Whitney Ater, Chair

One of the coolest program parents we know and an accomplished feminist in every sense of the word, Whitney is also currently Budget and Finance Manager of the College of Engineering at UCSB, serves as a member of the Dean’s Senior Staff, and represents the College of Engineering on the Income and Recharge Advisory Committee. The Professional Women’s Association is one of the longest-standing staff support groups at UCSB; this year is its 30th anniversary, and Whitney is proud to serve as President. Unstoppable daughter Gracie has been participating in several of our programs since 2013, including former After-School, local showcase performances, Amplify Camp, the 2020 Summer of Love Internship, Amplify Creative Youth Collective, and more. In fact, after many summers of mastering Amplify Camp as a camper, this past summer she was an advanced LIT and even a fully fledged staff counselor in camp's last session of the season. Future U.S. President (and current Senior Class President at Dos Pueblos High School) Gracie plans to be a counselor again next summer. "I believe the confidence, voice, and leadership opportunities she received through Girls Rock SB + Amplify, along with the exposure to musical education, have helped her excel personally and academically. Even more importantly, these experiences have made her a compassionate and emotionally intelligent human that wants a just world for everyone to feel the freedom and space and right to exist and express themselves. My commitment to this organization for empowerment and positive community connection is from my heart and hers."

John Lucchetti, Treasurer

John is the CEO of Green Room Strategy, a Santa Barbara-based Artist Management Consulting and Music Marketing firm. Clients include Alan Parsons, Philip Lassiter (11x Grammy Winning Arranger), Brad Byrd, and ERLAND. As a music-obsessed connector and strategist, John's mission is to help artists build and grow self sustaining enterprises. He was previously VP of Client Partnerships at Oniracom and has had the pleasure of working with clients such as Warner Music Group, The Santa Barbara Bowl, AEG, Jack Johnson, The Lobero Theater, Rudresh Mahanthappa, Bishop Lamont, Marquee Brands, and more. John studied jazz guitar at The University of North Texas and University of Utah, studied Ethnomusicology in Ghana, and has optimized his life around experiencing as much great live music as possible. John has been married to his wife, Nancy, for 18 years and has two vibrant children. He currently serves his community as President of the Rotary Club of Montecito Foundation and is the immediate Past President of the Rotary Club of Montecito.

Peter Melnick, Officer

Peter is an author and composer who has contributed scores to over three dozen films, television shows, theatre productions, and documentaries. His scoring credits include the Steve Martin comedy L.A. Story, The Only Thrill with Diane Keaton and Sam Shepard, and Horton Foote's Convicts with Robert Duvall and James Earl Jones, to name a few. Melnick attended Harvard College, Berklee College of Music, and the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. He also studied privately with jazz pianist Jaki Byard.

Alyssa Sibley, Secretary

Alyssa is a gifted technology consultant, currently for Gartner, and based out of Sacramento, CA. A native to Aurora, IL, she graduated from USC with a bachelor’s degree in Economics, where she was part of a collegiate a cappella group and took on executive board roles such as Social Chair, Public Relations Chair, Treasurer, and Outreach Coordinator. She also volunteered through Jumpstart, an organization committed to closing the education gap between children of different socioeconomic statuses, for which she took on the role as Vice President of the USC chapter’s club. For 3 years she worked for a boutique firm in the media & entertainment space, evaluating and optimizing processes, conducting artificial intelligence/machine learning research, and implementing and training employees on technology for large entertainment studios both in the Los Angeles area and across the globe. Alyssa has an extensive background in child care and development and strongly believes that children are the future. She is passionate about fostering an environment that allows them to thrive and become the generation that changes the world through love and compassion.

Kellie Butkiewicz, Officer

Coming soon!