League of American Orchestras Elects Alan Mason as New Board Chair

Janet Cabot, Paul B. Higginbotham, David Roth, and Charles Schweizer Join League’s Board of Directors

Alan Mason has been elected Chair of the League of American Orchestras’ Board of Directors, the League has announced. The California-based finance executive and musician recently retired as a Managing Director at BlackRock and is the Prior President of the Association of California Symphony Orchestras Board. Mason currently serves as a board member of the Monterey Symphony and is a prior board member of the Oakland Symphony, Santa Rosa Symphony, and Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra.

“As I worked with the League’s board and staff on our strategic framework, I was deeply impressed by our commitment to a vibrant future for our field despite the challenges we all face in this moment,” Mason stated during his introductory remarks at the League of American Orchestras’ Annual Meeting, taking place at the organization’s recent National Conference in Houston. “When I started at BlackRock in 1991, I was not the conventional employee—gay and a music major—but senior leaders, especially diverse senior leaders, saw my potential and sponsored my career. I never could have imagined that I would lead index investing for the world’s largest asset manager and have a 33-year career there, but this is the power that inclusive leaders can have on someone’s life. I have paid that forward in my corporate work, and I intend to honor that legacy of identifying and sponsoring diverse role models as League Board Chair.”

League members attending the Annual Meeting ratified several additions to the Board of Directors for 2024-25: Janet Cabot, Paul B. Higginbotham, David Roth, and Charles Schweizer have joined the Board, each serving three-year terms, and Alberta Arthurs and Alfred Moore have beenelected to the League’s Emeritus Board. Board officers for 2024-25 are Alan Mason, Chair; Marisa Eisemann and Aaron A. Flagg, Co-Vice Chairs; Melanie Clarke, Secretary; and Chris Doerr, Treasurer.

Ex-Officio Directors for 2024-25 are Jennifer Barlament, Executive Director, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra—Atlanta, GA (Group 1 Managers); Jennifer Boomgaarden Daoud, President/CEO, Omaha Symphony Orchestra—Omaha, NE (Group 2 Managers); Mieko Hatano, Executive Director, Oakland Symphony—Oakland, CA (Group 3/4 Managers); Elizabeth Brown-Ellis, Executive Director, Lima Symphony Orchestra—Lima, OH (Group 5/6); Libby Watson, Executive Director, Adrian Symphony Orchestra—Adrian, MI (Group 7/8 Managers); Lindsey Nova, Executive Director, Three Rivers Young Peoples Orchestras—Pittsburgh, PA (Youth Orchestra Division); and Kathy Leibrand, President-Elect , Kansas City Symphony Guild—Kansas City, MO (Volunteer Council).

The only national organization dedicated to the orchestras and their communities, the League of American Orchestras includes nearly 25,000 musicians, conductors, orchestra staff, board members, volunteers, and business partners working with a membership of 1,600 world-renowned orchestras, community groups, summer festivals, student and youth ensembles, conservatories and libraries, businesses serving orchestras, and individuals who love symphonic music.

About Alan Mason:

Currently serving as a board member of the Monterey Symphony, Alan Mason is the Prior President of the Board of the Association of California Symphony Orchestras and a prior board member of the Oakland Symphony, Santa Rosa Symphony, and Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra. He recently retired from his role as Managing Director at BlackRock. Mason earned a BA degree in music from Baylor University in 1983, summa cum laude; an MA degree in musicology from the University of Louisville in 1989, with honors; and an MA degree in ethnomusicology from University of California Berkeley in 1991. Mason played oboe and English horn with the Waco Symphony Orchestra and Louisville Symphony. Mason lives in Pacific Grove, California with his husband Timothy Rodrigues.

