Gateways Music Festival in association with Eastman School of Music, at the University of Rochester, has appointed Jaye Lopez Van Soest to the organization’s new position of Vice President & Chief Development Officer. With her appointment, Ms. Lopez Van Soest becomes Gateways’ first full-time fundraising professional. She will be responsible for the festival’s individual and institutional fundraising programs.
Lee Koonce, Gateways’ President & Artistic Director, said, “We are thrilled to welcome Jaye to the Gateways family. She brings a wealth of experience and has a demonstrated commitment to supporting and bringing underrepresented communities to the forefront.”
Gateways Board Chair, Kearstin Piper Brown said, “Jaye is a wonderful addition to the Gateways team. While we have been very successful in our fundraising efforts because of the extraordinary generosity of our donors and supporters, we recognize that we have to do even more to fully achieve our vision for the future. Jaye’s leadership is right on time!”
Douglas Phillips, chair of the Gateways Board of Directors’ Development Committee, commented on the importance of fundraising for the festival’s future growth. “Gateways Music Festival’s annual budget has doubled in just a few years commensurate with the recent expansion of our programming,” said Phillips, who is also the University of Rochester’s Senior Vice President and Chief Investment Officer. He continued, “A significant portion of that comes from our fundraising efforts. We are looking forward to Jaye’s leadership as we strengthen our fundraising in all areas, in particular individual giving, so that we can support even more musicians and audiences.”
A certified fundraising professional executive, Ms. Lopez Van Soest was Senior Director of Development with Fair Food Network based in Ann Arbor, Michigan prior to her Gateways appointment. She has held leadership positions at the American Foundation for the Blind and the University of the District of Columbia (UDC) David A. Clarke School of Law. Ms. Lopez Van Soest is a Los Angeles native and a graduate of the University of Southern California. Her complete bio appears below.
Ms. Lopez Van Soest officially joined Gateways Music Festival on January 23, 2023.
Media Only:
Dolores Orman, Gateways Music Festival, 585-271-5185, dolores.orman@gmail.com
Jessica Kaufman, Eastman School of Music, 585-274-1057, jkaufman@esm.rochester.edu
Original source can be found here.
