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A dynamic force in the opera world, moves seamlessly between her roles as a stage director, producer, educator and innovator. But you're also likely to find her on stage as a professional jazz vocalist, performing the Great American Songbook at local venues with members of the ���������� jazz faculty and other leading musicians—a reflection of the versatile, holistic and vibrant artistry she brings to her leadership of the Eklund Opera Program.

Holman’s work as a director and master teacher is acclaimed internationally. Her directing engagements include a critically acclaimed production of Mozart’s “Die Entführung aus dem Serail” for the Pafos Aphrodite Festival in Cyprus and Rossini’s “La cambiale di matrimonio” for the Piccolo Festival Friuli Venezia Giulia. She is also a returning teacher for the Accademia Internationale del Musical in Rome, Italy. In North America, she has directed for Florida Grand Opera and Opéra de Montréal, among others.

Her commitment to developing the next generation of singing actors is a career-long passion. This mentorship is deeply informed by her background as a voice teacher, having previously served as chair of the voice faculty at the University of Arkansas and as a faculty member at Middle Tennessee State University. Before leading the Eklund Opera Program, she was the director of education and resident artists at Opera Colorado, guiding emerging professionals at the start of their careers. At ����������, she channels that mentorship into directing three mainstage productions annually, treating the academic stage as a professional environment where students hone their craft to the highest industry standards.

As a scholar and practitioner of 21st-century American opera, Holman founded the nationally recognized CU New Opera Workshop (CU NOW). This initiative provides an unparalleled laboratory experience, allowing students to collaborate directly with world-renowned composers and librettists—including Jake Heggie, Mark Adamo, Tom Cipullo, Mark Campbell, Gene Scheer, Herschel Garfein, Kamala Sankaram and Lori Laitman—to develop and premiere new works. By placing students at the heart of the creative process, Holman ensures they graduate as artists fully equipped for the future of the art form.

Holman's leadership extends throughout the national opera community and the CU system. She serves on the board of directors for the National Opera Association, contributes to Opera America’s Performer Development Network and serves on the University of Colorado's system-wide Women’s Committee. Her innovative work has attracted significant funding and numerous accolades, including awards from the university's Research & Innovation Office, the Boulder County Arts Alliance (BCAA), the Roser Fellowship, Roser Visiting Artist grants and the Bixler Family Award. Within the university, her leadership is recognized through her role as a University Commencement Marshal.

Her approach is grounded in her own extensive experience as a performer. As a mezzo-soprano, she performed with companies including Portland Opera, Nashville Opera and the National Opera Company on its national tour. Holman holds a Doctorate of Musical Arts in Vocal Performance and Pedagogy from the ����������, a Master of Music in Opera Performance from the Eastman School of Music and a Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance from the University of Southern California.

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