Leadership

NIMAN’s Board of Directors represents the voices of our members. Our Board’s expertise and leadership will shape and sustain our work to create a level playing field in classical music. Board members represent programs and organizations that support aspiring BIPOC musicians at each pivotal stage of their musical journey.

Michael Angell

The Paul M. Angell Family Foundation, Director of Performing Arts Grants

Dr. Angell is a passionate advocate of inclusion in music throughout the educational spectrum. An expert in nonprofit development and arts program evaluation, he draws from his diverse background to create and support innovative arts programs.

Jennifer Bowman

Houston Grand Opera, Director of Community & Learning

With over 15 years in arts administration championing equity in classical music, Ms. Bowman has prioritized initiatives that promote engagement, fostering belonging and inclusion in the field.

Abra Bush

Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, David Henry Jacobs Bicentennial Dean

For more than 20 years, Dr. Bush has spearheaded initiatives in higher education and community arts programs to ensure student success. She also works with leaders and executives to help their organizations reach their potential and achieve catalytic change.

Anjoli Ferrara-Clayton, NIMAN Board Secretary

Symphonicity, Violinist

Throughout both her music and legal careers, Ms. Ferrara-Clayton has been dedicated to paving the road to equality and understands the challenges in that mission. She melds her legal background with her performance experience to champion inclusion in music.

Mark Gillespie

The Orchestra of the Americas Group, CEO

Mr. Gillespie enjoys melding the creativity of entrepreneurship with his love for music. His ultimate mission is to break down the barriers to access on the highest stages and to ensure the access to the preparation and resources to succeed in the field.

Charles Grode

Merit School of Music, President and Executive Director

Mr. Grode is a seasoned leader in arts and education, with more than 20 years’ experience in organizational, relationship, resource and staff development. He is passionate about the potential that musical instruction unlocks and is driven to create access to that experience.

Jenny Snyder Kozoroz

Brevard Music Center, Program Director

Ms. Snyder Kozoroz has dedicated her life to making music and to helping those around her pursue their creative passions for self-expression and community. Her enthusiasm for developing curriculum, outreach, and unique activities geared to DEIB are matched by her commitment to underrepresented students and families.

Katherine Drago Luellen

New England Innovation Academy, Head of Enrollment and Marketing

Ms. Luellen is a proven leader with an unparalleled ability to understand and meet the needs of prospective students and their families. She is dedicated to creating partnerships, funding sources, and pathways for students to music training programs.

Jonathan Martin, NIMAN Board Vice-Chair

Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, President and CEO

Mr. Martin is a highly accomplished executive with management success and a passionate leader with a focus on inclusion and artistic excellence. He champions providing opportunities for underrepresented musicians while fostering more inclusive environments in the orchestral industry.

Emily Liao Master

Friends of the Israel Antiquities Authority, Executive Director

Emily Liao Master has nearly 20 years’ experience in administration and regularly advises and designs programs for nonprofits and institutions of higher learning in the areas of fundraising and diversity, equity and inclusion. She is invested in issues of DEI in leadership and committed to equitable onramps and opportunities.

Maria Mathieson

The Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University, Executive Director of the Preparatory

Ms. Mathieson is a dedicated and proven community arts leader who strives to provide educational opportunities to students of all ages, skill levels, and financial means to find their voice and creative expression through the arts. She is committed to ensuring equitable access to the arts for all.

Anthony Mazzocchi

John J. Cali School of Music at Montclair State University, Director

A passionate advocate of the DEI space in arts and music education, Mr. Mazzocchi is fascinated by the major inequities that have been baked into the education system in this country. He is committed to creating equitable opportunities and environments.

Ian Saunders

Project STEP, Artistic Director

Dr. Saunders is a passionate proponent of orchestras embracing the opportunities to establish meaningful relationships with the communities they serve. As Artistic Director for Project STEP, he advocates for diversity, equity, and inclusion in the musical world.

Edgar L. Smith Jr.

World Pac Paper, LLC, Founder, Chairman, and CEO

Mr. Smith is a champion of diversity initiatives and is driven to better support musicians of color in the classical music field. In addition to his entrepreneurial endeavors, he has served on several corporate boards and is an avid and engaged community leadership volunteer.

Stanford Thompson, NIMAN Board Chair

Play On Philly, Founder and Executive Director

Mr. Thompson believes that music education is a powerful tool for positive personal and community change. He has consulted for music institutions nationwide to develop strategies and initiatives to provide equitable access to the arts.

Jeffery Tribble Jr. J.D.

Levine Music, President and CEO

Mr. Tribble is a strategic executive leader with over 12 years of comprehensive experience driving both nonprofit and for-profit organizational growth, building capacity through exemplary leadership, strategic communications, and relationship cultivation.

Stefanie Wakeman

Astral Artists, Director of Community Partnerships

Ms. Wakeman bridges the worlds of classical music, social justice, and equity through a lens of education. Her background in social work informs her use of classical music to recognize, create, and build equity, weaving music into the healing and health of communities.