The Berkeley Symphony Board President Paul Bennett announced the appointment of Board Members Shikiri Hightower-Gaskin and Rigel Robinson.

In a statement, Bennett said, “We are thrilled to welcome two influential members of the Berkeley community to the Board of Directors. They both exude a passion for Berkeley Symphony’s longstanding legacy of innovation and inclusion, and bring diverse backgrounds and a deep understanding of the community that we serve.”

Hightower-Gaskin is a Berkeley resident who is a communications specialist at Blue Shield of California Foundation. She focused on developing and implementing grants and strategic communications to break the cycle of domestic abuse. She is a trained journalist with master’s degrees in journalism and business.

Robinson currently serves on the Berkeley City Council and was Elected at 22 in 2018, Councilmember Robinson is the youngest person to ever serve on the Berkeley City Council. Additionally, he represents the City of Berkeley on the Alameda County Transportation Commission. A UC Berkeley alumnus, he is now completing his master’s degree at UC Berkeley’s Goldman School of Public Policy.