Archives: People

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

Diana Smith has served on the board of directors for LINES Ballet since 2022 and currently serves as chair of the marketing committee. Diana grew up dancing and fell in love with Alonzo King’s choreography when she saw the company perform at her university. After moving to San Francisco, Diana kept in touch with LINES Ballet as a student and audience member before joining the board. Diana is inspired by Alonzo’s unique approach to choreography, how he breaks boundaries and traditional form, and how he focuses on growing beyond the individual into the collective.

Diana graduated from the University of Southern California summa cum laude with a degree in communications and a minor in advertising. She participated in many dance organizations on campus and founded a collaborative group across all dance programs at the university.

Diana has built her career serving in marketing roles for innovative technology companies. Today, she is the Senior Director of Product Marketing for cybersecurity products at HashiCorp, recently acquired by IBM. Prior to HashiCorp, she served as the Head of Marketing for Twilio’s social impact division, Twilio.org, helping nonprofits leverage communications technology to better serve their constituents. Diana started the marketing organization at Segment, a customer data platform, and helped grow the company from $1 million to $100 million in revenue.

Diana currently lives in Seattle, Washington, with her husband, Brian, and young son. In her free time, she enjoys taking ballet classes at a local studio and exploring the outdoors with her little one.

Harry Schoening and his wife, Amy, have been enjoying and supporting LINES Ballet for more than 25 years, first as fans and then as contributors to board leadership. Amy served on the board for five years, and subsequently Harry joined in 2018 and served as Board Chair from December 2020 to June 2024. They both believe that “the art is unique and brilliant; being part of the Alonzo King LINES Ballet community has been one of the high points of our lives in San Francisco.”

In addition to the uplifting and spiritual enjoyment from the performances, Amy and Harry treasure their long-term friendship with Alonzo and Robert, one of deep respect and admiration.

They have been fortunate to join the company for performances in Monaco in 2009, where LINES was invited by Princess Caroline to open the year-long celebration of Ballet Russe’s 100-year anniversary; in Paris in 2013; and in Moscow and St. Petersburg in 2016, in addition to Los Angeles and New York’s Lincoln Center. Getting to know the dancers and watching them grow year over year has been another invaluable gift to both Harry and Amy.

Harry attended Brown University, where he received a bachelor’s degree in international relations, which was followed by a Juris Doctor from New England Law, and finally (mercifully), a postgraduate degree, Master of Law (LLM) in tax law from Boston University.

Starting his real estate career in Boston in 1980, he and his partners converted historic brownstone homes and abandoned textile mills into condominiums and apartments.

Photography: Harry Schoening | Courtesy of Harry Schoening

Kimberly Hughes is a residential designer and vineyard owner. She specializes in renovations using building materials to reduce energy and water consumption while maintaining comfort and aesthetics. She has remodeled spacious homes and smaller apartments within and outside of California.

Kimberly and her husband also grow organic Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Old Vine Zinfandel grapes in Moon Mountain District AVA in Sonoma County. She oversees the management of the vineyard, grape contracts, wine production, and sales.

She is a long-time supporter of education initiatives that offer both financial assistance and enrichment opportunities for students. Since 2003, in partnership with the Sonoma International Film Festival (SIFF), she has produced video workshops for Sonoma Valley middle school students whose films are screened at the festival. In 2011, she started a scholarship program in Sonoma Valley that helps first-generation Latino students attend college. In addition to her SIFF board involvement, Kimberly proudly serves on the board of LINES Ballet.

Kimberly holds a bachelor’s degree from Stanford University, an MBA from the University of San Francisco, and a permaculture certificate from the Regenerative Design Institute of Northern California.

Photography: Kimberly Hughes | Courtesy of Kimberly Hughes

For over two decades, Korri Jackson has woven a vibrant tapestry of impact, seamlessly connecting the realms of cutting-edge technology, transformative education, and passionate community engagement. A seasoned marketing strategist at the heart of Silicon Valley’s innovation, Korri works at Apple, supporting the company’s community education initiatives. She champions educational pathways for K-12 and higher education institutions as well as under-resourced communities to thrive in the digital age.

But Korri’s story extends far beyond the boardroom. From her childhood ballet training to her current role as Board Chair of Alonzo King LINES Ballet, she embodies the power of art to inspire and elevate. This lifelong dedication to movement and expression mirrors her commitment to building bridges within her community, evident in her work with organizations like the Baltimore Food Co-op and Health ConnectEd.

With degrees from Hampton University and the University of Maryland, Korri is a lifelong learner, driven by a deep appreciation for arts, culture, and the restorative power of nature. Whether she’s exploring new destinations, embracing the rhythm of dance, or sharing moments with loved ones, Korri strives to live a life rich in purpose and passion in the pursuit of leaving an indelible mark on every community she touches.

Photography: Korri Jackson | © Jennifer Graham

Lisa Pinckney wanted to be a dancer at an early age but was told that she was too tall to be taken seriously as a performer. Currently, she holds the position of Culinary Experience Specialist at Copper Home in Berkeley, California. Prior to Copper Home, Lisa had a 30-plus-year career as a Chef/Owner of renowned restaurants and bakeries in Albany, Georgia, and Washington, D.C. She received her formal culinary training in Florence, Italy.

Lisa has served on the Board of Directors of the Albany Museum of Art and volunteered at the Albany Symphony. In the fall of 2013, Lisa retired and moved to San Francisco. It didn’t take long for her to jump right in and start sharing her talents. She organized a gala to support young artists in the city and raised funds for the San Francisco Children’s Council. In 2019, Lisa joined the Advisory Board for Oasis for Girls and served two terms in a fundraising capacity. You may also find her volunteering at San Francisco International Airport’s information desk.

As luck would have it, Lisa was drawn to LINES Ballet in part by the bond she shares with Alonzo King and his family’s roots in Southwest Georgia. Lisa calls San Francisco her final destination, and she plans to leave a mark for LINES Ballet for generations to come.

Photography: Lisa Pinckney | © Cody Gantz

Micki Klearman is an accomplished rheumatologist and internist with over 20 years in clinical practice at Washington University Medical Center in St. Louis, Missouri. She moved to California in 2007 and joined Genentech where she served in a group leadership position in the immunology pharma development group, working on medications to treat rheumatoid arthritis and vasculitis. She retired in 2018.

Micki received her Bachelors in Biology at Stanford University. She then went for her medical training, as well as her residency and fellowship training at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. In addition to her participation on the LINES Board, Micki currently serves on the Board of Directors of Kezar Life Sciences, a biotech in South San Francisco, and is the Vice Chair of the Board of Shanti Project, a social service non-profit organization. She continues to consult for small biotech companies in the autoimmune disease space.

Micki is married with two sons, three stepdaughters, six grandsons, two granddaughters, and a ten-year-old Lagotto Romagnolo. She enjoys all that the Bay Area has to offer with a special love for the arts—especially dance! She was drawn to LINES for its focus on humanity and its mission to nurture artistry.

Micki was elected to the LINES Board of Directors in 2016 and currently serves as Chair of the Development Committee. She has been involved in the planning and execution of both virtual and in-person galas and other key fundraising events and works intimately with the development team on donor strategy and cultivation.

Photography: Micki Klearman, M.D. | Courtesy of Genentech