Our team

Dr. Robert Blaine is the senior executive and director for the National League of Cities’ Leadership, Education, Advancement, and Development (LEAD) Center, which is dedicated to building opportunities in communities through technical assistance, leadership development, and engagement. He is a nationally-recognized thought leader in the areas of public service, education and music, and is a proud DCYOP alumnus.

Andrea Erdmann, has served on the Board since 2021. DCYOP initially appealed to her when she enrolled her daughter in music lessons. “I loved the positive energy created by kids from all over DC making music together in one space!” Ms. Erdmann has a career in international economic development, with degrees in Political Science and International Relations from Creighton University and the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). She is a 28-year resident of DC.

Dr. Linda Cureton is the founder and CEO of Muse Technologies, Incorporated. Linda’s 38 plus years of public service in IT includes experience as a federal cabinet-level executive, a former Associate Chief Information Officer (CIO) at the Department of Energy, Deputy CIO at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, and CIO at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Linda holds degrees from Howard University and Johns Hopkins University and earned a PhD in Organizational Leadership from the University of Maryland, Eastern Shore.

Michele Riley is a CPA and has focused her practice on issues that arise at the intersection of finance and intellectual property, including valuation, damages, compliance and transactions. Michele is an avid supporter of instrumental and choral music in the Greater Washington DC area, and is proud to assist the DCYOP in helping young people make beautiful music.

Dennis deTray joined the DCYOP Board several years ago as a means of pursuing his passion for youth development. He and Mary, his wife of 56 years as of 2023, have two sons and two grandchildren. Dennis is an economist specializing in improving developing countries as a means of making the world a better and safer place. Dennis and Mary have lived in a number of countries, most recently Kazakhstan.

Dr. Jeffrey Levi teaches health policy at George Washington University’s School of Public Health.  An almost life-long violinist, his commitment to DCYOP comes from a desire to replicate for as many students as possible his experience growing up with public school-based community music making.

Kimberly Maucher-Lynch is a leading voice at the intersection of talent, technology and social impact with more than 20 year’s experience in the Life Sciences and Technology sectors. For companies like Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer and SAP, she has made a career of spearheading transformative people-oriented strategies across the U.S., Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Born in Connecticut, her family’s ties to the performing arts and the D.C. Youth Orchestra Program inspired a life long passion for fostering talent in music. Kimberly serves on the Board of several organizations advancing Sustainability, Inclusion, the Future of Work and with the DCYOP is honoured to serve on the Strategic Planning and Governance committees.

Cheri Meadows is the Director of Development for the University of Maryland’s College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences (CMNS). She joined the CMNS development team in 2014 after years of raising support for the performing arts at the John F. Kennedy Center and Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater. A graduate of Penn State, she brings over 25 years of experience as a major gifts officer.

Stanford Oliver serves on the the Board’s Finance Committee. He is the Founder, President, and CEO of both DigiFlight and Camelot Secure. Stan is passionate about fostering opportunities for diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility in the STEM fields, so he dedicates his time to serve as a board member of the Army Aviation Association of America Scholarship Foundation Inc (AAAASFI) and Advancing Minorities Interest in Engineering (AMIE). 

Kim Patterson grew up in upper Northwest DC and played bassoon in DCYOP from age 10 through high school. A graduate of Marymount University and American University’s Washington College of Law, Kim currently works for the United Negro College Fund as Director, Corporate & Foundations Relations. She also serves as an Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner (4A05 in Brightwood NW) and is Vice-President of the Brightwood Community Association. Kim says, “DCYOP taught me discipline - practice, practice, practice - and provided me with a respect for and knowledge of classical orchestral music. It was an invaluable education, for which I am forever grateful. I proudly serve as a member of the DCYOP board and look forward to welcoming as many talented students as possible into the encouraging and supportive arms of the DCYOP community.”