Board of Directors 2025-2026

Pamela Bash, a native New Yorker, graduated from Williams College in Williamstown, MA with a B.A in Art History. Her love for the arts began at an early age when her parents took her and her sister to plays, ballets and concert performances around NYC. She also grew up listening to her father playing piano and her aunt, a Julliard educated opera singer. Pam is also an avid traveler and has also lived and worked abroad teaching English as a Second Language in Turkey, Russia and Morocco. When Pam returned to New York in 2011, she restarted her fundraising career as the Corporate Relations Manager for the New York Philharmonic, and eventually moved to North Carolina to become the Assistant Vice President of Philanthropy at the North Carolina Symphony. In 2020, Pam joined Code The Dream, a nonprofit focussed on educating and uplifting the voices of underrepresented populations in tech.

I was born and raised in the Chicago suburb of Oak Brook, home of McDonalds  headquarters and Blistex chapstick company. My father was a lawyer and my mom who  had been a teacher but stayed at home to raise the family. I had one brother 2 years older  than I. Growing up, I stayed active playing tennis, golf, and swimming, as well as wandering  the woods with my best friends with our BB gun or bow & arrow shooting stuƯ and getting  into other trouble.  

As a kid, I did not take up the opportunity to be in music. My brother was involved with  band and had taken up the clarinet for a couple years but the experience wasn’t favorable,  so when I expressed interest in the French Horn, it was deemed best not to pursue that  interest.  

I met my wife Paula in college at William and Mary in Williamsburg, VA during my  sophomore year where we both ended up joining the collegiate billiards team. I got my BS  Degree in Chemistry and German and my wife-to-be pursued Biology which ultimately led  to her becoming a pharmacist. With my degree, I had worked for several haircare and  skincare companies doing product development before transitioning out of the lab into the  business world after getting my MBA in Arizona.  

As far as being musically inclined, I had a passion for listening to a variety of music types  because of my father’s interest in music. I still own a couple crates of his old LPs that are  mostly of the Jazz, Blues, and Classical genres, although growing up he helped keep my  brother and me in tune with the latest oƯ-beat pop music at the time.  

My wife Paula on the other hand has a rich heritage in music. She played trumpet in the  high school marching band and also learned guitar and violin. Her grandfather had played  professionally in New York and many of her relatives in northern Michigan are adept at  various instruments with stunning natural talent. I mention this as I expect this is where  our children inherited their musical skills. All 3 of our children have been active in TYM,  with my oldest Krista playing the violin in the various Orchestras, my middle daughter  Natalie playing Cello in the Orchestras, and our youngest son Adam playing  piano/keyboard in the Jazz bands and combos. All 3 are still actively involved with their  music, which has been a rich and influential part of their lives growing up.

I currently work as a Financial Adviser at Fidelity Investments and serve on the TYP Board  as the Treasurer. Paula and I homeschooled all 3 of our children. Paula is still active in the  homeschool community where she teaches homeschool kids science and other subjects  to high school level kids looking for enrichment out of the home to better prepare them for  their college experience. 

I grew up in Lexington, Kentucky, where my dad, a native Kentuckian and passionate UK basketball fan, shared his love for the game with me. My mom, from Williamsville, NY, taught me to read music and play the piano. After I proved sufficient interest, she found me a piano teacher. In 4th grade, I added the flute. I played in my school band & orchestra, and the Central Kentucky Youth Orchestra.  In college, I was a member of the University of Kentucky marching band and the pep band for the basketball team.

After earning a degree in Electrical Engineering, I worked many years in the Washington, DC area for large companies & start-ups designing chips for several diverse applications. One of my chips was part of the Cassini Mission to Saturn. In 1997, I moved to Raleigh, where I continued working until my youngest child, Jack started kindergarten. What was meant to be a short break became much longer because it was so enjoyable.

I love supporting my kids, Laura & Jack. I have spent countless hours as a school volunteer, sideline parent, soccer team manager, dance mom, choir booster, robotic team mentor, band booster, and TYM parent. These experiences helped me connect with amazing people, see new places, and learn new things. Now that Jack is in college, I’m redistributing my time and energy. I’m rediscovering time for activities I enjoy, like Pilates, walking, reading, cooking, baking (currently tackling 10 new-to-me cookie recipes), and spending time with my husband. I’m re-connecting with friends and looking for ways to engage in my community, applying my skills and passions to make a positive impact.

