President, Jazz Philadelphia

Gerald Veasley’s musical odyssey has taken him around the world, but no matter where the celebrated bassist, bandleader, composer, educator, and curator has traveled he has always called Philadelphia home.

He brings his drive and passion for educating and motivating other musicians to his role as president of Jazz Philadelphia, where he hopes to celebrate and lift up the city’s jazz history, its established artists, and the next generation of Philadelphia-bred musicians.  

His record of service to musicians includes leadership with the Recording Academy (Grammy organization) where he served in numerous roles: Board of Governors, Chapter President, National Trustee, National Nominations Review Committee, Jazz Nominations Review Committee, and National Advocacy Chair.

Veasley attended the University of Pennsylvania, where he studied political science. However, he has dedicated his life to music; not only performing and recording but to educating and motivating other musicians. He has served on the faculty of Philadelphia’s University of the Arts and is the co-founder and artistic director of Gerald Veasley’s Bass BootCamp. The annual event, which was established in 2002, has informed and inspired hundreds of bass players of all levels and ages.

As his own extensive body of work attests, Veasley is a virtuoso on the six-string bass and he’s recorded or performed with many notable artists in jazz, R&B, and gospel: Joe Zawinul, Grover Washington, Jr., Odean Pope, John Blake, Nnenna Freelon, McCoy Tyner, Pat Martino, Kirk Whalum, Chuck Loeb, The Jaco Pastorius Big Band, Pieces of a Dream, Special EFX, Will Downing, Maysa, Gerald Levert, Teddy Pendergrass, Philip Bailey, and the Dixie Hummingbirds.

Veasley has recorded ten albums as a leader, including “The Electric Mingus Project” which reimagines the music of legendary bassist/composer Charles Mingus; “I Got Life”, a tribute to Nina Simone; and “Live at SOUTH” a collection of funk-tinged jazz originals captured in concert. Schooled by his mentors Joe Zawinul (of Weather Report fame) and saxophone giant Grover Washington Jr., Veasley seeks to blur musical boundaries, respecting tradition while moving forward.

Live at SOUTH was also the outgrowth of Veasley’s role as a curator of the Unscripted Jazz Series at SOUTH Jazz Parlor. Launched in October 2015 and co-curated by his wife and business partner Roxanne Veasley, the weekly series presents artists who, like Veasley, have broad musical tastes and experiences. The series has attracted many celebrated guest artists who appreciate the opportunity to showcase their versatility: Gerald Albright, David Benoit, Rick Braun, Randy Brecker, Alex Bugnon, Chuck Loeb, Eric Marienthal, Maysa, Raul Midón, Janis Siegel, Peter White, Kirk Whalum, and a growing roster of established and emerging artists.

The series’ stellar lineup features many of the same artists whose music was featured on the radio show he hosted on WJJZ, artists who have performed with him at major jazz festivals. Veasley plays an integral role in the Berks Jazz Festival, having presented concerts and All-Star jam sessions there for more than two decades. He currently serves as official Musical Host for the ten-day event.

President & Chief Executive Officer, Longwood Gardens

Paul B. Redman is an award-winning leader of public gardens, known for his dedication to the beauty and sustainability of gardens, and to the training of future generations of horticulture professionals. A hallmark of Paul’s leadership is building a culture of planning to propel a shared vision forward.

As President and Chief Executive Officer of Longwood Gardens for the last 14 years, Paul has implemented institutional and strategic reforms that have positioned the Gardens as a premier horticultural, cultural, and educational institution of the 21st Century, while respecting the values of its founder, Pierre S. du Pont. While numbers aren’t the only measure of success, especially during this tumultuous time across the globe, Longwood’s growth as an economic engine, a cultural treasure, and a community supporter cannot be overlooked. Since Paul’s arrival attendance has doubled to almost 1.54 million visitors per year; Membership support increased from 17,000 to 73,000 households; and earned income has almost tripled. 

