America’s Violinist™, Jenny Oaks Baker, is a Grammy nominated, Billboard No. 1 performer and recording artist. She received her Master of Music degree from The Juilliard School and her Bachelor’s degree from The Curtis Institute of Music. Jenny has performed as a soloist at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, The Library of Congress, and as a guest soloist with The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square, and the Jerusalem, Pittsburgh, Utah, and National Symphonies. Jenny has released twenty albums, which have sold over a million copies and consistently chart on Billboard. Music from her Grammy nominated album, Wish Upon a Star is featured at Disney World and Disneyland to introduce the nightly fireworks show. Jenny recently founded SoulFill Music Foundation to enable her inspiring productions, educational initiatives and musical diplomacy endeavors to reach wider audiences and bring more communities together. Jenny, her husband, Matthew, and their four children (musical group Family Four) are from Salt Lake City, Utah.

Brenda Barnes is CEO of Classical KING FM, bringing over three-and-a-half decades of experience in public radio and classical music programming. She earned her music degree from the University of North Carolina where she played the clarinet, followed by a Master of Music at Michigan State and a master’s in music history at the University of Notre Dame. She later earned a PhD at USC in Planning and Development Studies. Throughout her distinguished career, Brenda has become an expert in station turnarounds, leading classical music stations across the country including positions in Fort Dodge, Iowa; Harrisonburg, Virginia; Cincinnati; and the University of Southern California radio network where she oversaw six stations. She previously served on the NPR board, bringing national leadership to public broadcasting. In 2018, Brenda came to Seattle to lead KING FM. Beyond her work at the station, she is active in the community as a member of the Community Development Roundtable and the International Women’s Forum, championing innovation and commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

At the young age of 24, Gregg Field began touring with Count Basie from 1980 through 1982, then toured with Ella Fitzgerald from 1985 through 1986 and Frank Sinatra from 1991 through 1995. He can be heard on Sinatra’s historic, multi-platinum Duets and Duets II recordings. Gregg has performed with numerous symphonies worldwide including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, Boston, Nashville, Seattle and the National Symphony in Washington D.C. Gregg has appeared on 21 Grammy-nominated recordings, three of which have received the coveted Grammy. His recent work includes collaborations with Natalie Cole, George Benson, Al Jarreau, Barbra Streisand, Carole King, and Vince Gill. As a producer, Gregg’s credits include the PBS Great Performance special “We Love Ella,” Ray Charles’ Ray Sings, Basie Swings, and George Benson and Al Jarreau’s double-Grammy award-winning Givin’ It Up. Gregg is a partner at Concord Music Group and has served on the USC School of Music Board of Directors and as faculty at the University of Southern California since 1983.

Amelia Powers Gardner is a Utah County Commissioner with over 15 years of experience in the private sector working in engineering, manufacturing, and business development. She is a community leader, business consultant, disruptive technology advocate, government innovation leader, and mentor for career women. Amelia serves on the Utah Digital Innovation and Blockchain Task Force, the State Growth Task Force, and on boards for several companies and nonprofits. Prior to being elected as County Commissioner, Amelia served as the Utah County Clerk/Auditor, where she championed innovation and efficiency in government. Under Amelia’s leadership, Utah County launched the first ever completely online marriage license system utilizing blockchain to create the first Verifiable Digital Credential offered in the state of Utah, became the first jurisdiction in the United States allowing people with disabilities to vote using blockchain technology, and implemented paperless finance processes earning her a GovTech top 25 Doers, Dreamers, and Drivers for 2020. Amelia earned a BS from Weber State University and worked for Caterpillar before returning home to Utah County. Amelia and her husband Tobin live in Lehi, Utah and have 6 children.

Alan E. Hall is the founder, chairman and CEO of Blue Sky Energy Corporation, a global provider of environmentally friendly products for industry. He is also the founder and former CEO of MarketStar Corporation, a global marketing and sales company established in 1988 with several thousand employees focused on assisting high technology companies. He is a co-founder and former managing director of Mercato Partners, a top decile growth equity venture capital fund, and a prolific angel investor with numerous personal investments. Hall is both an Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year and Mountain West Capital Network Entrepreneur of the Year award recipient. He is a frequent speaker, author of three e-books on entrepreneurship and a columnist for Forbes. Hall and his wife Jeanne are the chairman and president of the Alan and Jeannie Hall Foundation and major contributors to Weber State University. He is the past chairman of Ogden Pioneer Days, past chairman of the Utah Technology Council, and has served as a board member of the Utah System of Higher Education. The Halls have six married children, twenty-two grandchildren and five great grandchildren.

Alecia Lawyer is the Founder, Artistic Director, and Principal Oboist of ROCO, a professional music ensemble that flexes from 1 to 40 musicians from around the US and Canada. Named by Musical America as one of classical music’s Top 30 Influencers for 2015 and a Lorée oboe artist in 2019, the Texas native has led ROCO in commissioning and world premiering over 110 works by living composers. The group performs dozens of concerts annually in multiple venues throughout Houston, all of which are broadcast nationally and live streamed worldwide. Known as “The Most Fun You Can Have with Serious Music!” ROCO has been called a trailblazer and arts disrupter, leading the sector in innovation. Calling her business model “Wildcatting in the Arts”, Ms. Lawyer was named a finalist for Texas Musician of the Year and listed as one of Houston’s Top 50 Most Influential Women. After receiving her Masters from Juilliard and Bachelors from SMU, both in oboe, Alecia’s career has ranged from recording for John Cage and soloing with Rostropovich to a contemporary chamber music recital at Carnegie Hall.

