John has extensive experience in nonprofit management and executive leadership. In 2011, John joined the London Gay Men’s Chorus (LGMC) and created the LGMC’s Youth, Education, and Outreach program that same year. Most notably, John served as Chairman of the LGMC from 2013-2017 where he led the transition to a modernized and ambitious LGBTQIA+ musical organization. John’s tenure as Chairman focused on cultivating local, national, and international outreach supported by and contributing to a revitalized fundraising platform. Additionally, John spearheaded an expansion of the LGMC’s membership, concert venue, and artistic profile while equipping the organization for sustainable development and growth. In 2016, John led the LGMC to deliver an expansive and inclusive program of activity to celebrate the LGMC’s 25th anniversary. In 2017, John led the LGMC to travel to New York City and Chicago to perform, respectively, with both the New York City Gay Men’s Chorus and the Chicago Gay Men’s Chorus.
John began his tenure with Big Apple Performing Arts (BAPA) and the New York City Gay Men’s Chorus in October 2021. During his time at BAPA, he has focused on revitalizing the organization in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. John has worked to recruit over 200 new members, to produce the first concerts since 2019, to engage with new communities around New York City, and to reinvigorate BAPA’s fundraising campaigns. During his tenure, the NYCGMC has also featured on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen, Pix11, ABC7 News, and the 75th Annual Tony Awards.
In June 2022, John was named a New York City LGBTQ+ Power Player. In October 2022, John was elected to the GALA Choruses Board of Directors and began his term on January 1, 2023. In February 2023, he presented two workshops at the Out and Loud and Proud Festival in Sydney, Australia, representing both Big Apple Performing Arts and GALA Choruses. In July 2024, John co-presented three workshops at the GALA Choruses Festival in Minneapolis: Peer to Peer Fundraising, Marketing Roundtable, and Supporting Trans and Non-binary Members.
jcarrion@galachoruses.org
Reese Schmid is a versatile professional focused on engaging communities with a passion for the arts. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Media, Culture, and Communications at New York University and has worked in film and television, project management, communications and marketing while freelancing on creative and consulting projects. Much of her career has been spent in various educational and arts non-profits, including Detroit Public Television, the University of Michigan, and The Guild of Artists & Artisans. Reese developed her love of music in her youth through playing instruments in her school band and independently, participating in musical theater, and singing in church choirs. She joined Sing Out Detroit in 2023 and has served on the board and its committees. When not working or making music, Reese enjoys dabbling in writing and art, doting on her pets, and exploring the world.
rschmid@galachoruses.org
Aria has been singing with the Des Moines Gay Men’s Chorus since 2021, including being a founding member of Iowa’s first and currently only (2025) trans/nonbinary vocal ensemble. When not singing, she works with numerous local and statewide organizations in Iowa for LGBTQ+ rights and the intersections of identity and music. Additionally, she also spends most nights performing as her drag persona, the Ballgown Princess of Des Moines, Tessa Tura. She is thrilled to bring her love of logistics and policy to GALA and cannot wait to meet as many GALA members are possible!
ahuizenga@galachoruses.org
Gabe Salazar is a dynamic conductor, tenor, and music educator with two decades of experience inspiring vocalists nationwide. Known for his vibrant leadership and inclusive approach, Gabe is passionate about empowering singers and cultivating transformative musical experiences that reflect the diversity of our communities.
He earned his Master of Music in Voice from Lee University, with additional studies in choral conducting at California State University, Fullerton. His career spans high-level performance and academic leadership, including roles with the United Methodist Church of Thousand Oaks, Grand Canyon University, and Osceola County School of the Arts. Gabe has also performed with the Chicago Symphony Chorus and the Pacific Chorale and has directed award-winning choral programs that have grown exponentially under his leadership. A standout achievement came in 2019 when his Chamber Singers debuted at Carnegie Hall after winning a national competition.
Now in his fourth season as Artistic Director of the Gay Men’s Chorus of South Florida, Gabe continues guiding the chorus through extraordinary growth. Under his direction, the ensemble has expanded to 180 singers and produced acclaimed collaborations with artists such as Deborah Cox, Shoshana Bean, Amber Riley, and Todrick Hall. His bold artistic vision helped bring Disney PRIDE in Concert to life, further solidifying GMCSF’s position as a national leader in LGBTQ+ choral excellence. In 2024, the chorus earned widespread recognition for its standout performance at the GALA Choruses Festival in Minneapolis.
Gabe also serves as Director of Music at Sunshine Cathedral in Fort Lauderdale and was appointed to the board of directors of GALA Choruses prior to accepting his staff position as Artistic Advisor in Residence.
aair@galachoruses.org
Gabe manages the creative direction for GALA programming. For 411 program inquiries, please reach out to artistic advisor Kathleen Hansen at artisticadvisor@galachoruses.org.
Paul works as GALA Choruses’ Communications Specialist, maintaining our social media, producing and distributing GALA’s own media content, and developing our website.
Outside of his work with GALA, Paul tells Queer love stories. As a playwright and media artist from Western Wisconsin, his work flows from his Catholic roots and ever-evolving experience of family. Paul often writes collaboratively, drawing from his years of experience as a videographer and documentarian. He is a 2023–2025 Jerome Fellow at the Playwrights’ Center in Minneapolis and a cohort member of Audible’s third Emerging Playwrights Fund. His audio play Once Removed was an official selection at the 2022 Tribeca Festival. Paul’s plays have been produced by Adjusted Realists in Brooklyn, NY; Quantum Theatre in Pittsburgh, PA; the Vortex Theater in Austin, TX; and in high schools around the country. Paul has developed work at The Ground Floor at Berkeley Rep, Yaddo, the Lewis Center for the Arts at Princeton University, and Middlebury College. Paul completed his MFA at UT Austin in 2020, where he was a fellow with the Michener Center for Writers. From 2012–2022, Paul was resident playwright with Pittsburgh’s Hatch Arts Collective, which he co-founded with Adil Mansoor and Nicole Shero.