Staff Leadership Team
From artistic vision to daily operations, our staff works to ensure the chorus continues to inspire, connect, and give voice to our community.
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CHARITY PROUD ADMINISTRATOR
Isaac Paez |
TICKET MANAGER
John Homko |
WEBMASTER
Dustin Whitener |
Jerry MatthewsExecutive Director
Jerry Matthews serves as Executive Director of the New Mexico Gay Men's Chorus, following four seasons as Board Chair. He brings over 30 years of experience in advertising, marketing, and public relations, working for advertising agencies, a startup, and in-house roles spanning both account and creative development. He currently serves as Director of Storytelling for SUNNY505, the state's largest PR/Marketing firm, where his work has been recognized by the Addy Awards and The Tellys.
Jerry is a graduate of the Leadership Albuquerque program through the Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce, served as VP of Communications for the New Mexico chapter of the American Marketing Association (2019–2023), and was named Account Executive of the Year (2020) by the American Advertising Federation of New Mexico. He received the 2025 DEI Leadership Award from NM PRSA. Jerry was appointed by the Albuquerque mayor to serve as Vice Chair of the Urban Enhancement Trust Fund board, and serves on the New Mexico Advisory Board for Give Us the Floor and the Advisory Board for the Albuquerque Community Foundation's Pride Circle. Jerry has a Master's in Advertising from the Portfolio Center in Atlanta, and a B.A. in Public Relations from Texas Tech University. Outside of work, Jerry is passionate about supporting the local arts and queer community and has performed locally with Quintessence, Opera Southwest, Musical Theater Southwest and the NM Gay Men's Chorus, where he currently sings as a member and serves as a section leader. |
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Brent CareyAdministrative & Finance Director
Brent Carey joined the chorus in the spring of 2016 as its first business manager. He joined the board and became treasurer in July of the same year. Over the years, his role has grown into being Administrative & Finance Director.
Brent founded Financial Strategy Group, Inc., with Susan Buchroeder in 2003, bringing more than ten years’ experience in business valuation and financial consulting to the firm. Previously, he directed business valuation services at two Albuquerque accounting firms, Neff + Ricci LLP (now Moss-Adams), and Pulakos & Alongi, Ltd. (now Pulakos CPAs). In addition to business valuation, his areas of expertise include complex financial analysis & management, and business planning. He holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation from the CFA Institute and is an Accredited Senior Appraiser (ASA) in Business Valuation with the American Society of Appraisers. Prior to entering the financial consulting field, Brent was in the banking industry for eight years. He directed investments and funds management for United New Mexico Bank (now Wells Fargo) after having previously advanced to executive vice president and chief operating officer of New Mexico Federal Savings and Loan Association over a five-year period. Brent earned a Bachelor’s Degree with honors in economics from Johns Hopkins University and an MBA in finance from the Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Business at Rice University, where he was named a William Howard Keenan Fellow and a Jones Scholar. While completing his MBA, he received the Financial Executives Institute Academic Award and was the First Place Graduate Scholarship Award winner in the Houston Society of Financial Analysts annual competition. A 1994 graduate of Leadership Albuquerque, Brent has been active on several committees of the Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce, including helping develop and serving as the initial chair of the Youth Leadership program. He has served on the Board of Trustees at Albuquerque Academy and as president of the Albuquerque Academy Alumni Association. He was a longtime member of the National Alumni Schools Committee for Johns Hopkins University. |
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Aaron HoweArtistic Director
Aaron Howe has been making music in New Mexico for over 30 years. He received his Bachelor of Music Education from Eastern New Mexico University and his Master of Music from the University of New Mexico. He has served as the Artistic Director for the New Mexico Gay Men’s Chorus since 2010, programming and conducting their concert seasons, and helping to fulfill their mission of Changing the World through Music. Since 2018 Aaron has also served as the Chorus Master for Opera Southwest, a regional professional opera company that has created wonderful operas for over 50 years. Recently, the New Mexico Symphonic Chorus merged with Opera Southwest, and Aaron serves as chorus master for both OSW and NMSC. Aaron’s past positions include artistic directing Zia Singers (a women’s chorus in Santa Fe) from 2016-2024, co-founding and artistic directing the Rio Rancho Youth Chorus from 2013-2022, and directing choral activities at St. Pius High School from 2004-2009. Aaron has also served as music minister at multiple churches, including Heights 1st Church of the Nazarene, Community of Joy Lutheran Church, and Metropolitan Community Church. He has also had the pleasure of music directing numerous community musicals with Musical Theatre Southwest, Albuquerque Little Theater, and Play Conservatory. Aaron is proud and honored to be an active participant in the wonderful arts community in New Mexico.
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