Symphony Leadership

Board of Directors

Susan Bell

President

A lifelong Alaskan, Susan moved to Juneau in 1987. She is President of McKinley Research Group (formerly McDowell Group), providing research and consulting services to clients in all sectors of Alaska’s economy. Susan previously served as Commissioner of the Alaska Department of Commerce, as Vice President for Goldbelt, and in several tourism marketing and operation roles. She appreciates Juneau’s rich cultural heritage, outdoor recreation, and vibrant arts community.

Elected 2021; Current term expires 202; susan@juneausymphony.org

Charlene Steinman

Vice President

Charlene grew up in Juneau, and is proud to call herself a lifelong Alaskan. She graduated from Colorado State University with a BS in Interior Design, and worked in the field of commercial design and architecture before becoming a Realtor®. She has served as president of the American Society of Interior Designers, Alaska Chapter; Secretary of the CBJ ADA Committee; Associate AIA member; and many school boards and committees over the years as she and her husband, Scott, raised their 3 children. She enjoys outdoor and water adventures of all sorts, and teaches group fitness classes in her free time. Her support for music and arts in Juneau started when her son was involved in music as a student in the Juneau school system that led to many opportunities for performing, mentoring, and hosting of various events to support music for youth in SE Alaska. We’re grateful for these opportunities he and other students had to experience music in Juneau, and the Symphony and its outreach programs are an important part of that mission.

Elected 2022; Current term expires 2025; charlene@juneausymphony.org

Connie McKenzie

Past President

Connie decided to make Juneau her winter home in 1988 after working several summers in Skagway in the tourism industry. She split time between the two communities until making Juneau her year-round residence in 1993. After a 15 year career in tourism, Connie worked for Alaska’s Congressional Delegation staffing the Juneau office doing constituent relations and community outreach throughout Southeast Alaska until she retired at the end of 2018. She loves the outdoors and all of the activities available in Juneau for herself, her husband and her dog and looks forward to serving her community on the Symphony Board.

Elected 2019; Current term expires 2023; connie@juneausymphony.org

Cherie Curry

Secretary

Cherie is a lifelong Alaskan, growing up in Kenai. After 9 years living in Anchorage, Cherie moved to Juneau in 2018 to become the Southeast Alaska Market Manager for Frontier Media. Cherie’s career includes sales and marketing leadership and management in broadcast, print and digital. Cherie is also the Chief Operating Officer of WINfluence Strategies, a public relations and consulting firm. Cherie has served on several boards throughout Alaska and understands the importance of giving back to the community she lives in. Cherie has been a woodwind player since 1972, is a charter member of the Kenai Peninsula Orchestra, has performed with The Kenai Dixieland Band, The Kenai Big Band, The Anchorage Community Concert Band and other various music organizations throughout Alaska and the Northwest including Gray’s Harbor College in Aberdeen, Washington. Cherie is passionate about the promotion of live, local music and believes a healthy community can only exist with strong arts programs. Cherie currently plays Clarinet II in the Juneau Symphony and is excited to serve as Co-Chair of the Marketing and Development Committee, as well as serving on the JSO Board. Cherie is married to Scott Curry, has raised three daughters in Alaska and has four grandsons in Anchorage.

Elected 2020; Current term expires 2023; cherie@juneausymphony.org

Jodie Weller

Treasurer

Jodie moved to Juneau in 2015 after living in Naknek, Alaska in the Bristol Bay Area for 17 years. She came to Alaska in 1996 working for a Seattle-based fishing company. She grew up in California’s Sacramento Valley and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo. She currently works as non-partisan staff to the House Finance Committee at the Alaska State Legislature. She enjoys music, swimming, biking, sewing, her birds, and her three granddaughters. She and her husband can be seen regularly walking their two dogs on Juneau’s various trails. She is honored to be serving as a Juneau Symphony board member.

Elected 2022; Current term expires 2024; jodie@juneausymphony.org

Susan Cox

Lennie Gorsuch

Lennie arrived in Anchorage from California for her first-grade year. Growing up in Alaska (and
with Alaska) she has lived in Anchorage (at least a couple of times), Skagway, Interior Alaska,
and on the Kenai Peninsula. However, most of her life has been spent in Juneau where she
raised her son and enjoyed her careers. She retired from the State after 20+ years, having
served as the Commissioner of the Department of Natural Resources and Executive Director of
the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute along the way. Since 1992 she has been a partner with
her husband, Norm, in the family lobbying firm.
Lennie loves to travel. She feeds her passion for adventure and the outdoors with extensive
Arctic trips in search of critters and the great northern experience. Her love of the outdoors led
her to a second career as charter coordinator for a whale watching company in Southeast
Alaska working with locals and non-profits on charters and whale watching cruises.
She served several terms on the Bartlett Regional Hospital Board of Directors and is currently a
board member for the Friends of McNeil River.

