CINCINNATI (October 2, 2025)—Cincinnati Opera announces the election of officers for its board of trustees for the 2025–2026 fiscal year, as well as the addition of eight trustees and seven Cincinnati Opera Board Associates.
Officers were elected at Cincinnati Opera’s Annual Meeting on September 17, 2025. These officers were originally elected to serve a one-year term in September 2024 and were all re-elected to serve another one-year term as of the Annual Meeting. They include:
President Ronald T. Bates, Managing Director, 1919 Investment Counsel
Chair Melanie M. Chavez, Partner, Chavez Properties
Treasurer and Executive Vice President Robert Bitter, Partner, Deloitte
Secretary Charles E. Baverman III, Partner, Dinsmore & Shohl
Ronald T. Bates
President
Melanie M. Chavez
Chair
Robert Bitter
Treasurer & Executive Vice President
Charles E. Baverman III
Secretary
Also as of the Annual Meeting, new trustees and new members of the Cincinnati Opera Board Associates, a subsidiary of the board of trustees composed of young professionals, began their three-year terms.
New trustees include:
Amy Bixel, Senior Vice President and Managing Director, Fifth Third Bank
Josh Blatt, President, John Henry Homes
Michael T. Dean, Partner, Dinsmore & Shohl
Michelle Goret, Vice President of Corporate Affairs, Cintas
Brandon R. Jones, Audit Partner, Deloitte
David Paredes, Director of Marketing, Standard Textile
Buffie Rixey, community volunteer
Heather Z. Vecellio, Director of Brand, Design, and Production, HiNOTE
New Board Associates include:
Alicia DeVore, Marketing and Public Relations, Castellini Management Company
Caressa Layne Miles, Operations Coordinator and Gallery Director, Xavier University
Cara Nicolas, Marketing Coordinator, SHP, and Owner/Writer, Caniche Communications
Maddie Shanahan, Attorney, Calfee, Halter & Griswold
Carlin Twedt, Brand Manager, KAO
Lou Velazquez, Marketing Director, The BMW Store & Cincinnati MINI
Tobias P. Wright, Account Executive, Zoom
About Cincinnati Opera
Cincinnati Opera’s mission is to enrich and connect our community through diverse opera experiences. Founded in 1920 and the second-oldest opera company in the nation, Cincinnati Opera presents a thrilling season of grand opera every summer and engaging programs throughout the year. The company’s repertoire includes beloved classics and contemporary masterworks brought to life by some of the world’s most dynamic performers and creative artists.
Cincinnati Opera is supported by the generosity of tens of thousands of contributors to the ArtsWave Community Campaign. Our programming is made possible in part by an investment of public funds from the Ohio Arts Council (OAC), a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally, and economically. Cincinnati Opera also receives support from The Louise Dieterle Nippert Musical Arts Fund, the Harry T. Wilks Family Foundation, and the H.B., E.W. & F.R. Luther Charitable Foundation, along with many other generous individuals, corporations, and foundations. Cincinnati Opera is a member of OPERA America. Learn more: cincinnatiopera.org.