Archives: People

As Chief Operating Officer of BMO Commercial Bank, Augustin de Kerversau’s mandate focuses on supporting business strategy, enabling growth ambitions, and executing strategic initiatives. Augustin is directly responsible for a shared services platform serving the Commercial Bank across North America, including data & analytics, strategy, sales enablement, business technology, professional development, risk management, and KYC operations.

BMO Commercial Bank is a top five commercial bank in North America, delivering a broad range of financing and treasury solutions to help drive the growth of companies across the U.S., Canada, and beyond.

Prior to joining BMO, Augustin served as Head of Corporate & Commercial Banking at Bank of the West. Augustin joined Bank of the West in 2012 as Senior Vice President, Risk and Portfolio Manager. In 2014, he was appointed Executive Vice President, Head of Loan Book and Credit Products, where he was responsible for commercial loan underwriting and led a complete transformation of the commercial credit journey. In 2019, Augustin was appointed Executive Vice President, Head of Commercial Banking Group, overseeing all commercial banking activities. In 2020, Augustin joined Bank of the West’s Executive Management Committee.

In 2023, Bank of the West was acquired by BMO. Augustin played a pivotal role in ensuring a highly successful merger process with minimal employee and client attrition and attractive financial outcomes. He was appointed to his current role of Chief Operating Officer, BMO Commercial Bank, in November 2023.

Prior to joining Bank of the West, Augustin served in various roles within the BNP Paribas Group in New York, Singapore, and Paris.

Augustin serves as a member of the board of directors of Alonzo King LINES Ballet, as well as Music Mission San Francisco, a music school offering free education to underserved youth.

He holds a master’s degree in international finance from ESCP Europe and a master’s in business administration from The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.

Photography: Augustin de Kerversau | Courtesy of BMO

Ruth Nott brings decades of experience in organizational leadership, community engagement, and arts education to the organization. Before joining LINES Ballet, Ruth served as Managing Director of Opera Parallèle in San Francisco, where she led the organization through significant growth. Her leadership was instrumental in fostering innovation through growth and stability of personnel, business structure and procedures, and fund development. Prior, Ruth was the Education Director at the San Francisco Opera from 2008 to 2019, where she founded and led the company’s first-ever department focused on arts education and community building. Under her leadership, the team developed innovative programs that reached over 70,000 people annually, including the highly acclaimed Arts Resources in Action (ARIA), which won a Yale Distinguished Music Education Partnership Award. Ruth was also honored with the Dreamcatcher Award from the San Francisco Unified School District for her significant contributions to arts education.

Ruth has also worked with major arts organizations, such as the Metropolitan Opera Guild, New York City Opera, and Lyric Opera of Chicago, among others. She has contributed to the field in a variety of capacities, including consulting and co-founding PrimeLife Arts Learning, an online platform dedicated to enhancing the social and emotional well-being of older adults.

Ruth Nott will play a pivotal role in guiding LINES Ballet through its next phase of growth, ensuring the organization’s artistic excellence, long-term sustainability, and legacy. She will oversee efforts to expand fundraising initiatives, strengthen individual donor engagement, board member growth and giving, and institutional partnerships, in addition to the implementation of a comprehensive organizational identity campaign. Ruth will also support the development of a permanent LINES Archive to preserve the company’s rich history and artistic contributions for generations to come.

Recognized as a trailblazer and thought leader, Aaron’s focus on innovation and cultural engagement has transformed traditional marketing and advertising strategies. As the CEO/co-founder of Walton Isaacson (WI), a full-service advertising agency with offices in Los Angeles, Chicago, Dallas, and New York, Aaron’s focus is squarely on identifying unseen opportunities rooted in cultural insights and connections, transforming the definition of the agency model by prioritizing diversity of thinking and encouraging strategic solutions that defy tradition. In recognition of his contributions to and ongoing impact on the industry, Aaron was inducted into the AAF Advertising Hall of Fame Class of 2023, an honor only bestowed upon 275 individuals in its 74-year history.

