chief Executive Officer and Chief Operating Officer at The Association of Junior Leagues International (AJLI).

Before AJLI, Mr. Conte was Interim Chief Executive Officer & EVP, Chief Financial Officer at The Africa Center (TAC); and previous to TAC he was Deputy Director for Administration and Chief Financial Officer for the Museum of the Moving Image (MMI).

Mr. Conte was also Vice President, Business & Guest Services for the world’s largest aquarium; the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta, GA, and earlier to the Georgia Aquarium, Mr. Conte was Director, Planning & Administration for the Wildlife Conservation Society.

In addition to his many senior executive nonprofit leadership roles, Mr. Conte is also an Adjunct Instructor at Fordham University’s Center for Nonprofit Leaders. He teaches in both the Gabelli School of Business and in the Graduate School of Social Service. Mr. Conte has deep connections to Fordham, where he earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and his Master of Business Administration degree.

Phil additionally holds professional certificates and credentials from the Harvard Business School; Harvard Kennedy School; Wharton, University of Pennsylvania; The Disney Institute; Columbia University’s Graduate School of Business and Columbia University's Institute for Nonprofit Management.

Kara Flannery joined our parish staff as Director of Communications in October 2016, bringing new vigor, insight, and expertise to all of our communications. She is especially skilled in general communications, institutional branding, electronic messaging, photography, marketing and city-wide promotion. Her outstanding ministry as Director of Communications and Stewardship at Episcopal Church of the Heavenly Rest on the Upper East Side brought her to our attention. Kara has injected our parish communications with a strong message of welcome and belonging with the backdrop of a landmarked historical building in the middle of Manhattan. Her ability to adapt to new technology and challenges was successfully tested when she led the pivot to live stream worship in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, ensuring existing parishioners and newcomers alike would find a virtual place for worship and fellowship.