Françoise E. Lyon is a seasoned finance executive and independent board director with over 25 years of leadership experience, including significant contributions to Canada's leading cultural institutions. She has a deep appreciation for the power of the arts to reflect, elevate, and connect diverse communities, and she brings this perspective to all of my board work.

At the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts Foundation, Françoise chaired the Audit Committee and founded the Women of Influence Circle in 2015—a donor initiative designed to expand representation and support for women’s leadership in the arts. From 2017 to 2024, she served as Chair of the Board of Trustees of the National Gallery of Canada, sitting on all board committees and leading through a period of major transformation, including a national rebrand and multiple executive transitions. She also served during those years as an independent board member of the National Gallery of Canada's Foundation, with a focus on donor strategy and long-term cultural investment.

Her board experience is grounded in strong governance, strategic oversight, financial stewardship, and a deep belief in the arts as a driver of social cohesion and cultural awareness. Françoise brings a collaborative and diplomatic approach to board leadership, along with a global perspective, fluency in English and French, and a strong working knowledge of Spanish. She holds dual Canadian and British citizenships and owns a home in Mexico. She is passionate about serving organizations that are committed to creativity, inclusion, and meaningful community impact through the arts.
 

Santee Smith, Tekaronhiáhkhwa (Picking Up the Sky), is a renowned multidisciplinary artist and cultural leader from the Kahnyen’kehàka (Mohawk) Nation in Ohswé:ken/Six Nations of the Grand River. Internationally recognized for her visionary contributions to dance and Indigenous performance, by weaving ancestral knowledge systems with contemporary practice to create transformative works rooted in identity, land, humanity, and our shared responsibility to the natural world. She trained at Canada’s National Ballet School and holds degrees in Physical Education, Psychology from McMaster University and a Master’s in Dance from York University. A Member of the Order of Canada, she serves as the 19th Chancellor of McMaster University.

As the founder and Artistic Director of Kaha:wi Dance Theatre, Santee creates, produces and tours numerous works and advances Indigenous methodologies through land-based and creativity research, international collaborations, cultural exchange and vitalization. A sought-after collaborator, speaker, teacher and mentor. Santee continues to inspire as an artist, leader, and cultural visionary.

Mayu Ohsawa began playing the piano at the age of seven. She participated in the Performance Study Course of Yamaha Master Class in 2018 and 2019 and studied at the Jr. Academy of Tokyo University of the Arts from 2018 to 2020. She graduated from The Music High School Attached to the Faculty of Music, Tokyo University of the Arts in March 2024. Currently, she is a first-year student at The Faculty of Music, Tokyo University of the Arts. She has studied under Ayako Uehara and Akira Eguchi. She participated in Morningside Music Bridge 2023 in Boston. 1st Prize in the Youth Category of The 9th Yamaha Junior Piano Competition. Competitor in The 12th Hamamatsu International Piano Competition. 1st Prize in the Performer Category (Tokyo Stage and National Final) and Second Grand Prize at the SAKURA JAPAN MUSIC COMPETITION 2025.

Mayu Ohsawa was generously supported by the Heather Edwards Artist Award.
 

Pianist Eden Chen “enthralls audiences with fluid performances and fingers that dance upon, rather than play, the piano” (Leeds Living). In 2025-26, Eden orchestrally debuts at Carnegie Hall with the Chamber Orchestra of New York. He will also be presented solo by Gabriela Montero in Switzerland and the USA.

In 2024-25, Eden curated 5 poems by Bert Meyers for songs by pianist/composer A Bu, and premiered them at Kennedy Center and Merkin Hall. That season’s performances also included the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel, Carnegie Hall’s Ensemble Connect and ongoing Honens International Piano Competition. In 2023-24, Eden’s 9-city recital tour of China was acclaimed for “exuding pure light” (Zhongshan Daily). He has appeared at Wigmore Hall and multiple times at Stern Auditorium, Pritzker Pavilion, and Weill Recital Hall.

Under Hung-Kuan Chen, Eden earned both Master and Bachelor of Music degrees from The Juilliard School, graduating with the Juilliard Career Advancement Fellowship, its largest Commencement prize. He was guest artist of the Lang Lang International Music Foundation, the Leeds International Piano Competition’s Festival, Banff Centre, and the Grammy Salute to Classical. Eden was featured in media by NPR’s Tiny Desk Concerts, Isabel Leonard and Pianist Magazine. He has recorded with Lang Lang for Deutsche Grammophon and performed with him at JBLFest, The City of Shenzhen’s Exposition in New York, and the Andermatt Swiss Alps Classics.

Eden Chen was generously supported by the Helen Graham Artist Award.
 

Jiahao Han is the sole pianist accepted into The Juilliard School’s prestigious Doctoral of Musical Arts program in 2024. He is currently studying under the esteemed mentorship of Dr. Yoheved Kaplinsky and Mr. Hung-Kuan Chen.

As a soloist, Jiahao has made appearances with Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra, Tianjin Symphony Orchestra, Suzhou Symphony Orchestra, etc. His guest artist appearances have taken him to prestigious venues worldwide, including in China, the US, Germany, Poland, Romania, Spain, Australia, Korea, and Japan. Jiahao won second prize in the 2022 New York International Piano Competition, third prize in  "Jinji Lake" International Piano Competition, and third prize in "Jenuesses International Music Competition Dinu Lipatti." His performances were hailed by the General-Anzeiger (Germany) as "solid, fantastic, and full of emotional drama."

Embracing artistic innovation and integrity, Jiahao consistently dedicates himself to exploring new music and chamber works. He has also embarked on a transformative journey as a non-major composition student under the esteemed tutelage of Dr. Philip Lasser at Juilliard. Recognizing his exceptional musicality and pedagogical skills, Juilliard appointed Jiahao as a teaching fellow in ear training, theory and analysis, counterpoint, and harmony since August 2021.

Jiahao Han was generously supported by the Heather Edwards Artist Award.