Christopher Kiver

President

Christopher Kiver conducts the Concert Choir and Glee Club, oversees the graduate choral conducting program and teaches classes in choral conducting and choral literature. He is Director of Music at the University Baptist and Brethren Church in State College and has served as founder and director of The Orpheus Singers and guest conductor of the Pennsylvania Center Orchestra. Kiver is a graduate of the University of London, Florida State University, and the University of Michigan where he received the D.M.A. in choral conducting. Choirs under Kiver’s direction have performed at state and regional conventions of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) and National Association for Music Education. He has taught at the Westminster Choir College Summer and Saturday Seminar programs and appeared as guest conductor, clinician, and adjudicator in the United States, Australia, China, and New Zealand. Kiver is President for the Eastern Region of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), former national chair for the Repertoire and Standards Committee on Men’s/TTBB Choirs for ACDA, and a past-president of the Pennsylvania chapter of ACDA. A native of England, he has received numerous prizes and scholarships including a Fulbright Award, and the 2002 Sydney World Symposium Foundation Conducting Scholarship. In 2006, he was a double Grammy Award winner (“Best Choral Performance” and “Best Classical Album”) as a chorus master for the critically acclaimed Naxos recording of William Bolcom’s monumental Songs of Innocence and of Experience. Kiver was the recipient of Penn State’s “President’s Award for Engagement with Students” in 2017.

• christopher.kiver@acdaeast.org

Amanda Hanzlik

President-Elect

Amanda Sprague Hanzlik is the Director of Choral Activities at Edwin O. Smith High School in Storrs, Connecticut. She currently serves as President-Elect of the ACDA (American Choral Directors Association) Eastern Region and served as President for the Connecticut Chapter from 2019-2021. Mrs. Hanzlik was a Semifinalist for the 2021 GRAMMY Music Educator Award, is co-chair of the Connecticut CMEA High School All-State Choirs and serves as an advisor for the CMEA Student Affairs and Diversity and Equity Committees. Mrs. Hanzlik frequently appears as a clinician and ensemble conductor for regional and all-state music festivals and conferences. Under her direction, The E.O. Smith Chamber Singers performed as a Selected Choir at the 2020 ACDA Eastern Regional Conference in Rochester, NY - and in 2016 and 2019, were featured as the Connecticut CMEA Conference High School Showcase Choral Ensemble. 2022-23 marks Mrs. Hanzlik’s 24th year as a music educator, teaching in K-12, early childhood, college, community and senior-citizen ensembles, in both urban and rural settings. Amanda Hanzlik is a graduate of the University of Iowa and Teachers College, Columbia University. She resides in Storrs, CT, with her husband, Louis Hanzlik and their children, Ethan and Grace.

• amanda.hanzlik@acdaeast.org

Penelope Cruz

Vice President

Penelope Cruz has taught vocal and general music at all grade levels, conducted community children’s and honor choirs, and sung professionally in Illinois, Wisconsin, and New York. Since 2003, she has been the choral conductor at White Plains (NY) High School. She is President of the American Choral Directors’ Association (ACDA) Eastern Region in July 2020. Until recently, she was co-chair of the inaugural National ACDA Diversity Initiatives Committee. She has served as the program and honor choir chair for Eastern Region conferences since 2012. Cruz was the NY ACDA President (2014-2015) after being the Repertoire and Standards chair. In these roles, she has led conference programs, presented various workshops, has aimed to bring quality repertoire to every situation, and fostered diversity of all kinds. She was a writer on the Arts Standards Revision Committee for the New York State Education Department. Penelope Cruz is a graduate of the Oberlin Conservatory and the Eastman School of Music. Born and raised in Wisconsin, she currently lives in Brooklyn, New York.

