How did you get involved with the opera?
I was appointed to the Portland Opera Board in July 2026. As a new Portland resident, I sought out Portland Opera as an opportunity to bring my background in both the arts and business to an organization I have long admired. Previous to relocating to Portland, I served as President of Tacoma Opera for several years, where I drew on my professional experience to help stabilize and strengthen the organization's long-term sustainability through fundraising and more streamlined operations. I have also served in board or advisory roles for several of the Pacific Northwest's most respected arts organizations, including Pilchuck Glass School, Pratt Fine Arts Center, Bellevue Arts Museum, and Seattle Opera. As a former performer myself and an opera lover since childhood, my hope is to help build a sustainable business model that ensures the gift of opera continues to serve the Portland community for many years to come.
What would you like community members to know?
Portland Opera brings people together across cultures, generations, and art forms in a way few other experiences can. It combines music, theater, visual design, and language into something that speaks to everyone, regardless of background. Opera is more than entertainment-it's a civic and economic asset, supporting local jobs and small businesses while drawing new and returning visitors into our community. It plays a real role in education and outreach too, helping build a shared sense of pride in our city. When the community invests in Portland Opera, they're investing in something that benefits everyone, not just the people in the theater seats.
