Opera Omaha has announced that Andrea Joy Pearson has been named as their new Director of Belonging and Inclusion.

This new position intrusts Pearson to work with staff and the board to create equity-based goals and strategies throughout the organization, with a focus on recruitment, onboarding, and employee engagement.

Currently based in Atlanta, Pearson received her Master of Music in Voice and Opera from the University of Kentucky and is certified in Human Resources Management and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Workplace. A member of the Black Opera Alliance, NAAAHR-ATL, National Association of African Americans in Human Resources, Oberlin Alumni Association of African Ancestry, and the Institute for Young Dramatic Voices.

Pearson will bring her experience as an optimization strategist, specializing in process improvement, employee management, human capital knowledge, and emergency management.

“I am excited to join hands with Opera Omaha in curating the voice of opera in the 21st century by bolstering awareness and opportunities to enhance diversity, equity, and inclusion within the operatic field for artists, administrators, and guests,” says Pearson. “It is imperative to intentionally create safe spaces where everyone has the opportunity to thrive, participate, and belong. Here at Opera Omaha, we will not be silent in the face of injustice. We will listen and we will act.”