Heather Caisse-Roberts is the President & CEO of the Springfield Symphony Orchestra, where she brings equal parts strategy, creativity, and heart to one of New England’s cultural treasures. She believes music is essential, not just entertainment, but a force that connects people, heals communities, and inspires change.
Her path has been anything but ordinary. She spent years living in France, working with Alstom University in Paris to launch corporate university campuses across Europe and Asia. Back in Western Mass, she led fundraising and alumni engagement as Executive Director of Institutional Advancement at American International College, helping secure one of the largest gifts in the college’s history and building an athletics booster organization that continues to thrive. She later joined New England Public Media, deepening her belief in the power of storytelling and cultural connection, before stepping into the world of the internationally acclaimed Young@Heart Chorus, where she helped expand its reach and impact through bold performances and partnerships.
Now at the Symphony, Heather is focused on shaping a new chapter that keeps orchestral music vibrant, inclusive, and impossible to ignore. From expanding youth engagement to building unexpected partnerships, she’s determined to make sure the Symphony is not just on stage, but deeply woven into the fabric of the community.
Heather’s path has taken her on many adventures, but her compass always points to Western Massachusetts. It’s here that she and her husband Justin are raising their three kids — Maxwell, Charlie, and Jaxson, with Eddie the puppy running the show. For Heather, music is more than concerts and programs: it’s the heartbeat of a community. She is passionate about keeping the Symphony bold, welcoming, and deeply connected to the place she calls home.