Elected 2021; Current term expires 2024; lennie@juneausymphony.org

Rick Harris

Rick moved to Ketchikan Alaska in 1978 taking a position with the Southern Southeast Aquaculture Association; a wonderful opportunity to see SE Alaska’s remote places. In 1980 through 2014 he worked in Juneau for Sealaska Corporation starting as their Environmental Coordination Manager and finishing his career (retired in 2014) as Sealaska’s Executive Vice President. He grew up in Eastern Washington, graduated with a Fisheries Science degree from the University of Washington, spent two years in the Army stationed in Nuremburg, Germany; where he gained an appreciation for classical music. Working for Sealaska extended his exposure to Southeast Alaska’s Tlingit and Haida culture. He was given the Tlingit name Kaa Ka’x and adopted into the Tsaagweidi (Eagle/Killer) Clan.

After retirement he has dedicated his time to traveling with his wife, Pat Tynan, in their camper van to see the “fly-over-states.” While his two kids were younger, Rick spent his weekends as a Glacier Swim Club race official and served as the swim club’s President. He keeps busy serving as a Senior fellow with the Sealaska Heritage Institute and as a board member on the State of Alaska Board of Marine Pilots.

Elected 2021; Current term expires 2024; rick@juneausymphony.org

Margaret MacKinnon

Margaret arrived in Juneau in July 1976 with her husband Allan. She spent her career with the Department of Education & Early Development first as a math teacher for the correspondence study school, then as an administrator. She has been active with a variety of arts and non-profit organizations over the years, including singing with the Juneau Oratorio Choir, the church choir, and more recently the Holiday Pops. She organized the local MDA Telethons for a number of years, and served in elective offices at church and president of the National Title I Association.

Since retiring in June 2018, she is ready to take on more volunteer service. She has been an audience member and supporter of the symphony for many years and is excited to serve on the Juneau Symphony board to continue to support quality music for Juneau audiences.

Elected 2018; Current term expires 2022; margaret@juneausymphony.org

Stacy Sedgwick

6Stacy Grummett Sedgwick is a third-generation Alaskan, born and raised in Juneau. She has had a 30-year career in the insurance industry as a commercial insurance professional and business owner. Stacy worked for Shattuck & Grummett Insurance since 1994 and is now a Commercial Producer and Vice President for Hub International Northwest located in Juneau. She earned her BA with an emphasis in Business Management from the University of Alaska, Southeast.

Prior to starting her business career, Stacy was a serious dance student. That love of dance took her to summer dance camps around the US and led to her attending Interlochen Arts Academy High School at Interlochen, Michigan. Attending a fine arts high school was an incredible experience with like-minded artists and fueled her love of all the arts.

Stacy is an active member of her community and values giving back by volunteering. She has served on the boards of Alaska Independent Agents and Brokers Association 2007-2010 and Juneau Dance Theatre 2015-2019. She annually participates in the United Way Day of Caring and has been a member of the Downtown Business Association – Marketing Committee, Downtown Rotary Club, and United Way – Volunteer of the Year Award Committee.

Stacy loves Alaska and enjoys skiing, hiking, dancing, biking, boating, crocheting, gardening and outdoor adventuring with her family and friends. She is married to Cary Sedgwick, have three adult kids, one happy Lab, and continue to make Juneau home.

Christian Veliz

Christian is a Financial Advisor at Merrill Lynch Wealth Management. He and his wife Averyl made Juneau their home in 2010, where they are now raising their two children Vincenzo and Giada. Christian’s love for classical music is in addition to his passion for learning languages, cultures, economic environments, and outdoor adventures.

Both Christian and Averyl are active in the community and have volunteered with non-profit organizations such as the Juneau Symphony Board, Juneau Ski Patrol, Juneau Community Preschool and on the KTOO Community Advisory Board.

Elected 2017; Current term expires 2023; christian@juneausymphony.org

Hans Zigmund

Hans Zigmund relocated to Juneau in 2019 to become the Director of the Division of Finance in the
Department of Administration, where he also served as Acting Deputy Commissioner. Hans is a career
government finance professional holding numerous positions in Illinois government including Director
Governor’s Office of Management and Budget, Governor’s Office Director of Economic Policy, and Chief
Economist at the Department of Revenue. Hans also taught economics, statistics, and public finance at
Roosevelt University where he earned his M.A. in economics. He also holds a B.A. in economics from
Barat College in Lake Forest, Illinois and is a veteran of the U.S. Navy.

