The Savannah Music Festival (SMF) is pleased to welcome Zachary H. Thomas and Charles R. Virginia III to the nonprofit organization’s board of directors. Together, Thomas and Virginia will continue the board’s commitment to presenting world-class live performances, fostering regional economic growth and supporting local music education initiatives.

“We’re thrilled to welcome two talented new board members who bring fresh experience, expertise and insight to our organization,” said Savannah Music Festival Board Chair Vicki McElreath. “Our board has a deep commitment to artistic excellence and a powerful dedication to community outreach.”

Raised in Savannah, Ga., Zachary H. Thomas has practiced law in his hometown for more than 18 years. Most recently he established his own firm, Zachary H. Thomas Law, P.C. A graduate of the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association’s leadership program, Thomas is the past President of the Savannah Trial Lawyers Association and serves on the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association Executive Committee as well as the Civil Justice Political Action Committee Board of Directors.

Active in the community, Thomas has volunteered with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Savannah, where he has served on the Man & Woman of Year Leadership Team since 2018. He was named the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Savannah Man of the Year in 2018 and recently served as Chair of the 2022 Light the Night Executive Challenge. He has also served on the United Way of the Coastal Empire Campaign Committee for two years and is a graduate of Leadership Savannah. Thomas earned a J.D. from Mercer University School of Law and a B.A. from New York University.

Charles R. Virginia III grew up in New York City and moved to the Savannah area in 2020. He spent five years as a litigation associate at the prestigious Wall Street law firm Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft, where he worked on numerous high-profile cases. In 1994, he co-founded Virginia & Ambinder, LLP, a law firm dedicated to advancing the rights of America’s workforce. An elected Fellow of The College of Labor and Employment Lawyers, Virginia is a member of the Fordham University School of Law Dean’s Advisory Committee on Small and Mid-Sized Law Firms and delivers lectures on labor and ERISA issues for educational organizations.

Virginia is active in the local community and serves on the board of directors for the Ford Field & River Club in Richmond Hill, Ga. and as the chair of the organization’s legal committee. He is also a member of the Elon University Parents Council and is passionate about music. He earned a J.D. from the Fordham University School of Law, where he was a member of Fordham Law Review, and a B.A. from Lehigh University.

For more information or to view the complete 2023 Savannah Music Festival schedule, please visit www.savannahmusicfestival.org.