MINNEAPOLIS–SAINT PAUL, MN — September 25, 2026 — In a landmark move designed to reinforce its governance framework and broaden its civic footprint, VocalEssence has officially announced the appointment of six new distinguished leaders to its Board of Directors. As the renowned choral arts organization marks its 58th year, this governance expansion brings a potent combination of corporate executive leadership, human resources expertise, commercial marketing, high-level philanthropy, and seasoned arts administration to one of the Upper Midwest’s most historic cultural institutions.
The newly appointed board members—Sooki Jalali, Harry Miller, Bunny Robinson, Carolyn Sleeth, Sunita Vongharath-Evenson, and Karen Voracek—join at a pivotal juncture in VocalEssence’s history. Tasked with serving as community ambassadors, overseeing key policy directives, and maintaining the financial stewardship of the 58-year-old non-profit organization, these six leaders reflect a deliberate strategic effort to align artistic excellence with modern organizational oversight and broad-based community engagement.
Executive Overview
Founded in 1968, VocalEssence has grown from a local choral ensemble into an internationally recognized champion of choral music, renowned for introducing rare and contemporary works, commissioning new compositions, and deploying robust educational programs across the Twin Cities metro area. However, maintaining financial sustainability and operational relevance in an evolving arts ecosystem requires continuous adaptation.
The addition of these six directors represents a holistic cross-section of Minnesota’s corporate, philanthropic, and civic ecosystems. From medical technology and retained executive search to non-profit consultancy, financial services, and small business development, the new cohort brings functional skill sets directly tailored to the modern governance demands of non-profit arts institutions.
By embedding senior leaders from diverse sectors into its highest governing body, VocalEssence seeks to expand its reach, bolster donor retention, and ensure its artistic mission continues to resonate across generational, socioeconomic, and cultural boundaries.
Official Statements and Strategic Vision
The appointments reflect a shared organizational objective: leveraging diverse leadership networks to deepen community connections while retaining the foundational artistic integrity established nearly six decades ago.
Philip Brunelle, Artistic Director and Founder of VocalEssence, emphasized the necessity of bringing fresh perspectives into the organization’s strategic fold:
“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 this enthusiasm, Amy Jaine Wielunski, Executive Director of VocalEssence, pointed to the functional competencies and personal alignments of the new board appointees:
“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.”
Detailed Chronology and Board Appointments
Each of the six newly appointed directors brings a unique career narrative and specialized competency matrix to VocalEssence’s governance model.
Sooki Jalali: Entrepreneurship, Economic Equity, and Multicultural Advocacy
Born in Seoul, South Korea, and relocating to Minnesota during her teenage years, Sooki Jalali has established a multifaceted career centered on business development, community health, and economic empowerment. A graduate of the University of Minnesota with a Bachelor of Science in Biology and Business, Jalali has founded three distinct 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 ethnic minority business owners scale operations and build sustainable corporate structures. Her background includes extensive involvement in regional philanthropic initiatives, having volunteered for organizations such as the Ebenezer Foundation, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Hunger Solutions, and the Alliance for a New Humanity. Recognized as a nominee for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Man and Woman of the Year fundraising campaign in 2017, Jalali brings to VocalEssence a strong background in equity-driven business scaling, cross-cultural outreach, and community engagement.
Harry Miller: Strategic Planning, Governance, and Small Business Mentorship
Harry Miller enters board service with more than four decades of experience driving organizational growth, strategic alignment, and business development across corporate and mission-driven sectors. A key figure within the regional non-profit ecosystem, Miller serves as an active volunteer and mentor with SCORE Twin Cities, guiding small business owners and social entrepreneurs through critical scaling and governance phases.
Miller’s leadership experience encompasses fundraising, development, volunteer management, and board governance. His appointment to the VocalEssence Board of Directors is expected to reinforce the organization’s strategic planning frameworks, financial development programs, and community partnership models.
Bunny Robinson: Human Resources, Executive Talent, and Arts Policy Governance
Bunny Robinson brings decades of experience in human resources, executive talent acquisition, and arts policy administration. Currently an executive consultant with career transition firm Navigate Forward, Robinson also serves as the principal consultant of Robinson-Robinson & Associates (RRA), a retained executive search firm specializing in presenting diverse, highly qualified candidate slates for corporate and management leadership.
Robinson’s governance credentials in the arts and public sectors are extensive. She previously served on the Minnesota State Arts Board, Arts Midwest, and the State Programs Panel for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) in Washington, D.C. Her regional non-profit service includes past 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.