Born in Chicago and raised in the suburbs, Hans was an avid consumer of Chicago Symphony Orchestra performances at the Chicago Symphony Center, Millennium Park and Ravinia. Hans also enjoys taking cruises, playing tennis, fishing, and hiking with his wife Dana and three sons.

Elected 2023; Current term expires 2026; hans@juneausymphony.org

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Symphony Foundation

Lifetime Members

The Juneau Symphony Foundation was established as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization since 1999 under Federal Tax ID number 92-0177037. An independent board of directors sets policies for investing and managing contributed funds.

Myrna Elgee, President
Mary Borthwick, Past President
Bob Mitchell, Vice President
Ryan Beason, Secretary-Treasurer
Bill Corbus
Stan Lujan
Margaret MacKinnon

The Symphony thanks the Juneau community for its steadfast support which has allowed it to thrive since 1962. The following patrons have gone above and beyond in years of service and advocation and have been awarded Lifetime Memberships.

Sharon Barton
Alison Browne
Susan Burke
Elizabeth Evans
Gordon Evans
Kathy Maas
Lucy Merrell
Beverly Smith

Sharon Barton

Sharon loves the Juneau Symphony as demonstrated by more than a decade of service as a Board Director and someone who always brought her creativity and enthusiasm to the organization.

As a long-time resident of Juneau, Sharon has attended and supported Symphony events for more than 40 years, in fact since Maestro Mel Flood conducted the Symphony. Always a fierce and loyal advocate of music in
Juneau, Sharon has given thousands of hours of service not only as a Board member but as an events coordinator and volunteer.

From the Juneau Symphony, Sharon, we thank you for your steadfast and generous support. CONGRATULATIONS, SHARON!

Alison Browne

Alison Eastaugh Browne, the Juneau Symphony’s latest Lifetime Member, loves two things beyond measure: her hometown of Juneau and music. These twin passions have inspired her unwavering support of the Juneau Symphony as well as a variety of other local arts organizations.

Alison comes by her love of music and community naturally, as both were fundamental to her family. Alison’s grandfather was a delegate to the Alaska Constitutional Convention, and her mother, Carol Eastaugh, also born and raised in Juneau, was an accomplished pianist and composer. Alison’s father and brother, Frederick Eastaugh and Robert Eastaugh, served Alaska as highly regarded attorneys.

A pianist herself, Alison hosts small recitals and allows visiting musicians to practice on her beautiful baby grand piano. But Alison’s greatest contribution to the symphony is housing conductors at her beautiful art-filled home. From Kyle Pickett to Troy Quinn to a gamut of visiting and candidate conductors – all have stayed at Alison’s place. According to former Music Director Troy Quinn, “Alison was one of the first people to welcome me to Juneau. She is a fierce champion of the music community, but it is her graciousness and generosity as a human
being that endear her to so many.”

Alison’s community reach extends beyond the Symphony. In 2019, she was awarded the Meritorious Service Award by the University of Alaska Southeast. UAS cited Alison’s service on the University of Alaska Foundation Board of Trustees, the UAS College of Fellows, and the UAS Development Council. Alison is also active in both Juneau’s Rotary and P.E.O. Sisterhood. Even her long career was always about public service; Alison worked for both the Permanent Fund Corporation and the Legislature for many years.

Alison has been honored by the Juneau Community Foundation (JCF), which named her a Community Champion for its Arts Vibrancy Endowment. Alison’s motivation is clear. “I want to see the arts survive and thrive,” she said.
Alison loves to travel. She flies to family weddings and graduations, jumps on ferries to explore rural Alaska, and regularly ventures to other countries. When Alison can combine love of music, friends, and travel, she is in her element. To that end, she eagerly joins European cruises led by former Juneau Symphony Music Director Kyle Wylie Pickett. These trips involve traveling Europe by boat, from Vienna to Paris to Prague, attending concerts and lectures and visiting musical landmarks.

Alison’s lifelong friend, Sharon Kelly, offered the following explanation for all that Alison does for the arts in Juneau. “Music really touches her soul. I’ve sat next to her [at a symphony concert] and looked over to see that she is crying.” We are grateful for the opportunity to nurture Alison’s deep emotional connection to music – and in return, she inspires us all. Thank you for your support of the Juneau Symphony, Alison!