Music for Minors: Our Board Members

Mary Powell (President) of Los Altos has a BA in Philosophy from Bryn Mawr College and an MBA in Finance from the Wharton School. She worked in the computer software industry for 17 years. She was a Music For Minors docent at Santa Rita School for four years, and is an active docent and board member for the Los Altos Art Docents. Mary joined the Board in 2007.

Chris McKinney (Vice President) is a former Music For Minors Docent (1979–1986 at Santa Rita Elementary in Los Altos). She has extensive teaching experience, including elementary schools in both Los Altos and Mountain View, as well as eighth grade English. Currently she is retired and spends her time volunteering in a literacy program for at-risk middle and high school students, as well as with MFM. Chris joined the Board in 2010.

W. Earl Hall (Secretary) holds a BSME from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, a MSME from Southern Methodist University and a PhD in Control Systems Engineering from Stanford University. He currently serves as a consultant to Global 500 companies. Since 2001, he has served on the Board of the Hosei University Research Institute of California and has also been a special education consultant for children (K-12) for a Michigan-based research project. Earl joined the Board in 2007.

Jack Tuttle (Treasurer) of Los Altos has a BS in Business from Salem College and an MBA from American University, Kogod School of Business. He has over 30 years experience in the health care and information technology industries and is currently VP of Business Development for Galen Technologies, a drug development and testing start-up company. JacK joined the Board in 2010.

Sharon Barkoff of Los Altos Hills is currently a teacher in the Los Altos School District. She has a BA in Anthropology and a Lifetime Teaching Credential from San Francisco State University. She directs children's musicals and choruses, volunteers at the Ronald McDonald House, and sings with a local choir. Sharon joined the Board in 2004.

Gunilla Follet of Los Altos was educated at the Southern Methodist University in Texas and is an event planner by occupation. She was a founding member of Music For Minors. She also sits on the boards of the Vintage Affaire and the YMCA and is a sustaining member of Junior League of Palo Alto. Gunilla joined the Board in 2005.

William A. Hockett, Jr. of Los Altos has a BA in Natural Sciences from Washington & Lee University and an MBA from Wharton School of Finance and Commerce. In 1986, Bill established Hockett Associates, Inc., a senior management search firm. Bill is Manager and bassist for The Jazz ConneXion, a SF Peninsula-based jazz trio/quartet/larger and former Board President for the Wharton Graduate Alumni Association. Bill joined the Board in 2007.

Grace Johnston of Los Altos has a BA in Psychology and a BS in Elementary Education with a minor in Music from the University of Missouri. As a founder of MFM, she was Executive Director for 4 years. She was also founder of People of Note and served as its first president. She taught music in the Mountain View School District for 14 years. She has been a core Kodaly method instructor for MFM docents for over 16 years. Grace joined the Board in 1995.

Mark Levi retired in 2005 as Sr. Vice President, Marketing for Zarlink Semiconductor in Ottawa, Canada. Previously, he spent 29 years with National Semiconductor in a variety of positions, including VP Marketing for the Analog Division. Mark has a BSEE from Purdue University and has done graduate work at USC and Stanford. After retirement he has consulted with a number of semiconductor companies in the marketing and communications areas. Mark joined the board in 2009.

Kirby Miller is a former Music For Minors Docent and a current MFM Roving Docent. He has a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, specializing in acoustics. He is an active participant and former President of Schola Cantorum, and currently plays trombone with The Rythmaires, a Senior Dixieland Band based in Cupertino. Kirby joined the Board in 2007.

John Sylvester has a BA from the University of the Pacific. He is the president of SST Insurance Brokers, Inc. in Los Altos. He is a member of the Rotary Club of Los Altos and has been a board member of Bus Barn Stage Company for many years. He is a jazz musician by avocation, and plays regularly in the area with The Jazz ConneXion. John joined the Board in 2007.

Aaron Victorino of San Francisco is in the Transaction Service practice of PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP. He has 10 years of experience in public accounting, auditing and capital market transactions of large multi-national companies in Silicon Valley, Europe and Asia.  He is a CPA in California and a member of the AICPA.  Aaron joined the Board in 2009.

Rachel Wagner of Los Altos has a BA in Mathematics from Mt. Holyoke College. She served on the Board during its first years and was an active docent for 6 years. She has worked as an Administrative Assistant for the Palo Alto Chamber of Commerce and most recently for the Perham Foundation - Electronics Museum. Rachel joined the Board in 2002.