Carlton Ford

About Carlton Ford

I lead organizations and boards through moments that determine whether they plateau, fracture, or scale.As Managing Partner & CEO of Diaz Inclusion Consulting, my work sits at the intersection of leadership, governance, capital strategy, and long-range institutional alignment.Over the last decade, I have partnered with boards and executive teams to-Navigate CEO and senior leadership transitions-Align governance with future-focused strategy-Strengthen revenue models and philanthropic systems-Build leadership capacity that lasts beyond a single tenureI currently serve as Board Chair of Nu Deco Ensemble and Chair-Elect of Chamber Music America, and I sit on the Boards of New York Festival of Song (NYFOS) and Aspen Music Festival and School. Across these roles, I am trusted to help institutions ask harder questions about scale, relevance, and sustainability — and to translate those answers into action.Earlier in my career, I served in senior advancement and philanthropy roles, raising more than $60M in support of cultural organizations nationwide. That experience continues to inform my work today: strategy that cannot be resourced is not strategy.I began my professional life as an international opera singer, performing on major stages worldwide. That lived experience as an artist — combined with executive leadership and board governance — shapes how I understand institutions from the inside out.I am most often engaged when the stakes are real, the timelines are compressed, and the future must be designed rather than defended.

Experience

1. Blue Mentor

   New World Symphony

   Nov 2021 — Present · US

Education

• Interlochen Arts Academy

  High School Diploma, Vocal Performance

• Rice University

  Master of Music (MM)

• The Goethe Institute

  B1 Certified, German Language

• The Michelangelo Institute

  Italian Language

• The Juilliard School

  Bachelor of Music (BM) with Honors

Skills

• Leadership
• Public Speaking
• Musical Theatre
• Management
• Research
• Powerpoint
• Opera
• Singing
• Analytical Skills
• Classical
• Music Education
• Performing Arts
• Networking
• Microsoft Office
• Teaching
• Music