Dr. Teri Tan is a spontaneous communicator with a penchant for creative problem solving. She is passionate about building and fostering programs that make meaningful positive impacts on communities—on a local and global scale. Currently she is a medical administrator and management specialist, consulting for a medical group, and is also Director of Health Equity at her family’s clinic. 

Born in Greece and raised in Australia, Teri started a family of her own in the United States, settling in Long Beach in the 1990s, where she established her community and philanthropic roots. She feels a deep connection to each of the places she has called home. 

Prior to her work in medical administration and her move to the United States, Teri was recruited by the Australian Minister of Immigration and the national Commissioner for Community Relations as the first and leading consultant in promoting languages and multiculturalism in education as well as in professional contexts across Australia. In this role, she was involved with arts festivals and other multicultural events. 

In California, Dr. Tan was a foundational member of the Cambodian Health Professionals Association of America (CHPAA), where she served as Head Mission Administrator for their first eight mission trips. 

Her administrative expertise combined with her multinational first-hand experience in multiculturalism, education, the arts, and philanthropy led her to found Sustainable Health Empowerment (SHE) charitable foundation in 2014, where she has led five more global health education trips to Cambodia, mentoring students from UCLA, CSULB, and other universities. SHE was the recipient of two DHHS grants (in 2023 and 2024), enabling Teri and her team to organize three successful Long Beach health fairs of unprecedented scope, focused especially (but not exclusively) on local AAPI communities. The scope of SHE’s programs continues to expand—providing resources to underserved clinics in rural Greece, health educational resources translated for use by doctors in Rwanda, and prosthetics for amputees in Cambodia. 

Teri is a lifelong learner. She has studied six languages (and is fluent in four) and was educated at universities in four countries. She holds a teaching degree, a Master’s Degree, a PhD, and, more recently, an Executive MBA from Loyola Marymount University. 

Teri enjoys traveling, world history, and being involved in the arts. From 2004–2007, she served as a board member of the Pacific Symphony Youth Orchestra, and she attends local concerts and performances as often as her busy schedule permits. Most of all, she enjoys spending time with her two children—one physician and one composer-violinist—who both live nearby in Long Beach. Through her lifelong travels and friendships, she finds she feels at home everywhere in the world. 

Steve Caloca is the Managing Director of The Queen Mary in Long Beach, overseeing the overall management of the ship, museum, tours, events, food & beverage, retail, and hotel operations since February 2023. His 30+ year career in hospitality includes senior roles at Warner Bros. Entertainment, UCLA Lake Arrowhead, and Hyatt Hotels. At Warner Bros., he managed high-volume food & beverage services and special events, while at UCLA, he oversaw the award-winning UCLA Lake Arrowhead Conference Center. Steve loves Long Beach and looks forward to being a servant leader in the Long Beach community for years to come.   

Jorge Enciso is a Business Development Manager at Boos & Associates. Boos & Associates is a mid-sized CPA firm headquartered in Fresno, California with offices in Reedley, Las Vegas and Long Beach. Their Primary focus is on large complex engagements for closely held businesses and high net worth individuals. They provide professional services in specialized areas such as income tax compliance and planning, tax provision services, hiring incentives and tax credit studies, representations before the Internal Revenue Service and Franchise Tax Board, Business and Management advisory Services and outsourced accounting and tax services. For the past 2 years at Boos & Associates, Jorge has specialized in enhancing business growth and development, collaborating with various departments to drive strategic projects and foster client relationships. Additionally, being involved with the Long Beach Chamber of Commerce has enabled him to forge strong connections with local businesses. Outside of work, he actively participates in community activities, contributing to the betterment of our local area. He is a proud resident of Long Beach, where he lives with his husband of 8 years, with their 2-year-old chihuahua, Milo. Classical music is another passion of Jorge’s as he began playing the trumpet in junior high, continuing through high school as the symphony section leader. Jorge states, “Becoming a part of the Long Beach Symphony will be a dream come true.”

praCh, is an internationally renowned, critically acclaimed, award winning artist. His debut album is the first #1 rap album in Cambodia. NEWSWEEK proclaimed him as “The First Cambodian Rap Star”. Through masterful lyrics of powerful rap music, his music not only entertains but also educates. His lyrics have been published by multiple publishers and is currently being used for Southeast Asian Studies.

