Jerry Tietz, President

Currently serves as the Director of Concert Management at Northwestern University’s Bienen School of Music, having previously served  Chicago Opera Theater first as the Director of Artistic Operations, later being appointed to General Manager in 2012. A native of the Chicago area, Jerry holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Performance from Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin and began his career in 2005 as the artistic administration intern at Glimmerglass Opera Festival in upstate New York where he would return in 2006 as the company’s artistic coordinator. In 2007 Jerry moved to Manhattan to accept a position in the vocal division at Barrett Artists (then Herbert Barrett Management) where he represented over 70 artists, finding successful placements with symphonies, opera companies, choral organizations, and academic institutions throughout North America. Jerry currently resides in Rogers Park with his partner, Mark, their cat, Oberon, and corgi, Puck.

Karen Patricia Smith, Secretary

Karen is Professor Emerita of Library and Information Studies, Queens College, New York. Throughout her life, she has maintained a strong and committed interest in three very different areas: baroque music, literature for young people and teaching. She earned a B.A. in Music at Herbert H. Lehman College, N.Y., where she was awarded the Charles Hughes Music History Award. She has also earned advanced degrees in education from Lehman (M.S. in Elementary Education/Reading) and at Teachers College, Columbia University, New York (M.A. in The Teaching of English; Ed.M. in Communication, Computing and Technology in Education/Instructional Technology and Media). She earned a doctorate (Ed.D. in Curriculum and Teaching) in 1982, also at Teachers College. Karen served in the positions of teacher, curriculum writer, and principal for the Yonkers Public Schools in N.Y.  prior to joining the faculty as Professor at Queens College in 1987. There, she specialized in teaching children’s and young adult literature courses to future youth services librarians, and wrote and edited numerous publications in this area. While teaching and also giving presentations in the U.S. and abroad, Karen’s interest in baroque music continued to grow. As an amateur musician, she studied baroque recorder and took up the challenge of beginning to learn the baroque oboe. She earned a Certificate in Core Musical Skills in the Evening Division of the Juilliard School of Music in 2022. Passionate about baroque opera, in particular the works of George Frideric Handel, she was thrilled to hear about Haymarket Opera Company years ago, on a visit to Chicago. She became a regular attendee, greatly appreciating the inspired and elegant performances of this wonderful Company. She was honored to have been elected to the Haymarket Opera Company Board of Trustees in Spring 2021, and has also served as Secretary since 2022.

Byron Harrison

Byron is Managing Director of Acoustics at Charcoalblue, a consultancy specializing in venue design for the performing arts. He considers choral singing as his most formative musical experiences. Formal vocal and opera training followed at the Hartt School as a part of his degree program in Acoustics and Music at the University of Hartford. Now, he is more frequently seen in the trombone section of an amateur orchestra.

Byron started his career in Chicago, with involvement in projects such as the Jay Pritzker Pavilion and Black Ensemble Theatre. After moving to London in 2010, his work expanded globally to include new spaces for Sydney Theatre Company and Esplanade Theatres on the Bay in Singapore and an opera theatre at Chateau d’Hardelot in Calais, France. He has advised the Royal Opera House and National Theatre on the acoustics of scenic design. His on-going projects include refurbishments at the Barbican Centre and Snape Maltings Concert Hall for Britten Pears Arts. Chicago was never too far out of mind, as he also designed the Ensemble Theatre at Steppenwolf and The Yard at Chicago Shakespeare Theater. Byron and his husband Brian returned to Chicago at the beginning of 2024.

Mary Mackay

Mary spent her career in publishing, education, and library-related organizations, most recently serving as an Associate Executive Director at the 60,000-member American Library Association. Before moving to the US, she lived and worked in France, Japan, and her native England. Her expertise is in communications, marketing, and helping non-profit organizations flourish financially, and she currently serves as chair for the fundraising committee for the Freedom to Read Foundation. Mary has always been engaged in music—as an amateur participant (choral singing and studying harpsichord with Chicago early musician Jason Moy), as an enthusiastic audience member, and as a board member. She travels widely with her husband, but closer to home, loves making the most of Chicago’s endless cultural and outdoor activities. Like other board members, Mary was impressed by how quickly Haymarket made its mark on the Chicago music scene, and was drawn to it by the energetic professionalism and exuberant productions with outstanding performers, music, sets, and costumes. She is inspired by the vision for Haymarket’s future, and welcomes the chance to work with committed and creative experts who have a gift for focusing on excellence and growth while perpetuating artistic joy. Her favorite HOC memories include early productions in the intimate and informal Mayne Stage setting and recent triumphs on the stage at the Jarvis Opera Hall.

