Charles Palys
Board President
About Charles Palys
Charles Palys is Director of Development at Rush University Medical Center, leading individual major gift fundraising for the RUSH MD Anderson Cancer Center. His career includes roles with the Chicago Symphony, CCS Fundraising, and Cedille Chicago.
A Lakeview Orchestra violinist since 2014, Charles joined the board in 2020 and became President in 2024. He brings experience in fundraising, nonprofit management, and strategic planning. He previously chaired the Development Committee and co-chaired the orchestra’s Advancing Excellence: Making Moves campaign, which greatly exceeded its $80,000 goal. More recently, he co-chaired the Artistic Director Search and is helping guide Lakeview’s next strategic plan.
Charles also serves on the Illinois Council of Orchestras board. He holds a Master of Arts in Arts Administration from Indiana University Bloomington and a Bachelor of Music in Music Performance from Ithaca College. His commitment to Lakeview grows from the joy of making music alongside fellow musicians and sharing it with Chicago audiences.