Board of Directors

CHAIR

Roberto Vela, founder of the Law Office of Roberto Vela, is general counsel to Maryland restaurants, manufacturers, religious institutions, and disaster relief service providers, and represents a wide range of businesses and individuals in state and federal litigation. In addition, as a classically trained pianist and organist Roberto is a two-time recipient of the Career Development Grant of the Peabody Conservatory of Music, has performed solo and chamber recitals in the United States and Europe, and has served as Organist and Music Director of Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Greenbelt, Maryland, since 2006.

VICE CHAIR

Pianist, organist, and conductor Sonya Subbayya Sutton has enjoyed a 40+ year career as a musician in the Episcopal Church, including 20 years at St. Alban’s, D.C. She is also the Music Director of the World Bank/IMF Chorus and frequently collaborates with other instrumentalists as an accompanist and chamber musician. Sonya has directed choirs in nine European tours and cathedral residencies. She enjoys writing about the intersection of life and the arts, and has published two audiobooks on Audible – with music and stories about French composer Mel Bonis in Difficult Women…Legends Revised and a set of 24 short stories based on music of John Hausserman titled Symphonic Preludes. Sonya is a Past President of the Association of Anglican Musicians. She earned degrees in piano, organ, and arts administration from the College-Conservatory of Music in Cincinnati. Her husband is Eugene Sutton, retired Episcopal Bishop of Maryland. They have four children in their blended family, and divide their time between Washington, D.C. and Chautauqua, N.Y.

TREASURER

Mari Worley (she/her) serves as Treasurer and chair of the Finance Committee on the BI Board. Her career in fundraising and strategy spans the arts, environmental, and equity sectors. Mari holds a Bachelor of Music in Percussion Performance from the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University, a Master's in Arts Administration from Teachers College, Columbia University, and is currently pursuing her MBA from Indiana University. Originally from Northern Virginia, she is based in Baltimore, MD, with her husband and two cats.

SECRETARY

Mary Ellen Childs is a composer and multi-sensory artist based in Minneapolis. She writes for a variety of musical ensembles: string quartet, solo accordion, opera, and chamber groups of every ilk. Her "visual percussion" pieces, created for her percussion ensemble CRASH, embody the concept of music in motion. Childs creates distinctive sound worlds, and often writes for specific architecture or gallery installations. Stone Steel Wood Glass Light, commissioned for the Chicago Architectural Biennial, drew inspiration from the Farnsworth House, a glass house designed by Mies van der Rohe, where it was premiered to a series of small audiences. Her immersive installation NORTH is based on her time in the Arctic and was installed in the B Tunnel at Minneapolis/St. Paul International Airport for several months. Over the last several years she has been building a body of work that combines music and scent, including her installation Aromusic, originally created for Proyecto ‘ace in Buenos Aires. Childs held artist residencies at Bellagio Center (Italy), Bogliasco Foundation (Italy), Arctic Circle Expedition (Svalbard), and Nawat Fes (Morocco). She is a United States Artist Fellow, and has received grants/commissions from Opera America, Kronos Quartet, Walker Art Center, Fromm Foundation, MAP Fund, Bush Foundation, McKnight Foundation, and Creative Capital.

DIRECTOR

Theresa Cameron is the Executive Director of the Pike District Partnership (PDP), an organization launched in 2022 to promote North Bethesda as a vibrant, walkable community that integrates residential, business, and cultural opportunities. Under her leadership, PDP continues to engage the community, support local businesses, and enhance quality of life through placemaking, events, and strategic partnerships.

Prior to joining PDP, Cameron served as Vice President of External Affairs at the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra at Strathmore, where she strengthened donor relationships, built regional partnerships, and elevated the organization’s visibility. She has also held leadership roles with Van Ness Main Street and the Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County, focusing on initiatives that support small businesses, cultural development, and community placemaking.

DIRECTOR

Lisa Fitzpatrick is a seasoned executive and entrepreneur with more than 35 years of leadership experience in driving growth and innovation in media and software businesses. She most recently served in a variety of leadership roles for Bloomberg Industry Group since June 2008, including as its Chief Marketing Officer, 2011-2013, and the President of Bloomberg Tax & Accounting, 2018-2024. Prior to Bloomberg, she held senior-level positions at both mature and start-up businesses. Early in her career, she was the founding publisher of German Life magazine, focused on culture, history, and travel. Lisa has been active in supporting community organizations, including Martha’s Table where she served on the Business Advisory Council for the past five years. She is passionate about classical music and efforts to drive awareness of and equity for women composers and performers.

