MINNEAPOLIS — September 25, 2026 — In a strategic move designed to reinforce its institutional sustainability and broaden its community reach, VocalEssence has formally announced the appointment of six new members to its Board of Directors. Entering its 58th year as one of North America’s premier choral arts organizations, the Minneapolis-based nonprofit is expanding its governing body to integrate high-level expertise spanning medical technology, human resources executive search, commercial enterprise scaling, philanthropy, and cross-cultural entrepreneurship.
The expansion comes at a pivotal moment for the regional arts sector, where cultural nonprofits are increasingly reshaping their board governance models to navigate complex post-pandemic economic landscapes, shifting audience demographics, and evolving funding ecosystems. The newly appointed directors—Sooki Jalali, Harry Miller, Bunny Robinson, Carolyn Sleeth, Sunita Vongharath-Evenson, and Karen Voracek—will serve as civic ambassadors while steering VocalEssence’s operational, fiscal, and artistic policy frameworks.
Executive Overview
The governance expansion reflects a deliberate effort by VocalEssence leadership to bridge high-level corporate acumen with deep-rooted community advocacy. Founded in 1969, the organization has evolved from a local chamber choir into a multifaceted cultural institution encompassing internationally recognized performing ensembles, extensive educational outreach programs, and robust commissioning initiatives for contemporary vocal music.
The addition of these six leaders brings a diverse spectrum of executive competencies to the 58-year-old institution. The new board members collectively possess expertise in scaling multi-million-dollar commercial enterprises, managing national arts grant portfolios, driving strategic human capital initiatives, and advancing equitable economic development. By recruiting leaders with proven track records in both corporate and nonprofit spheres, VocalEssence aims to solidify its financial foundations while deepening its engagement across the Twin Cities metropolitan area and beyond.
Strategic Governance & Organizational Evolution
Board governance within major arts institutions has undergone a significant transformation over the past decade. Beyond traditional fiduciary oversight and fundraising, contemporary boards are tasked with driving risk management, long-range strategic planning, audience diversification, and brand relevance.
For VocalEssence, maintaining a dynamic board composition is critical to sustaining its multi-tiered operational structure. The organization operates several core performance ensembles, including the VocalEssence Chorus and the professional VocalEssence Ensemble Singers, alongside community-focused vocal programs such as Vintage Voices and educational initiatives reaching thousands of regional students annually.
The integration of six distinct professional perspectives aligns directly with the organization’s long-term vision of leveraging vocal music as a medium for civic unity and social connection. The newly structured board will focus on bolstering the organization’s endowment, expanding regional corporate partnerships, enhancing digital and physical accessibility, and ensuring rigorous compliance and human resources standards across all operational arms.
Profile Analysis: The Six New Trustees
Sooki Jalali — Cross-Cultural Entrepreneurship and Economic Equity
Born in Seoul, South Korea, and raised in Minnesota, Sooki Jalali brings a rich background in entrepreneurship, commercial growth, and community engagement to the board. Jalali holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology and Business from the University of Minnesota and has founded three successful enterprises across the health, wellness, and business development sectors.
Currently serving as a Business Consultant at the Metropolitan Economic Development Association (MEDA), Jalali specializes in helping diverse and ethnic business owners scale operations, access capital, and establish sustainable governance structures. Her community work extends across numerous philanthropic entities, including board and volunteer roles with the Ebenezer Foundation, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Hunger Solutions, and the Alliance for a New Humanity. Jalali, who is trilingual in English, Farsi, and Korean, brings a distinct perspective on cross-cultural community outreach and economic equity.
Harry Miller — Enterprise Strategy and Organizational Mentorship
With more than 40 years of professional experience in organizational growth, strategic planning, and business development, Harry Miller brings valuable executive advisory expertise to VocalEssence. Miller’s career has centered on helping commercial companies and mission-driven institutions adapt to changing market conditions, optimize operational structures, and build strategic public-private partnerships.
As an active mentor and volunteer leader with SCORE Twin Cities, Miller regularly counsels small business owners and nonprofit executives on long-term strategy, institutional governance, and fundraising frameworks. His extensive involvement in volunteer leadership and development initiatives positions him to contribute directly to VocalEssence’s fiscal growth, strategic alignment, and board governance practices.
Bunny Robinson — Talent Inclusion, Governance, and Arts Policy
Bunny Robinson joins the board with a long history of national and regional leadership in arts administration, executive search, and human resources. Robinson is an executive consultant at Navigate Forward, a firm specializing in C-suite career transitions, and serves as principal consultant at Robinson-Robinson & Associates, a retained executive search firm focused on building diverse leadership pipelines.
Robinson’s prior governance experience in the arts is extensive. She has served on the Minnesota State Arts Board, the Board of Directors for Arts Midwest, and the State Programs Panel for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) in Washington, D.C. Currently a board member of the Cultural Fluency Initiative, her past nonprofit leadership includes board roles with United Way Minneapolis, the Conflict Resolution Center, Missions Inc. Programs, and the Women’s Association of the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Twin Cities. Robinson holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, and a Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership from St. Catherine University.
Carolyn Sleeth — Commercial Growth and Medtech Leadership
Carolyn Sleeth brings more than two decades of senior executive experience from the medical technology and commercial healthcare sectors. Most recently, Sleeth served as Senior Vice President and U.S. General Manager at Insulet Corporation, where she directed a commercial division of 700 employees and maintained a consistent double-digit annual revenue growth rate exceeding 20 percent.
