Lyric Young Professionals Board

President

Neil joined the Lyric Young Professionals Board in 2019, after having been a member since 2016. He has attended performances at Lyric since 2007 and has come to depend on the drama, passion, and virtuosity to get him through the winter months. This year, he is most excited to meet new members of LYP and learn what draws them to this art form. In his professional career, Neil is a certified public accountant who specializes in audit and employee benefit plans. Otherwise, he loves trying new foods and visiting Chicago’s lakefront.

Vice President

Sara works at TMC, a division of CH Robinson. She has great passion for Opera, and Lyric specifically; attending performances at Lyric from a young age. She has a deep passion for introducing new audiences to the opera, and embracing the idea of “Opera for All.” Notably, Sara has a history of bringing her friends to their first performance, and changing perspectives on the operagoing experience. Sara has a history of volunteerism and civic involvement dating back to high school, and most recently working with The Simple Good Chicago on event planning, fundraising, and corporate partnerships.

Events Chair

Elise first heard opera through the radio, too young to understand the host’s explanations, but still transported by the sound. From there, opera found ways to grow in her heart until she was sneaking away from boarding school to get rush tickets to the Met. After graduating from William & Mary and finding love & work in Chicago, she was thrilled to become a season ticket holder at the Lyric and joined the Lyric Young Professionals shortly after that. She is currently a Director of Operations at XSELL Technologies, a Chicago-based startup, where she works with her team to innovate the next generation of ethical AI. In her free time, she helps with her family’s cheese shop and will happily talk to you about why cheese is really just like opera. Elise is excited to serve as the Events Chair for LYP and work to create spaces for more people to be introduced to and celebrate the opera!

Fundraising Chair

Caroline joined the LYP board in 2022 and currently serves as its Fundraising Chair. She watched her first opera–a production of La traviata on VHS tape–as a toddler, sitting on the couch with her father, and began attending performances at Lyric in 1996. The many seasons that she spent accompanying her grandfather on his subscription are among her most treasured memories, and she continued to catch as many performances as possible during her years at Northwestern University. She enjoys sharing this moving and vibrant art form with audience members new and old. Caroline is deeply committed to impactful fundraising, event planning, and community engagement in her home city of Chicago and also serves on the PAWS Chicago Professional Board.

Membership Chair

Maggie joined the Lyric Young Professionals Board in 2023. Maggie works as a research analyst at the University of Chicago’s Urban Labs, where she collaborates with civic and community leaders to research the social determinants of health equity. As a quantitative researcher, Maggie aspires to leverage her skills to promote opera in the community and extend the reach of the LYP to new generations and diverse audiences through data-driven approaches.

Maggie holds a Master of Arts degree in International Relations from the University of Chicago, as well as Bachelor of Arts degrees in Business Economics and Political Science from the University of California, Irvine. Her educational background and interdisciplinary expertise shape her comprehensive approach to addressing societal complexities. With her passion for the arts, analytical acumen, and commitment to research, Maggie hopes to make a significant impact as a member of the Lyric Young Professionals Board and in her broader endeavors promoting social equity and cultural enrichment.

Social Media Chair

Mireya Fouche is a first-generation Mexican-American with a profound passion for the arts and a personal mission to visit as many operas as possible during her global travels. Her first encounter with opera was at Lyric Chicago, where she combined her love of fashion with unwavering nerves, navigating the intricacies of opera etiquette after weeks of research.

In 2024, Mireya joined the LYP Board, having been a member since 2023. As the Communications Chair, she is eager to welcome opera-curious individuals to experience the beauty and power of opera, helping them feel less anxious as she once did before her first visit.

Beyond the enchanting world of opera, Mireya is pursuing an MBA at Loyola's Quinlan School of Business as a Baumhart Scholar. She also co-founded and manages the award-winning Monarch Thrift Shop. Mireya enjoys exploring the world with her eight-year-old son and volunteers for One Heart One Soul, an art and wellness program serving youth shelters and incarcerated women.

Secretary

Natalie joined the Lyric Young Professionals Board in 2018. Natalie attended her first opera at Lyric in 1998. Natalie is a Founder and CEO of Amrany Consulting Group, a boutique business management consultancy firm. She was previously the Vice President of Business Development at Expana, and worked as the Regional Sales Director at Morningstar, and pursued her MBA at the University of Chicago's Booth School of Business. She has volunteered for many nonprofits in the past such as Young Life and HFS and is excited to bring her experience in fundraising to the Young Professionals. Aside from opera and finance, Natalie is an aspiring golfer, skier and an avid traveler.

Member at Large

Member at Large

Member at Large

Member at Large

Member at Large

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Member at Large

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Member at Large

Member at Large