Background on the New Board Members:

Janet Cabot

Secretary, Board of Directors, Madison Symphony Orchestra; Member, Board of Directors, Friends of the Overture Concert Organ; Advisor and Past President, Madison Symphony Orchestra League. Formerly: President, League Volunteer Council (2022-23); Ex-Officio Board Member, League of American Orchestras (2022-2023); Retired Managing Director, U.S. Food & Nutrition Practice, Edelman

Paul B. Higginbotham

Co-Vice Chair, Board of Directors, Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra. Formerly: Municipal Judge, City of Madison, WI; Judge, Wisconsin Circuit Court and later, Wisconsin Court of Appeals; Attorney, Legal Aid Society of Milwaukee, WI; Private Practice; Staff to Dane County Executive Richard J. Phelps for Minority Affairs; Acting Executive Director of the Madison Equal Opportunities Commission; Fellow, Wisconsin Foundation

David Roth

Member, Board of Directors, Hartford Symphony Orchestra; Member, Board of Directors, Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts; Member, Board of Directors, Hartford Foundation for Public Giving; Ex Officio Member and Immediate Past President, Board of Directors, CCMC Corporation / Connecticut Children’s Medical Center; Senior Managing Partner, South Ocean Capital Partners, Inc. Formerly: Board Member, League of American Orchestras (June, 2014 to June, 2018); Principal and Managing Director of WLD Enterprises, Inc.; Partner, Levy & Droney, P.C.

Charles (Chuck) Schweizer

Member, Advisory Board of the Institute for Prostate Cancer Research, Seattle, WA. Formerly: Board Director and Audit Committee Chair, Seattle Symphony; Managing Member, Lewis & Clark Advisors LLC; General Counsel, subsequently President and Board Chair, Kennedy Capital Management; Attorney, Thompson Coburn; Board Director, Stifel, Nicholas & Co.

New Emeritus Board Members:

Alberta Arthurs

Independent Contractor/Commentator on the Arts and Humanities; Senior Fellow, John Brademas Center, New York University; Former Director for Arts and Humanities, Rockefeller Foundation; Former President, Chatham College, Pittsburgh, PA; Advisory Committees at the Salzburg Global Seminar, STREB, City as Living Laboratory

Alfred Moore

Retired President, Fiserv Health (now UMR division, United Healthcare); Board Member, The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra; Board Member and former Chair, American Composers Forum; Vice-President, Board of Directors, Vocal Essence; Member and former Chair, Board of Directors, American Players Theatre

Ex-Officio Board Members:

Jennifer Barlament

Chair, League of American Orchestras Group 1 Managers; Executive Director, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra; Founding Mentor, Anne Parsons Leadership Program; Member, Advisory Board, Emory Chamber Music Society of Atlanta; Member, International Women’s Forum

Jennifer Boomgaarden Daoud

Chair, League of American Orchestras Group 2 Managers; President & CEO, Omaha Symphony; Former Executive Director, South Dakota Symphony Orchestra

Elizabeth Brown-Ellis

Chair, League of American Orchestras Group 5/6 Managers; Executive Director, Lima Symphony Orchestra; Immediate Past President, CreativeOhio; Board Member, WGTE Public Media, the Lima Rotary Club, and the Lima Area Youth Orchestra; former President, Rotary Foundation Board; Founding Member, Arts Advocacy Collaborative of West Central Ohio

Dr. Mieko Hatano

Chair, League of American Orchestras Group 3/4 Managers; Chief Executive Officer, Oakland Symphony; Board of Councilors Member, Classical California (USC Radio Group; Director, Visit Oakland; Director, Association of California Symphony Orchestras; Advisor, Maestro Games SPC; former Executive Director, Augusta Symphony, GA and Music in the Mountains, CA

Kathy Leibrand

President, League of American Orchestras Volunteer Council; former Fundraising Committee Chair, Secretary, President Elect, President and Past President, Kansas City Symphony Guild; former Secretary, Kansas City Symphony Auxiliary Council

Lindsey Nova

Chair, League of American Orchestra Youth Orchestra Division; Executive Director, Three Rivers Young Peoples Orchestras; Member, Pittsburgh Youth Chorus Board of Directors. Formerly: Member of Artistic Advisory Council, Pittsburgh Public Schools; Board Member, Pittsburgh Jazz Orchestra; Director of Operations, Utah Symphony | Utah Opera; Convention/Editorial staff for CS Music

Libby Watson

Chair, League of American Orchestras Group 7/8 Managers; Executive Director, Adrian Symphony Orchestra; Adjunct Professor of Arts Management, Adrian College