Six women and non-binary orchestra professionals from across the country will comprise the first cohort of the League of American Orchestras’ Anne Parsons Leadership Program. Honoring Anne Parsons, the transformative orchestra field leader and mentor who passed away in 2022, the newly launched mentoring program aims to effect structural change by supporting women and non-binary orchestra professionals in their careers, and ultimately improve gender equity among top orchestra executives. The participants are: Catherine Beeson, Assistant Principal Viola, Colorado Symphony; Kathryn Ginsburg, General Manager, Detroit Symphony Orchestra; Emma Kail, Executive Director, Grand Teton Music Festival; Kate Kammeyer, Executive Director, Berkeley Symphony; Felecia Tchen Kanney, Vice President of Communications, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra; and Pamela Calero Wardell, Executive Director, Ocala Symphony Orchestra. The cohort will meet in person at the League’s National Conference in Pittsburgh this June, with two leadership training sessions planned for the summer via Zoom. Quarterly Leadership Forums will take place virtually throughout the year featuring leaders from within and outside of the orchestra field. Each participant will have a pair of mentors and meet with them individually several times, and the cohort will also meet virtually to learn from each other, share resources, and build community. Learn more here.
