About Michael
I work with arts and youth-serving nonprofits to grow programs, revenues, and infrastructure —
while maintaining their focus and mission to the communities they serve.
Positions
President & CEO of San Diego Youth Symphony and the KeyNote organization (2019-2025).
Focused on strategy, development, programs and collaborations.
With his team, transformed the youth orchestra model to a full-service, “cradle- to-college”, music education institution.
Led SDYS through the League of American Orchestra’s three-year Catalyst Program, focused on equity and inclusion work in every aspect of its operations.
Created and implemented the “Ilimitados” project for World Design Capital 2024 in collaboration with Sinfónica Juvenil de Tijuana.
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Executive & Artistic Director of AFA (2007-2018), Houston’s largest non-profit provider of music education programs for young people.
With his team, transformed a mid-size summer intensive into a year-round force in music education serving 3,000+ families in 75,0000+ hours of programming.
Partnerships with Houston Grand Opera, Houston Ballet, Houston Symphony, Da Camera of Houston and more.
Other Background
Vice-President of the Board of Directors of the Balboa Park Cultural Partnership.
Served on the Balboa Park Experience Plan committee.
Serve on the Board of Directors for the Association of California Symphony Orchestras.
Serve on the Steering Committee for the San Diego Creative Youth Development Network.
LEAD San Diego 2024 Impact Fellow
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Served on the Steering Committee for Arts Connect, Houston’s collective impact effort working to bring arts education back to thousands of Houston-area school children in the nation’s fourth largest school district
Liberty ISD 2019 Civic Voices Fellow
Worked as a senior consultant for Downey Associates (New York City), providing management and organizational development insights to Fortune 500 corporations including Marriott, CitiGroup, Ernst & Young, and MetLife.
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20+ years experience teaching music at middle schools, high schools and colleges.
15+ years experience teaching music as part of dance education curricula. His program Music Education for Dancers was published by Human Kinetics in 2023.
Accomplished composer and librettist with works performed across the United States and in Europe.
What You Get
Grants panelist for the NEA, California Arts Council, Arts Orange County, Sacramento Arts Council, Texas Commission on the Arts, Houston Arts Alliance.
2018 Milestone Award recipient from the National Guild of Community Arts Education for his service to the field.
Expertise
Solutions
Alignment
Customization
Content
Support
Follow-Up