Marjorie Beale has been a member of the OCWC since 1998, and has served on the board as chair of fundraising and director for touring and commissions.  An Orange County native, she got involved in choral singing as part of the Crystal Cathedral’s youth chorus, and joined the OCWC during its first year.

In the 1990’s, Marjorie served as a faculty member in UC Irvine’s Department of History with specialties in European history and critical theory. She later transitioned to a career in science fundraising, working with major national foundations at UC Irvine, USC, Caltech and the University of Texas at Austin. She currently consults on fundraising and nonprofit management for small and mid-sized nonprofits. A fan of all things avant-garde, she also chairs the board of the Long Beach Opera, and serves on the campaign committee for the Ojai Music Festival.

A long-time student of yoga, Marjorie practices Vedic chanting, and also enjoys gourmet cooking, wine, hiking and international travel. She lives in the Hollywood Hills with her husband Bill, an awesome garden and two very entertaining black-and-white cats, and spends much of her spare time attending musical performances of all kinds in Southern California and beyond.

Marjorie can be reached at [email protected].

Janet Bratton was elected to the Board in 2001 and has been a singer in the OCWC since 1999. She is a retired senior manager in software engineering at Raytheon. Janet holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in mathematics from California State University Fullerton. Prior to her math degree, she completed a Bachelor of Arts degree in music at California State University Los Angeles as the first woman to graduate from the classical guitar program.  In retirement, Janet quilts, teaches guitar at the Cal-State Fullerton Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI),  and sings with her OCWC barbershop quartet.

Janet can be reached at [email protected].

Laurel Chowdhury has been a member of the OCWC since 2017 and was elected to the board in 2019.  As a young girl in central Minnesota, her love of singing began with her church “cherub” choir and continued through her college years at Concordia College in Moorhead, MN.  With her BA degrees in Communications and Apparel & Design, she started her 20+ year career in marketing and communications for various industries including consumer packaged goods, adult beverages, entertainment, health and beauty and education.

In 2001, she and her husband moved to Southern California in search of new adventures, fulfilling careers and warmer weather.  After several years of independent consulting, Laurel is now focusing on volunteering, spending time with her family and raising her young son.  She is thrilled to have discovered the OCWC in order to put her musical talents to use again as well as her professional experience in the capacity of marketing and public relations.

Laurel can be reached at [email protected].

Marguerite (Maggie) Duprieu has been a member of the OCWC since 2021 and was elected to the board in May 2022. She is a Director in PricewaterhouseCooper’s Financial Markets and Real Estate practice where she advises companies on current accounting issues, developments, and the application of accounting standards for structured transactions, derivatives, investments, and financing transactions under US GAAP.

Maggie joined PwC in 2013. Prior to joining PwC, she worked as a technical assistant at the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) and participated in board meetings and deliberations for several Accounting Standards Updates (ASU).

Maggie graduated from the Marriott School of Business at Brigham Young University with a Masters and Bachelors in Accountancy. She obtained a minor in music.

Maggie is a CPA licensed in the states of New York and California and is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA). She and her husband moved from New York to Southern California with their young son during the pandemic, and we’re thrilled that she found us when looking for a new choir. They will be welcoming a new member of the family in late May 2022.

Maggie can be reached at [email protected].

Jasmine Nicholson joined the OCWC in 2022 and was elected to the board in 2023. An arts administration professional, Jasmine works at the intersection of the arts and digital communications, and has led efforts in digital storytelling and strategy related to music, community, programming, and fundraising since 2018. Jasmine holds a Master of Science in Arts Leadership from USC and a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from CSU, Long Beach. Jasmine has extensive experience as a professional mezzo-soprano soloist, choral artist, and studio singer.

Jasmine can be reached at [email protected].

Mary Langsdorf is the founding Board president, and hosted the original planning meeting for the group that would become the OCWC in the summer of 1997. A life-long chorister, she began singing in the church choir at age seven when her older sister convinced the choirmaster to take her a year early because she already knew most of the hymns. Although she never studied music privately or pursued it in college, choral music has always been her passion, and a source of joy. She has been singing with the OCWC since the first rehearsal.

Mary retired from her position as Senior Vice President of Finance at PacifiCare Health Systems, Inc. in 2001 to spend more time with her family after nearly thirteen years of progressively responsible positions in the corporate finance department. Prior to PacifiCare, she worked as an audit manager for Ernst & Young, LLP. Mary holds a Bachelor of Science degree in international management and accounting with minors in economics and French, and was licensed as a CPA in the state of Connecticut. Since her retirement, she has devoted much of her time to learning about the nonprofit sector and serving as the OCWC’s administrative leader.

Mary and her husband, Bill, make their home in San Juan Capistrano. Their daughter Meghan, her husband Eric, and their grand-dog Penny are exploring city life in San Francisco. Their daughter Mary Eileen, her husband Joshua, and their grand-dog Luna live in Vancouver, Washington. When she isn’t singing, Mary enjoys walking on the beach, traveling, and creating food for her family and friends that is both healthy and beautiful.

Mary can be reached at [email protected].

Laura Raynes has been a member of the OCWC since 2021 and was elected to the board in 2023. She sang in school choirs for most of her life but started to take choral music more seriously under the direction of Professor Joe Huszti at UC-Irvine. She is a senior Data Analyst at Veritone One, a podcast and audio marketing agency, and has a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Social Behavior. In her spare time, she enjoys knitting, sewing, and swing dancing.

Laura can be reached at [email protected].