About Us

Board of Directors

Jill Austin – Board President

Jill Austin is the founder and CEO of GrowthFlows, a market growth consultancy focused on helping organizations and individuals assess and realize their growth potential. In her most recent role as Chief Marketing Officer of Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Ms. Austin was responsible for brand identity, market positioning and presence, marketing strategies and growth for the not-for-profit organization and its affiliated network. Ms. Austin chaired the Association of American Medical Colleges’ General Institutional Advancement council helping to increase participation by 50%. Before her roles in healthcare, she was a consultant on strategic growth initiatives for businesses in a variety of industries.  Prior to consulting, she was Vice President of Global Marketing and Sales for a large technology company, responsible for international sales, marketing, and developing strategic partnerships.  Ms. Austin enjoys singing as a choir member and soloist and has been singing all her life participating in a variety of choirs from school and church to Nashville Symphony Chorus and CircleSong.

Jan Allison – Vice-President

Jan joins the Vox Grata Board of Directors after her recent retirement from a career in corporate retail as a Buyer, Product Development Manager and Divisional Merchandise Manager. Her career has moved her around the United States, but she has been happy to live in Nashville since 2003 and to have put down roots here. With a current part-time work schedule, she is delighted to have more time to use her business background in the service of volunteer interests. She is an active Lay Leader at St. George’s Episcopal Church and was the head of the volunteer corps for three Christ, Church and Culture conferences sponsored by St. George’s Institute. She continues her long term commitment to music as a member of the choir at St. George’s. In 2015, looking for an additional choral opportunity that would include fine music outside the sacred realm, she attended her first Vox Grata concert and just knew she had found her second musical home. She has been a member of the ensemble since Fall of 2015 and section leader in the 2017-2018 season.

Martha Trammell – Secretary and Legal Advisor

A graduate of Rice University and Vanderbilt Law School, Martha is retired from a legal career.  She has served on the boards of Nashville Repertory Theatre and the Marion Griffin chapter of the Lawyers Association for Women.  She was also a member of the Middle Tennessee Workforce Development Board.

A long-time lover of choral music, Martha was drawn to Vox Grata’s focus on issues affecting women and its designation of organizations assisting women as beneficiaries at its concerts.  She is a member of the choir at Second Presbyterian Church.

Bill Christie – Treasurer

Bill Christie is a native of Toronto, Canada. He earned his undergraduate degree from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario as well as his M.B.A. and his Ph.D. in finance from the University of Chicago. He has served as both the Associate Dean and Dean of the Owen Graduate School of Management at Vanderbilt University. He currently serves on the Board of Trustees of the Financial Management Association having previously served as the President. He also served as the Executive Editor of the Financial Management journal. 

Bill is an elder at Westminster Presbyterian Church where he has been a member since 2005. He has served on numerous committees at WPC, including finance, outreach, worship, and currently serves on the personnel committee. He also serves a chair of the Investment Committee for the Legacy Fund at Westminster. He has led Bible Study classes for the past five years and is currently the chair of the Organist Search Committee to hire the next Associate Director of Music Ministries at Westminster. 

Through Westminster Presbyterian Church, Bill is active in the community through several affiliated ministries that work to offer hope and a future to those in need. These ministries include Habitat for Humanity, myLiIFEpeaks, the Outreach Foundation and Nations Ministry. Bill sits on the Board of UKirk Presbyterian campus ministries at Vanderbilt University and Nations Ministry.

Pam Schneller – Artistic Committee

Pam Schneller has been actively involved in choral music as singer, conductor, and aficionado since she fell in love with conducting as a ninth grader. A graduate of the University of Illinois and Scarritt Graduate School, she served church choirs in Illinois and Indiana, before settling down with her husband Roland in Nashville.  As a choral director, she is the founder of five of the nine choirs at Blair School of Music, including the Vanderbilt Community Chorus. Currently, she is the Senior Associate Dean of Blair Academy, the 800-student pre-college and adult program at Blair, and teaches conducting in the collegiate program. Passionate about creating musical opportunities for children and youth, Pam is a member of the Nashville Symphony Accelerando Program Advisory Board, the NSO Education and Community Engagement Committee, and the Richmond Symphony School of Music Advisory Board.

David Williams – Artistic Committee

David Williams teaches theory and ear-training courses at the Blair School of Music, Vanderbilt University, and conducts the Vanderbilt Community Chorus. The Vanderbilt Community Chorus performs some of the most challenging music in the choral repertoire, including recent performances of Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms, Bach’s Magnificat, Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy, and the Duruflé Requiem.  In May of 2017, the VCC embarked upon its first-ever European tour, with performances in Germany, Austria, and the Czech Republic.  David also conducted the Vanderbilt University Concert Choir, the University’s oldest performing arts organization, from 2008-2021.

