Board of Directors
Executive Committee
Caitlin Donovan ’06
Vice President and Chair of Governance Committee
Caitlin was a first violinist with the Harvard-Radcliffe Orchestra from 2002–2005. After graduating from Harvard College, she worked in the institutional equities and global investment research divisions of Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs, respectively. Caitlin then went on to receive her J.D. from Harvard Law School, during which time she also served as a teaching fellow in the Department of Government at Harvard College and a resident tutor in law at Dunster House. Caitlin currently works at Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, a law firm in New York City, representing corporations and directors in complex commercial and securities litigation, as well as government investigations and enforcement matters.
Maryellen Gleason ’84
Chair of Development Committee
Maryellen was a member of the Harvard-Radcliffe Orchestra from 1982–1984, and Development Manager of the HRO's 1984 Tour to Europe.
A natural leader, Gleason has overseen four nonprofits including three orchestras: Interim Executive Director for the Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra; President and Executive Director of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra; and, President and CEO of the Phoenix Symphony. The fourth nonprofit was an early career startup where Gleason served as Executive Director of the Senior PGA Tour Event GTE North Classic whose 501(c)3 she built from the ground up.
Throughout her career, Gleason has served on and administered a variety of fiduciary, advisory, endowment, foundation, and pension trust boards. While working as an accounts director at Qwest, she was appointed by then-Governor of Arizona, Jane Dee Hull, as the telecommunications industry representative for the Small Business Rural Incubator Advisory Board. She also chaired the Unsecured Creditors Committee in U.S. Federal Bankruptcy Court for an Internet bankruptcy.
A long-time member of the Young Presidents Organization (YPO), Gleason has served as Education Chair for the Women’s YPO Network, where she led “Board Talks” training seminars for YPOers in search of corporate board service. Gleason is chair-elect of the YPO Digital, Marketing and Media Network for 2018–2020. In addition to her work with YPO, Gleason is a member of the International Women’s Forum and Women Corporate Directors.
Gleason earned an undergraduate degree cum laude from Harvard University, where she studied History and Literature. While she worked full-time in Phoenix, Gleason commuted to Chicago in order to earn an MBA from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University.
Prior to transferring to Harvard, Gleason attended Boston University School of Music and the Boston University Tanglewood Institute. An avid amateur violist, she has attended Kneisel Hall Adult Chamber Music Institute, Great Lakes Chamber Music seminar and the Manhattan String Quartet seminar.
Current board service includes Harvard Alumni Association.
Byram Karanjia ’05
Chair of Alumni Relations Committee
Byram Karanjia was a cellist with the Harvard-Radcliffe Orchestra from 2001–2004. After graduating, he worked at Greenhill & Co. as an M&A and Merchant Banking analyst, and at Perry Capital on its equity portfolio management team. Byram lives in New York City, where he serves as Partner and Portfolio Manager at an equity long-short investment firm.
Eugene Lee ’90
President and Chair of Executive Committee
Eugene was a violinist in the Harvard-Radcliffe Orchestra from 1986–1990, where he met his future wife Sally, who was also a violinist with the HRO from 1988–1992. Eugene served as Treasurer, Publicity Manager and Social Chair of the HRO. Eugene is currently a Partner and Portfolio Manager at a hedge fund in Boston. He moved to the Boston area in 2008 after spending the previous 12 years in New York. Eugene rejoined the Board in 2017 after having previously served as a Director of the Foundation. Eugene received his MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management, and lives in Wellesley, MA with Sally and their three children.
