The Year Of The Women

Four who hold the reins at art institutions in the city compare notes

There's a lot of ways, I think, to collaborate.

they've got the power

Marin Alsop

Age: 52

Birthplace: New York

Education: B.M. The Juilliard School, 1977; M.M., the Juilliard School, 1978

Current post: Music director, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra since 2007

Major accomplishments: 2005 MacArthur "genius" grant; in 2007 became first woman to direct a major American orchestra

Personal: Partnered, a 5-year-old son

Doreen Bolger

Age: 59

Birthplace: New York

Current Post: Director, Baltimore Museum of Art since 1998

Education : B.A., Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pa., 1971; M.A., University of Delaware, Newark, 1973; Ph.D. City University of New York, 1983

Major accomplishments: Introduced free general admissions and oversaw the reinstallation of the celebrated Cone Collection of Post-Impressionist masterpieces

Personal: Two adult children

Irene Lewis

Age: 66

Birthplace: New York City

Current Post: Artistic director at Center Stage since 1991

Education: B.A., Hofstra University, 1963; M.F.A., Yale School of Drama, 1966

Major accomplishment: Selected at the age of 34 as the U.S. representative in theater for an exchange program with Great Britain in honor of the 1976 bicentennial.

Personal: Married to a New York architect

Debbie Chinn

Age: 51

Birthplace: Huntington, N.Y.

Current Post: Managing director at Center Stage since 2008

Education: B.A., University of Southern California, 1979

Major accomplishment: Increased corporate sponsorships, more than doubled contributed revenue and increased earned revenue by 44 percent at the California Shakespeare Theater, where she worked previously.

Personal: Single