VocalEssence Expands Governance Leadership with Appointment of Six Board Directors

MINNEAPOLIS–ST. PAUL — Marking a pivotal milestone in its 58-year history, VocalEssence, one of the nation’s premier choral music organizations, has announced the appointment of six distinguished leaders to its Board of Directors. Announced on September 25, 2026, the strategic expansion brings together a high-caliber roster of executives, entrepreneurs, and arts advocates spanning medical technology, human resources, philanthropic governance, small business development, and cultural diplomacy.

The new board appointments come at a transformative period for non-profit performing arts organizations across North America. As arts institutions navigate post-pandemic audience engagement models, shifting philanthropic paradigms, and expanding community expectations, VocalEssence’s governance expansion reflects a deliberate strategy to reinforce financial resilience, broaden cultural networks, and scale its musical and educational impact throughout the Twin Cities region and beyond.

Executive Overview: Strengthening Governance and Community Alignment

The newly appointed board members—Sooki Jalali, Harry Miller, Bunny Robinson, Carolyn Sleeth, Sunita Vongharath-Evenson, and Karen Voracek—join the organization during a period of programmatic growth and heightened community outreach. Serving as primary ambassadors and legal custodians, the VocalEssence Board of Directors oversees major policy decisions, ensures long-term fiscal solvency, and aids in driving strategic planning for the organization’s regional and national initiatives.

The appointments integrate cross-industry leadership directly into the governing body of VocalEssence:

• Executive Leadership & Medical Technology Scaling: Enterprise experience in scaling commercial operations and navigating complex regulatory and corporate environments.
• Human Resources & Inclusive Talent Acquisition: Expertise in human capital management, executive search, and institutional equity.
• Philanthropy & Philanthropic Operations: Strategic insights from corporate and charitable foundation management, donor experience design, and institutional fundraising.
• Entrepreneurship & Economic Development: Track records in scaling small businesses, mentoring underrepresented founders, and advising minority business enterprises.
• Arts Governance & Cultural Advocacy: Deep-rooted service on national and state arts boards, civic mediation, and community-level arts integration.

By coupling corporate governance standards with diverse civic and artistic backgrounds, VocalEssence aims to solidify its position as an innovative leader in the American choral movement.

Detailed Chronology: 58 Years of Choral Legacy and Strategic Evolution

Founded in 1968 by Artistic Director Philip Brunelle, VocalEssence (originally established as the Plymouth Music Series) has evolved over nearly six decades from a local church-sponsored concert series into an internationally acclaimed choral arts institution.

VOCALESSENCE GOVERNANCE & ORGANIZATIONAL TIMELINE

1968: Founded as Plymouth Music Series by Philip Brunelle in Minneapolis.
  │
1970s–1990s: Pioneered commissioned works, regional educational outreach, 
  │          and historic recordings of contemporary vocal music.
  │
2002: Rebranded as VocalEssence to reflect its expanded mission, professional 
  │   ensembles, and multi-cultural community focus.
  │
2010s: Expansion of educational initiatives, including WITNESS and ¡Cantaré!, 
  │    bridging Twin Cities schools with international composer residencies.
  │
2020–2025: Navigation of digital performance transitions, post-pandemic 
  │        audience rebuild, and appointment of Amy Jaine Wielunski as Executive Director.
  │
SEPTEMBER 2026: Appointment of six new board members, inaugurating a modernized 
                 governance framework for the organization's 58th season.

Throughout its 58-year trajectory, the organization has consistently prioritized commissioning new vocal works, recording underrepresented classical repertoire, and constructing bridges between diverse cultural traditions. The 2026 expansion of its governing board marks the latest phase in this institutional timeline, positioning the non-profit to capitalize on new operational capabilities, philanthropic strategies, and broad-scale community partnerships.

In-Depth Profiles: The Six New Board Directors

1. Sooki Jalali: Entrepreneurship and Cross-Cultural Advocacy

Born in Seoul, South Korea, and relocating to Minnesota as a teenager, Sooki Jalali brings a multi-faceted background in biology, business development, and health advocacy to the board. An alumnus of the University of Minnesota with a Bachelor of Science in Biology and Business, Jalali has founded three successful enterprises across the wellness and corporate development sectors.

Currently serving as a Business Consultant at the Metropolitan Economic Development Association (MEDA), Jalali specializes in helping ethnic business owners scale operations, obtain access to capital, and navigate market expansion. Her civic engagement includes service with the Ebenezer Foundation, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Hunger Solutions, and the Alliance for a New Humanity. Jalali is also a certified yoga instructor trained under Dr. Deepak Chopra and was nominated for the Man & Woman of the Year fundraising campaign in 2017. Her personal background—raising a trilingual, biracial family fluent in English, Farsi, and Korean—complements her passion for supporting multicultural arts initiatives across the Twin Cities.

2. Harry Miller: Organizational Strategy and Mentorship

With more than four decades of executive experience, Harry Miller’s career has centered on helping businesses and mission-driven organizations construct sustainable growth strategies, streamline leadership structures, and forge high-impact partnerships.

Miller serves as an active volunteer and mentor with SCORE Twin Cities, where he advises entrepreneurs and small business leaders on operational scaling and long-term positioning. Within SCORE, he has led pivotal development, fundraising, and governance initiatives designed to expand the nonprofit’s regional reach. Miller’s appointment brings veteran expertise in strategic planning, donor alignment, and board governance to VocalEssence as it plans its next multi-year strategic cycle.

3. Bunny Robinson: HR Leadership and Arts Governance

Bunny Robinson brings a vast background in human resources executive leadership, national arts governance, and civic service. She currently serves as an Executive Consultant with Navigate Forward, a career transition firm catering exclusively to corporate executives, and is the Principal Consultant of Robinson-Robinson & Associates (RRA), a retained executive search firm focusing on inclusive management recruitment.