DIRECTOR

Visionary artist Chloe Flower became the most talked about pianist in the world after a show-stopping performance with rap queen Cardi B at the 2019 Grammy Awards, launching her into viral fame nearly overnight and prompting her major label debut with Sony Music. The Pennsylvania native began playing the piano at the age of two, studying at Manhattan School of Music and London’s Royal Academy of Music before meeting her mentor, the 12-time GRAMMY Award-winning R&B singer-songwriter and producer, Kenny “Babyface” Edmonds. In the years since, Chloe has collaborated with some of the biggest names in music, including artists like Celine Dion, Lil Baby (on Saturday Night Live in 2023), Meek Mill, 2Chainz, and Nas as well as producers like Mike WiLL Made-It and Tommy Brown. Releasing her self-titled debut in 2021, Chloe has coined the term “popsical” to describe her imitable style, which infuses a contemporary pop sensibility with the refined elegance of classical tradition. Chloe is not only a gifted musician and fashion icon but also an outspoken activist as well. She serves on the advisory board of the UNODC’s Blue Heart campaign. She has been honored by the Coalition to Abolish Slavery and Activism (CAST) and received The Last Girl Award from Gloria Steinem and Apne Aap for her efforts in the fight against human trafficking. As a champion of music education, she is the youngest board member of the Liberace Foundation and The Manhattan School of Music. An official Steinway Artist, Chloe proudly celebrates her Asian heritage and culture and is a fierce advocate for women's representation — particularly women of color — in the music industry. She most recently performed and spoke for the Forbes Power Women’s Summit as well as the HeForShe Summit for UNWomen.

DIRECTOR

Zachary is a trusted communications counsel to Fortune 500 and start-up executives, nonprofit leaders, and cultural icons. His clients have ranged from The Atlantic, Accenture, and the Council on Foreign Relations to composers John Corigliano, David Del Tredici, Eve Beglarian, and Kitty Brazleton. A native New Englander and graduate of Bowdoin College, he’s happily called the Capital region home for more than 20 years. Zachary is an avid reader and supporter of the performing arts. He and his wife Allison live in Bethesda, MD with their son and proud Wolfhound Scott, rescue dog Taft and cat Teddy.

DIRECTOR

Sarah Lumbard is passionate about connecting strategy and operations to make visions come to life. She has over 25 years of strategy and operations experience in for-profit and non-profit organizations. She leads museum and digital experience at the US Holocaust Memorial Museum and has held strategy, digital product, marketing, and partnership development roles at NPR, Webs.com, WashingtonPost.com, Brassring, and LegiSlate. 

DIRECTOR

Elizabeth spent her career in higher education and the arts (UC Davis, UC Berkeley, Stanford University, California Jazz Conservatory, et al.), in the areas of funds development, marketing, strategic planning, and board development. In addition to serving on the board of directors for Boulanger Initiative, Elizabeth serves on the board of directors for San Francisco Chamber Orchestra. She also acts as the U.S. Philanthropy Liaison for La Maestra in Paris. Her past board affiliations include Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra & Chorale, San Francisco Early Music Society, Boston Festival Orchestra, San Francisco Philharmonic, New Century Chamber Orchestra, and The Women’s Philharmonic. Elizabeth also is a published writer, using a pseudonym, and a photographer who has exhibited extensively. She holds degrees from Boston University and University of California, Berkeley.

EX-OFFICIO

Entrepreneur and violinist Dr. Laura Colgate has earned a reputation for her artistic leadership, versatility, and commitment to gender equity in the arts. As the co-founder and Executive & Artistic Director of Boulanger Initiative, she is the primary leader for all BI programs. She completed her Doctorate from the University of Maryland, and her Doctoral thesis focuses on increasing recognition of prominent and lesser-known women composers who have written works for violin. Dr. Colgate is also the Concert Leader of The National Philharmonic at Strathmore in Bethesda, MD, and was formerly an adjunct professor at the University of Maryland, where she taught Financial Entrepreneurship for Arts Leaders.

EX-OFFICIO

Dr. Joy-Leilani Garbutt is an organist, musicologist, and an ardent advocate for gender-equity in the field of music. They are the co-founder of Boulanger Initiative, and their advocacy of women composers has been featured in The New York Times. Joy-Leilani is the recipient of a Fulbright scholarship and spent a year in France pursuing research on early 20th-century organ music by female composers. They hold a Ph.D. in musicology from The Catholic University of America, a Master of Education degree from The Harvard Graduate School of Education, and a Master of Music in organ performance from Northwestern University. Joy-Leilani maintains an active concert career, exclusively performing music by underrepresented composers. They are based in San Francisco, California, holding the positions of Director of Music at St. Luke's Episcopal Church and Associate Musician & Director of Girls' Choir at Grace Cathedral.