ROBERT PAINTER
Board Member

Robert Painter is a former college-level educator who has taught at several institutions across the United States, including the first HBCU in the country. His academic studies include Florida State University, the University of South Florida, the University of Pennsylvania, and other institutions.

He has served on the boards of numerous nonprofit organizations, including Big Brothers/Big Sisters, the Sickle Cell Council of New Mexico, Futures for Children, and First Nations Art. In addition, he has produced Native American Indian and Southwest Art Show events in Florida and New Mexico and has experience as a gallery owner and manager.

Robert completed the Kellogg Foundation Nonprofit Board Training Program and has been a member of the Screen Actors Guild‐American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) since 1983. In 2024, he served on the Screening Committee for the SAG Awards. He has also held the role of Projects Director for the #1 Civitan Club worldwide.

For 15 years, he worked as an adventure travel writer and photographer. His interest in opera began through the film performances of Mario Lanza, William Warfield, Kathryn Grayson, and Ezio Pinza. His first live opera experiences were at the Opéra Comique in Paris and the Baths of Caracalla in Rome.

A longtime member of the Metropolitan Opera, Robert now hosts opera programs in his home. He also participated in a summer program in African music and dance at Roosevelt University in Chicago.

Outside of music, Robert is an active hike leader for several groups. His favorite adventures include a 100-mile trek in the Nepal Himalayas (ranging from 3,000 to 18,000 feet), climbing Pichincha Volcano in Ecuador, and desert hiking in Jordan.

He is a passionate advocate for opera and encourages both seasoned enthusiasts and newcomers to experience the Metropolitan Opera’s Live in HD program, available in theaters worldwide, including St. George, Utah, and Las Vegas, Nevada.