Music Institute Appoints Shalisa Kline Ugaz President & CEO

The Music Institute of Chicago, which aims to lead people to a lifelong engagement with music, announces Shalisa Kline Ugaz as its next President and CEO, effective July 7, 2025.
 
Ugaz, who lives in Highland Park, Illinois, will be responsible for strengthening the Music Institute's financial foundation, increasing its endowment, expanding its footprint across the Chicago metropolitan region, raising its profile among Chicago's business and civic institutions, and extending and innovating its community engagements, all while maintaining the current high quality of its extensive and varied music instruction. Members of the Music Institute Board of Trustees engaged a national search firm to identify a visionary leader aligned with the Music Institute's mission. 
 
“At this pivotal moment in music education, I am deeply honored to lead a community where innovation, excellence, and accessibility converge,” Ugaz said. “The Music Institute of Chicago has, for nearly 95 years, built an incredible faculty, staff, and board who are passionate advocates for the arts and believe wholeheartedly in the power of music education to shape lives and create pathways for lifelong learning. I look forward to the journey ahead to support unparalleled teaching, performance opportunities, and accessible programming throughout the greater Chicago community.”
 
Ugaz is a nationally respected arts executive and accomplished violinist with more than 20 years of leadership experience in music education and nonprofit management. Most recently, she was executive vice president of learning systems of the Royal Conservatory of Music, while also serving as president of RCM America, the RCM extension in the U.S., overseeing a $21 million revenue-generating portfolio and leading teams across North America. She launched RCM's first fully digital early childhood program, secured major corporate and philanthropic partnerships, and expanded the organization's global reach.
 
Previously, as executive vice president of the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music, she led a $10 million capital campaign, reversed financial deficits, and grew community engagement tenfold, from 1,500 to more than 16,000 individuals annually. Her earlier leadership roles at Merit School of Music and Third Street Music School Settlement included managing multimillion-dollar budgets, growing earned and contributed revenue, and expanding access to music education for under-resourced communities. She holds an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management.
 
“Shalisa brings a consistent track record of strategic innovation, operational excellence, and a deep commitment to access and inclusion in the arts,” said Music Institute Board Chair Scott Verschoor. Noting that Ugaz taught at the Music Institute 20 years ago, he continued, “While Shalisa's professional credentials are exceptional, her connection to our community makes this appointment especially meaningful. As we approach our 100th anniversary, we welcome Shalisa back to the Music Institute to lead us into a new chapter with clarity, creativity, and purpose.”
 
The Music Institute of Chicago leads people toward a lifelong engagement with music through unparalleled teaching, exceptional performances, and valuable service initiatives that educate, inspire, and build strong, healthy communities. Since its founding in 1931, the Music Institute's commitment to innovation, access, and excellence has served as an important community resource and helps to ensure music is available to everyone. Each year, the Music Institute provides personalized music instruction to more than 1,500 students, regardless of age, level of experience, or financial means, across Community Music School locations in Chicago, Downers Grove, Evanston, Lake Bluff, Lake Forest, Wheaton, and Winnetka, as well as online. In addition, the Music Institute brings music education, masterclasses and sectionals for local K–12 ensembles, professional development, and music performance and engagement opportunities to thousands in the Chicago area; offers scholarship opportunities to students in its Community School and its Academy, a nationally recognized training center for highly gifted pre-college pianists and string players; and welcomes more than 15,000 visitors annually for performances, master classes, and special events at Nichols Concert Hall. 

The Music Institute of Chicago is grateful for the support of these annual institutional supporters: Paul M. Angell Family Foundation, Edwardson Family Foundation, John and Pauline Fife, John R. Halligan Charitable Fund, Horejsi Charitable Foundation, ITW, The Julian Family Foundation, The Kiphart Family Foundation, William Harris Lee & Co., The Negaunee Foundation, Alexandra C. and John D. Nichols Family Foundation, Northern Trust, Sargent Family Foundation, Shure, and The Wallace Foundation. The Music Institute also acknowledges the generous support of Cook County Arts; the Evanston Arts Council, a city agency supported by the City of Evanston; the Farny R. Wurlitzer Fund from the DeKalb County Community Foundation; the Highland Park Community Foundation; the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency; and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.

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