In 2004 he went on a 23 States tour across the United States and was a subject for Japan’s documentary film, which won NHK’s *Best Documentary of the Year in 2004. His involvement in films ranges from scoring music for a baseball documentary RICE FIELD OF DREAMS (2010) to creating original music for *Sundance Award Winning and *Oscar Shortlisted movie ENEMIES OF THE PEOPLE (2010), a Producer of award winning short film PAULINA (2013), provided music for the Student Academy Awards/Oscars finalist short film SAMNANG (2013) and the Nasir ‘Nas’ Jones produced film SHAKE THE DUST (2014), NHK’s Special Programs: Asian Dreamers (2014), Producer of INVISIBLE DANCE (2015) and Producer of IN THE LIFE OF MUSIC (2018), a Cambodia Oscar Selection Committee selected film to represent the country of Cambodia in the 92nd Academy Awards in 2020. A Writer, Producer and Director of SATOOK (2022), a film that was granted by the Lilly Endowment Inc. and the SMITHSONIAN’s National Museum of Asian Art. And a Writer, Producer, Director and Performer for KHMERASPORA (2023), a Cambodian American Musical Experience in collaboration with the Long Beach Symphony.

He lectures and headlines events in prestigious institutions and Ivy League universities, from the SMITHSONIAN in DC, to the International ‘Freedom to Write’ festival at BROWN to the Scholars at Risk at HARVARD. He’s been featured in the Cambodia Daily, Phnom Penh Post, Newsweek, Times, ABC, BBC, CBS, CNN, NBC, NHK, FOX, PBS, PRI, NPR, VOA, RFA, American Route, Press-Telegram, LA Times, New York Times, OC-Weekly, Frontline, The World.org, America.org, Khmerconnection.com and countless others.

He is the youngest Coordinator of the Cambodian New Year Celebration in Long Beach California (2002-2004). The GRAND MARSHAL of the 2nd Annual Cambodian New Year Parade (2005), Long Beach City’s GRAND MARSHAL of the 26th Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Peace and Unity Parade and Celebration (2014), Awarded by the Cambodian-American Business Association for “Successful Business, Entrepreneurship and Community Service Excellence” (2011), winner of the Long Beach Post ‘40 under 40‘ Awards (2013), UCI Libraries Southeast Asian Archive Ambassadors (2015), Winner of the Innovations in the 33rd Awards (2016) and he’s the Co-Founder, Co-Director of the CAMBODIA TOWN FILM FESTIVAL. First rapper to perform in the College Music Society (2022) and First rapper to perform with the Long Beach Symphony (2023). First and only Cambodian to receive the “Special Recognition” award in the 89 year history of the Long Beach Symphony (2023). A highly recognized and respected public figure, praCh resides in California and Florida.

Evelyn M. Zohlen MS, MBA, CFP®
Regional Director, Senior Financial Planner
Evelyn M. Zohlen has served on both the personal and the institutional sides of financial services for 25 years. She currently serves as a Regional Director and Senior Financial Planner for Apella Wealth in Hartford, CT. Formerly, she was the founder and President of Inspired Financial, a wealth management firm in Huntington Beach, CA that joined Apella in July 2023 with eight employees and $275 million AUM. She also served as a Relationship Manager at The Vanguard Group where she was the trusted advisor for clients with retirement plan assets ranging from $175 million to $500 million. She received her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas, her Master of Science from the Joint Military Intelligence College, and her Master of Business Administration (with a concentration in Finance/Portfolio Management) from Villanova University.
Evelyn is a Certified Financial Planner™ (CFP®) professional and in 2020, served as Chair for the Financial Planning Association (the membership association for CFP®
professionals with 23,000 members!). She was an adjunct professor in the Personal Financial Planning Program at the University of California at Irvine and serves on the
Advisory Board for the Center for Investment and Wealth Management at UCI. She has served on the Board of Directors for WomanSage, the Board of Directors for the
American Poetry Review, and the President’s Council at Immaculata University. Prior to entering the financial services profession, Evelyn served as an intelligence officer in the United States Air Force.
Evelyn is married to the fabulous Mark Prendergast who shares her passion for food and wine, hiking (most recently to Mt. Everest Base Camp), music, reading and travel. Her perfect vacation combines great food/wine before and/or after a hike while visiting their three terrific kids and their spouses. Good times!

