MINNEAPOLIS–ST. PAUL — In a major governance move designed to bolster its strategic oversight, cross-sector partnerships, and long-term financial sustainability, VocalEssence has officially announced the appointment of six new members to its Board of Directors. Announced on September 25, 2026, the strategic cohort brings a high-powered mix of corporate scaling expertise, philanthropic governance, human resources, and community-driven entrepreneurship to the 58-year-old choral arts organization.
As VocalEssence navigates an increasingly complex landscape for performing arts nonprofits, these appointments reflect a deliberate strategy to recruit top-tier executive talent while deepening the organization’s roots across diverse regional communities. The incoming board members will act as ambassadors for VocalEssence throughout the Twin Cities and beyond, helping guide major policy decisions, oversee fiduciary responsibilities, and expand the reach of its educational and performance initiatives.
Executive Overview
Founded in 1969, VocalEssence has established itself as one of Minnesota’s premier cultural institutions, recognized internationally for its choral performances, commissioning of new works, and community outreach programs. However, sustaining a half-century-plus legacy in today’s cultural sector requires more than artistic excellence—it demands sophisticated corporate governance, agile marketing, disciplined financial management, and robust donor development.
The addition of the six new directors—Sooki Jalali, Harry Miller, Bunny Robinson, Carolyn Sleeth, Sunita Vongharath-Evenson, and Karen Voracek—injects high-level executive expertise into the institution’s governing body. Representing sectors ranging from medical device commercialization and enterprise philanthropy to diversity-focused executive recruiting and economic business consulting, the new cohort positions VocalEssence to scale its regional footprint and navigate evolving audience demographics.
Detailed Profiles of the Appointees
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| NEW VOCALESSENCE BOARD MEMBERS |
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| Appointee | Key Expertise & Background |
+---------------------------+-------------------------------------------------------+
| Sooki Jalali | MEDA Business Consultant, Entrepreneur, Wellness |
| Harry Miller | SCORE Twin Cities Mentor, 40+ Yrs Biz Growth Strategy |
| Bunny Robinson | Principal (Robinson-Robinson & Assoc), Former NEA |
| Carolyn Sleeth | Former SVP/GM (Insulet), Medtronic Executive |
| Sunita Vongharath-Evenson | HR Executive, Organizational Culture & Leadership |
| Karen Voracek | VP (Thrivent Charitable), Strategy & Philanthropy |
+---------------------------+-------------------------------------------------------+
Sooki Jalali – Inclusive Economic Development & Entrepreneurship
Sooki Jalali brings a rich background in entrepreneurship, business consulting, and community advocacy to VocalEssence. Born in Seoul, South Korea, Jalali relocated to Minnesota as a teenager and subsequently earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology and Business from the University of Minnesota. A serial entrepreneur, Jalali has launched three ventures in health, wellness, and business development.
Currently serving as a Business Consultant at the Metropolitan Economic Development Association (MEDA), Jalali specializes in helping minority business owners scale their operations and achieve economic self-sufficiency. Her civic involvement spans multiple non-profit organizations, including the Ebenezer Foundation, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Hunger Solutions, and the Alliance for a New Humanity. Jalali, who is also a certified yoga instructor under Dr. Deepak Chopra, emphasizes holistic living and cultural bridge-building—values reflected in her personal life, where she raised her three biracial children to be bilingual in Farsi and Korean.
Harry Miller – Enterprise Strategy & Strategic Advisory
With more than four decades of experience advising commercial businesses and mission-driven institutions, Harry Miller offers deep expertise in organizational scaling, corporate development, and board governance. Throughout his career, Miller has concentrated on helping complex organizations navigate periods of transition, refine their market strategies, and establish cross-sector alignment.
As an active volunteer and mentor with SCORE Twin Cities, Miller has guided dozens of small business owners and emerging entrepreneurs through strategic planning, cash flow management, and organizational design. His extensive background in fundraising, board governance, and donor engagement provides VocalEssence with valuable insight into financial sustainability and strategic donor acquisition.
Bunny Robinson – HR Governance, Executive Search & Arts Policy
Bunny Robinson stands among the Twin Cities’ most experienced human resources strategists and arts governance advocates. She serves as an executive consultant with Navigate Forward, assisting senior leaders during strategic career transitions, and is the principal consultant at Robinson-Robinson & Associates (RRA), a executive search firm focused on placing diverse leadership slates across corporate and non-profit sectors.
