Board and Committees

Thoughts from the Board on their GALA Service

“I have found board service rewarding. The board has taken bold steps to build stronger relationships, which is empowering and satisfying. I feel respected and feel that all our board members are given the time and opportunity to express their views and opinions.”
– Martin Brophy

“Serving on the GALA board has completely exceeded my expectations. I came on board with some skepticism as to the viability of the association, but the turnaround process has been a pleasure to be involved with and committed to. My service has been filled with highly satisfying opportunities both in terms of professional achievement and interpersonal relationships. I will be very sad to end my term and hope to continue to serve in whatever capacities the board finds appropriate and useful.” –
Steve Smith

“I have loved serving on this Board and helping to move GALA Choruses through difficult times and beyond a difficult reputation. It has been fulfilling and engaging and many of the people I have met have become lasting friends.”
– Joann Usher

“My experience on the GALA Board has solidified my belief that AMAZING things can be accomplished in a short period of time when an organization’s Board and Staff share a common vision and work together to achieve their shared goals.

The opportunity for me to visit many of our member Choruses over the last six years has made it abundantly clear that we are more alike than different and we have so many similar experiences in our respective histories, regardless of the number of singers we put on stage or the numbers in front of the decimal points on the line items of our budgets. This similarity is the foundation of GALA.”
– Jeffrey Ayres, former president of the GALA Board of Directors

Reach out to executivedirector@galachoruses.org to learn about serving on the GALA Choruses Board! You can read a description of expectations and responsibilities for board members here.

Executive Committee

Justin Fyala, a white man with short, dark hair, smiles wearing a blue suit and a black shirt.
Justin Fyala
President
headshot of Abby Hall, black person with bald head and blue lipstick
Abdullah Rasheen Hall
Vice President
headshot of Carol Paskulin, smiling white woman with shoulder-length blonde hair
Carol Paskulin
Secretary
headshot of a smiling man in a suit with a green tie - short hair
Jeff Smith
Treasurer
headshot of a white woman with black curly hair and glasses and her mouth wide open
Miriam Davidson
Member-at-Large
Portrait of Maria-Elena Grant, a Black woman with shoulder length black hair, black-rimmed glasses, wearing a yellow sweater.
Maria-Elena Grant
President Emerita

Board Members

Headshot of Andrea Laguni, a white man with clear-rimmed glasses, a gray beard, and a red collared shirt
Andrea Laguni
Cliff Schiappa, a white man with silver facial hair wears a suit in front of a colorful background.
Cliff Schiappa
Eric smiles through a salt and pepper beard, wearing a brown suit and red tie.
Eric Dickerson
Jason Frazier
Jason Frazier
Portrait of Dr. Jessica L. Gallagher-Steuver, a white woman with shoulder-length auburn hair, clear-rimmed glasses, and a blue shirt outside of an ivory-covered brick wall.
Jessica Gallagher-Steuver
Headshot of Joseph Shapiro
Joseph Shapiro
headshot of Karen Lane, smiling white woman with short salt and pepper hair
Karen Lane
Headshot of Liz Graves, a smiling white woman with short white hair and orange rimmed glasses wearing a black puffer jacket.
Liz Graves
A headshot of a bald male-presenting person with a short beard and mustache - smiling slightly.
Oscar Urtusástegui
Steve Milloy conducts, wearing a purple shirt under a black blazer.
Steve Milloy
headshot of Tim Blanchard Modisette, smiling white man with gray hair
Tim Blanchard-Modisette
Will Jones, a white man with silver hair and a long white beard, wears a blue shirt in front of a black background.
Will Jones

Committees

Finance Committee—Jeff Smith, Chair

  • Reviews and approves the quarterly financial reports containing an analysis of actual vs. budgeted results and a forecast of cash flows for the remainder of the year and submits it to the full Board for review.
  • Provides guidance and assistance to staff regarding financial decisions affecting GALA Choruses.
  • Annually reviews the internal control and investment policies, and updates as necessary.
  • Annually reviews the corporation’s annual financials with the auditors and prepares Form 990 for filing with the IRS.
  • Annually reviews GALA’s insurance program and recommends updates as necessary.
  • Annually reviews GALA’s banking and credit arrangements and recommends any necessary changes.