Zoila Airall once read “having a passion in life may be important in the pursuit of happiness, but it may be best to have multiple passions.” It is in this way that she would describe her life’s journey. After forty years of having an impact on the lives of young adults, she retired from Duke University as a senior administrator and adjunct professor. During her career as an educator, however, she always found time for the other passion that she dearly loves, music. Zoila provided piano pedagogy to children, served as a church organist, and performed as a violinist in community orchestras. Music, shall we say, provided the proverbial wind beneath her wings. Now, in semi-retirement, she serves as a substitute church organist in the Triangle and is studying the cello, a newly discovered joy. She says that it is difficult to imagine a day without creating music.

BJ Crane is a dedicated and accomplished professional with more than 30 years of experience in program management and operations. Throughout her career, she has led teams, managed complex projects, and driven organizational growth with a steadfast commitment to excellence and community impact. A U.S. Marine Corps veteran, BJ actively supports numerous nonprofit initiatives, serving as a volunteer liaison for SAS with the Food Bank of North Carolina, Chairperson for the Volunteer Headquarters for the SAS Championship, and committee member at Beth Meyer Synagogue. She also contributes her time to animal welfare through Southern States Rescued Rottweilers, conducting home visits, temperament testing, and transport for rescued dogs. BJ holds degrees in Computer Science from UNCW, Information Systems and Technology Management from Capella University, and an MBA from Syracuse University with concentrations in Business Analytics and Supply Chain Management. She remains passionate about learning and mentoring, assisting local Dale Carnegie instructors in the Skills for Success program. As a member of the Triangle Youth Music Board, BJ brings a unique blend of leadership, expertise, and vision that will strengthen the organization’s mission and future growth. 

Joel Duquene is a Senior Software Engineer at IBM and inventor with over 18 patents granted. He is a resident of North Carolina for 18 years and earned a M.S. Telecommunications from Pace University. He grew up in a family where music played a very important part of life. His Mother was school principal and introduced music classes as part of the curriculum. Many uncles were also music teachers. During Middle and High School, Joel played the French Horn, and later the Barytone for the town band, and the Tuba for the College band. He has one daughter who plays the piano and Viola, and was a member of the 2018-19 TYS orchestra.

42 years in corporate IT, retired IBM Executive. Recognized for his skill aligning process and technology strategies and for volunteering, developing and leading nonprofit organizations. Published on the use of technology, guest lecturer at the Los Alamos National Laboratory and IBM education classes. Multiple appearances with The Conference Board. Managed line and staff organizations of up to 1200 people with $ 2B revenue.

Active volunteer in numerous musical and health organizations. Volunteer Chair, Duke Hospice Patient Family Advisory Council (PFAC); member of Duke Health Oncology Council PFAC; Pianist for hospice Inpatient Unit, also for Hospital Hematology / Oncology and Bone Marrow Transfer units, and a weekly online piano Zoom on Sundays for home and remote audience; Visionary of the Year candidate for LLS Spring 2025 Low Country Chapter; HealthTree Southeast Regional CureHub Leader; Podcaster with NBMTLink;  Past Board President of Triangle Youth Music (youth orchestras) and Advisory Board member; board member and past board officer, North Carolina Symphony. HealthTree Coach for patients with blood cancer; University of Rochester Melissa Loh patient panel. 

Father of 3, Grandfather of 4, avid reader and podcast listener, Music & Memory practitioner, Acute Myeloid Leukemia bone marrow transplant survivor. End of Life readiness advocate and educator.

BA Humanities & English Lit., University of Colorado Boulder; MSW, Fordham University.

Kelli Partin was the Concertmaster for the Raleigh Youth Symphony Orchestra during Hugh Partridge’s entire tenure as Conductor. She is currently a violin teacher and active freelancer in the local community. Kelli is also on the Board of the Oakwood Waits and performs with them as a singer. She supports underprivileged youth by teaching Music Theatre at Community Music School of Raleigh.