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; Campus Director, Winnetka

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

Campus Support Staff

Maria Alfaro

Administrative Assistant, Evanston Campus

Mary Buckingham

Office Manager, Central Administration

Severin DuSell

Administrative Assistant, Winnetka Campus

Mark May

Administrative Assistant, Lake Forest Campus

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

Ari Barack Fisher

Academy Coordinator and Orchestra Manager

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

Faculty

Jennifer McCormick

Voice & Musikgarten Faculty

Megon McDonough

Voice and Songwriting Faculty

Rebecca Miller

Violin and Viola Faculty

Sarah Montzka

Violin & Viola Faculty (Suzuki); Associate Director Barston Suzuki Center

Audrey Morrison

Trombone Faculty (Jazz)

Lucia Muniagurria

Voice Faculty Member

Claire Aebersold Neiweem

Piano Faculty, Aebersold & Neiweem Piano Duo in Residence

Ralph Neiweem

Piano Faculty, Aebersold & Neiweem Piano Duo in Residence

Kate (Kaoru) Nir

Piano Faculty (Suzuki)

David Onderdonk

Guitar and Ukulele Faculty

Devvora Papatheodorou Schreier

Piano Faculty

Milana Pavchinskaya

Piano Faculty

Ashley Pensinger-Sok

Violin Faculty (Suzuki)

Vannia Phillips

Violin and Viola Faculty (Suzuki)

Dr. Sarah Plum

Violin, Viola, Chamber Music, Academy Faculty

Irina Polskaya

Piano Faculty

Rachelle Puccini

Violin Faculty (Suzuki)

George Radosavljevic

Piano Faculty (Suzuki)

Stephen Ramsdell

Guitar Faculty

Kristen Regester

Dalcroze Eurhythmics 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