Palm Beach Opera Welcomes New Members to Growing Board of Directors

Palm Beach Opera Chairman David Genser and General & Artistic Director David Walker have announced the addition of several distinguished individuals to its esteemed board of directors as the company prepares for its 2024 Season.

“We are thrilled to welcome several accomplished and passionate professionals to our growing board of directors,” said Genser. “Our members bring decades of experience and expertise across various industries to the team, further enhancing the organization's sustainability, leadership and growth.”

Steve Acunto, chairman of CINN Global and Beacon International Holdings, joins the board with over four decades of experience building successful companies in finance. Acunto has also served on the boards at several colleges and universities nationwide, including John Cabot University of Rome, Consular Cops College in Washington, and College of Mount Saint Vincent in New York.

Dr. Robert Desnick specializes in genetics and has spearheaded research that has led to significant discoveries in the field, including five FDA-approved drugs. Desnick also served as chair of the Association of American Medical Colleges, is a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics, and is an elected member of the National Academy of Medicine and the National Academy of Inventors.

Robert Iommazzo, co-founder of SEBA Executive Search and leader of ZRG Partners' Global Enterprise Risk & Analytics Practice, brings over twenty years of executive recruiting experience to the board. A former board member at the Metropolitan Opera, Iomazzo also serves as board chairman at the New York organization A Chance in Life.

Paulette Koch, recognized as one of the top real estate agents in the nation by the Wall Street Journal, has served on the boards of several Palm Beach County organizations, including the United Way of Palm Beach, the Community Foundation for Palm Beach and Martin Counties, and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Koch serves as co-chair on Palm Beach Opera's facilities committee.

An alumna of Harvard Law School and Princeton University, Jacqueline C. McCabe has a multifaceted career that includes serving on the boards of many prestigious organizations, including the American School of Classical Studies at Athens, the Boston Book Festival, and Boston's Museum of Fine Arts. McCabe has also chaired fundraising events for the Hellenic Women's Organization and the Boston Friends of the Public Garden.

Anne Sternlicht, managing director and banker at J.P. Morgan Private Bank, brings nearly 40 years of wealth management experience to the board. Sternlicht is a longstanding member of the finance committee at the Frenchman's Creek Beach & Country Club in Palm Beach Gardens, and is the current treasurer of the Mind, Music, and Movement Foundation in Jupiter.

“Our newest members join Palm Beach Opera's board with a shared passion for the arts and a commitment to nurturing Palm Beach County's vibrant cultural landscape,” said Walker. “Their diverse backgrounds and leadership skills bolster PBO's ability to continue its important work of providing world-class opera, impactful artist training, and meaningful education and community engagement in South Florida.”