A passionate arts leader, Ahmad Mayes has delivered over 16 years of high impact service to the music field, focusing on strategic planning, organizational development, education, DE&I, and community engagement. With a background that is equal parts administrator, educator, and programmer, and a lengthy track record of collaborating effectively with top-level artists he has built a reputation for consistently delivering best in class programming when it comes to growing relevance and value for classical music.

Ahmad has served as Executive Director of the Chamber Music Society of Palm Beach since September 2021. In this role, he led the organization to record revenue and philanthropic contributions in a strong return to live in-person concerts for the 21/22 season. Previously, over 10 years with the Atlanta and Cincinnati Symphony Orchestras, Ahmad guided a wide range of award-winning programs including Concerts for Young People, school and community partnerships, musician training, and nation-wide DE&I collaborations.

Ahmad has contributed to the field through additional leadership roles including as Co-Chair of the Education and Community Engagement Leadership Committee of the League of American Orchestras, leadership team member for the National Instrumentalist Mentorship and Advancement Network (NIMAN), advisor to the Atlanta Music Project, and adjudicator and advisor for the Georgia High School Musical Theatre Awards. As a vocal advocate for music education, community engagement and diversity, equity and inclusion he has become a regular contributor, convener, and organizer around these topics at national industry gatherings such as the League of American Orchestras, SphinxConnect, and ICSOM annual conferences. Ahmad has also been a frequent arts grant panelist for projects of the National Endowment of the Arts, the Mellon, Ford, and Angell Foundations, and the New Jersey State Council for the Arts.