Lyric Guild Board of Directors

The Guild Board of Directors was founded shortly after Lyric opened in 1954. Guild Board members serve as ambassadors for Lyric leveraging their networks to attract new audiences to opera and engage in a community of Chicago professionals and art lovers. The Guild Board raises nearly $1 million annually to benefit Lyric through personal and solicited gifts and special events.

For more information on the Guild Board, please contact the Guild Board Office at 312.827.5676 or [email protected].

The Guild Board is comprised of around 40 mid-career level professionals primarily living in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs. We are passionate about opera, socializing with one another, and growing Lyric's community of supporters. If you are interested in joining a mid-career level board supporting an iconic institution that enriches and inspires the community — the Guild Board is the way to make an impact, network, and lead.

Member benefits

• Fall and spring Mix and Mingle pre-performance receptions in the Lyric Opera House for Guild Board members and their guests.
• Opportunity to support and help plan in partnership with the Lyric Young Professional Board a new annual fundraising event around a springtime opera.
• Invitations to exclusive Lyric events as well as the annual holiday party and the annual meeting hosted by our president in the spring.
• Opportunities to volunteer with Lyric Unlimited at events like the annual springtime Explore Your Lyric.
• Access to our Patron’s Lounge for complimentary refreshments during performance intermissions (benefit is available to Guild Board members who make a minimum annual $1,000 contribution to Lyric).
• New: Access to our Graham Room dining room for intermission refreshments (benefit is available to Guild Board members who make a minimum annual $5,000 contribution to Lyric).

Fundraising

Since its inception, the Guild Board has played an important role in fundraising for Lyric Opera of Chicago, employing their networks to raise money for our productions on stage, as well as community programs.

In recent years, the Guild Board has acted as the sponsor for Russell Thomas, one of Lyric’s premier mainstage artists, as well as the sponsors for previous musical productions and special performances such as Lyric’s Sole e Amore and Verdi Voices concerts.

Volunteerism

The Guild Board not only fundraises for Lyric, but takes a hands-on role in supporting Lyric’s educational and civic programming. In collaboration with Lyric Unlimited (LU), the Guild Board has helped by providing volunteers for grassroots initiatives like LU’s Explore Your Lyric and the previously held, Family Day.

Committees

One of the many ways Guild Board Members participate in the advancement of the Board and of Lyric is through volunteering on a committee. While each committee collaborates closely with each other, they each have their own focus and objective, outlined below.

Engagement

The Engagement Committee plays an essential role in planning and executing the Guild Board’s seasonal events. From intimate pre-performance happy hours to large-scale fundraising celebrations, the Engagement Committee provides the vision and structure for every Guild Board engagement opportunity.

Fundraising

The Fundraising Committee helps advance the Guild Board’s annual fundraising initiatives, by liaising with Lyric staff and other Board Members to keep the group’s philanthropic endeavors on track throughout each Season.

Membership

The Membership Committee helps to amplify the Guild Board by playing an important role in the recruitment and onboarding of new members, while collaborating with Lyric staff to enrich current members’ experiences on the Board.

Last updated June 30, 2025

Guild Board Officers

President
Stephen Dunbar

VP of Engagement
Sarah Demet

VP of Fundraising
Robert Marjan

VP of Membership
Marne Smiley

Secretary
Cathy Wloch

Guild Board Members

Gene Andersen*
Joanna Arras
Barbara Bermudez*
Leslie Bertholdt
Patrick Bitterman*
Suzy Cobin
Bonnie Dannen*
Vindya Dayananda
Sarah Demet
Stephen Dunbar
Tim Farrell
Robert Finke*
Amanda Fox*
Jared Fritz-McCarty
Rob Gienko Jr.
Diana Guarin
Marian Klaus
Marc Lacher
Nataskia Lampe
Daria Lewicky
Bob Marjan
David Marshall
Martina Mead
Craig Milkint*
Britt Miller*
Randy Mitchell
John Nelson*
Alyssa Raine
Ilene Simmons
Tracy Singer
Marne Smiley
Joan Solbeck*
Jim Staples*
Liz Stiffel*
Oscar Tatosian
Cathy Wloch

* Sustaining Member

Photos: Jaclyn Simpson