• penelope.cruz@acdaeast.org

Robert Natter

Treasurer

Dr. Robert Natter is associate professor of music and director of choral activities at Gettysburg College, where he has taught since 1998. He conducts the Gettysburg College Choir, Concert Choir, Audeamus (upper-voice choir), and Camerata (a vocal chamber ensemble), and teaches conducting. The Gettysburg College Choir and Camerata have toured widely in the eastern United States and internationally, with recent excursions to Nicarauga, Puerto Rico, Brazil, and Canada. They have toured to Nicaragua on four occasions since 2000, using a model that combines performance with cultural engagement. The College Choir has also brought service learning closer to home, with continuing efforts on tours to benefit local charities on issues such as food security. They have also performed for state conferences of the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association and American Choral Directors Association. Natter is active as a choral clinician and guest conductor in the region, and serves on the executive board for the Eastern Division of the American Choral Director’s Association. He has been a leader in technology at Gettysburg College, creating and managing the recording facilities and technology lab for the conservatory. Natter earned B.A. and M.A. degrees in music from the University of California at Santa Cruz, and a D.M.A. in choral conducting from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.

• robert.natter@acdaeast.org

Mark A. Boyle

Web Manager/App Chair

Dr. Mark A. Boyle has been serving ACDA for the better part of two decades. Beginning his ACDA service in Indiana at Ball State University, Boyle served as the graduate advisor for the student chapter of ACDA at Ball State University from 2002 to 2004. He would go on to serve on the ICDA board for three years, overseeing the award winning state publication, ICDA Notations. In 2007, Boyle would begin his DMA at Rutgers University and would serve as the faculty advisor of the RU ACDA student chapter, during which time he organized an annual series of lectures and events for the students, including observations of the Metropolitan Opera Chorus rehearsals. Membership on the NJ ACDA Board as the Advocacy Chair provided opportunities to shine light on the importance of choral music. Upon moving to Pennsylvania for his first academic appointment in 2010, Boyle would join the ACDA East Board as the Youth & Student Activities R & S Chair. Subsequent appointments included the ACDA PA College & University R & S Chair, Eastern Region Men’s Choirs R & R Chair, and the Eastern Region Technology Liaison. This last position lead to continuing work at the national level, serving at the National App Chair. In this post, Boyle and his committee have implemented and managed conference apps for Minneapolis 2017, Kansas City 2019, and with the National Staff, were heavily involved in all aspects of the 2021 National Virtual Conference. He will continue this involvement as a member of the 2023 National Conference Planning Committee. Boyle also served as the first Justice & Equity Chair for ACDA PA. Dr. Boyle is current Director of Choral and Vocal Activities at Seton Hill University, the director of the Pittsburgh Compline Choir, the tenor section leader at Shadyside Presbyterian Church, and the Co-Founder and Communications Director of Crown & Staff Music Publishing. He is married to music educator Jane Boyle. They reside just outside of Pittsburgh with their two sons, Nathan and Patrick, and a small menagerie of furry children.

• mark.boyle@acdaeast.org

Arreon Harley-Emerson

DEI Advisor

A native of Baltimore, Maryland, Arreon A. Harley-Emerson was appointed Director of Music and Operations of the Choir School of Delaware in June, 2013. In this position, he is responsible for the musical components of the renowned Choir School program as well as the day-to-day operations of the organization. Mr. Harley-Emerson began singing with Doreen Falby and the Peabody Conservatory Children’s Chorus at the age of seven. Later, he went on to sing with the Columbia Pro Cantare, under the directorship of Mrs. Frances Dawson. Harley-Emerson began building his technique through private voice and piano lessons in Mrs. Dawson’s studio in Columbia, Maryland. He would later return to the Peabody Children’s Chorus during his college years, serving diligently as a conducting intern for three years. Mr. Harley-Emerson has had the opportunity to sing with the Columbia Festival Orchestra, the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, the Delaware Symphony Orchestra, and the Baltimore Opera Company. Mr. Harley-Emerson graduated from Goucher College in Baltimore, Maryland, with bachelor’s degrees in Music Theory & Composition and Vocal Performance (opera). There he studied piano with Dr. Lisa Weiss, voice with Mrs. Betty Ridgeway, and conducting with Dr. Elisa Koehler. He received master’s of music degrees in Choral Conducting and Vocal Performance from the University of Delaware School of Music, studying Choral Conducting with Dr. Paul Head and Voice with Dr. Noel Archambeault. Mr. Harley-Emerson is a doctoral candidate and university fellow at the Boyer School of Music and Dance at Temple University in Philadelphia. He has had the opportunity to conduct in venues such as St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, The Kimmel Center for the Arts in Philadelphia, and the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall in Baltimore. Mr. Harley-Emerson also contributed a chapter to The Oxford Handbook for Choral Pedagogy entitled “The Gang Mentality of Choirs: How Choirs Have the Capacity to Change Lives.” He also has a TEDx Talk that bears the same title. Committed to the principles of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB), Mr. Harley-Emerson has established a thriving consultancy to assist arts and culture nonprofit organizations in remaining relevant in the 21st century. His work includes longitudinal studies, strategic planning, Board Excellence training, resource and asset development, and board diversification. Mr. Harley-Emerson currently serves as the National Chair of the American Choral Directors Association’s Diversity Initiatives Committee. An active member of the Wilmington, Delaware community, Mr. Harley-Emerson is on the Delaware Arts Alliance’s Board of Directors, where he serves as President of the Board and chairs the Advancement Committee which is tasked with fundraising, membership development, and DEIB. In addition to conducting and performing classical and operatic works, Mr. Harley-Emerson is an avid lover of musical theater. When not performing, you can find him indulging in his true passion…potatoes! He has never met a potato that he did not eat!