Greg Mauro is a Board Member of Bridge International Academies, which has delivered life-changing education to over 250,000 children across Africa and Asia. He is Founder and managing partner of Learn Capital, which has the largest portfolio of ed-tech investments in the world. Previously he managed a US Treasury backed New Markets fund focused on education facilities for high performing high schools and served on the foundation board for High Tech High for eight years. Greg has co-founded four venture backed startups used by millions across the education, wireless, and media sectors. Most recently Greg was a co-founder at Edmodo, used by over 80 million teachers and students worldwide. Greg is also co-founder of Nextivity, SmartDrive, and Tachyon, which collectively received $350 million in venture capital. He started his career as a strategy consultant for Monitor Group and is a graduate of UCLA’s College of Honors. An avid skier and surfer, Greg has visited over 100 countries. Greg is Chairman and Co-Owner of Powder Mountain, the largest ski area in the United States, and is also Chairman of the Summit Institute.

Jana Monson received her Bachelors of Arts from Brigham Young University in Dance Education and Psychology. She started “Creative Arts Academy” in 2004, an arts academy where emerging artists could study all genres of dance, as well as musical theater and the visual arts. Her studio grew to be one of the largest dance studios in the state of Utah earning numerous local and national recognitions. Creative Arts Academy was honored to be chosen among the Top 5 Best Studios at Nationals at The Dance Awards. Jana was featured on the cover of the national magazine “Dance Teacher” and also featured in articles in Dance Magazine. Her students were accepted into prestigious dance programs throughout the United States. Jana also renovated the first movie theater in Bountiful into “The Grand Ballroom,” a thriving wedding and event venue on Bountiful’s Main Street. She is excited to be involved in the Eden Festival and the opportunities for the arts in Utah and beyond.

Emily Ravlich is an American fashion designer, philanthropist, and entrepreneur. She currently owns and operates a technology-focused executive search firm and a vertically integrated textile manufacturing company with her own fashion label, blending innovation with heritage craftsmanship. Her design philosophy celebrates American manufacturing and sustainable production, creating garments that honor traditional techniques while embracing modern technology. Raised on her family’s Upstate New York farm, she cultivated a robust work ethic and deep appreciation for provenance before graduating from Cornell University with her Bachelor’s of Science degree. Her rural upbringing instilled values of self-reliance and respect for the land that continue to influence her business practices and creative vision. Through her philanthropic initiatives, Emily advocates for educational opportunities in textile arts and entrepreneurship, ensuring traditional crafts and innovative practices thrive for future generations.

Ivan Ravlich is a Stanford alumnus, scientist and engineer whose interdisciplinary expertise spans chemical engineering, materials science, aeronautics, and astronautics, underpinned by a rigorous physics foundation and his deep passion for theoretical physics. He has conducted extensive research in rocketry, high-performance computing, blockchain and AI pipelines, contributing to cutting-edge developments across multiple technological frontiers. Currently, he consults for startups in AI infrastructure, blockchain, and aerospace, while serving as fractional CTO for a quantum energy storage firm where he applies his diverse scientific knowledge to revolutionary energy solutions. His work bridges theoretical concepts with practical applications, driving innovation in emerging technologies. Ivan is the recipient of the prestigious Stanford Nicholas J. Hoff Award, Forbes 30 under 30, and Auckland’s 40 under 40, recognizing his exceptional contributions to science and technology. A lifelong lover of the arts, Ivan also plays the French horn and enjoys traveling and ballroom dancing, embodying the intersection of scientific rigor and creative expression that defines Renaissance thinking in the modern age.

Dr. Richard Swart is an author, former academic, family office advisor, and consultant. He has worked with institutions including the World Bank, UC Berkeley, Cambridge University, the United Nations, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. As an academic, Richard was a recognized authority on FinTech and alternative finance. His research explored the intersection of technological change, access to finance, investment capital, and social impact. He led a research program on innovation in crowdfunding and platform-based finance at the Institute for Business and Social Impact at the University of California, Berkeley’s Haas School of Business, and served as Director of the Center for Emerging Technologies within the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation-funded Institute for Money, Technology and Financial Inclusion at the University of California, Irvine. Richard left academia to focus on mobilizing capital for social impact – a journey that has taken him across Africa, the Middle East, and Europe, collaborating with governments, foundations, and family offices. He remains a proud tech nerd, passionate about AI, and advises several technology companies. His greatest passions are advancing climate, mental health, and education causes – when he’s not playing with his kids or hiking.

Simon Woods brings four decades of experience in the classical music world to his leadership role as President and CEO of the League of American Orchestras. With a deep music background and a commitment to the inspirational role arts organizations play in community and public life, Woods is known as a highly trusted mentor and advisor to orchestras and those who work within them. For more than twenty years he has contributed to the League of American Orchestras’ professional development programs, including acting as Director of the League’s signature immersive leadership program, Essentials of Orchestra Management. Prior to joining the League in 2020, Woods served as CEO of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, President and CEO of the Seattle Symphony, and Chief Executive of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. Earlier positions included President and CEO of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra and leadership roles at The Philadelphia Orchestra. From the late 1980s to the late 1990s, Woods worked as a record producer at EMI Classics in London, producing recordings at Abbey Road Studios with many of the world’s foremost classical artists and orchestras. Born in London, England, Woods earned a degree in music from Cambridge University and a diploma in conducting from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.