Board of Directors
Karen Nelson, Board President, played with the Riverside Symphony and Redlands Bowl Orchestra during her undergraduate years at UC Riverside. After moving to Ventura, she played with the Ventura County Symphony and Santa Barbara Civic Light Opera. She played with CHICO for many years, and feels fortunate to have this wonderful group in our community. Karen earned a Masters degree in Education from UCSB in 1990. She taught for forty years in elementary and middle schools, serving bilingual students and students with learning challenges.
Patricia Lathrop-McPherson, treasurer has lived in Ventura for 36 years and studied voice at Brigham Young University where she was a founding member of BYU Singers. She sang her first solo at age 6 and has appeared throughout the West in operas, operettas, musicals, oratorios, and concerts; Mozart and Handel's works are favorites and don’t get her started on Gilbert and Sullivan. Music has given her kindred spirits, amazing experiences, and a passion for the arts. Volunteering has been a constant avocation and she has served as PTA President, Band Booster President, and managed numerous soccer and field hockey club teams and a ‘few’ committees over the years. She holds a Master’s Degree in Counseling and has been married for 34 years to Don McPherson, retired Fire Chief of Ventura City. Their two children successfully navigated their college experiences and are settling in as adults. They couldn’t be more proud of them. She serves on the Board of Directors for Ventura Music Festival, teaches voice, and continues to perform locally. She is happy to be involved officially with CHICO and excited to support its mission and enable its promise in the community.
Nancy Sieh, Secretary, joined the CHICO board of directors in 2014, after retiring from the practice of law. She served as Deputy District Attorney in Ventura, then in Santa Barbara County as Assistant District Attorney. She specialized in crimes against vulnerable victims, including spousal abuse, sexual assault, and child abuse. Upon retiring, Nancy chose to return to her roots. From a musical Italian family, she was introduced to opera and classical music in the home early in life and saw the joy it can bring. Tales from the great operas were her bedtime stories. Nancy heartily recommends that others join the CHICO family and enjoy a role in producing more concerts of all kinds. Nancy is grateful to her husband and family for their unflagging support.
Miriam Arichea has been privileged to appear as a soloist with CHICO since the orchestra’s inception in 2004. Even during the “pandemic pause,” CHICO provided Miriam a performance outlet, producing a professionally directed and recorded solo piano recital that was released in November 2020. A lawyer by training, Miriam received her undergraduate and law degrees at Duke University. She presently works as a Deputy District Attorney for Ventura County. Miriam is also a credentialed teacher at Ventura High School, where she teaches mock trial. Miriam and her husband Jeff Brackett reside in Ventura.
Alexa Constantine is a Los-Angeles based musician. She currently serves as a staff pianist at UCLA and works at Exactuals, a FinTech company that helps music and entertainment clients calculate and pay out royalties. In addition to working full-time, Alexa is obtaining her master’s in Music Industry Administration from the University of California, Northridge. When Alexa isn’t playing piano, she is hiking, running, playing card games, and writing songs
Paul Christopher Hunt has been director of instrumental music at Ventura High School since 2010. In 2014, he helped to re-establish and become co-director of the Ventura Youth Symphony. He received his Bachelor of Music in Wind Performance in 2007 at Cal State, Northridge where he also received his California Teaching Credential and holds a Master’s of Arts in Curriculum and Instruction and CTE Credential in Arts, Media and Entertainment. Paul is a freelance trombone, euphonium, and tuba player and has performed with various opera and theater companies.