Fun Facts:
• During my service as a US Air Force intelligence officer, I had the thrill of “taking the stick” of an F-16 fighter jet during a nighttime mission.
• I ran a marathon (in costume!) with Mark in Bordeaux, France that included 23 Grand Cru wine tastings along the course.
• My favorite volunteer activity is providing pro bono financial planning for low-income women and their families. I rarely pass up an opportunity to help these ladies.
• I love public speaking—the bigger the crowd, the better! My largest “gig” so far was to an audience of nearly 3,000.

October 8, 2024 — Long Beach Symphony is pleased to announce that it has been selected as one of 35 Los Angeles organizations to receive a multi-year General Operating Support Grant from the Perenchio Foundation. The $1.8 million gift is the largest ever received in its 90-year history.

“This grant acknowledges the work the Symphony has been doing for the past 90 years to provide world-class music and award-winning music education programs for our community. This funding comes at a critical time to ensure our long-term sustainability as arts organizations are still struggling to rebuild in a post-pandemic world,” said Cindy Costello, Chairman of the Long Beach Symphony Board of Directors.

The Perenchio Foundation is a private foundation established by the late A. Jerrold “Jerry” Perenchio. The Perenchio Foundation believes that arts play an essential role in building more equitable, culturally vibrant, and inclusive communities, and is guided by a commitment to create a positive, lasting impact in the Los Angeles region through the arts. Learn more at www.perenchiofoundation.org.

Long Beach Symphony President Kelly Ruggirello, with Chairman of the Board Cindy Costello, announces the Perenchio Foundation grant award at the 90th Anniversary Season Celebration on 10/5/2024 at the Terrace Theater.

“Stable, multi-year funding is rare in the arts, yet it is essential for organizations to plan confidently, build capacity, and continue creating excellent work that meets the needs of their communities,” said Perenchio Foundation Chief Executive Officer Stephania Ramirez. “By offering this kind of support, we aim to help our grantees flourish while highlighting the need for more long-term investments across the sector.” 

“Great cities deserve great orchestras,” said Mayor Rex Richardson. “On behalf of the City of Long Beach, we congratulate our outstanding Long Beach Symphony for receiving this prestigious, transformative gift by the Perenchio Foundation. Your dedication to enriching our community through music is truly inspiring.” 

“We are deeply grateful to the Perenchio Foundation for recognizing the pivotal role we play in our community, our commitment to excellence, the significant impact of our programs, our steady leadership, and the strength of our operational strategy,” states Kelly Ruggirello, President of the Long Beach Symphony. “The most recent multi-year commitments by The Perenchio Foundation, the RuMBa Foundation of Long Beach, and Linda L. Gunn Music Education Fund attest to their belief in the Symphony’s vision to inspire and unite all people through the transformative power of music.” 

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About Long Beach Symphony

The premier producer of live music in the greater Long Beach region and one of Southern California’s most renowned professional regional orchestras, Long Beach Symphony’s vision is to unite all people through the transformative power of music by engaging audiences of all ages and cultures through exceptional orchestral performances, community partnerships and meaningful educational experiences. In its 90th season, Long Beach Symphony is led by Music Director Eckart Preu and serves 70,000 community members annually through its robust concert and education activities. Five Classical concerts at the Terrace Theater are filled with dancing fountains, fire pits, and the ability to sip and enjoy while experiencing classical and newer works. The Pops Series at the Long Beach Arena encourages audiences to bring their picnics and libations and enjoy indoor parties while dancing to the music by renowned artists and the power of a professional symphony orchestra.

