In the mid 1970's Roberta joined the Cambridge Massachusetts architectural and planning firm, Lozano, White and Associates, as a time share employee.  Five and a half years later she made partner and continued with the firm through 1989.

In 1989 she moved to The Town of Cortlandt, N.Y. where she became a consultant to the Planning Board for the Town through the summer of 1993.

In September 1993 Roberta, her husband James, who had just retired after serving 23 years as the principal of the Uriah Hill JR. Elementary School in the Peekskill City School District, and her younger son, Dennis Leary, moved to Scottsdale Arizona.

This move, and Jim’s retirement opened a new chapter in her life.  Roberta decided that she would like to make a career change.  She thought of music or baseball.  As it happened, she became a volunteer with a fledgling music festival named “Desert Foothills Musicfest”.  The small festival was in its second year and was growing at a rate that would require a part‑time managing director.   In 1994 “Desert Foothills Musicfest “ hired Roberta to the position of “Managing Director”.  As they often say, “the rest became history”.  In the ensuing 14 years, the festival grew from some 60 volunteers to over 300 today.  This winter festival saw attendance grow from about 1,000 to over 7,000 and the number of school children served grew from under 100 to over 7,000.  Approximately five years ago, Roberta’s vision of moving Musicfest” out from under the umbrella of the “Foothills Foundation”,  to become an independent, not for profit, stand alone organization was realized.  This move was not without risks; however the change was critical  to the future growth and quality of this winter music festival. It enabled Musicfest to develop long range plans for controlled growth, fund raising, total organizational control and enhanced programming. 

In 2007 the “festival” changed its name to “Arizona Musicfest” and hired Maestro Robert Moody as the new Artistic Director. Under Maestro Moody and Roberta Pappas, the “festival orchestra” has grown in numbers, adding musicians from some of

 America’s finest symphonies and has truly become an outstanding orchestra that has become the “showcase” of this five week long festival.  In 2007 the orchestra played with internationally know violinist Nadia Solerno Sonnenberg and this year will see Andre Watts, one of the world’s finest pianists, performing at the Pinnacle Peak Church with the Arizona Musicfest Orchestra.

A private family service was held for Roberta on October 4, 2007.  Celebrations of Roberta’s life will be held in January 2008.

For those who wish, the family requests donations be made to “The Roberta Pappas Memorial Scholarship Fund” at Arizona Musicfest, P.O .Box 5254, Carefree, AZ. 85377‑5254.  This fund will provide scholarships to talented young adults pursuing music degrees at renowned music conservatories.