New community engagement programs have been created providing greater access; thousands of hours of staff time, talents, and annual funds have been donated to local and national organizations; and free virtual field trips have taught tens of thousands of children around the world. In May 2020, Longwood Gardens was still ranked the most visited paid public garden in North America and the most visited paid cultural attraction in Philadelphia.

A consummate professional, Paul freely shares his time and expertise, serving as the Leadership Cabinet Co-Chair for Seed Your Future, a national initiative to promote awareness and careers in horticulture; and previously serving as Board President and Treasurer of the American Public Gardens Association. His honors include: 2018 National Garden Clubs Award of Excellence; 2017 Distinguished Alumnus from the Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources at Oklahoma State University; 2016 American Public Gardens Association Award of Merit; the International Garden Tourism Network’s 2015 Person of the Year; 2015 American Horticultural Society’s Professional Award; 2014 Wyck Strickland Award; 2014 American Society of Horticultural Science’s Dr. William A. “Tex” Frazier Lecturer; 2012 CEO of the Year by the Chester County Chamber of Commerce, Business & Industry; 2008 Distinguished Horticulture Alumnus from Oklahoma State University; and where his professional career first began, Franklin Park Conservatory, receiving the Ann Islay Wolfe Award for extraordinary contributions to the organization.

Paul has been working and studying in the field of public horticulture for more than 30 years. He received his Bachelor of Science Degree and Master of Science Degree in Horticulture from Oklahoma State University.

Vice President, Client and Community Relations, PNC 

Hugh McStravick is the Vice President of Client and Community Relations for the Philadelphia, Delaware, and Southern New Jersey region of PNC. He is responsible for PNC’s regional foundation grantmaking, community sponsorships, and employee volunteer programs, as well as, PNC’s client entertainment and employee recognition event strategies. Through his work with PNC’s signature philanthropic programs – PNC Grow Up Great and PNC Arts Alive – he brings a range of experience from his involvement with many of the region's art, cultural, community and educational non-profit organizations. McStravick is deeply committed to making a difference in his community through his involvement with several area non-profits. He currently serves on the board of the Arts & Business Council of Greater Philadelphia and is an active member of the steering committee for the Greater Philadelphia Corporate Volunteer Council. Prior to joining PNC in 2012, McStravick worked as a Development Officer at his Alma Mater, Gettysburg College, where he also earned a BA degree in Political Science.

Rachel Zimmerman, Executive Director, InLiquid

Rachel Zimmerman is an artist and Independent Curator based in Philadelphia, who has been named one of the region’s “Top 101 Emerging Connectors” in 2008, as well as a Creative Connector in 2011. She is a Leadership Philadelphia and Designing Leadership alumna, and has served on numerous committees from Design Philadelphia to the executive board of the Philadelphia Cultural Fund. Currently, she is on the art advisory committees of CFEVA and the Main Line Art Center, the co-chair of ArtTable (Philadelphia), and the Creative Industries Working Group (Philadelphia Office of Arts, Culture and the Creative Economy, City of Philadelphia).

Zimmerman is the Executive Director and Founder of InLiquid, a premier non-profit arts organization with 19 years of experience in managing and curating art and design projects. Through her leadership, InLiquid has been honored with numerous awards, including Philly Magazine’s Best of Philly Award for Affordable Art and The Culture Trip’s Pennsylvania Local Favorite Award in 2015. Zimmerman has also received citations from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the City of Philadelphia, as well as a nomination for the 2017 Rad Award for Nonprofit of the Year (Rad Girls).

Zimmerman’s photography is held in a number of private collections in Amsterdam, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, and San Francisco and permanent collections including the George Eastman House Museum in Rochester, NY, and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. She has exhibited at the LGTripp Gallery, OCJAC, the Open Lens Gallery at the Gershman Y, Main Line Art Center, The Community Arts Center in Wallingford, the Speer Gallery at the Shipley School, the Temple Judea Museum in Jenkintown, and the Anita Shaplosky in NY.