David’s undergraduate studies at Indiana University with Edward Auer and Evelyne Brancart earned him the BM degree in Piano Performance. He holds graduate degrees in Music Theory and Choral Conducting from Indiana University and the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. While at CCM, Williams studied with various conductors-in-residence, including Fiora Contino, Vance George, Jon Washburn, and Richard Westenburg. In 2013, he participated in the conducting master classes at the Oregon Bach Festival with Helmuth Rilling.  

Prior to coming to the Blair School, David wrote and produced music for nationally broadcast TV and radio commercials. He has also held numerous positions conducting church and community choirs. Other faculty positions include Belmont University (1995-98), and Middle Tennessee State University (2005-06). David taught at the Blair School from 1995-98, and rejoined the faculty in 2006. He frequently serves as a clinician for high schools and colleges from around the country.  He lives in Nashville with his wife Lisa, and daughter Maddie.

Lea Maitlen – Marketing & Grants

Lea Coppoletta Maitlen, a classically trained vocalist, holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Colorado at Boulder and a Master of Music degree from Belmont University.  She is a founding member of Nashville’s Portara Ensemble. Maitlen is a specialist in contemporary vocal music and has performed the Tennessee premieres of Pulitzer Prizewinning composer Caroline Shaw’s Cantico delle creature, Richard Danielpour’s Portraits, and the soprano in David Lang’s Pulitzer Prizewinning Little Match Girl Passion.  

As the Senior Marketing Manager of the Naxos of America marketing team until 2012, Maitlen produced several commercially released recording series and led various successful campaigns to launch new classical music CD recordings into the American market. Her critical successes include spearheading the American releases of ALIAS Chamber Ensemble’s Grammy nominated Hilos: Chamber Music of Gabriela Lena Frank, James Whitbourne’s Luminosity (performed by Commotio), the Elora Festival Singers’ Grammy nominated recording of the music of Eric Whitacre, and the King’s Singers acclaimed Pater Noster CD recording, in which she played an integral A&R and producer role. 

Maitlen served as the Executive Director of Portara Ensemble from 2011-2016, during which the ensemble released the critically acclaimed Choral Hymns of the Christian Faith CD recording and Amorisms: Chamber Music of Paul Moravec (featuring a World Premiere commission undertaken in partnership with the Nashville Ballet and ALIAS Chamber Ensemble).  Maitlen also served as the Executive Director for the GRAMMY nominated ALIAS Chamber Ensemble from 2016-2018.  During this time she was the creative force behind the concept of the group’s CD release, Rhythms, Rivers, and Roads.  A trained Montessori teacher, Maitlen spearheaded several innovative educational outreach programs during her time with ALIAS, including a school program focused on music by immigrant composers and a STEAM program which tied music inspired by nature to an exploration of the world around us.

Most recently, Maitlen served as Director of Marketing, PR, and Engagement with Nashville Opera, where she focused on growing creative partnerships within the Nashville community to bring opera to a wider, more diverse audience.  Since she joined Nashville Opera in 2018, Maitlen has undertaken partnerships with Opera on Tap, the Nashville Film Festival, the Frist Art Museum, Tennessee State University, and the Tennessee State Museum.  She is delighted to bring her experience with and passion for classical music to bear to grow the love of the art form in Middle Tennessee.

Hattie DeWalt – Beneficiary Committee

Hattie DeWalt is the Executive Director of Women in Numbers, a non-partisan organization committed to engaging, encouraging and endorsing qualified women in their pursuit of local office.  She is also the President of the Bellevue Community Foundation and a member of the Bellevue Harpeth Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.  Previously, Ms. DeWalt was a member of the board of directors for Nashville Ballet, the American Cancer Society, Dress for Success and the American Red Cross.   

Hattie was a Corporate Vice President of CIGNA responsible for training, administration, marketing and sales support. She was a marketing and acquisition consultant for numerous healthcare-related companies and also worked for former Senator Bill Frist during his first term in office.  

Ever committed to contributing to the community, Ms. DeWalt chaired numerous galas and events for The American Cancer Society, the American Red Cross, Nashville Ballet, My Sister’s Place and Cystic Fibrosis.

Sandra Shepherd – Beneficiary Committee

Sandra Shepherd serves as Associate Pastor for Christian Discipleship at Brenthaven Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Brentwood. When she and her husband Scott lived in rural northeast Alabama, Sandra taught in public school, performed in musicals with a town-and-gown theater, and sang in the church choir. Nashville has been home since 2011, and although she sings with the church choir here, Sandra says she always needs more singing, so she jumped at the chance to join Vox Grata in 2018. She claims it as one of her best decisions to be part of this group of amazing women singing quality music and benefitting worthy causes.

Kimberly Pace 

Kimberly Pace is passionate about the transformation of leaders. Kimberly serves as a professor for the practice of management at Vanderbilt University’s Owen Graduate School of Management for 15 years, where she teaches advanced communication courses to MBA, Master of Finance, Master of Accountancy and Executive MBA students. In the Vanderbilt Executive programs, she teaches Communication Strategy for Senior Leaders, Persuasive & Influential Speaking and Women in Leadership.

