Women's Opera Network
OPERA America’s Women’s Opera Network (WON) is an action group of opera professionals from all sectors of the field dedicated to advancing gender equity in the industry.
Women represent more than half of the national population, yet the percentage of women in leadership roles within the field of opera is comparatively small. Founded in 2015, the Women’s Opera Network works to:
- Increase awareness of and discussion about gender parity in the field.
- Create action plans to promote the advancement of talented women.
- Become a source of support for emerging female professionals.
Get Involved
Participation in the Women’s Opera Network is open to anyone affiliated with the opera industry and supportive of the Network’s goals. You can get involved by requesting to join the Facebook group or listserv.
WON Facebook Group WON Listserv
For additional information, contact us at Membership@operaamerica.org or 646.699.5248.
Upcoming Events:
OPERA America Programs
Pairing the field’s most promising female professionals with opera leaders to support their career goals.
Discovery Grants provide support for the development of new operas by women directly to individual composers who identify as women, advancing the...
Supports the development of new operas by women, advancing the important objective of increasing diversity across the field.
Women's Opera Network Steering Committee
Stacy Brightman
Executive Director, The Ebell of Los Angeles
Veronica Chapman-Smith
Vice President of Community Initiatives, Opera Philadelphia
Christine Goerke
Associate Artistic Director, Detroit Opera
Pipers Gunnarson
General Director and CEO, Lyric Opera of Kansas City
Cheryl Hickman, Co-Chair
General and Artistic Director, Opera on the Avalon
Shawn Marie Jeffrey
Vice President | Classical & Creatives, UIA Talent
Kristine McIntyre
Stage Director
Katie Preissner
Managing Director, Artistic & Production, Opera San Jose
Deborah Sandler Kemper, Founding Chair and Special Advisor
General Director and CEO, Lyric Opera of Kansas City
Diana Solomon-Glover
Composer/Librettist
Krysty Swann
Mezzo Soprano
Past Steering Committee Members
Alejandra Valarino Boyer
Director, Ravinia Steans Music Institute
Clare Burovac
General Director, New Orleans Opera
Annie Burridge
General Director, Austin Opera
Ana De Archuleta
Director of Artistic Operations, National Sawdust; President and Founder, A.D.A. Artist Management
Carol E. Domina
Trustee, Opera Omaha
Managing Director, Metropolitan Opera
Peggy Kriha Dye
General Director and CEO, Virginia Opera
Nicole Ambos Freber, Co-Chair
Managing Director of Advancement, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis
Jessica Jahn
Costume Designer
Barbara Lynne Jamison
General Director, Kentucky Opera
Ashley Magnus
General Director, Chicago Opera Theater
Karen Quisenberry
Vice President, Production, Minnesota Opera
Deborah Sandler Kemper, Founding Chair and Special Advisor
General Director and CEO, Lyric Opera of Kansas City
Jeri Sedlar
National Opera Center Facilities Board, OPERA America
Karen Slack, Co-Chair
Soprano; Artistic Advisor, Portland Opera
Kathryn Smith
General Director, Madison Opera
Francesca Zambello, Advisor
Artistic Director, Washington National Opera; Artistic and General Director, The Glimmerglass Festival
