The Houston Symphony has announced new appointments to its Board of Trustees and leadership councils for the 2025–26 season.

Khoa Dao and Stacie Pitts join the Symphony’s Board of Trustees as Governing Directors. Dao is a Chief Commercial Officer at ConocoPhillips and has over 35 years of experience in the energy industry. Meanwhile, Pitts leads global crude trading at Shell.

Newly appointed Trustees include Gretchen Watkins, David Balderston, and Pablo Hernandez Schmidt-Tohoff, who each bring diverse expertise spanning energy, finance, and international leadership. Watkins served as President of Shell USA, while Balderston had a 41-year career in chemical engineering and finance. Hernandez Schmidt-Tohoff is a Managing Director in Lazard’s North American Energy Group.

In addition to Board appointments, Reverend Ray Mackey has been named Chair of the African American Leadership Council, while Alejandro Gallardo, the Senior Manager of Supply Chain Management at Chevron, has been appointed Chair of the Hispanic Leadership Council.

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