Prior to her executive tenure at Insulet, Sleeth spent many years at Medtronic, where she held senior leadership positions overseeing the aorta and venous vascular commercial units, as well as driving marketing, market development, and corporate strategy in cardiac rhythm disease management. Sleeth holds a Bachelor of Arts in History from Stanford University, a Master’s degree in Russian, and an MBA from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Her deep experience in managing complex operational structures and driving top-line enterprise growth will be a major asset to VocalEssence’s finance and strategic planning committees.
Sunita Vongharath-Evenson — Human Capital and Organizational Culture
Sunita Vongharath-Evenson is an established human resources executive and nonprofit advocate whose career has focused on organizational design, leadership development, and workplace culture transformation. Throughout her executive career, Vongharath-Evenson has partnered with mission-driven organizations to design HR frameworks that promote employee engagement, succession planning, and structural adaptability.
Her expertise will support VocalEssence in refining its internal human capital strategies, equity initiatives, and administrative frameworks as the organization scales its community programming and artistic partnerships throughout the upper Midwest.
Karen Voracek — Philanthropic Strategy and Enterprise Operations
Karen Voracek serves as Vice President of Donor Experience, Marketing & Strategy at Thrivent Charitable, bringing over 30 years of leadership experience at the intersection of enterprise strategy, corporate transformation, and charitable giving. In her current role, Voracek leads enterprise-wide initiatives spanning marketing, donor services, product management, and operational execution for one of the region’s prominent charitable funds.
Before transitioning her focus to strategic philanthropy, Voracek spent nearly three decades leading commercial transformation, customer experience, and marketing strategies in the corporate sector. In addition to her executive role, Voracek serves on the Board of Directors for the Sacred Ground Center for Spirituality. An active parish choir singer and former woodwind musician, she holds an MBA from the University of St. Thomas and a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations and German from Carroll University.
Leadership Commentary and Executive Vision
The dual leadership structure of VocalEssence—combining artistic vision with executive administration—welcomed the new board cohort as a crucial step toward broadening the organization’s regional footprint and deepening its cultural resonance.
Philip Brunelle, Artistic Director and Founder of VocalEssence, underscored the importance of integrating fresh voices into the organization’s founding mission:
"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."
Echoing Brunelle’s sentiment, Amy Jaine Wielunski, Executive Director of VocalEssence, emphasized the strategic alignment between the new trustees’ executive backgrounds and the operational goals of the institution:
"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."
Supporting Metrics & Governance Matrix
The composition of the incoming board class demonstrates a clear strategy aimed at addressing specific operational areas required for modern nonprofit management. A comparative look at the expertise brought by the 2026 cohort illustrates this balanced governance framework:
| Board Member | Primary Sector | Key Strategic Focus Areas | Institutional Governance Alignments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sooki Jalali | Entrepreneurship & MEDA | Business Scaling, Equity, Cross-Cultural Outreach | Community Engagement, Business Development |
| Harry Miller | Business Advisory & SCORE | Strategy, Mentorship, Organizational Growth | Long-Range Planning, Governance |
| Bunny Robinson | HR & Executive Search | Talent Acquisition, Arts Policy, Board Inclusion | Nominating, Policy & Public Arts Governance |
| Carolyn Sleeth | Medical Technology | Commercial Operations, Revenue Growth, Marketing | Finance, Revenue Strategy, Audit |
| Sunita Vongharath-Evenson | Corporate Human Resources | Human Capital, Organizational Design, Culture | Compensation, HR Policy, Internal Equity |
| Karen Voracek | Thrivent Charitable | Philanthropy, Enterprise Strategy, Donor Operations | Development, Advancement, Marketing |
Future Outlook: Navigating the Cultural Landscape Beyond 2026
As VocalEssence advances through its 58th season, the broader arts sector faces an unpredictable financial landscape characterized by changing donor behaviors, shifting public funding priorities, and evolving digital engagement models. By appointing a board cohort steeped in commercial management, enterprise strategy, and philanthropic innovation, VocalEssence is positioning itself to proactively manage these broader systemic shifts.
Looking ahead, the expanded board will focus on several core strategic imperatives:
- Endowment and Revenue Diversification: Capitalizing on the commercial scaling expertise of members like Carolyn Sleeth and the donor engagement background of Karen Voracek to build resilient financial reserves.
- Equity-Driven Community Engagement: Leveraging the cross-cultural networks and business incubation experience of Sooki Jalali to expand community music-making initiatives into underrepresented neighborhoods.
- Institutional Talent Retention and Diversity: Utilizing Bunny Robinson and Sunita Vongharath-Evenson’s executive search and HR capabilities to ensure robust succession planning and inclusive talent practices across both administrative staff and artistic rosters.
- Strategic Partnerships: Tapping Harry Miller’s advisory background to forge sustainable corporate and civic partnerships across Minnesota.
By combining artistic ambition with rigorous fiduciary and strategic oversight, VocalEssence seeks to ensure that its founding vision—uniting communities through the transformative power of choral music—remains vibrant, solvent, and deeply connected to the expanding urban fabric of the Twin Cities for decades to come.
