BOARD OF DIRECTORS

A woman with shoulder-length brown hair, wearing glasses and a beige sweater, smiling against a white background; headshot of Board Secretary Cynthia Weaver of Ann Arbor, Michigan
A man with short hair, wearing glasses, a light blue dress shirt, and a dark blazer, standing with arms crossed in front of a brick wall, smiling at the camera; headshot of Board Chair Chris DeRuyver
A portrait of a woman with shoulder-length dark hair, smiling, wearing a black sleeveless top and gold earrings, against a dark gray background; headshot of Board Treasurer Mi-Eun Kim

  • Chris brings extensive leadership and philanthropic experience to his role as Chair of the Board.

    Before joining our organization, he served as Chair of the Neutral Zone in Ann Arbor for seven years, where he successfully led a major capital campaign supporting youth creativity and engagement. A dedicated community leader and prominent philanthropist across Michigan, Chris is equally committed to excellence in his professional life. As a financial advisor with Affinity Wealth Solutions, he focuses on providing comprehensive, ethically grounded financial planning and exceptional client service. Deeply passionate about youth development and the transformative power of the arts, Chris values music education as an essential pathway for creativity, confidence, and community connection.

    Chris and his wife, Robyn, live in Dexter, Michigan, with their four children—Nate, Zach, Hadley, and Mila—and their dogs, Willow and Hazel.

  • Dr. Mi-Eun Kim is a pianist and educator whose performances have been praised for their “exquisite refinement” and “vast interpretative range” (The Boston Musical Intelligencer), She has appeared as a soloist with orchestras including the Boston Pops, Ann Arbor Symphony, and Kansas City Symphony, and has performed across the United States, Europe, and Asia.

    Deeply connected to Michigan’s musical community, Mi-Eun earned multiple degrees in Piano Performance and Chamber Music from the University of Michigan, where she continues to teach each summer as Head of Piano Collaboration for Center Stage Strings, a youth mentorship program that cultivates the next generation of string musicians.

    Mi-Eun is a Teaching Associate at Brown and also serves as Lecturer in Music and Director of Keyboard Studies at MIT, where she mentors student musicians and co-leads the grant-funded research project Biomechanics of Piano Playing, exploring how movement and technology inform musical expression. She is passionate about expanding access to high-quality arts education and advancing the role of creativity in lifelong learning.

  • Cynthia Weaver is a lifelong believer in the power of music education, and owes much of her personal development to participating in band, orchestra, and choir throughout her life. A proud Michigan alum, Cynthia holds a J.D. from the University of Michigan Law School.  She also holds a B.A. in Cognitive Science from Yale University, where she was an enthusiastic member of the Yale Glee Club. She brings to the board her deep commitment to ethical leadership, organizational integrity, and equitable access to opportunity.  

    She currently serves as Senior Legal Counsel for a private company, where she advises on litigation strategy, information management, and risk mitigation. She previously practiced law with Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP.

    In addition to her legal career, Cynthia is an active supporter of the local music community and a proud member of the UMS Choral Union—a reflection of her lifelong passion for music and the arts.  Most recently, she performed with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra as part of the chorus for Verdi’s Requiem.

STAFF

A woman with long, wavy blonde hair and fair skin is smiling, wearing a light-colored blazer over a white top, against a plain light blue background; headshot of Executive Director Audrey Kelley

  • Audrey draws on over two decades of experience in music education, teaching, arts administration, and arts advocacy.

    She has held leadership roles with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Bellingham Festival of Music, and Kerrytown Concert House, overseeing governance, capital campaigns, production, and artistic planning.

    Audrey’s belief in access and opportunity is deeply personal. When she was a student, a generous teacher offered her free private music lessons, inspiring her commitment to give back through music education.

    Alongside her administrative work, Audrey maintains an active creative life. Her compositions have been performed by the Jackson Symphony Orchestra, Lansing Symphony, Las Vegas Philharmonic, and more. She holds a master’s degree in music composition from Western Washington University and a Women’s Leadership Program certificate from the Yale School of Management.