Chicago Sinfonietta's Board of Directors names two long-serving supporters Lifetime Trustees, welcomes new member

Loretta Davenport, Sharon Hatchett, Patrick Young

Chicago, IL - As its 36th anniversary season draws to a close, Chicago Sinfonietta shares new developments in its Board of Directors. Announced by James Weidner, Board Chair, and WaveMaker 360 Partner, and Genhi Givings Bailey, Vice Chair and Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, Perkins Coie LLP, Chicago Sinfonietta celebrates two long-serving supporters who have held various positions over the decades, naming them Lifetime Trustees of the Board of Directors, and welcomes a new Board member.

In announcing that Loretta Davenport and Sharon Hatchett have been named Lifetime Trustees, Mr. Weidner said. "We are indebted to you both for your unparalleled dedication and unwavering support throughout the years, not only as Friends of Chicago Sinfonietta Presidents, but as champions of our organization through our robust volunteer associations. We are honored to have your continued participation on our Board, and believe that your continued involvement will greatly contribute to our ongoing success."

Stated Ms. Givings Bailey, "We are thankful for all the work these women have done for this organization over the decades. Both Loretta and Sharon have been invaluable to Chicago Sinfonietta - not only in their promotional efforts for the organization, their supporting efforts that forward our mission, and offering expertise as respected advisors, but in serving as passionate ambassadors for all that we do."

Continued Mr. Weidner, "We are also thrilled to welcome Patrick Young, Advisory Managing Director, KPMG, as a new Board member. As a fellow native South Side Chicagoan, Mr. Young is not only intimately familiar with a portion of our community, but as a trained musician himself, talks the language of music as well. Welcome to Chicago Sinfonietta and we look forward to your contributions!"

In accepting the appointment, Ms. Davenport said, "Chicago Sinfonietta stands for excellence; diversity, equity and inclusion; education; representation; collaboration; and relationships. Its work is innovative and forward leaning, as evidenced by its impact not only on our local communities but also by its worldwide reach through the musicians it launches into the orchestral world. I believe the organization will always be at the forefront in promoting the power and relevance of classical music."

Stated Ms. Hatchett, “My 14-year affiliation with Chicago Sinfonietta is a source of considerable pride. The Sinfonietta is important to me because of our active outreach in local communities and beyond, such as the Homecoming Program at the Atlanta HBCUs. Along with its innovative Pay What You Can program, attendance at Sinfonietta performances is accessible and more affordable - the successful ticketing program has been adopted by arts organizations across the country. Graduates of the Freeman Fellowship program have achieved outstanding placements with orchestras both in and outside the US. Through our success, Chicago Sinfonietta is uniquely positioned to add our voices to critical discussions related to the value of EDI&B in the classical music field. There is still much work to be done to grow the diversity of our field and I am honored to be a part of this important journey.”

"I admire and share Chicago Sinfonietta’s commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and the organization’s passion for the community,” said Mr. Young. “The Sinfonietta’s work, from providing opportunities and advocating for budding musicians, to fostering community through innovative and immersive symphonic experiences where all can share in the arts, is truly inspiring. Chicago Sinfonietta plays an indispensable role in classical music and the Chicagoland community, addressing needs that might otherwise go unmet. I'm thrilled to bring experience in business and passion to help the Chicago Sinfonietta achieve its strategic goals.”

Loretta Davenport is an attorney (retired). She formerly held positions as a prosecutor in the Office of the United States Attorney (Northern District of Illinois), and the Office of the Cook County State’s Attorney. She also served as an Administrative Law Officer for the City of Chicago, Department of Revenue. 

She received her Bachelor of Arts from Wellesley College and her Juris Doctor from Northwestern University School of Law.

A passionate supporter of the arts, Ms. Davenport has served on the Board of Directors of the Black Ensemble Theater and is currently a member of the Volunteer Council of the League of American Orchestras. She has volunteered with Chicago Sinfonietta for more than a decade, serving two terms as President of the Southside Friends group. As mom of a music student / conservatory graduate, she has been a longstanding supporter of the Merit School of Music and the Ravinia Festival. She has also served on The University of Chicago Women’s Board, and has volunteered with The Presbytery of Chicago.

She is the proud mother of three successful children, and grandmother of four.     

Sharon Hatchett is Principal of The Hatchett Group LLC. In addition, she currently serves on the League of American Orchestra's Board of Directors; as President of Together is Better Alliance, an organization committed to dismantling systemic racism through education, and as a Member of the Council of Legal Advisors for Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

A retired 28-year General Motors executive whose legal career included serving as Global Leader-Information Technology Legal Matters, and General Counsel, and Business Unit Counsel, Regional Counsel, for automotive, locomotive, and finance operations located in and outside the US, Ms. Hatchett has a long history of volunteerism. In addition to her current work with the League of American Orchestras, Ms. Hatchett previously served on the Volunteer Council of the League of American Orchestras, is a Past President of the Southside Friends of the Chicago Sinfonietta, Past Advisory Council Member, Simon Wiesenthal Center; Former Visiting Committee Member, University of Chicago Divinity School and former Board Member of the Detroit Institute of Arts, Friends of Modern & Contemporary Art.

Patrick Young brings a distinct mix of strategic foresight, grounded practicality, and innovative thinking to his role as Advisory Managing Director with KPMG, leveraging his talents in management, analytics, technology, and operational excellence to deliver unparalleled service to clients across diverse industries. He credits his strong academic foundation (a Bachelor of Arts in Finance from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and an M.B.A. from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business) and experience in the field for developing the invaluable skills and knowledge that allow him to offer a distinct mix of strategic foresight, grounded practicality, and innovative thinking in helping organizations achieve their financial transformational goals.

Born and raised on the South Side of Chicago, Mr. Young's varied interests nourish his broad perspective and creativity, enriching his problem-solving skills. An avid snowboarder and aspiring golfer, as well as a devoted husband and father to his delightful toddler daughter, Young also plays digital instruments in his free time, having transitioned from the alto saxophone he played through high school.

A patron of the arts, particularly music, in addition to serving on the Board of Chicago Sinfonietta, Mr. Young also volunteers with a number of organizations. Amongst these are the National Association of Black Accountants, Alzheimer's Association, Monster Education Foundation, and INROADS.

A tenured orchestra and acclaimed cultural leader that champions diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging by creating community through curated symphonic experiences, Chicago Sinfonietta (CS) is a source of community through music, as well as ensuring and inspiring a continued investment in diversity and inclusivity in the genre of classical music to promote fairness and equity. Recognized as groundbreaking, dynamic and daring, with core values built around being culturally responsive and advocates of inclusivity in all aspects of the 36-year-old organization’s work, Chicago Sinfonietta’s unrelenting commitment to being at the forefront of innovation drives its high standard of symphonic experiences. CS takes pride in leading by example with immersive audience engagement activities, impactful career development, education, and extensive community outreach programs.

Chicago Sinfonietta' has been called the nation's most diverse orchestra; its progressive board is equally diverse, not only in members' professional backgrounds, but in gender and cultural backgrounds. www.chicagosinfonietta.org