At the Los Angeles Philharmonic, GAIL SAMUEL has been promoted to the position of president of the Hollywood Bowl and chief operating officer of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association, and MARGIE KIM has been appointed chief advancement officer.
Gail Samuel most recently served as executive director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, leading operations at the Hollywood Bowl including programming jazz, world music, orchestral pops and pop/rock presentations, and management of the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra as well as human resources, strategy, and special projects. In her new position, Samuel will provide leadership for the Hollywood Bowl and The Ford, as well as operational oversight for all the organization’s venues. Samuel’s tenure at the LA Phil began more than 25 years ago when she joined the Orchestra Operations department, and she has held several roles within the Association, serving as orchestra manager and later general manager and vice president, managing the orchestra and concert production. Early in her career, Samuel held positions with the Minnesota Orchestra, Yale University, Tanglewood Music Festival, and the Young Musicians Foundation. Samuel studied violin and earned undergraduate degrees in music and psychology and an MBA from the University of Southern California. She serves on the Board of Councilors for the USC Thornton School of Music and on the Board of Directors of A Noise Within Theatre.
Margie Kim begins as the LA Phil’s chief advancement officer on February 18. Her responsibilities will include the leadership and management of all Los Angeles Philharmonic Association fundraising efforts. Kim goes to the orchestra from the Trust for Public Land in California, where she was chief philanthropy officer. During nearly a decade there, Kim reorganized the philanthropy department, doubled its staff, raised more than $720 million, and worked with the National Board of Directors. Prior to the Trust for Public Land, she spent six years with the Nature Conservancy as deputy director of development for the California state program before becoming director of philanthropy for the Asia-Pacific Region. At the National Audubon Society and Audubon California, she served in development-leadership roles. Kim spent ten years at UCLA as director of development for the humanities and was also director of the Letters and Science Fund. Prior to her fundraising career, Kim was a planner at the United Way of Greater Los Angeles, where she worked with youth and family agencies in East Los Angeles, Watts and Compton.
