Jim has been involved with Giving Voice for over four years serving in both board of director and staff roles. He has over thirty years of collaborative leadership and executive experience in busines and non-profit sectors spanning small-start-up organizations and multinational corporations including twenty years in the healthcare product sector. As a life-long choral singer, Jim’s favorite thing about Giving Voice is the connection it provides through singing together.

Margie joined the GVI board in September of 2022 after being a volunteer member of the MacPhail Center for Music Giving Voice Chorus in Minneapolis since 2015. She first discovered her passion for sharing the joy and healing power of music as a member of LeagueAires , a Twin Cities therapeutic music performance group, which she has been a part of for 24 years and held many leadership positions including Chair of the board. During her time singing with Giving Voice, Margie has witnessed the transformative power of singing together in a community, mastering music pieces and performing a program for those with dementia and their care partners. Margie would like to see many more people living with dementia and their loved ones be able to participate in the joyful and supportive experience of a Giving Voice chorus.

Dick is a retired neurologist who immediately connected with Giving Voice as a path to wellness and as a nonpharmalogical intervention. Dick has shared that he wishes there were more options like Giving Voice to help people living with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. In the meantime, he looks forward to seeing more choruses in more communities.

Dr. Patricia Izbicki is a neuroscientist and medical science liaison for Octave in the therapeutic area of multiple sclerosis (MS). She identifies, develops, and maintains professional relationships with national and international thought leaders, academic centers, and researchers in multiple sclerosis to ensure access to current medical and scientific information on biomarkers, imaging, and digital therapeutics in MS. Dr. Izbicki is also a classical pianist & harpsichordist. Her research focuses on understanding the brain mechanisms of complementary therapies, such as music training, in aging adults and persons with neurodegenerative disease. Her doctoral work focused on comparing the inhibitory brain activity and circuitry of aging musicians and non-musicians. Dr. Izbicki hopes her work will ultimately guide in designing accessible and evidence-based music interventions for individuals with neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders.

Helen Jackson Lockett-Elis a Community Engagement Planner and served as a grant manager in the Center for Health Equity (CHE) at the Minnesota Department of Health. She guided and coordinated an infant and maternal health project for U.S.-born African Americans through a health equity lens and guided healthy child development projects. She has served as a chaplain in trauma centers with a focus on Grief and Loss facilitation.Helen received her B.A. from the University of Minnesota and her Master of Divinity from Luther Seminary. She is compassionate, creative, energetic, curious, and professional. She served as hospital chaplain at HCMC and Regions Hospital and is also a Certified Perinatal Educator (COPE). She is an active member of Grace Temple Deliverance faith community.

Emily's role as a Giving Voice Initiative board member is inspired by her personal and professional background. Her deep connection to Giving Voice stems from many seasons spent singing alongside her mother, giving her a genuine understanding of its mission. As a self-proclaimed Tech Nerd, Emily is a Senior Product Development Manager at Target. Emily's expertise in creative problem-solving and technical solutions is valuable for building tools and technology for Target Creative. This blend of Giving Voice experience and marketing technology knowledge uniquely positions Emily to contribute to the organization's growth and help spread its mission joyfully.

Carole Lee became a fierce advocate for Alzheimer’s awareness after her beloved father passed away. When Carole Lee was introduced to Giving Voice, she loved the choruses so much that she was instrumental in founding Sing for Life Chorus in North Scottsdale and Giving Voice Crosstown in Edina

As a professional singer and music educator, Shahzore is passionate about the potential of music for healing and the power of music to promote wellness and create community. Formerly a performing member of Cantus, the Twin Cities-based vocal ensemble, Cantus, Shahzore toured nationally and internationally for ten years, sharing his love for singing through performances and educational programs and helping steward the work of the organization as a singer board representative. Shahzore currently performs with Border CrosSing, sings on staff at Unity Church Unitarian and lives in St. Paul with his husband and two adopted children. Shahzore’s favorite song is La Vie En Rose

Hilary Smedsrud is a retired mother of four who divides her time between Scottsdale, AZ, and Minneapolis, MN. During her early career days, she worked as a public relations executive at Weber Shandwick Minneapolis. Nine years ago last December, she had the tremendous privilege of attending the very first concert that Giving Voice gave at Antonello Hall, when she was a new board member at the MacPhail Center for Music. From that moment on, she was captivated. Hilary got involved with Giving Voice the following summer at the MacPhail Minneapolis location, volunteering as a singer and hospitality assistant. Hilary is completing her third term as a board member at MacPhail, currently serving as chair of the HR Committee. She also served as chair of the Former Board Member Task Force, on the Development Committee, and the DEI Task Force. Recognizing the need for a Giving Voice chorus model in Arizona, about six years ago Hilary and Carole Lee Randall founded a chorus for persons with dementia and their care partners called Sing for Life, working with Pinnacle Presbyterian Church in North Scottsdale. 

I am a neuropsychologist with a special interest in the changes that occur in the brain as people age. I specialize in cognitive evaluations of older adults who are experiencing memory problems, changes in concentration, language and other thinking skills as part of the normal aging process or as a result of conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, stroke and other forms of dementia. I also see a wide variety of patients with other neurological issues including multiple sclerosis, traumatic brain injury, cerebral aneurysm, brain tumors, epilepsy and others. In addition to cognitive evaluations, I research aging and dementia with the Center for Memory & Aging at Regions Hospital and advocate at both the state and local level for new studies and the development of novel programs for people with dementia and their families.

Coming Soon!