Our Board of Directors
Dawn Clement
Pianist/Vocalist/Composer Dawn Clement has established herself as one of the most sought after musicians working today. With her joyful presence, consummate technique and distinctive sound, Clement has gained the attention and respect of musicians, critics and fans through the US and abroad. “In all this world of jazz, there are very few individual voices, no matter what the instrument, but Dawn has come up with a voice that’s unique…” says legendary jazz trombonist Julian Priester.
With 5 CD’s under her belt, not to mention appearing as side woman on Jane Ira Bloom’s latest release “Wild Lines” and Emi Meyer’s “Monochrome”, Dawn has been hailed as the “Wonder Woman of Seattle” by Paul DeBarros (Seattle Times). Downbeat says “The revelation is Dawn Clement’s piano, always ready with the lyricism or structure the moment needs. With her newest release, Tandem, she explores the magic of musical pairs with some of her closest musical cohorts.
D’Vonne Lewis
D’Vonne Lewis was awarded the 2013 and 2018 “NW Instrumentalist of the Year” Golden Ear by Earshot Jazz, and is is the grandson of the ‘Godfather’ of rock and roll/soul, 1950s-1960s Northwest organ legend, Dave Lewis. Lewis graduated from Seattle’s Roosevelt High School in 2002 and was a member of the award-winning jazz band, directed by SRJO trombonist, Scott Brown. While in high school, D’Vonne received the Essentially Ellington Drum soloist award for the years 2000, 2001 and 2002. Lewis resides in Seattle, WA, and extensively tours and performs various gigs in styles ranging from jazz, big band, funk, hip-hop, rock, Brazilian and African. He has recorded and performed with Macklemore and Ryan Lewis; Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra; Maria Schneider; Digable Planets; Stone Gossard of Pearl Jam; Source of Labor; Christian McBride and John Clayton; Skerik; George Porter, Jr. of the Meters; George Cables; Diane “Deedles” Schuur; Bucky Pizzarelli; Wycliffe Gordon; Floyd Standifer; Julian Priester; Hadley Caliman; and a number of other local and national artists. Lewis composes for his own band, ‘D’Vonne Lewis’ Limited Edition’ and the FOLKS TRIO.
He is also the 2006 Earshot Golden Ear Award winner for ‘Emerging Artist of the Year’ and the 2014 Stranger Magazine ‘Genius’ award recipient.
Thomas Marriott
Trumpeter, composer, producer and bandleader Thomas Marriott is one of the most original voices on the national jazz scene. The Seattle native has toured, recorded and performed with Maynard Ferguson, Orrin Evans & Captain Black Big Band, Rosemary Clooney, The Spanish Harlem Orchestra, Joe Locke, Roy McCurdy, Steve Wilson, Stix Hooper, Ivan Neville, Charlie Hunter and a host of modern jazz masters. He has recorded 13 albums as a leader for Origin Records and won the Carmine Caruso Jazz Trumpet Competition in 1999. He is the recipient of 7 Golden-Ear Awards and has spent 23 seasons as the trumpet soloist with the Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra. His music has been featured on NPR's "Morning Edition" and has topped the jazz radio airplay charts. Thomas Marriott is a Yamaha Performing Artist.
Kathleen Whalen
Kathleen Whalen is a longtime supporter of jazz music and education in the Seattle Community. She spent many years advocating and fundraising for the Roosevelt High School jazz programs and has been showing up for Seattle Jazz Fellowship since its founding in 2021. Her tireless commitment to our local community and jazz music has been key to its continuing progress and growth.
Trevor Ford
Trevor Ford is a local professional working in both the local music and corporate communities in Seattle. He grew up playing various string and brass instruments and has focused on the acoustic and electric bass from college onwards. He studied at the Lamont School of Music at the University of Denver. The year he graduated, Trevor placed 3rd in the Ron Carter Jazz Bass competition. Since then, he has performed in cities across the country including Denver, Boston, Detroit, Portland and now, Seattle. Trevor has an M.B.A. from the University of Washington and brings years of corporate experience where he has delivered strategies to help people work better together. In a world that is increasingly replacing people with technology, he hopes to reinforce the role human creativity and interaction have on our lives by contributing to Seattle’s thriving jazz scene. Trevor lives in West Seattle with his wife, Megan, and dog, Stella. t.
Rayna Mathis
Rayna Mathis is the editor of Earshot Jazz magazine and a graduate of the University of Washington with a BA in History. While not a musician as many of her fellow board members, Rayna's dedication to the art stems from summers attending jazz festivals as a youth and dancing lindy hop for 10+ years. She has dedicated herself to Seattle’s arts and culture scene and is forever in awe/gratitude for the community she has found here. Her professional career has primarily been in arts education and mentorship, with an added commitment to pushing the arts to be more equitable, empowering, transparent, and unapologetic. Rayna was awarded The Washington Art Education Association’s 2018 Outstanding New Art Educator of the Year. That same year, she co-presented at national conferences on the following topics: Questioning the Progress: Millennial Women Discuss Gender, Racial Equity, and Inclusivity (American Alliance of Museums) and Career Days: The Un-Sugar-Coated Version of Working in Art Museums (National Art Education Association). Rayna currently serves on KEXP’s Community Advisory Board and Seattle Music Commission’s Youth + Community Committee. Additionally, she is the Interim Cultural & Creative Workforce Development Program Coordinator at Northwest Folklife, a paid internship program for young creatives..
Julie Rey
Julie Rey is Founder of Green Side Consulting and serves as board Treasurer. When she is not working with businesses locally and abroad, Julie spends time volunteering across Seattle’s jazz ecosystem. In addition to her work with Seattle Jazz Fellowship, she supports jazz programming at Lincoln High School, served as board member for the internationally recognized Roosevelt Jazz program, and is mom to two aspiring teenage musicians. If the pandemic taught us anything, it is that art is essential. Now more than ever, Julie is excited to do all she can to help connect artists and audiences for the enjoyment of live jazz.