Membership & Education—Joseph Shapiro and Georgie Stevens, Co-Chairs

  • Provides input to staff regarding GALA’s online programs and services, webinars, podcasts, and website design (as it relates to member relations). 
  • Creates, maintains, and executes new member chorus orientation and advises existing member choruses on the use of GALA’s programs and services.
  • Maintains the member choruses anniversary recognition program with an in-person visit and remembrance of the occasion for major anniversaries and a congratulatory video for other anniversaries.
  • Provides feedback to staff in the creation of surveys for member choruses and evaluates the results.  
  • In consultation with staff, identifies member choruses with a lack of participation in GALA events or use of GALA resources and contacts them to ensure the chorus is aware of available resources and encourage their participation in GALA events. 
  • Along with staff, develops, executes, and evaluates the annual leadership symposium.
  • Participates in the creation and development of infrastructure for 411 programs (to be renamed), and in the hiring and evaluation of 411 advisors (to be renamed). 
  • Develops, monitors, and implements the best practices program (to be renamed) and evaluates the results.
  • Provides input to staff and the Board on other chorus membership issues that may arise.

External Relations—Oscar Urtusastegui and Jacob Stensberg, Co-Chairs

  • Represents GALA in the Global Alliance of Queer Choirs.
  • Maintains relationships with mainstream music organizations such as ACDA, Chorus America, NAfME, Unison, Legato Choirs, Sister Singers, and Out and Loud
  • Submits presentation proposals to sibling organizations such as ACDA, Chorus America, NAfME, Unison, Legato Choirs, Sister Singers, and Out and Loud
  • Develops, executes, and evaluates GALA’s outreach program to schools, universities, and communities of faith.

Resource Development Committee—Jason Frazier, Chair

  • Provides advice and assistance to the staff in the development, planning, and execution of the annual individual donation campaign.
  • Provides advice and assistance to staff in the development, planning, and execution of the corporate sponsorship program, including relationships with corporate sponsors and foundations.
  • Provides advice and assistance to staff in the development, planning, and execution of Symposium and Festival fundraising events.
  • Provides advice and assistance to staff in the development, planning, and execution of other projects, as needed, to ensure successful completion of yearly development goals.

Festival Committee—Carol Paskulin and Kathleen Hansen, Co-Chairs

  • Following the completion of a Festival, evaluates the final Festival report and makes recommendations for future Festivals.
  • Reviews the staff’s budget for the next Festival and provides feedback.
  • Reviews the staff’s project plan for the next Festival with specific action items and dates leading up to Festival and provides feedback.
  • Reviews progress via the project management software regarding the status of the execution of the project plan for Festival and provides feedback and assistance as necessary. 
  • Reviews requests for proposals for hosting Festival developed by staff and provides feedback.
  • Along with staff, reviews responses to requests for proposals for Festival and makes recommendations regarding future host cities.
  • Reviews proposals from staff regarding programming for Festival and provides feedback.
  • Contacts choruses to encourage participation in Festival and the various programs at Festival.
  • Reviews proposals from staff regarding the logistics of when choruses will perform and provides feedback..

Communications Committee—Jessica Gallagher-Steuver, Chair

  • Along with staff, develops strategies to keep the membership engaged on social
    media.
  • Provides input to staff regarding the development and maintenance of the GALA’s website as related to design, clarity, and ease of use. 
  • Along with staff, creates a strategy and plan for electronic communications.
  • Provides feedback and assistance, as needed, for GALA’s communications and related projects.
  • Recommends strategies to staff for effective communication with member choruses and the public.

Governance Committee—Tim Blanchard-Modisette, Chair

  • Oversees the recruitment, identification, application, and interview process for Board candidates and makes recommendations to the Board.
  • Creates a Talking Points document for Board members for recruiting new Board members.
  • Establishes a matrix of skills, geographic location, chorus type, and other characteristics of current Board Directors to guide the Board in determining what skills are needed from new Board Directors, with an emphasis on ensuring that the Board has representation from under-represented GALA choruses and members thereof.
  • Coordinates the orientation of and committee rotation for new Board members.
  • Appoints mentors for new Board members.
  • Annually, prepares a slate of officer candidates for election by the Board.
  • Oversees revisions to and application of GALA’s policies and procedures and By-Laws.
  • Prepares and reviews responses to an end-of-the-year evaluation of Board members and committees and makes recommendations for addressing any issues raised.
  • Identifies Chairs for Board Committees in consultation with Executive Director.

New Harmony Taskforce—Maria-Elena Grant and Abby Hall, Co-Chairs

  • Develops the New Harmony curriculum, creates ancillary materials, and oversees their dissemination.
  • Advises member choruses on matters of equity, access, and belonging as requested through the 411 Program (to be renamed).
  • Advises the Board of Directors on matters of equity, access, and belonging.
  • Facilitates workshops on equity, access, and belonging at Symposium and Festival and/or any other relevant events.