Board of Directors

(in alphabetical order)

Bhagirath Bhatt

Maricres Valdez Castro

Erin Galeno (Board Chair)

Natalie Ghayoumi

Melinda Huish (Board Treasurer)

Dalia Ibrahim

Amy Leonard (Board Secretary)

Eula Ramroop

Our Team

Erin Guinup is the founding Executive and Artistic Director of the Tacoma Refugee Choir. With the choir, she has spoken at TEDxSeattle, Starbucks, the Global Migrant Festival, and led the choir in performances for over 50,000 people, including performances for the Governor’s State of the State Address, National Race & Pedagogy Conference, and ACDA National Conference in Cincinnati.

Erin is a classically-trained soprano and has had a vibrant musical career, having been a featured soloist with esteemed ensembles including Symphony Tacoma, Ensign Symphony, and Tacoma Concert Band singing a broad range of classical and contemporary songs, including Carmina Burana, La Bohème, and the title character in Mary Poppins. She performed a one-woman show about female musical theatre composers internationally and has sung in over a dozen languages through projects including Silkroad Ensemble’s Global Musicians Workshop and Israeli-Palestinian choir Common Ground Voices in Jerusalem and Europe.

A sought-after pedagogue specializing in musical theatre technique, her students have performed on Broadway, opera stages, and television. She wrote a popular blog on Belting featured on JW Pepper, and has written chapters for three books including, "So You Want to Sing Music by Women," "My Body Was Left on the Street: Music Education and Displacement," and "Screw the Diet, Bon Appétit!" As a composer, her choral and solo works have been featured on PBS and network television and are sung by school choirs.

Erin has an MBA in Arts Innovation from the Global Leaders Institute and BM in Music Education and Vocal Performance from University of Puget Sound. She is an American Leadership Forum Senior Fellow and has been recognized by the American Academy of Teachers of Singing and one of 5 Women to Watch by South Sound Magazine.

Gadine Niyotwizeye-Boutin is originally from Rwanda and has lived in many places including South Africa. Born during a difficult time in Rwandan history and as a survivor of war, her experiences have taught her to not take life for granted and to appreciate peace and freedom. She is passionate about people and helping others and has a great appreciation for travel and experiencing culture from different parts of the world. Gadine is an avid hiker, a talented dancer, and enjoys bringing people together. She recently graduated from Tacoma Community College with her Associate’s degree and is planning to continue to a 4 year college. Her dream is to make a difference and impact the lives of others. “We are here to love and be loved and that is what we all want in life."

Orlando is a Seattle-based musician, educator, and songwriter. He most recently served as Associate Artistic Director: Community Engagement at The 5th Avenue Theatre and holds a Masters in Teaching from the University of Washington. He has over seventeen years of experience teaching music and theater and in employing the performing arts to empower young people, build community, and dismantle systems of oppression. He is a Johnny Mercer Foundation Songwriters Project alum and a Jonathan Larson Grant finalist (2019, 2020, 2022). Recent music direction credits include How to Break (2018, 2016), Great Wall (2012), and Cloaked (2011, 2010). Orlando also coordinates Rondalya sa Seattle, a Filipino American folkloric music ensemble and is a member of the Shades of Praise Gospel Choir at St. Therese Parish. He is a proud son and current resident of the Skyway neighborhood in South Seattle.