Founded in partnership with famed NBA superstar and entrepreneurial icon Earvin “Magic” Johnson, WI has built inventive and dynamic business relationships with brands and organizations such as Lexus, McDonald’s, American Airlines, Bristol Myers Squibb, PNC Bank, and Amazon.

His leadership in the advertising community has led to several industry board positions including a 2024 appointment to the American Advertising Federation (AAF), a 2023 appointment to The Ad Council board, and a 2022 appointment to the National Board of the American Association of Advertising Agencies (4A’s).

In 2023, Aaron was named Agency Executive of the Year by Ad Age. He is a recipient of Babson College’s Martin Luther King Jr. Leadership Award, was recognized by the American Association of Advertising Agencies (4A’s) as one of the 100 People Who Make Advertising Great, and is a member of the Ebony Magazine Power 100 list.

Photography: Aaron Walton | © Kal Yee

Al Wong is a seasoned real estate investor and developer with extensive experience in multifamily, condominium, and single-family properties. He has restored and revitalized architecturally significant buildings and remains a passionate advocate for pro-housing policies in California. Al has been a visible figure in housing activism, appearing in multiple television commercials, most recently in the 2024 “No on Prop 33” campaign.

Earlier in his career, Al was a pioneering force in the technology sector, joining Apple as an early employee. As an International Product Manager, he played a key role in the development of the Macintosh SE and Kanji Mac, contributing to Apple’s global expansion. He holds a degree in economics from UC Berkeley.

A dedicated martial artist, Al holds a Black Belt in Aikido and ranks in three additional disciplines. Committed to community safety, he developed “Aware & Prepared,” a self-defense course designed to help Asian seniors combat anti-Asian violence.

Al was elected to the LINES Ballet Board of Directors in 2012 and holds the distinction of being its longest-serving board member. He currently serves on the Development Committee, where he plays a key role in fundraising strategy, donor cultivation, and event execution. Over the years, he has helped plan and execute both virtual and in-person galas, consistently contributing to record-breaking fundraising efforts.

Born in Toronto and having lived in Hong Kong before settling in the Bay Area, Al brings a global perspective to his work. In addition to his contributions to LINES Ballet, he is an active supporter of San Francisco YIMBY, advocating for policies that promote housing accessibility and urban development.

Photography: Al Wong | Courtesy of Al Wong

Born in London, Benjy Weinberger and his family moved to Israel when he was young, where he spent his formative years in Jerusalem. He served in the Israeli Defense Forces and then studied mathematics, physics, and computer science at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

In 2002, he moved to San Francisco and joined the big leagues of tech, working at several prominent Silicon Valley companies before finally starting his own venture, which he ran until 2024.

Benjy loves San Francisco for its unique combination of world-class city features, such as restaurants, art, and culture (hello, LINES Ballet!), and its proximity to such great natural beauty, with a huge diversity of outdoor activities just a short drive away.

A fitness enthusiast, he likes keeping fit as an avid distance runner. During the pandemic, he became a Peloton fan, incorporating indoor cycling and weight training as important parts of his regime. He enjoys cooking and working with his hands—a nice change from software work.

Apart from serving as a board member at LINES Ballet, he supports organizations working to help the most disadvantaged in our society, locally and globally, including the SF Food Bank, the American Jewish World Service, and similar local organizations in Israel, giving back to the country that gave him so much.

His love for the performing arts in general and dance in particular led to his discovery of LINES Ballet shortly after his move to San Francisco, and he’s been a fan ever since. Since that moment and even now, he’s proud and grateful to be involved with this special organization and the community around it.

Photography: Benjy Weinberger | © Benjy Weinberger

Born and raised in Morocco, Bouchra fell in love with ballet at a young age. With no established ballet company in her hometown, she nurtured her passion through dance films before later taking classes.

Bouchra holds a Master in Management from École Supérieure de Commerce de Paris (ESCP) Europe and a Research Master in Economics from University Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, where her thesis explored how opera house funding models influenced their resilience during financial crises. Her professional background spans business management, strategy consulting, and sales development in tech, including time at Google.