Douglas Walter

Doug is an enthusiast of early Baroque music and welcomes the opportunity to help bring such music to Chicago and the greater national and international musical community. He believes that Haymarket is ideally positioned to bring Baroque opera treasures, many of them little known, to this greater community, and he values the opportunity to help build Haymarket Opera’s capacity in order to realize that goal. Doug’s professional background is in law and finance (Harvard College and Law School), and he formerly was a partner in the international law firm, Jones Day. Currently, he and his wife, Pam, are active board members and supporters of several other wonderful organizations: the Brain Research Foundation (Doug) and Chicago Shakespeare Theatre and the Illinois Institute of Technology (Pam) and have had long time involvement with the Founders’ Council of the Field Museum and other organizations. Pam and Doug spend a major part of the year in Italy, at their second home in the countryside outside Arezzo, where they are active olive farmers. They also participate in local Arezzo activities, most importantly the restoration of a major altarpiece by Pietro Lorenzetti (1320), which they are pleased to report is now be available for the rest of the world to admire at a very important exhibition of Sienese art of 1300-1350, which opened in October 2024 at the Metropolitan Museum in New York. The altarpiece will travel in the spring of 2025 at the National Gallery London, and then return to Arezzo, where it had been for 700 years.

Michael Young

Michael is Professor Emeritus of Psychology at Illinois Institute of Technology. At IIT he served as director of the Clinical Psychology Program and as department chair. His research addresses cognitive and emotion regulation factors in depression, especially seasonal affective disorder. Michael grew up in Chicago and the suburbs and obtained his bachelor’s degree from the University of Chicago and his Ph.D. from Adelphi University. As a serious amateur student of classical music and opera he reads and listens widely and collects historical recordings of opera singers, mostly from the 78-era. He studied voice in New York and Chicago and took music theory classes at Queens College. He has sung in a variety of choruses, including those of the University of Chicago and the Oak Park and River Forest Symphony. He also was head of the music committee at K.A.M. Isaiah Israel Congregation. Michael has attended Haymarket regularly since 2013 and also attends the Chicago Symphony and Chicago’s other opera companies. In addition, he always finds a way to get to the opera when attending scientific meetings in Europe. His hobbies include homebrewing and craft breweries, vegetable gardening, and cheering for the White Sox and Bears. While walking daily on the treadmill he watches opera videos. Michael is always impressed by Haymarket’s combination of superb musical and theatrical values and looks forward to contributing as a member of the board.

Jeri-Lou Zike

A versatile, energetic musician, Jeri-Lou enjoys a variety of artistic activities in symphonic, baroque, and chamber music. She is principal and founding member of the Metropolis Symphony Orchestra and principal second violin of the Chicago Opera Theater. She is also a member of the Chicago Philharmonic, the Joffrey ballet orchestra and the Ravinia Festival Orchestra. As a period instrument performer, Ms. Zike is concertmaster of Haymarket Opera Company which she manages alongside the Artistic Director, Craig Trompeter. Other musical credits include Concertmaster of the University of Chicago Rockefeller Chapel Concerts, as well as performances with His Majestie’s Clerkes, Kansas City Music Consort, and Music of the Baroque. Ms. Zike is also a well-regarded contractor of musicians, providing orchestras for the Apollo Chorus, Chicago Chorale, the Cathedral Singers, and Rockefeller Chapel Choir, among others. Jeri-Lou Zike has recorded with GIA, Centaur, and Cedille Records. To balance the intensity of music making, Jeri-Lou loves to swim, bike and run and is an 8 time Ironman and recently ran the Boston marathon.