Marion Stein Letvin ’71; P’05,’09,’13
Annual Appeal Treasurer
Marion is a staff neurologist at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, and an Assistant Professor of Neurology at Harvard Medical School. She is the widow of (HMS) Professor Norman Letvin, ’71, an HRO alumnus and concerto completion winner on the clarinet, and a former president of the HRO Foundation (2006–2012). Following medical school in Baltimore (Johns Hopkins) and medical training in Philadelphia, Marion (Dr. Stein) pursued Neurology training back in Boston (B.U.) and fellowship training (Tufts,) then general practice in the greater Boston area, before starting academic practice at Harvard in 1992, first at MGH. When not practicing and teaching Neurology, Marion looks forward to local musical offerings, and particularly enjoys bearing witness to the musical journey of young people, at Harvard, and summers in Interlochen, Michigan. She lives in Newton, MA with one of her four children.
Gabriel Walker ’13
Treasurer and Chair of Finance Committee
Gabe was a violist in the Harvard-Radcliffe Orchestra from 2009–2013, and played violin and viola in ensembles on campus for four years. Gabe served as HRO’s Publicity Manager (2010), General Manager (2011), and President (2012), and traveled with the HRO on tours to Cuba (2011) and the Middle East (2013). Since graduation Gabe worked as a researcher on Chinese environment, development, economics, and foreign policy at the Social Science Research Council (2013–2015) and the Council on Foreign Relations (2015–2017). Gabe is currently an MPP candidate at the Harvard Kennedy School, focusing on international and global affairs.
Directors
Chair of Student Relations Committee
Victoria Aschheim ’10
Victoria was a percussionist in the Harvard-Radcliffe Orchestra from 2006 to 2010. She went on tour to South Korea, served as Publicity Manager, and was on the student committee for the appointment of Federico Cortese. A graduate of the Harvard / New England Conservatory Dual Degree Program, she joint concentrated in Music and History of Art and Architecture and received an MM in percussion performance from NEC (2011). She has a certificate in the Program in Media and Modernity and a PhD in musicology from Princeton University (2018). Victoria is a Junior Fellow in the Society of Fellows and Lecturer in the Department of Music at Dartmouth College.
Cathy Barbash ’74
Cathy played viola in the Harvard-Radcliffe Orchestra from 1970–1974. She also performed in the Bach Society, Lowell House Opera, and numerous other pick-up ensembles during her years in Cambridge. Somehow she managed to fit in two years on the Radcliffe Crew Team (1972–73) as well, traveling with them to the European Championships in Moscow in 1973.
Cathy is a specialist in cultural diplomacy and creative industry development, and an independent producer with 25 years of experience working with the People’s Republic of China. She received a 2015 Silver Magnolia Award from the Shanghai government in recognition of her longtime contributions to the economic and social development of the city, and the 2018 Patrick Hayes Award from the International Society for the Performing Arts, in recognition of her transformative leadership in the performing arts.
Cathy has spent over 35 years managing and consulting to organizations including The Philadelphia Orchestra, the United States Department of State, The President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, The Ministry of Culture of the People’s Republic of China, Arts Midwest, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, The Juilliard School, Nederlander Worldwide Entertainment, China Shanghai International Arts Festival, and the China National Centre for the Performing Arts. She was the lead architect of the Philadelphia Orchestra’s current China tour/residency project.
Cathy has served on the boards of the International Society for the Performing Arts and City Contemporary Dance Company (Hong Kong), and currently services on the Ping Chong & Company (theater) board. She is a member of the National Committee on United States-China Relations.
Chair of Communications Committee
Frederick Henle ’92
Fred was a member of the Harvard-Radcliffe Orchestra from 1988–1992, and later played in the Dartmouth Symphony Orchestra while a graduate student in computer science, and the Maryland Symphony Orchestra as a member of the first violin section. He was a camper and counselor at Greenwood Music Camp. In 2014, he and his father were awarded The David P. Robbins Prize in Algebra, Combinatorics, and Discrete Mathematics for their work on squaring the plane. Fred was a software architect at athenahealth and is now a data engineer at Prealize Health. He lives with his family in Connecticut, as his wife chairs the math department at Suffield Academy. Fred currently serves on the boards of the HRO Foundation, the Holyoke Civic Symphony, and the Music School at Sound Crossing.