Robinson’s commitment to arts governance spans national and regional levels. Her prior board tenure includes service with the Minnesota State Arts Board, Arts Midwest, and the State Programs Panel for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) in Washington, D.C. In addition, she has held governance 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, Champaign-Urbana, and a Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership (MAOL) from St. Catherine University.
Carolyn Sleeth brings over two decades of high-level medical technology leadership to the board. Most recently, Sleeth served as Senior Vice President and U.S. General Manager at Insulet Corporation, where she oversaw a 700-person commercial organization and drove consistent annual revenue growth exceeding 20%. Her prior corporate tenure includes an extended career at Medtronic, where she led the aorta and venous vascular business units alongside leadership roles in cardiac strategy and market development.
Sleeth’s academic background includes 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 operational knowledge in managing large teams, driving top-line revenue, and executing market strategy offers VocalEssence key guidance as the organization expands its audience base and donor development models.
Sunita Vongharath-Evenson – Talent Strategy & Cultural Transformation
Sunita Vongharath-Evenson is an established executive in human resources and non-profit leadership with a focus on organizational design, culture building, and executive development. Throughout her career, Vongharath-Evenson has collaborated with mission-driven enterprises to enhance employee engagement, implement change management initiatives, and build leadership pipelines.
Her arrival on the board brings crucial internal management and talent strategy expertise to VocalEssence, helping ensure that the institution’s operational structure matches its artistic ambitions as it serves diverse Twin Cities communities.
Karen Voracek currently serves as Vice President of Donor Experience, Marketing & Strategy at Thrivent Charitable, where she leads enterprise planning, product management, marketing, and service operations. Voracek possesses over 30 years of leadership experience across the corporate and philanthropic sectors, specializing in customer experience, organizational change, and philanthropic gift planning.
Prior to her transition to Thrivent Charitable, Voracek spent nearly three decades in corporate environments leading strategy and organizational transformation. A lifelong musician who began playing clarinet in fifth grade and continues to perform in parish choirs, Voracek combines corporate rigor with a deep personal devotion to the arts. She holds an MBA from the University of St. Thomas and a Bachelor’s degree in International Relations and German from Carroll University, and currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Sacred Ground Center for Spirituality.
Supporting Context & Regional Arts Metrics
The appointment of these six board members comes at a pivotal moment for regional arts organizations across the United States. Following years of post-pandemic shifts in audience habits, non-profit performing arts groups face a dual challenge: diversifying revenue streams while expanding community engagement.
In the Twin Cities—a region known for its dense concentration of cultural institutions—success increasingly hinges on cross-sector collaboration. By bringing together leaders from corporate med-tech, diverse executive placement, economic equity consulting, and non-profit strategy, VocalEssence is positioning itself to capture new philanthropic avenues and reach evolving demographic audiences.
Official Leadership Perspectives
VocalEssence leadership expressed strong enthusiasm for the incoming cohort, highlighting the alignment between the new board members’ professional skill sets and the institution’s core musical mission.
"I’m delighted to welcome our new board members to the organization," said Philip Brunelle, VocalEssence Artistic Director and Founder. "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."
Executive Director Amy Jaine Wielunski emphasized the operational and strategic balance the new appointees bring to the organization’s executive leadership.
"These new board members bring a powerful mix of executive leadership, HR, marketing, philanthropy, and arts governance experience to VocalEssence," Wielunski stated. "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."
Strategic Future Outlook
As VocalEssence moves closer to its 60th anniversary horizon, the expanded 2026 Board of Directors will play an active role in steering strategic initiatives through the end of the decade. Immediate governance priorities for the new board will likely include:
Strategic Audience Growth: Leveraging corporate marketing frameworks and demographic outreach strategies to engage younger and more culturally diverse audience segments.
Philanthropic Diversification: Expanding donor experience frameworks and leveraging enterprise philanthropic strategies to cultivate major institutional endowment gifts.
Talent & Community Inclusion: Utilizing expert talent acquisition and HR models to ensure the organization’s staff, artists, and community choruses reflect the diversity of the broader Twin Cities metropolitan area.
Artistic & Community Programming Expansion: Supporting ongoing community outreach projects, youth education efforts, and regional touring programs.
With a board that bridges corporate acumen and community advocacy, VocalEssence enters its next phase of governance equipped to sustain its artistic mission while building a resilient, adaptable non-profit business model.
