Staff Expansion at LA Chamber Orchestra Includes Promotions and Appointments

Lacey Huszcza and Kate Kammeyer, two Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra (LACO) senior staff members, have been promoted to key new positions, further expanding and strengthening the Orchestra’s leadership structure, according to LACO Executive Director Scott Harrison.  Huszcza was named Associate Executive Director, and Kammeyer was promoted to General Manager.  New to LACO’s staff is Julia Paras, appointed Director of Advancement and Leadership Giving.  Assuming growing roles in new full-time posts are previously part-time LACO employees Marika Suzuki, who has become a full-time Marketing Assistant, and Alana Miles, who takes on a full-time role as Marketing & Events Assistant.

“Lacey and Kate both display creative, resourceful and persistent characteristics daily in all aspects of their work, consistently helping the organization meet and exceed its goals," says Harrison.  "For 12 years, Lacey has filled nearly every role in this organization, and she will make an excellent Associate Executive Director, bringing a breadth of experience and natural leadership style to her new position.  Kate has had a meaningful impact on the scope and efficiency of our artistic programming and operations since day one.  As General Manager, she’ll play an invaluable role in helping LACO reach new heights of artistic and community service.  It is gratifying to recognize them with these promotions.  We also welcome Julia Paras to LACO’s talented staff and congratulate Marika Suzuki and Alana Miles on their new full-time positions in recognition of their significant contributions during their tenures with the Orchestra.”

Huszcza most recently served as Senior Director of Advancement and Strategic Engagement.  In her newly expanded role as Associate Executive Director, she oversees the Orchestra’s day-to-day operations; provides vision, leadership and direction for all LACO fundraising, marketing and human capital needs and helps chart LACO’s growth and strategic response to an ever-increasing need to build patron relationships and a more visible community presence.  Since joining LACO 12 years ago, she has held a series of successively elevated roles, each time exceeding expectations.  She has overseen several extraordinary projects, including Lift Every Voice, the Orchestra’s 2017 three-week exploration of the power of music to encourage compassion and promote peace amidst a politically volatile period in American history; Play Me I’m Yours, the high-profile community project in which LACO placed 30 decorated pianos around LA for the public to play; LACO’s successful Campus to Concert Hall initiative for college students; and several pioneering social media projects.  Deeply engaged in the community, Huszcza served as President of the Board of Directors for MBA Women Los Angeles from 2012-2016, and in March 2015 was appointed to the Board of Directors of the Association of California Symphony Orchestras.  She holds two B.A. degrees in Music and Communications from the University of Colorado and an MBA with emphasis in Entrepreneurship from Pepperdine University. 

In her new role as General Manager, Kammeyer, who most recently served as Orchestra Manager and Director of Community Programs, will play a more comprehensive role in LACO’s full scope of programming and operational activities, increasing and improving organizational communication and planning to allow LACO to successfully design and execute a growing number of complex and impactful mission-related activities.  She will continue to build a positive and engaging workplace environment for LACO’s musicians and further represent LACO in conversations and negotiations with a variety of partner organizations.  Kammeyer joined LACO in October 2016 after working at The Philadelphia Orchestra as Orchestra Manager.  She holds an A.D. from SUNY Purchase, a M.M. from the Hartt School and a B.M. from the University of Iowa, all in Oboe Performance.  She was one of only twelve orchestra professionals selected to participate in the League of American Orchestras’ Emerging Leaders Program in 2017.

Paras, Director of Advancement and Leadership Giving, spearheads LACO’s fundraising efforts.  She comes to LACO with over a decade of progressive fundraising experience in the Southern California cultural community at such institutions as the Petersen Automotive Museum and the Los Angeles Philharmonic.  She most recently served as director of development at the Broad Stage, where she honed her donor-centric philosophy and disciplined approach to fund development.  She holds a B.A. from the University of Iowa. 

Suzuki, Marketing Assistant, will work with LACO’s marketing team on design, digital campaigns and sales tactics.  She will also help run the multi-organization Chamber Music Collective, a strategic consortium of eight acclaimed Los Angeles ensembles that are working together to share and develop audiences and elevate the breadth of their presentations throughout Los Angeles.  

Miles, Marketing & Events Assistant, continues her work with the Marketing & Advancement team, taking on more advancement duties.  In the short term, she will have an integral role in assisting with LACO’s Golden Gala on April 14, 2018, celebrating the Orchestra’s 50^th anniversary and on track to be the most successful gala in LACO’s history.

Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra (LACO), ranked among the world’s top musical ensembles, marks its 50th anniversary in the 2017-18 season.  Beloved by audiences and praised by critics, the Orchestra is known as a preeminent interpreter of historical masterworks as well as a champion of contemporary composers.  Headquartered in the heart of the country's cultural capital, LACO has been proclaimed “America’s finest chamber orchestra” (Public Radio International), “LA’s most unintimidating chamber music experience” (Los Angeles Magazine), “resplendent” (Los Angeles Times), and “one of the world's great chamber orchestras"(KUSC Classical FM).  LACO, which performs throughout greater Los Angeles, has garnered eight ASCAP Awards for Adventurous Programming. 

For more information on Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra visit www.laco.org.