Our Team
Our team blends decades in finance, media, and the arts with something you can't manufacture: real relationships with the artists we serve.
STAFF
Stephen Sullens spent nearly forty years building a distinguished career in finance, the last two decades as a Partner and Senior Managing Director at The Blackstone Group, where he oversaw over $90 billion in investments with a team of nearly 300 professionals—all while staying deeply immersed in the music world as a fan, advocate, and philanthropist.
A San Francisco Bay Area native who spent his college summers working security at Bill Graham Presents concerts, Stephen more recently serves on boards of the Americana Music Foundation, BerkleeNYC, and American Song Archives, which oversees both the Bob Dylan and Woody Guthrie Centers.
In March 2024, he channeled his combined expertise into founding Harper House Music Foundation, devoted to helping musicians build sustainable lives and careers, access mental health resources, and support projects that ensure their enduring legacies.
Stephen lives in New York City with his wife Allison and three children.
Founder, Board President & TreasurerStephen Sullens
Michele Augis
Michele Augis brings more than twenty-five years of marketing, branding, and leadership experience to Harper House Music Foundation, devoted to musicians, their music, and their legacies. She built her career working closely with artists and their teams, driving marketing strategy and producing hundreds of website builds and campaigns for everyone from Justin Timberlake and Alanis Morissette to Bonobo and ODESZA.
Following the death of her dear friend, songwriter Neal Casal, Michele channeled her grief into purpose by committing to the nonprofit world—executive producing the tribute album Highway Butterfly and co-founding the Neal Casal Music Foundation, raising awareness for musicians' mental health.
At Harper House, she draws on all of it—guiding the foundation's creative direction and communications, building partnerships, and overseeing operations to help artists build sustainable careers and preserve the music and legacies of those who came before.
Managing Director, Board Secretary
Ricki Blakesberg
Ricki Blakesberg is a New York based freelance photo editor, curator and social media director. She holds a BFA in photography from Skidmore College and a Masters in Art Business from Sotheby’s institute. Ricki is the founder and creator of both RetroBlakesberg and Retro Photo Archive, assets that are focused on celebrating film photography and bringing attention to important archival collections that have yet to be discovered.
Beyond these collections, Ricki collaborates on a range of projects including gallery shows, online media and print projects.
Social Media Director
Jack Fay
Jack's greatest passion is working in support of musicians, artists who regularly contribute more to the world than they receive. After earning his M.A. in Sound Arts and Industries from Northwestern University while working remotely for the independent record label Headquarters, Jack joined Nonesuch Records in 2022 as their Production Coordinator. In that role, he supported every project from recording to release, working alongside the A&R, Marketing, Production, and Video departments. He is thrilled to join the Harper House team, as the foundation's mission directly reflects his personal and professional values.
Executive AssistantBoard & Partners
Brian Applegate has worked in TV, film, and music for nearly thirty years. During his two decades as an executive producer at CBS News, he led a team through the demands of breaking news while also championing long-form journalism focused on arts, culture, and the defining issues of our time. He is the creator and booker of Saturday Sessions, a live music showcase airing weekly on CBS Saturday Morning since 2013. With more than 700 bookings, Applegate has given television debuts to some of today’s biggest names in music while also welcoming a roster of legendary artists and Hall of Famers.
A devoted music fan, he listens to around 500 new albums and attends more than 100 concerts a year. He joins the Harper House board with a deep commitment to expanding the foundation’s impact on the music community.
Board MemberBrian Applegate
As our financial partner, Arts FMS integrates directly with our staff and board. Their approach introduced systems to enhance efficiency and streamline workflows for our small team.
Arts FMS knows Art is vital to our society and core to their mission. Principals Andrea Nellis and Lucy Mallett bring decades of nonprofit financial management experience as both practitioners and advisors to cultural leaders, strengthening the sector, and securing both the present and future of their clients.
Finance TeamArts FMS
Portrait photos by Jay Blakesberg for Steve, Michele, Ricki and Brian.