John brings a wealth of experience to the Soka Performing Arts Center with over 25 years in ticketing and patron services. Prior to arriving at Soka in 2019, John led teams at South Coast Repertory, UC San Diego, Anaheim Convention Center, Coachella, Live Nation, and House of Blues, managing ticketing operations for venues and events ranging from 200-20,000 seating capacities.

At the Soka Performing Arts Center, John oversees all the Box Office operations including programming and managing our ticketing software system, daily sales accounting, financial reconciliations, ticket account management and fulfillment, as well as training and managing a team of 25 Soka student staff.

John is passionate about the most important aspect of his position, which is to ensure a smooth and hospitable patron experience from purchasing single tickets or subscriptions to being seated and ready to enjoy a performance in our world-class Concert Hall.

John is a strong believer in the positive power of music, having absorbed the experience of many musical cultures around the world, most notably from India where he has visited numerous times. He is also grateful to contribute to bringing music and the arts to a wide audience and supporting the mission of Soka University to “foster a steady stream of global citizens committed to living a contributive life.”