Trustee Officers
board Chair
Julie Green Baumeister*
Ernst & Young LLP
What inspires you to be a Merit Board member?
I was introduced to Merit by another long-time board member who invited me to be his guest at the Merit gala. I will never forget how incredibly moving it was to listen to the talented Merit students perform and hear their stories of how the opportunity to study music and to be a part of the Merit community had changed their lives in sometimes dramatic ways. I instantly knew this was an organization that I wanted to become involved with and soon thereafter started my journey as a Merit parent and board member.
Immediate Past Chair
Charles K. Huebner*
RCP Advisors
What inspires you to be a Merit Board member?
I’m inspired by a desire to perpetuate the amazing mission that has been followed for over 40 years; along with the opportunity to innovate and meet challenges that are unique to today’s environment.
Vice Chair
Ryan DeVore*
William Blair & Company
What inspires you to be a Merit Board member?
Seeing young, talented, impressive musicians and students find success and pride and confidence in their abilities. Human spirit and finding the discipline to become great are truly inspiring.
Vice Chair
Thomas V. Linguanti*
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
Vice Chair
Jennifer Montague*A
NiSource
What’s your favorite Merit moment?
My favorite Merit moment was at the Conservatory graduation in 2018. I got to award a college scholarship to a student I had driven to Merit for the past three years—a youth choir member at my church.
Treasurer
Michael Andrews*
Reynolds Consumer Products, LLC
How were you introduced to Merit?
While I was at PepsiCo, a colleague and I began discussing personal passions and we discovered a shared interest in music. She had just gotten involved with the Associate Board at Merit and invited me to a fundraiser at the House of Blues. After hearing students perform and talking with members and staff, I was instantly hooked! I joined the Associate Board a few weeks later.
Secretary
Marisela Rosales Lawson*
PwC
Associate Board Representative
Andrew Scroggins
Seyfarth Shaw LLP
What’s your favorite Merit moment?
As an Associate Board member, my favorite moment was the first Play On event, with a performance by The JuJu Exchange. This was a new event for the AB and generated a lot of positive momentum that continues to this day. As a Merit parent, my favorite moments include watching my son at piano recitals, playing with a jazz combo, and standing up to take his first solo.
Trustees
Susan S. Aaron†
DePaul University; Chaddick Institute for Metropolitan Development
Duffie A. Adelson†
Merit School of Music (ret.)
Sonia Antolec
The 1937 Group
David P. Bolger†
Civic Leader
JeNyce Boolton
US Bank
Jeffrey Breslow
Jeffrey Breslow Sculpture
Binta Niambi Brown
Manatt Entertainment
Nick W. Bubnovich†
Willis Towers Watson (ret.)
Dr. Huan J. Chang
University of Illinois-Chicago & Jesse Brown VA Medical Center
Carol Clavadetscher*
Feeding America
Samuel H. Ellis†
Samuel H. Ellis & Co.
Ginny Foreman†
Civic Leader
Peter B. Foreman†
Sirius Partners, LP
Jason Gatchell
JPMorgan Chase
Dr. Derrick GayA
Diversity and Inclusion Strategist
Joseph B. Glossberg*†
Gofen and Glossberg, LLC
Howard L. Gottlieb*†
Glen Eagle Partners (ret.)
Janice Honigberg†
Sun Belle Inc.
Jeremiah S. James†
Edward R. James Partners, LLC
Emily T. Knight, Ph.D.†
Clinical Psychologist
Thomas Leopold
Bank of America (ret.)
J. Barry Mitchell†
ComEd (ret.)
Cynthia Mufarreh
CAM Comm
Joe MusselmanA
BVVC
Shelley Ochab†
Civic Leader
Edward H. Oppenheimer†
Oppenheimer Family Foundation
Nishad Parmar
Loud Capital
Ellard L. Pfaelzer, Jr.*†
The Bruss Company
John L. Powell†
People Advisory Services
Michael J. Powers
Howard and Howard
Abiman Rajadurai
McDonald’s Corporation
Raymond L. Rusnak†
Financial Investments Corporation
David Schulz
Salucro Healthcare Solutions
Julie K. Stapel
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
Nina G. Stillman*†
Morgan, Lewis and Bockius, LLP (ret.)
Susie Pfaelzer Sultan
Advocate Health Care
Thomas H. Stone†
Stone Capital Group, Inc.
David P. Thomas*
Bright Horizons Family Solutions (ret.)
Richard L. Thomas†
First Chicago NBD Corp. (ret.)
Dr. Jennifer TurnerA
Sony Pictures Entertainment
Jennifer Vianello
CARS Inc.
John F. Young*
Norton Rose Fulbright US
Anqi Zhang
William Blair & Company
* Executive Committee
† Life Trustee: Life Trustees are individuals who have served at least four terms as a Regular Trustee and have given outstanding service to Merit.
A Merit Alumni
# Associate Board Representative