Currently based in San Francisco, Bouchra is the President and co-founder of Inner Child Foundation, dedicated to supporting the arts and education. She has produced several dance films and intends to explore more creative work at the intersection of arts and tech.

Photography: Bouchra Rachid Pinto | © Nicholas Pinto

Breanna Zwart Matthews is a global business leader and passionate advocate for the arts, education, and equitable access to opportunity. She steers the AI partnership strategy at Microsoft, focusing on scaling infrastructure, leading global expansion, and deploying AI solutions for customers. Throughout her career, she has navigated regulatory hurdles, driven digital transformation, and led M&A integration efforts, all while championing organizational design, culture shaping, and purposeful leadership.

Breanna’s commitment to service began early, where, at 12 years old, she joined the youth board of the Elementary Institute of Science in San Diego. After graduate school, she continued her family’s legacy of service by joining the main board alongside her grandfather, supporting hands-on STEM education for children.

Her leadership extends across global and community-driven initiatives. Breanna served on the board of the Alliance for Affordable Internet, advocating for digital equity, and on the board of Feed the Hunger Fund, which provides loans and education to farmers and food entrepreneurs.

Breanna’s first job was as a dance instructor at El Centro Elementary Public School, an experience that deepened her lifelong love of the visual and performing arts. Today, she and her family reside in San Francisco, where they are active patrons of the city’s vibrant arts scene and frequent visitors to local farmers’ markets.

Photography: Breanna Zwart Matthews | © Samantha Cooper

Carolyn Chatham has been a dedicated member of the LINES Ballet board since 2019, actively contributing to the HR/Compensation, Governance, and Executive Director Search Committees. In addition to her work with LINES Ballet, Carolyn serves on the board of directors for Children of Shelters and the Hayes Valley Neighborhood Association. She is also a member of the Leadership Council for Tipping Point Community and serves on the Junior Committee for the San Francisco Symphony.

With extensive experience in HR, talent management, and recruitment, Carolyn has held leadership roles at Bain & Company and Google. Originally from New York, she graduated from Cornell University.

Carolyn resides in San Francisco with her husband and their three young children.

Photography: Carolyn Press Chatham | © Drew Altizer

Christopher Dydyk, a photographer, and his husband, Morris Ratner, have been ardent supporters of LINES Ballet since their introduction to the company in 2017. Christopher has actively contributed to LINES Ballet as a board member since 2019, serving as co-chair and chair of the gala committee for a total of four years. Residing in San Francisco with their two dogs, Morris is the Academic Dean and Provost at UC Law San Francisco.

As a visual artist, Christopher finds resonance with the LINES dancers, Alonzo King, and their artistic expression, which prompted him to delve deeper into both the company and his own identity. He began capturing the world through photography at the age of thirteen, initially documenting nature’s beauty. After earning a B.S. in Biopsychology from UC Santa Barbara, he pursued his passion by studying at the Brooks Institute of Photography. His notable work includes photographing the cover for the bestselling book, The Man Who Listens to Horses, and contributing over one hundred photographs to another bestseller, Shy-Boy, The Horse That Came in From the Wild.

Christopher’s latest series, “Impressions,” focuses on city life. He states, “Traditional photography is beautiful and is at the foundation of my work. However, for me, today, it lacks the multidimensionality to fully express the sensations of energy and joy that I often feel when looking upon a city scene.” To overcome these limitations, he developed a technique that better expresses both space and time, as well as the feelings he has when experiencing them. To create his pieces, multiple images are taken of the same subject and overlaid, digitally, eliminating certain elements while highlighting others. His final pieces seek to capture the four dimensions (that are space and time) to more fully reflect the actual experience of “seeing.” “My impressions are created by merging the technology of today with the photography of yesterday. For the viewer, there are endless discoveries encapsulated in the density of each scene and a feeling of experiencing the moment, not just looking at it.”

Photography: Christopher Dydyk | © Christopher Dydyk