The AMHF Board of Directors

Board Member & President
Katherine Armer   has been working with the AMHF since she joined the board of advisors in 1998, and brings both organizational and music business experience to the AMHF board of directors, which she joined in 2007. Katherine has worked as an environmental educator and organizer, concert and event producer, and as Executive Director of a non-profit circus arts performance troupe. During the latter half of the 1990s she worked in the music business, consulting with record labels, film companies, and working directly with artists both in the US and in Ireland as a project manager and production coordinator. Clients included EMI Records, Virgin Records, Rounder Records, Diamond Time Video, and artists such as Altan, the Hothouse Flowers, and most extensively Dónal Lunny. Katherine holds a Master’s of Science in Traditional Chinese Medicine from American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, as well as a certificate in Premedical Studies from Mills College in Oakland, California. She is also the founder and owner of Rockstella Jewels, a company she started as an extension of her love of gemstones. She practices acupuncture in West Sonoma County, where she lives with her husband and son.

Board Member & Secretary
Brinley Bowes   has been an integral part of the American Musical Heritage Foundation since her teenage years, when she first began working alongside its founder, Glenn Howard. With an deep passion for preserving historical recordings and an extensive knowledge of old music, Brinley has dedicated nearly a decade to the AMHF’s mission. She is especially committed to bridging generational gaps, ensuring that younger audiences discover the richness and joy of musical heritage. Brinley’s dedication is deeply aligned with Glenn’s enduring philosophy: “New music is any music you haven’t heard before.” Through her work, she continues to inspire a fresh appreciation for the cultural treasures safeguarded by the Foundation. Brinley is a master’s candidate who has a diverse background in startups and nonprofit organizations. In addition, she is an active participant in initiatives that aim to establish opportunities and educate individuals in the folk and old-time music communities.

Board Member & Treasurer
Laura DeFreyne   began working on the Advisory Board of the AMHF in 1994, shortly after graduating UCLA Summa Cum Laude. Her passion for music has never known any bounds, and she quickly caught Glenn’s fever for preserving America’s musical heritage through recorded documents. Laura began collecting records across genres as a child under the influence of her father’s diverse musical tastes, and she loves to sing and play music. By 1998 she was the Executive Director of the AMHF and worked closely with fellow founding principles Fred Leiberman and Hal Royalty. Her extensive knowledge of diverse genres allowed her to help Glenn research a variety of projects; including reissue demo tapes, copyright court cases, research for radio, TV and movies, and studio recording projects. In 2008, she left the AMHF to work with The Littlefield Foundation and Sage Arts Foundations, learning nonprofit work from the donor’s side and helping a variety of nonprofits improve on their fund raising efforts. She is currently treasurer of
the AMHF, and secretary and treasurer of The Arhoolie Foundation. She also sits on the board of The National Council for Traditional Arts, having been nominated by founder Joe Wilson and Arhoolie founder Chris Strachwitz as someone whose musical ear would be helpful to unearth gems from the NCTA archives.

Board Member
David Katznelson   is a 35+ year music industry veteran and Grammy-nominated producer. He began working for Bill Graham at age 16 and went on to DJ at KUSF and KALX, intern at CD Presents, ending up at Warner Bros as Vice-President of A&R, where he signed The Flaming Lips, The Texas Tornados, Nick Cave, Shane MacGowan, Mudhoney, The Boredoms, anon. He has run his own labels, including Birdman Records and Lomax Archive, and works with young bands, older bands, and on reissue projects, often with his wife, Barbara. Katznelson is the co-founder of the San Francisco Appreciation Society and The Idelsohn Society Of Musical Preservation He is also currently the CEO of Reboot, overseeing the media fund Reboot Studios, and he’s the writer and publisher of The Signal from David Katznelson, a newsletter about art, culture, literature, poetry, and record collecting. He is a problematic record collector who lives among his shellack, vinyl, wax, books, wife, kids and dog in the mountains of San Anselmo, California.

Board Member
Benjamin “Joby” Pritzker   is a long time vinyl enthusiast and collector who serves as Managing Director of Investments at Tao Capital Partners, a San Francisco-based venture capital firm. Since 2014, he has helped guide the firm’s investments across sectors including technology, clean energy, transportation, healthcare, education, sustainable food systems, consumer products, and real estate. His work focuses on supporting companies that aim to create meaningful, positive impact. Outside of his investment work, Joby is actively involved in philanthropy and civic engagement. He has served on the boards of several organizations, including: The Libra Foundation, a family foundation focused on advancing human rights; Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS), where he served from 2013 to 2023, supporting research and public education on psychedelics; and Marijuana Policy Project, where he served from 2009 to 2019, advocating for thoughtful cannabis policy reform. Joby also supports local initiatives like the Civic Joy Fund, a San Francisco-based effort to revitalize commercial corridors and strengthen neighborhood connections.