Our Team

Michael V. Holdt is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of the Michael V. Holdt Music Foundation, a nonprofit organization founded on the belief that music can do far more than entertai, it can transform lives, create opportunities, build human connection, and inspire a greater sense of purpose and achievement. He is also the visionary behind the Foundation’s Big Shot Center for Personal Achievement, an initiative dedicated to helping autistic adults and individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities discover their abilities, strengthen independence, build confidence, and experience the dignity and pride of meaningful personal achievement. Michael brings more than four decades of experience as a musician, educator, performer, mentor, band manager, consultant, inventor, and author to this charitable mission.

Michael’s distinguished musical career includes studying with internationally renowned percussionists George Huttlin, Marshall Maley, Buddy Rich, and Tony Martucci, and receiving First Prize in Classical Timpani at the Vienna International Music Festival in 1983. His career has spanned classical, jazz, rock, funk, Latin, and popular music and has included performing, collaborating, managing, or consulting with recognized artists including Prince, Carlos Santana, James Taylor, Wynton Marsalis, Steve Marcus, and members of the Jersey Boys production. He managed the Choper Jazz Project from 2003 through 2016, authored a comprehensive Career Guidebook for musicians, and has contributed his talents to community service, including performing with the United Service Organizations (USO) for active-duty military personnel and Wounded Warriors.

At the heart of Michael’s charitable vision is his experience mentoring two autistic young adults, through which he witnessed firsthand how individualized musical engagement could foster communication, confidence, connection, self-expression, and personal accomplishment. Those experiences helped inspire a broader mission to create opportunities for individuals whose abilities and potential are too often overlooked. Through the Michael V. Holdt Music Foundation and Big Shot Center for Personal Achievement, Michael is bringing together a lifetime of music, education, mentorship, innovation, and service to use music as a vehicle for opportunity, inclusion, independence, creativity, and human potential. For Michael, this work represents music with a greater purpose, and a legacy measured not simply by professional accomplishments, but by the lives it helps empower and change.

Michael J. Wyatt is an award-winning singer-songwriter, composer, professional vocalist, educator, and vocal coach who brings decades of experience in music, performance, teaching, and artist development to the charitable mission of the Michael V. Holdt Music Foundation. A former Assistant Director and Master Teacher at the House of Voice in Beverly Hills, Michael has devoted much of his career to helping others discover and develop their voices through individualized instruction, mentorship, and encouragement. An accomplished performer with a rare five-octave vocal range, he has performed across multiple musical genres in concert halls, stadiums, churches, and major venues, while continuing his work as a songwriter, composer, recording artist with Steel Bleau, and co-host of The Business of Music podcast.

Michael’s work is rooted in the belief that music is more than entertainment: it can educate, empower, connect, build confidence, and transform lives. Through the Michael V. Holdt Music Foundation and its charitable programs, he uses his lifetime of professional experience to create opportunities for education, creative expression, mentorship, inclusion, and personal growth. His approach focuses on meeting people where they are, recognizing their strengths, and helping them discover what they can achieve. For Michael, the Foundation embodies what music has always meant to him: a powerful way to connect with others, inspire possibilities, and help people discover their potential.

Bernice Joyce Conley serves as Chief Operating Officer of the Michael V. Holdt Music Foundation, bringing more than three decades of executive leadership, public service, organizational development, mentorship, and advocacy to the Foundation’s charitable mission.

She provides operational leadership supporting the Foundation’s growth and the development of the Big Shot Center for Personal Achievement, helping transform its vision into sustainable programs and meaningful opportunities for the community. An Honors Graduate of the University of Southern California with a Bachelor of Science in Public Administration, Bernice previously held senior executive leadership positions with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection, where she mentored hundreds of employees throughout her career, managed large workforces, complex programs, and was responsible for significant organizational resources until she retired from federal service in 2022.

Since her retirement, Bernice earned a Degree in Mind-Body Psychology, graduating with High Honors, and is a Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist. She currently serves as an Assistant to the Director and Associate Instructor at Behavioral Science Centers. She brings this combination of executive leadership and understanding of human behavior to the Foundation’s commitment to recognizing ability rather than limitation and creating opportunities for individuals with autism and other intellectual, developmental, physical, and related disabilities to build confidence, independence, meaningful relationships, and a greater sense of purpose and personal achievement.

Bridget Ford, LMFT, serves as the Center’s Director of Clinical Services. She is a California Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with more than eight years of progressive clinical and behavioral health experience leading mental health programs, supervising multidisciplinary teams, and providing person-centered care to individuals with complex behavioral, developmental, and mental health needs. She holds a Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy from Mount Saint Mary’s University and currently serves as a Program Director overseeing Partial Hospitalization (PHP) and Intensive Outpatient (IOP) services, regulatory compliance, quality improvement, staff development, and clinical operations.

Throughout her career, Bridget has worked with individuals experiencing developmental disabilities, serious mental illness, trauma, homelessness, substance use disorders, and other complex support needs. Her expertise includes clinical supervision, crisis intervention, psychosocial rehabilitation, treatment planning, program development, and community partnership building — all guided by a passion for helping individuals achieve greater independence, dignity, and quality of life.

Ty Johnson, Director of Program Management, is a dedicated mental health and human services professional with more than five years of experience providing person-centered support to individuals, including autistic adults and those with developmental and behavioral support needs. His background includes caregiving, case support, leadership, and program coordination, with a strong focus on promoting independence, confidence, and community inclusion.

Complementing his human services experience, Ty brings nearly 20 years of professional experience as an audio engineer, music producer, and mentor, using music production and creative expression to inspire personal growth, teamwork, and self-confidence. His unique combination of management, direct support, and music industry expertise makes him a valuable leader in developing innovative programs that empower individuals while strengthening communities through the transformative power of music.

Aaron Mosley serves as a Program Manager. He is a compassionate mental health care professional and accomplished recording engineer dedicated to empowering individuals through service, mentorship, and the transformative power of music. His experience supporting youth and adults in healthcare and community settings reflects his passion for fostering confidence, emotional wellness, resilience, and personal growth.

Combining his strong communication and leadership skills with extensive expertise in music production and audio engineering, Aaron has spent the past five years leading community-based music outreach initiatives that use songwriting, recording, and creative expression to inspire hope, build life skills, and create meaningful opportunities for individuals to discover their strengths and reach their full potential.