Board of Directors

Walter Sommers

President

Walt Sommers has spent his entire career in the investment business and is currently employed by Piper Jaffray & Co., a Minneapolis based New York Stock Exchange member. He enjoys classical music and has been a season ticket holder for the “Visiting Orchestra Series” from its inception to the time the series ended. Walt believes the Curtis recital and orchestral programs are the best musical values in Philadelphia and is a regular attendee.

He has lived in Chestnut Hill with his wife for the past 35 years, having been born in Illinois and moved to the area after college. He graduated from the Johns Hopkins University and received an M.B.A. from Columbia University in the city of New York.

Thomas Harmon

Thom is a fundraising professional with over 14 years of experience, mostly in the field of academic healthcare.  Thom began his career at Penn Medicine before spending the majority of his career in various leadership roles at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.  Thom is currently the Director of Leadership Gifts at the Fox Chase Cancer Center, part of the Temple University Health System.

Jennifer Loux

Secretary

Jennifer Loux is Admissions Director for Marlboro Music, where she has been on staff since 2007.

With a background in choral music, she has directed choirs in collegiate, community, and church settings. She was a visiting lecturer in choral music at the University of Indianapolis and Ursinus College in the spring semesters of 2005 and 2008, respectively. She holds degrees in Choral Conducting from Temple University and Music Education from West Chester University, and pursued additional studies in Choral Conducting at Indiana University, Bloomington.

Jen enjoys spending time with her friends and family (especially her niece and nephews), reading, singing in choirs, and hearing live music whenever possible.

Robert Reeder

Treasurer

Bob was raised in Springfield, Delaware County, Pa.  He attended Gettysburg College, where he graduated with a B.A. in History. He then attended Villanova University School of Law where he was a member of the Law Review and graduated Order of the Coif. After clerking for a federal court judge in Philadelphia and four years at as an associate at one firm, he spent the next 30 years with the Philadelphia Law Firm of Cozen O’Connor where he specialized in defending medical device companies and insurance companies in disputes with policyholders. He retired from the law firm in 2004.

Bob has been married to his wife Mary for 47 years and they have three adult children (and 6 grandchildren).  They have lived in St. Davids since 1981. Bob and Mary have been active members of Church of the Saviour in Wayne for more than 30 years. Bob has served as the Vice-Chair and Chair of the Elder Board on two occasions and Chaired the Stewardship Campaign (2001-2004) Bob has served on the Advisory Council of the Templeton Honors College at Eastern University since 2006, and Chair since 2009.

Rachel Kuipers Yonan

Artistic & Executive Director

A lover of chamber music, Rachel co-founded the Marinus Ensemble with her brother, cellist Joseph Kuipers, and currently serves as its Artistic & Executive Director. Beyond her own innovative work with Marinus, Rachel has become a presence in the music world performing as a soloist and chamber musician in concert halls across the United States, Europe and Asia. Her appearances include concerts at the Amelia Island Chamber Music Festival, Open Chamber Music at Prussia Cove, Ascoli Piceno Festival and Bay Chamber Concerts. She has been invited to perform at festivals such as the Marlboro Music Festival, Festival Mozaic, the Taos Music Festival and the Perlman Music Program, and has collaborated with such renowned artists such as Roberto Díaz, Joseph Silverstein, James Dunham and Robert Levin.

Rachel is a graduate of both the Curtis Institute of Music and Rice University. Beyond music, Rachel loves gardening with her husband and son, reading the literature of Byatt, Berry and Greene, and traveling to out-of-the-way places.