The Music Institute of Chicago board, administration and faculty work hard to further the Music Institute of Chicago mission while dealing with the day-to-day needs of those we serve. Please do not hesitate to contact us with your ideas, questions or concerns.

Main Administrative Office
622 Davis Street, 4th Fl
Evanston, IL 60201
Phone: 847.448.8308

Administration

Office of the President

Shalisa Kline Ugaz

President and Chief Executive Officer

Sue Polutnik

Academy Executive Director
Vice President and Chief Operating Officer

Community Music School

Emily Abraham

Vice President and Dean of Academic Affairs

Clem Leek

Music Production Faculty
Senior Director of Academic Operations

Dr. Marie Alatalo

Piano and Musicianship Faculty
Campus Director, Chicago

Patrick O'Malley

Recorder Faculty (Suzuki)
Campus Director, Evanston

Dr. Sung Hoon Mo

Piano and Musicianship Faculty
Site Coordinator, Downers Grove

Hana Marek

Campus Director, Lake Forest and Lake Bluff

Campus Support Staff

Maria Alfaro

Administrative Assistant, Evanston East Campus

Mary Buckingham

Office Manager, Central Administration

Community Engagement

Matt Boresi

Director of Special Initiatives

The Academy

Sue Polutnik

Academy Executive Director
Vice President and Chief Operating Officer

James Setapen

Academy Director and MIC Conductor-in-Residence
Academy Director

Development

Jennifer Bienemann

Vice President and Chief Development Officer

Luis Romero

Development Coordinator

Em Couling

Donor Engagement and Database Manager

Linden Leman

Annual Fund and Donor Communications Manager

Finance and Operations

Marcia Rubin

Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

Tyra Holloway

Payroll Specialist

Rose Vakili

Registration and Billing Manager

Jerry Wojcik

Facilities Manager

Rae Harris

Enrollment Administrator

Marketing and Communications

Jennifer Hanson

Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer

Erin Fusco

Director of Marketing and Communications

Vanesa Elias

Social Media and Content Coordinator

Nora Takagi

Marketing & Communications Coordinator

Nichols Concert Hall

Kevin Harrison

Director of Operations, Nichols Concert Hall

Eric Desnoyers

Associate Director of Operations, Nichols Concert Hall

Bethany Vaughan

Production Assistant, Nichols Concert Hall

Faculty

Phyllis Adams

Harp Faculty

Erica Anderson

Oboe Faculty, Department Head of Woodwinds, Brass, and Percussion 

Dr. Matthew Hagle

Piano & Musicianship Faculty; Program Director, Musicianship

Sang Mee Lee

String Department Chair; Violin Faculty; Chamber Music Faculty

Barbara Ann Martin

Voice Department Chair; Voice Faculty

Mark Maxwell

Guitar Faculty

Dr. Mark George

Chamber Music Faculty (Academy)

Clem Leek

Music Production Faculty
Senior Director of Academic Operations

Dr. Marie Alatalo

Piano and Musicianship Faculty
Campus Director, Chicago

Patrick O'Malley

Recorder Faculty (Suzuki)
Campus Director, Evanston

Dr. Sung Hoon Mo

Piano and Musicianship Faculty
Site Coordinator, Downers Grove

James Setapen

Academy Director and MIC Conductor-in-Residence
Academy Director

Brad Conroy

Guitar Department Chair, Guitar Faculty

Dr. Karin Addis

Suzuki Violin & Viola Faculty

Melissa Arbetter

Violin, Viola Suzuki and Traditional Faculty

Timothy Archbold

Cello Faculty

Marta Aznavoorian

Piano Faculty; Artist-in-Residence

Dr. Daniel Baer

Piano Faculty; Program Director, Chamber Music

Noralyn Baroja

Musikgarten Faculty

William Baxtresser

Trumpet Faculty

Board of Trustees

Trustees

  • Scott Verschoor, Chair
  • Alexandra C. Nichols, Chair Emerita
  • Timothy J. Patenode, Treasurer
  • Barbara Sereda, Secretary
  • Carlos R. Cardenas, Vice Chair
  • Lee Anne Stoddart, Vice Chair
  • Saurab Bhargava
  • Paul Brourman
  • Hans Germann
  • Daniel Hahn
  • Courtney Holohan
  • Shiraz Kotte
  • Kay Mabie
  • Yana Nedvetsky
  • Renée Parquette
  • Vikram Raghavan
  • Jim Stone
  • Ross Updegraff
  • Zalman Usiskin
  • Audra Wilson
  • Florian Zettelmeyer
  • Tao Zhu

Life Trustees

  • John J. Berwanger
  • Mitzi Freidheim
  • Brooks Morgan
  • Rachel Barton Pine
  • Priscilla F. Richman
  • William N. Topaz

Honorary Board

  • Robert Chen
  • Roberto Diaz
  • Peter Dushkin 
  • John and Fran Edwardson
  • James Ginsburg
  • Wu Han
  • Jennifer Koh
  • Nina Kraus
  • Cathy and Bill Osborn
  • Marcus Roberts
  • Deborah F. Rutter 
  • Scott and Nancy Santi 
  • Rick and Cate Waddell

ex-officio trustees

  • Christopher Rintz
Board Members at the 2025 Annual Gala