Who We Are

Board of Directors

Russ Berlin

Musical Director, Lee’s Summit Symphony Orchestra
Retired music educator, Lee’s Summit R-7 Schools

Carol Comer

Jazz vocalist, pianist, educator and journalist
Co-founder, Women’s Jazz Festival (Kansas City)

Tom Fredrick

Attorney, jazz journalist (JAM, Kansas City Star)
Faculty, University of Kansas School of Business

Dianne Gregg

Retired Senior Arts Partners Coordinator, Kansas City Young Audiences
Co-founder, Women’s Jazz Festival (Kansas City)

Keith Kavanaugh

Graphic designer, Web designer, BauWau Design
Jazz drummer

Mike Metheny

Trumpeter, recording artist, journalist and educator
LSHS Class of 1967

Pat Metheny

Grammy winning guitarist, bandleader and recording artist
LSHS Class of 1972

David Sholemson

Senior Vice President and Director of Management
Ted Kurland Associates, Boston, MA

Paul Smith

Jazz pianist and recording artist, Kansas City, MO
Retired music educator, Raytown and Kearney (MO) Schools

Legal Counsel:

Chinnery Evans & Nail
Lee’s Summit, MO

Board of Advisors

Tom Alexios

Outreach Education Projects, Duke Ellington Legacy

Steve Arbo

Deputy City Administrator, Lee’s Summit (ex-officio)

Roger Atkinson

Former Editor, Jazz Ambassador Magazine, Kansas City, MO

Gary Burton

Retired dean, Berklee College of Music, Boston, MA

Ted Kurland

Ted Kurland Associates, Boston, MA

Jim Mair

Saxophonist, educator, former Director, Kansas City Jazz Orchestra

Marilyn Maye

Vocalist, bandleader, recording artist

Ida McBeth

1952-2023
Vocalist, bandleader, recording artist

Gary Sivils

1934-2021
School band instrument sales, bandleader, cornetist

Doug Tatum

Former Executive Director, Folly Theater, Kansas City, MO

Bobby Watson

Saxophonist & former director of Jazz Studies, University of Missouri/Kansas City

Mike White

Attorney, saxophonist, former Jackson County (MO) Executive