Malikha Mayes is a versatile soprano and arts administrator who utilizes her passion for the arts to encourage cultural representation behind the scenes, on the stage, and in the audience of opera productions. Based in Dallas-Fort Worth, Malikha currently serves as the Development Database and Membership Manager at The Dallas Opera. As a member of The Dallas Opera’s Equity Cohort, she leads, facilitates, and coordinates discussions and practices surrounding equity and belonging in the development department and beyond. Embracing her dedicated artistry, Malikha holds a MM in Vocal Performance from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and a BM in Vocal Performance from Texas Tech University. With an equal passion for performance and administration, Malikha plans to be at the forefront of holistic equitable change in opera.

Mitra Sadeghpour, DM Indiana University, is an education consultant and arts administrator with a 20-year career in higher education, teaching voice and opera at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire as a Maxwell Schoenfeld Distinguished Professor, the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, St. Olaf College, and Luther College. Ms. Sadeghpour was Education Director at Minnesota Opera and is a mentor for the Holland Opera Fellows at Opera Omaha. Mitra was National Vice President of Outreach for the National Association of Teachers of Singing and has participated in both the Women’s Opera Network Mentorship and Leadership Intensive programs of Opera America, where she also served as co-chair of the Education Forum. Ms. Sadeghpour is passionate about the power of teaching and learning through classical music for people of all ages, backgrounds, and levels of experience

Jaime Sharp (she/they) is the Communications Manager for Grantmakers in the Arts. She is a mentee for Women of Color in the Art’s Leadership Through Mentorship and Tessitura’s Early Professional Development program. Jaime is Co-Chair of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra’s Multicultural Awareness Council, and a founding member of Black Administrators of Opera. Previously, Jaime participated in OPERA America’s Opera Leaders of Color, and the All Rise Initiative with Tom O’Connor Consulting Group. They were the 2021/2022 EDI Research Fellow for Association of Arts Administration Educators. Jaime co-founded the choral ensemble Hear Us, Hear Them, and led Opera NexGen as General Director 2020-2022. She holds a MM and BM in voice and is pursuing a MBA and MA in Arts Administration.