Robinson’s public sector and arts administration governance credentials are extensive:

• Former Board Member: Minnesota State Arts Board
• Former Board Member: Arts Midwest
• Former Panelist: State Programs Panel, National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) in Washington, D.C.
• Civic Board Roles: United Way Minneapolis, Conflict Resolution Center, Missions Inc. Programs, and the Women’s Association of the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Twin Cities.
• Civic Service: Served as a local election judge for 20 years, concluding in 2025, and continues to act as a contract mediator for the Minnesota Department of Education.

A native of Chicago, Robinson holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership (MAOL) from St. Catherine University in St. Paul.

4. Carolyn Sleeth: Commercial Scale and Corporate Strategy

Carolyn Sleeth brings over two decades of senior executive experience in the medical device sector. Most recently, Sleeth served as Senior Vice President and U.S. General Manager at Insulet, where she directed a 700-person commercial organization and sustained annual revenue growth exceeding 20 percent. Prior to Insulet, she held leadership roles at Medtronic, guiding the aorta and venous vascular business units alongside strategic marketing and market development initiatives in cardiac health.

Sleeth’s academic credentials include a Bachelor of Arts in History from Stanford University, a Master of Arts in Russian studies, and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. A Twin Cities resident for two decades, Sleeth’s background in commercial execution, strategic forecasting, and organizational scaling provides VocalEssence with top-tier corporate insight.

5. Sunita Vongharath-Evenson: HR Executive Leadership and Culture

Sunita Vongharath-Evenson is an executive human resources leader and nonprofit advocate focused on organizational design, leadership development, and corporate culture transformation.

Vongharath-Evenson has devoted her career to partnering with mission-driven enterprises to navigate systemic change and cultivate inclusive work environments. Her appointment reinforces VocalEssence’s commitment to internal organizational health, staff development, and equity-focused cultural alignment as the nonprofit expands its workforce and community reach.

6. Karen Voracek: Philanthropic Management and Strategic Marketing

Karen Voracek currently serves as Vice President of Donor Experience, Marketing & Strategy at Thrivent Charitable, where she oversees enterprise strategy, service operations, product management, and donor engagement models. With over 30 years of corporate and philanthropic leadership, Voracek’s career occupies the intersection of donor experience, business transformation, and charitable innovation.

Prior to her role at Thrivent Charitable, Voracek spent nearly three decades directing strategy and customer experience initiatives within the corporate sector. In addition to her professional accomplishments, Voracek is a lifelong musician—having played clarinet since elementary school and performed in various choral ensembles, including her parish choir. She also serves on the Board of Directors for the Sacred Ground Center for Spirituality. Voracek holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations and German from Carroll University and an MBA from the University of St. Thomas.

Supporting Context & Operational Metrics

The addition of these six directors directly addresses key administrative, financial, and operational requirements facing modern non-profit performing arts institutions.

The Non-Profit Arts Landscape in 2026

According to regional economic impact studies for the upper Midwest, arts and cultural organizations generate hundreds of millions in local economic activity, yet face ongoing cost pressures due to shifting audience habits, inflation in production management, and evolving corporate philanthropy models. By embedding specialized corporate strategy, commercial execution, and philanthropic engineering into its governance body, VocalEssence reinforces its capacity to sustain multi-ensemble seasons, pay artists competitive wages, and offer heavily subsidized educational programming across Minnesota schools.

Official Statements and Executive Commentary

Leadership at VocalEssence emphasized that the new appointments represent both a continuation of the founder’s vision and a forward-looking operational upgrade.

Philip Brunelle, Artistic Director and Founder of VocalEssence, highlighted the relational and strategic value of the incoming directors:

"I’m delighted to welcome our new board members to the organization. Our mission is to unite our community in song, and each one of our new board members creates an opportunity we deeply value—to connect with the new voices and new networks that are always growing in the place we’ve called home for more than half a century. Serving on our board is a generous contribution of time, skill, and spirit, and we know these incredible professionals have insights and perspectives that will enhance VocalEssence beyond measure."

Amy Jaine Wielunski, Executive Director of VocalEssence, emphasized the tactical and operational capabilities the new members bring to the organization’s executive management:

"These new board members bring a powerful mix of executive leadership, HR, marketing, philanthropy, and arts governance experience to VocalEssence. I am thrilled to welcome them on board! Just as inspiring are their personal connections to our mission, from lifelong choral singers to newer enthusiasts, all united by the belief that singing has the power to bring people together. I am excited at the opportunity to work with each of them as we grow our impact across the Twin Cities and beyond."

Future Outlook: Strategic Roadmap Heading Toward 2030

As VocalEssence advances through its 58th season, the augmented Board of Directors will focus on several immediate and long-term strategic imperatives designed to shepherd the organization toward its upcoming 60th anniversary:

1. Expanding Access through Educational Access: Deepening the scope of established flagship outreach programs such as WITNESS—which celebrates the contributions of Black creators to American fine arts—and ¡Cantaré!, which brings Mexican composers into residence within local schools.
2. Philanthropic Capital Expansion: Leveraging modern donor-experience frameworks and philanthropic strategies to build long-term endowment security and fund new creative commissions.
3. Audience Diversification and Digital Integration: Utilizing sophisticated corporate marketing and customer experience strategies to engage younger, multi-ethnic demographics across both physical concert venues and digital streaming platforms.
4. Community and Regional Networking: Harnessing the local business consulting, mediation, and executive networks of the new directors to construct cross-sector partnerships with Twin Cities corporations, non-profits, and educational institutions.

With a reinforced board structure combining decades of corporate rigor, philanthropic strategy, and artistic passion, VocalEssence is uniquely positioned to continue shaping the landscape of American choral music for generations to come.