The RuMBa Foundation Family Concerts serve 6,000 families where all children attend for free. In addition to ensembles in the schools for 15,000 2nd and 3rd graders, youth concerts for 4th and 5th graders bring 12,000 children annually to the Terrace Theater; totaling nearly 1 million students since the program’s inception.

Located in one of the most diverse cities in the nation, the Symphony’s award-winning Musical Bridges program celebrates the musical artistry of the many diverse communities through free, collaborative multicultural performances. Long Beach Symphony was awarded the Long Beach Heritage Preservation Award in 2012, the Long Beach Chamber of Commerce Award for Outstanding Nonprofit Organization, and the City of Long Beach in 2015 and in 2017 honored by the Arts Council for Long Beach and the Long Beach NAACP for its commitment and dedication to fighting for civil rights and social justice. In 2023, The Association of California Symphony Orchestras (ACSO) honored Long Beach Symphony as the recipient of its 2023 Social Impact Award, given to an organizational member that has created positive change or addressed a challenge or injustice in its community.

For more information, visit https://longbeachsymphony.org.

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For media inquiries, interviews, or additional information, please contact Sue Moylan, at [email protected].

Long Beach, CA – August 20, 2024 – Long Beach Symphony, renowned for its 90 years of providing exceptional Classical, Pops, Youth, and Family concerts, proudly announces that Linda L. Gunn, philanthropist and business owner of Gunn Jerkens, a full-service marketing communications agency in Long Beach, will fund the annual Youth Concerts through the 2027 season. This generous support, made possible by the Linda L. Gunn Music Education Fund, ensures the continuation of a beloved tradition that has been bringing music to young students for over four decades.

(L-R) Long Beach Symphony President Kelly Ruggirello, Philanthropist Linda L. Gunn, Chairman of the Long Beach Symphony Board of Directors Cindy Costello, and Long Beach Unified School District Board President Diana Craighead at the August 19, 2024 announcement.

The Long Beach Symphony Youth Concerts, which have been a staple in the community for more than 40 years, provide an invaluable opportunity for approximately 12,000 fourth- and fifth-grade students from the Long Beach Unified School District to experience live orchestral performances at the Long Beach Terrace Theater each year. Long Beach Symphony musicians are joined on stage by the 100-member All-District High School Honor Orchestra or Choir who gain unsurpassed training and professional peer coaching. Since its inception, the Youth Concerts program has reached nearly 1 million children for which the Symphony has been actively seeking funding since 2022 to sustain this vital initiative.

Cindy Costello, Chairman of the Long Beach Symphony Board of Directors, expressed her gratitude: “The Symphony is extremely grateful to Linda Gunn for her shared vision and commitment to music education. Her generous 3-year gift ensures that the Symphony will continue providing this important music program for our schools and our community.”

Linda Gunn shared her enthusiasm for the program: “As a passionate supporter of our city’s educational and music institutions, I felt compelled to step up when I learned about this vital program’s funding dilemma. I wanted to support bringing young children to hear a world-class orchestra, which also invites high school music students from across the city to perform side-by-side with some of the finest musicians in Southern California.”

“As a pillar of our music education department and a key recruitment initiative for Long Beach Unified School District’s robust music program, Linda Gunn is our collective hero. Because of her generosity, 36,000 Long Beach children will continue to be inspired and educated over the next three years.” stated Kelly Ruggirello, President of Long Beach Symphony.

Long Beach Symphony looks forward to continuing its impactful work in the community, thanks to the remarkable generosity of Linda L. Gunn. The Youth Concerts will thrive as a cornerstone of the Symphony’s mission to foster a love of music and provide enriching experiences for young audiences.

For more information about the Long Beach Symphony and its programs, please visit www.longbeachsymphony.org. Media Contact: Sue Moylan, [email protected]