By helping pay for college, we empower the brightest individuals to become who they were always destined to be.
We at the D’Addario Foundation have brought great clarity to our mission by cultivating a dynamic board of directors, advisors, and staff who are extremely passionate about our work and, as strong advocates of music education, are committed to bringing greater visibility to the cause.
John D’Addario Jr, co-founder and president of the D’Addario Foundation, has spent his life in positions of advocacy, philanthropy, and business leadership in service of making the world a more musical place. His insight into the holistic and overwhelming impact that music education can have on a child’s day-to-day experience, as well as their relationship to art, academia, and higher education drives the continued expansion of the foundation’s impact and reach. Independent of his decades of industry experience or his family’s storied artisanal lineage, his life’s work has always amounted to an artful life.
Serving as the executive director, Suzanne has overseen the growth and refinement of effective grant-making processes while significantly increasing the visibility of the Foundation’s work by spearheading the Foundation’s first successful development efforts. Suzanne was able to acquire a substantial commitment to launch the Foundation’s College Scholarship Program, initiated the relaunch and growth of the D’Addario Performance Series, established the Foundation’s first-ever direct service program providing under-privileged students with six hours a week of free stringed instrument instruction, and launched the Girls in Music and Bridge Fund initiatives. Under Suzanne’s tenure, the D’Addario Foundation has won the Music and Sound Retailer Community Service Award six years in a row and she was awarded the She Rocks Award in 2019.
Danielle started her connection with D’Addario & Co. as a recipient of the Jim D’Addario Award for Excellence in Music Business at Hofstra University in 2015. She began working for the company during her senior year of college as a Sales Intern, and ultimately transitioned to her role with the Foundation in 2017. Danielle handles all communication for the Foundation with grantees, prospective applicants, scholarship recipients, donors, and everyone in between. In addition, she manages product & instrument donations, and is the liaison to the Foundation’s Long Island Lesson Program and College Scholarship Ambassadors. In 2021, she discovered & implemented a new fundraising platform enabling the Foundation to offer monthly & “round-up” contributions for its new & existing donor base. Aside from her work with the Foundation, Danielle is an active flutist and teaches flute lessons to students across Long Island.
The D’Addario Foundation is proud to seek the invaluable insight and experienced counsel of these respected individuals from the worlds of philanthropy, environmental tech, corporate governance, and the creative arts.
Chief Creative Officer, D'Addario & Co.
Founder, Harmony Project
Creative Director, Olson Engage
Musician & Educator
Musician
Journalist & Musician
By helping pay for college, we empower the brightest individuals to become who they were always destined to be.
We provide transformative resources to offset the gender imbalance, helping girls find their place, both on stage and in the industry.