Fred was a member of the Harvard-Radcliffe Orchestra from 1988–1992, and later played in the Dartmouth Symphony Orchestra while a graduate student in computer science, and the Maryland Symphony Orchestra as a member of the first violin section. He was a camper and counselor at Greenwood Music Camp. In 2014, he and his father were awarded The David P. Robbins Prize in Algebra, Combinatorics, and Discrete Mathematics for their work on squaring the plane. Fred was a software architect at athenahealth and is now a data engineer at Prealize Health. He lives with his family in Connecticut, as his wife chairs the math department at Suffield Academy. Fred currently serves on the boards of the HRO Foundation, the Holyoke Civic Symphony, and the Music School at Sound Crossing.
Krysten Keches ’10
Krysten Keches was principal harpist of the Harvard-Radcliffe Orchestra from 2006–2010. As an undergraduate in Quincy House, she also played in the Bach Society Orchestra and was elected to the Signet Society. After graduating with a degree in History of Art and Architecture, she won a Fulbright Scholarship to pursue a graduate diploma at the Australian National University School of Music. Krysten received her Master of Music degree from New England Conservatory and currently performs as a freelance harpist in the Boston area. She substitutes regularly with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Boston Pops, and she has also played with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, Hartford Symphony Orchestra, Odyssey Opera, Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra, and the New World Symphony. Her recent concerto performances include appearances with the Boston Modern Orchestra Project, the Berkshire Symphony, and Mistral Chamber Players. An avid teacher, Krysten serves as the harp coach for the Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras and maintains a private studio.
Caroline Choi Kim ’96
Caroline Choi Kim was a violinist in the Harvard-Radcliffe Orchestra from 1992–1996. She served as concertmaster for three years and has many fond and formative memories of making music with friends in HRO on campus, serving the local community as part of HRO outreach initiatives and on tour in Italy (1996). After graduation, Caroline received a degree in medicine at Harvard Medical School while also serving as a pre-med and music resident tutor at Winthrop House. She completed her internship at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and residency at the Harvard Combined Dermatology Program. Caroline went on to a career in academic medicine as an Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School and she is a nationally recognized expert in melanoma and atypical moles. Caroline is currently Director of the Melanoma and Pigmented Lesion Programs at Newton-Wellesley Dermatology Associates and at Tufts Medical Center, focused on optimizing and innovating the care of high-risk patients. Caroline enjoys spending time and enjoys music with her three children and husband, Howard Kim (’96).
Ty Kim MBA’00; P’23
Ty’s son, Ryan Spencer Kim ’23, plays double bass with the Harvard-Radcliffe Orchestra—and has studied privately with his mentor, Todd Seeber of the Boston Symphony Orchestra.
Ty is a television and film producer, director, showrunner and writer based in Los Angeles. He earned six Los Angeles Emmys, the National Edward R. Murrow Award, nine Golden Mikes, and the Associated Press Award for California. Ty is a former journalist at CBS News/60 Minutes where he specialized in hard news, investigative reporting. His work spans more than two decades in network, cable and local television, film, radio and print.
Ty is currently producing scripted television shows, and feature films in partnership with branded partners in Los Angeles.
Ty is a former member of the national advisory council for the Boston University Tanglewood Institute. Ty also serves as Emeritus Board Chair and Chief Operating Officer of the Aronson Cello Festival (ACF) honoring the life and philosophy of the cellist and teacher Lev Aronson. His pro bono work also includes running The Andrew B. Kim and Wan Kyun Rha Kim Family Foundation, Inc., which supports the arts and education.
Ty earned his MBA from Harvard Business School. As an undergraduate at Stanford University, Ty played cello in a pianoforte trio. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and daughter who also plays the cello.
