THE SEATTLE SYMPHONY NAMES SUSAN MACGREGOR COUGHLIN AS BOARD CHAIR
PRESIDENT AND FOUNDER OF AIR SAFETY MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATES WILL SERVE AS THE SYMPHONY'S BOARD CHAIR STARTING IN THE 2025/2026 SEASON
Seattle, WA – The Seattle Symphony Board of Directors has elected Susan MacGregor Coughlin, President and Founder of Air Safety Management Associates, as its next Board Chair. She will assume the role beginning with the 2025/2026 season, succeeding Jon Rosen, who is stepping down at the end of the 2024/2025 season after four years of dedicated service.
“I am truly honored to have been elected as the Symphony's next Board Chair,” said Coughlin. “This is an extraordinary organization with exciting times ahead, and I look forward to working with the Board and our talented management team as, together, we build on our considerable strengths toward the future.”
A passionate supporter of the arts, Coughlin brings extensive leadership and board experience. She served on the Seattle Opera Board from 2012 to 2023 and currently sits on the Board of Directors of Classical KING FM 98.1. Within the Seattle Symphony Board, she chairs the Development Committee and serves on both the Finance Committee and the Artistic Advisory Committee. Alongside Coughlin’s work in the arts, her background is rooted in transportation and public safety. A longtime executive in the field, she was confirmed by the U.S. Senate to serve on the National Transportation Safety Board and was appointed to two terms as its Vice Chair. Prior to the NTSB, she served as Deputy Administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration. Her leadership extends across national institutions, with board and advisory roles at Emory-Riddle Aeronautical University, NASA, the Federal Aviation Administration and the Flight Safety Foundation.
“I am thrilled that Susan has accepted the invitation to become the Seattle Symphony’s next Board Chair,” said Maria K. Yang, Acting CEO and Chief Development & Project Officer. “Since joining our Board of Directors, she has shown tremendous leadership and unwavering dedication. She’s deeply committed to our mission, and her leadership will be a wonderful addition to our organization as we continue our exciting journey forward.”
“I am delighted that Susan has been elected by our peers to succeed me as Board Chair at the end of my tenure in 2025. I am confident that with her combination of skills and talents, she will build on the forward momentum and exciting initiatives the Board has generated in recent years,” said Rosen. “She steps into this critical role at an exciting time, with Music Director Xian Zhang joining us in September and the Amplify campaign now in its public phase.”
Rosen has served as Chair since 2021 and he will conclude his tenure as Chair at the end of the 2024/2025 season. He was responsible, in part, for the appointment of Music Director Xian Zhang and played a pivotal role in guiding the organization through a challenging period, significantly contributing to the arts industry’s recovery in the aftermath of the pandemic.
SUSAN MACGREGOR COUGHLIN | BOARD CHAIR
Susan MacGregor Coughlin is President and Founder of Air Safety Management Associates, a consulting firm serving transportation clients since 1997. Coughlin has held executive positions in the federal government and transportation industry since 1981, including Deputy Administrator, Federal Railroad Administration. She was confirmed by the United States Senate as a Member of the National Transportation Safety Board and was appointed to two consecutive terms as Vice Chair.
Coughlin has served on the Board of Trustees of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University's Flight Safety Foundation and the Georgia Tech Research Institute. She has held advisory roles on ad hoc committees at the Federal Aviation Administration, NASA and the National Academies of Science. She has also served on the Board of Directors of the Sensis Corporation, Atlantic Coast Airlines and Pinnacle Airlines.
Coughlin served on the Board of Directors of Seattle Opera from 2012 to 2023 and is a current member of the Board of Directors of Classical KING FM 98.1. Coughlin was elected to the Seattle Symphony Board of Directors in 2020, chairs the Development Committee, and serves on the Finance Committee and the Artistic Advisory Committee. She divides her time between Seattle and her home in Vaughn, Washington (where she pursues her passion for gardening and painting).
SEATTLE SYMPHONY
The Seattle Symphony unleashes the power of music, brings people together and lifts the human spirit. Recognized as one of the “most vital American orchestras” (NPR), the Seattle Symphony is internationally acclaimed for its inventive programming, community-minded initiatives and superb recordings on the Seattle Symphony Media label. With a strong commitment to new music and a legacy of over 150 recordings, the orchestra has won five Grammy Awards, 27 Grammy nominations, two Emmy Awards and was named Gramophone’s 2018 Orchestra of the Year. The Symphony performs in Benaroya Hall in the heart of downtown Seattle from September through July, reaching over 750,000 people annually through live performances and radio broadcasts.
BENAROYA HALL
Benaroya Hall, the home of the Seattle Symphony, is located in downtown Seattle. Opened in 1998, Benaroya Hall is the most-visited performing arts venue in Seattle. It has received numerous awards, including a 2001 American Institute of Architects (AIA) National Honor Award for outstanding architecture. Benaroya Hall has three versatile performance venues, the S. Mark Taper Foundation Auditorium, the Illsley Ball Nordstrom Recital Hall and Octave 9: Raisbeck Music Center, all renowned for their pristine acoustics, luxurious design and prime location. For additional information, including rental information, event listings and public tour schedules, please visit benaroyahall.org.
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Music Director Xian Zhang is generously sponsored by Dr. and Mrs. Charles and Lisa Simonyi and an anonymous donor.
Xian Zhang’s position is generously underwritten as the Harriet Overton Stimson Music Director.