A native of Chicago, 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 in St. Paul. She also serves as a contract mediator for the Minnesota Department of Education, providing VocalEssence with expertise in organizational psychology, talent strategy, and public policy navigation.
Carolyn Sleeth: Medtech Executive Leadership and Commercial Scale
Carolyn Sleeth joins the VocalEssence Board following a 20-year career in the medical technology and commercial leadership sectors. Most recently, Sleeth served as Senior Vice President and U.S. General Manager at Insulet, where she directed a 700-person commercial organization and maintained an annual revenue growth rate exceeding 20%.
Prior to her executive leadership at Insulet, Sleeth spent many years at Medtronic, managing commercial strategy, market development, and marketing within the vascular and cardiac disease divisions. Originally from California, 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 presence on the board brings corporate financial rigor, large-scale commercial strategy expertise, and deep ties to Minnesota’s corporate sector.
Sunita Vongharath-Evenson: Culture, HR Strategy, and Organizational Alignment
Sunita Vongharath-Evenson is an HR executive and non-profit advocate whose career focuses on organizational design, culture building, and leadership continuity within mission-driven organizations. Vongharath-Evenson has guided organizations through strategic restructurings, executive transitions, and internal culture enhancement initiatives.
Her appointment aligns with VocalEssence’s internal emphasis on talent retention, equitable workplace practices, and fostering positive institutional culture as the non-profit expands its regional programs.
Karen Voracek: Philanthropic Strategy, Donor Experience, and Educational Engagement
Karen Voracek brings over 30 years of cross-sector leadership spanning corporate strategy, marketing, customer experience, and philanthropic administration. Currently serving as Vice President of Donor Experience, Marketing & Strategy at Thrivent Charitable, Voracek leads enterprise-wide strategy, donor relations, product management, and service operations.
Before joining Thrivent Charitable, Voracek led business transformation and customer engagement strategies across the corporate sector for nearly three decades. In addition to her executive responsibilities, Voracek serves on the Board of Directors for the Sacred Ground Center for Spirituality. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations and German from Carroll University and an MBA from the University of St. Thomas. A lifelong musician who plays the clarinet and sings in her parish choir, Voracek offers VocalEssence an intersection of deep personal artistic engagement and professional philanthropic execution.
Supporting Context and Organizational Metrics
The appointment of these six board members underscores a broader trend within major American performing arts organizations: the integration of enterprise business practices, sophisticated marketing analytics, and structured fundraising frameworks to buffer against shifting donor demographics and economic fluctuations.
As a 58-year-old non-profit organization operating in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul metro region, VocalEssence manages a complex operational matrix that includes:
Multiple performing ensembles (including the VocalEssence Chorus and VocalEssence Ensemble Singers).
Educational and community engagement ventures, such as the ¡Cantaré! composer-in-residence program and WITNESS, which celebrates the contributions of Black creators to the American musical landscape.
Sustained operational funding models reliant on individual giving, corporate sponsorships, foundation grants, and public arts funding.
The governance model at VocalEssence tasks board members with specific fiduciary, strategic, and ambassadorial duties. Board members oversee annual operating budgets, direct endowment investment strategies, evaluate executive performance, and serve as corporate liaisons to ensure non-profit solvency. The cross-industry functional expertise represented by this new cohort directly targets key areas of operational sustainability:
Revenue Growth & Enterprise Scaling: Supported by the corporate track records of Sleeth and Jalali.
Talent Acquisition & Board Governance: Managed via the high-level search and public policy experience of Robinson and Vongharath-Evenson.
Donor Management & Strategic Philanthropy: Guided by Voracek’s executive work at Thrivent Charitable and Miller’s extensive involvement with SCORE Twin Cities.
Future Outlook and Strategic Imperatives
As VocalEssence advances into the late 2020s, the organization faces both opportunities and challenges typical of legacy arts institutions in North America. These include cultivating younger audience cohorts, navigating changing corporate sponsorship priorities, and expanding access to educational programming across suburban and rural communities beyond the immediate Twin Cities core.
The introduction of Jalali, Miller, Robinson, Sleeth, Vongharath-Evenson, and Voracek signals a proactive governance strategy designed to ensure long-term resilience. By pairing Artistic Director Philip Brunelle’s musical vision with Executive Director Amy Jaine Wielunski’s administrative leadership, the expanded Board of Directors positions VocalEssence to build on its half-century legacy.
Moving forward, stakeholders can expect the new board members to contribute directly to strategic planning sessions, donor outreach campaigns, and regional advocacy efforts aimed at cementing VocalEssence’s role as a key contributor to the cultural and civic life of Minnesota and the broader choral arts landscape.
