René Engel

Board member René Engel is a veteran broadcaster and arts advocate in Los Angeles, having done a tour of duty at five public radio stations in Southern California. René is a devoted and passionate music lover, with a broad appreciation for all musical genres. His first love is, and remains, Classical Music. His best known persona is as the host of the "Citybilly" Country Music radio show.

 

René has been an in-demand speaker on nonprofit management, having been one of the architects in building the national success of radio stations KCRW, KPCC, KLON and KCSN. He was the afternoon drivetime host at KUSC. René also produced the Santa Monica Pier Concerts for many years, MCing the concerts from 1989 to 2010. René executive produced the international broadcasts of the Playboy Jazz Festival for two different radio stations; KPCC, where he created the broadcasts, and KLON, now K-JAZZ. He currently curates exhibitions for the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl Museum. René has been guiding a music seminar for 5 years, while being always ready to dispense advice to sports management in his capacity as an Armchair Quarterback! But, not being a football fan, it would be more correct to say "Armchair General Manager."

René played violin in the Beverly Hills Symphony. He sang in the Temple Beth Am High Holiday choir for thirty years, and was the bass soloist for the United Armenian Congregational Church in Hollywood. While still a student, René conducted two choral ensembles at Valley College.

 

He is married to Lisa Palley, who many of you in and around VOX know. Lisa was involved with VOX before it was founded, having met Iris 45 years ago in New England! Lisa and René live with their remarkable 18-year-old kitty Minkie in the Pico/Robertson neighborhood of Los Angeles. They burst into two-part harmony at the slightest provocation, or the moment a Skyrizi commercial comes on the telly!