Kimberly began her career as the Executive Director and “on-air talent” for radio and television programs aired on CBS, NBC, and Fox in seven states to an audience of 5.5 million homes. Her experience includes designing integrated communications marketing strategies, launching a national TV branding campaign, and creating word-of-mouth marketing campaigns.

Kimberly Pace also serves as the CEO and co-founder of Executive Aura. Executive Aura is a boutique consulting firm who works with CEOs, senior management, and emerging leaders to Think, Lead, and Act like a CEO. Examples include working side-by-side with the CEO to write corporate strategic plans and executive speeches, leading culture audits and designing leadership development programs. Kimberly is a frequent keynote speaker at conferences on topics such as Executive Personal Brand, Leadership Communication Strategies, Cultures of Engagement, and Executive Women.

Kimberly is trained as a professional singer, actress and dancer. She has a masters of vocal performance from Shenandoah University, Conservatory of Music. Before Covid, she organized international adventures for friends and family. Her favorite non-profits are Thistle Farms, Nashville Entrepreneur Center, HRC – and now, Vox Grata. Kimberly with her husband David, and dogs Coco Chanel and Liza Minnelli, live near Percy Warner Park so spend time hiking and cycling.

Rosie Smith – Social Media

Rosie Smith is a Nashville native who has contributed to Nashville’s vast healthcare workforce since she graduated from the University of Tennessee in Chattanooga in 2013. Her current role is managing clients of the workforce development solutions of HealthStream, Inc. During her career, she’s been certified to teach many professional development workshops and has used her background and degree in Psychology to help support the growth of her peers in every aspect of her professional life. Rosie’s affinity for music comes from her father who taught himself to read music singing in his church choir at the ripe age of 8 years old. From elementary school through high school, Rosie participated in school choirs and was able to travel on tour with St. Cecilia Academy in 2007 and 2010. Her love for music continued after college when she was able to join Vox Grata as an Alto 1 in Fall 2016. Through this group, she continues to be amazed by the camaraderie and joy that singing brings.

Janice Kemp – Choir Liaison

Janice Kemp’s professional career has included teaching music to students from nursery school through the college level in both public and private schools. She began her teaching career in elementary school in Arlington, Texas. After moving to Nashville in the mid-1980s she taught general music in the Junior School and AP Music History in the Upper School at Montgomery Bell Academy. Following another move, this time to Philadelphia, she taught for 17 years at Germantown Academy (GA) in Fort Washington, PA, the oldest independent non-sectarian school in the United States. During her tenure at GA she taught intermediate music and directed the Lower School Choir, while also serving as Head of the Performing Arts Department (PreK-12) with oversight of music, theatre, and media. While in Pennsylvania, Janice served on evaluation teams for numerous independent schools renewing state accreditation. Upon returning to Texas, she taught in the music department at The University of Texas, Arlington. In addition to teaching, Janice served as the Director of Children’s Choirs at churches in Arlington, TX, Nashville, TN, and Abington, PA. Over the years she served as choral clinician for numerous regional workshops and festivals. Coming full-circle back to Nashville, Janice is happily retired and enjoys activities at Westminster Presbyterian Church, singing in Vox Grata, and spending time with her family. Janice holds a BME from University of North Texas and a MME and Kodaly Certifications from Belmont University.

Jeanette MacCallum

Jeanette MacCallum – Ex Officio, Founder & Artistic Director

Jeanette MacCallum is the Director of Music Ministries at Second Presbyterian Church in Nashville, TN and founder and Artistic Director of Vox Grata, a Nashville community women’s choir. Previously she served as an Adjunct Professor in music theory and history at Belmont and Lipscomb Universities. In addition, she served as the Director of Choral Activities at Saint Cecilia Academy in Nashville, TN, from 2002 to 2012, where she conducted various ensembles and taught AP Music Theory. During her time at St. Cecilia, the Advanced Choir received superior ratings at all regional and state adjudication festivals in which it participated. In addition, the St. Cecilia Advanced Choir performed at ACDA and TMEA state conferences. Mrs. MacCallum led the St. Cecilia Choir on performance tours to Carnegie Hall, Canada and Italy. In 2007, the Saint Cecilia Choir performed by invitation at the Ospedale della Pietà and the Ospedale dei Derelitti in Venice. Her students earned positions in numerous All State and ACDA Honor Choirs.

A native of Princeton, New Jersey, Mrs. MacCallum’s passion for choral music began as a member of the distinguished Princeton High School Choir. She received her musical education at the Eastman School of Music and Belmont University, and received the Master of Church Music degree from Belmont. A singer, pianist and conductor, Mrs. MacCallum has directed choirs at the Blair School of Music at Vanderbilt University, as well as at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Nashville, TN. She is the past president of the Tennessee chapter of the American Choral Directors Association. Jeanette is the author of “The Sacred Choral Works of the Venetian Ospedali,” published by GIA in “Conducting Women’s Choirs: Strategies for Success,” Debra Spurgeon, Editor and Compiler. (2012)