Joanne Lee-Chooi | Life After Juilliard

Postcards From Juilliard Alums

Life after graduating from Juilliard has certainly brought exciting adventures and changes my way. I moved to Los Angeles to pursue my master’s degree at the Colburn School, continued to actively perform in ensembles across North America, and married my Juilliard college sweetheart, Nikki Chooi (MM ’14, violin). In 2019, my life took an interesting turn—after facing a chronic shoulder injury for several years, I initially decided to transition into arts administration. This led me into interning at the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra and Primo Artists where I focused on expanding my knowledge in fundraising, social media, and artist management. 

When COVID-19 hit, many organizations had to pivot into the digital world. This sparked my interest in learning more about the impact of technology on the arts and nonprofits. After conversations with my colleagues and friends about their experiences in the tech field, it became clear to me that technology was integral in all industries and in our daily lives. It was shortly after that an opportunity came up at Salesforce.org, the philanthropic arm of Salesforce.com. I immediately felt compelled to apply for a position on the sales team. After preparing and undergoing an intense interview process, I am now grateful to be working for Salesforce. I love that I can help nonprofits get connected to powerful technology so they can positively affect our society. We are currently residing in Buffalo, where I enjoy balancing working at Salesforce and maintaining my teaching studio. Because we are an hour’s drive away from my hometown, Toronto, I get to visit my family frequently and enjoy some quality dim sum!

This career transition has been exciting, but it took a leap of faith and belief in myself to be able to make it. Having passion for what I do, being curious, and going beyond my comfort zone to explore what might be out there are some of the life lessons I walked away with on my graduation day at Juilliard.

Joanne Lee-Chooi (BM ’14, cello)