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The Houston Grand Opera (HGO) has elected Claire Liu as Chairperson to its Board of Directors.

Liu first joined the Board of Directors in 2015 and has served as the Finance Committee Chair and on the Executive Committee and Management Development Subcommittee. She was also Co-Chair of the General Director Transition Committee and worked as part of the COVID Working Group. Liu is set to assume her role on August 1, 2022 and will serve a two-year term. She succeeds Allyn Risley.

“Now is the time to be bold, and we are doing just that with Claire as our new board chair,” stated HGO General Director and CEO Kori Dastoor in an official statement. “Claire has a deep love for opera’s past, present, and future, and a rich history serving and supporting this organization. She brings to the table invaluable expertise gained during an impressive career as a corporate finance executive with a staggering track record leading growth and positive transformation. It is a new chapter at HGO, with a dynamic leadership team taking form. I am honored to be leading this great company with Claire by my side.”

In addition to her role with HGO, Liu is on the board of the Houston Zoo and serves on the Community Advisory Board for SEARCH Homeless Services, among other organizations.

Additionally, the organization revealed changes to its leadership structure which will now feature a seven-person Executive Leadership team spearheaded by Dastoor, Artistic and Music Director Patrick Summers, Chief Philanthropy Officer Greg Robertson, Chief Operating Officer Molly Dill, Director of Artistic Planning and Chorus Master Richard Bado, Chief Financial Officer Elizabeth Greer, and a new Chief Audience Officer who has yet to be selected.