Eugene Lee ’10
Eugene was a violinist in the Harvard-Radcliffe Orchestra from 2006–2010. Eugene is a past HRO president, and was on the search committee that hired the HRO’s current Music Director, Federico Cortese. He concentrated in economics for his undergraduate degree, then earned a master’s degree in applied mathematics. In 2010, he joined Goldman Sachs, where he is currently a vice president specializing in multi-strategy investing, alternative energy investing, and emerging themes.
Mary Ellen Moir ’79
Mary Ellen was a bassoonist in the Harvard-Radcliffe Orchestra from 1976–1979, and participated in the Berlin Tour. Mary Ellen is a Director of Sales Operations in Oracle Corporation’s public sector practice. Mary Ellen has been on the Board of the HRO Foundation since 1986, serving as Secretary for many of those years. She lived in Japan for several years after graduation, and has lived in the Boston area since 1982. She currently resides in Jamaica Plain with her teenage daughter.
Lee Ann Song ’15
Lee Ann was a cellist with the Harvard-Radcliffe Orchestra from 2011–2015. She graduated from Harvard College in 2015 as a pre-med, Neuroscience concentrator with a secondary in Global Health and Health Policy. Lee Ann served as Social Chair her freshmen and sophomore years, and served as Co-Tour Director for the South Korea & Philippines tour her senior year. After college, she spent a year in South America on a Michael C. Rockefeller postgraduate travel fellowship. Lee Ann completed a 14-week culinary arts certificate program at BU in May 2018 and currently works as a part time administrative assistant at the Tufts Graduate School of Nutrition & Policy's Entrepreneurship program, culinary arts teaching assistant at BU, college consultant, and assistant to the film director of A Fine Line movie, Joanna James. In her spare time, Lee Ann is learning Latin dance, House dance, and jazz piano. She also helps write grants for Eureka Ensemble, a collective of classical musicians that uses music as a platform for social action and community engagement.
Arpi Tavil-Shatelyan ’13
Arpi was a member of the Harvard-Radcliffe Orchestra from 2009–2013. Arpi concentrated in neurobiology at Harvard, and even though she decided not pursue music professionally, being involved in HRO and chamber music was very important and central to her time in college. Arpi served as HRO’s Ticket Manager her freshman year (2009–2010), then as Financial Manager for two terms (2010–2012) through HRO’s tour to Cuba, and finally became Co-Tour Director for HRO’s Middle East tour in 2013. Currently, Arpi works at Mass General Hospital in the cardiology division, helping conduct research trials on various cardiovascular devices prior to FDA approval.
NaYoung Yang ’18
NaYoung Yang was a violinist in the Harvard-Radcliffe Orchestra from 2014–2018. She graduated from Harvard in 2018 as a premed, Human Developmental and Regenerative Biology concentrator with a secondary in Music and language citation in French. NaYoung served as HRO’s Ads Manager (2014), Director of Outreach (2015–2016), Co-TourDirector for the 2017 Argentina Tour (2015–2017), President (2017), and co-concertmaster (2017–2018), and traveled with the HRO on its tours to The Philippines and South Korea (2015) and Argentina (2017). She is pursuing a Master of Public Health at the Imperial College London and is a violinist in the London Doctors Orchestra and Choir.
Scott Yoo '93
Scott Yoo (A.B. '93) performed in the HRO from 1989-93 as a Physics concentrator in North (Pforzheimer) House. After graduation, he started the Metamorphosen Chamber Orchestra with Richard Lim, a fellow HRO violinist. Today, Scott is the Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the Mexico City Philharmonic, the Music Director of Festival Mosaic in California, and Conductor of the Colorado College Music Festival. He is also host and executive producer of "Now Hear This" on PBS, presented by Great Performances.
Ex Officio Directors
Federico Cortese, Music Director, HRO
Jack Megan, Director, Harvard Office for the Arts
Jenny Wang, President HRO
Simon Eder, Co-President Emerita HRO
Steven Ekert, Co-President Emerita HRO