Alejandra Valarino Boyer is the Director of Community Programs at Lyric Opera of Chicago, where she oversees Lyric Unlimited’s community engagement initiatives, including creative youth development programs, the creation of devised works, and artistic productions. Most recently, she developed a new afterschool arts program, EmpowerYouth!, for high school students in collaboration with the Chicago Urban League to share the narrative of African American youth in Chicago directly from their perspective. Alejandra has led Lyric’s Caminos a la ópera initiative, which engages with Chicago’s Latinx communities through collaborative and culturally relevant events and programs. She has played an integral role in overseeing Lyric Unlimited productions for youth and adults such as El Pasado Nunca Se Termina and Second Nature, as well as led the development of devised works with community organizations through Chicago Voices Community Created Performances. Before her position with Lyric Unlimited, Alejandra was a member of the Lyric's Development team, where she helped to facilitate many of Lyric's key fundraising events. Alejandra is an alumna of Opera America's Leadership Intensive (2017) and Opera Europa's Opera Management Course (2015), and holds degrees in music from Florida State University and Northwestern University.