• arreon.harley-emerson@acdaeast.org

Morgan Beaton

Student Liaison

Morgan Beaton is a conductor, educator, and performer. Currently, she is pursuing a Master of Music in conducting at Syracuse University. There, she serves as the teaching assistant for Setnor Sonority (a TTBB choral ensemble) and the Hendricks Chapel Choir (an SATB choral ensemble). She holds a Bachelor of Music with a choral music education emphasis and a minor in music history from Nazareth College of Rochester. Currently, she serves as the Student Liaison on the Eastern Region ACDA Executive Board and is a NY-ACDA Resources and Repertoire Co-Chair for Collegiate Student Activities. Along with these positions, she serves on the NAfME National Strategic Planning Committee for Equity. Prior to this, she served three years on the Collegiate New York State School Music Association (NYSSMA) Executive Board as the Web Editor and Secretary-Treasurer while serving as Nazareth College’s NAfME Chapter President for two years. Under her leadership, the Nazareth Chapter won a national Chapter of Excellence: Recruitment award, which recognized the chapter’s hard work in increasing its membership from 20 to 65 students. Also, she served as the Nazareth College ACDA Chapter President for two years. Her most recent awards include the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) Professional Achievement Award, and an Excellence in Choral Conducting and Choral Music Education from the Nazareth College School of Music. She is an honorary inductee of Phi Kappa Lambda. Beaton has an active presence at conferences as well. Most notably, she spoke on behalf of collegiate NAfME members at the NAfME National Leadership Assembly at the request of President Mackie Spradley. Currently, she is helping to plan the first NY-ACDA Collegiate Conference set for October 2022. In 2021, she was selected as a conducting masterclass participant in Vermont ACDA’s 2021 Virtual Summer Conference where she worked with Dr. Amanda Quist while also organizing and presenting a panel discussion for Pennsylvania ACDA’s 2021 Virtual Summer Conference called “Practical Advice for Graduate School Auditions and Job Interviews” with Dr. Joy Meade, Dr. John Warren, and Dr. José “Peppie” Calvar. Likewise, she presented two sessions at the NAfME 2021 Virtual Eastern Regional Conference focusing on collegiate chapter engagement and student teaching. She also organized a panel about the student teaching experience during COVID-19 for the 2020 NYSSMA Virtual Winter Conference.

• morgan.beaton@acdaeast.org

Judith Nicosia

Membership Comms Chair

Judith Nicosia teaches voice to undergraduates and graduates, in addition to undergraduate and graduate vocal pedagogy, undergraduate diction, and graduate art song literature. She is a long time member of NATS and ACDA, has served as Registrar and President of the New York Singing Teachers' Association, and was recently elected to the prestigious American Academy of Teachers of Singing. Her students serve in tenured positions at numerous colleges and universities, as well as teaching at many levels in local school systems. Prof. Nicosia is honored to have been selected to present numerous sessions on vocal technique for singers/choirs at regional and national conferences for ACDA and NATS, and was an invited master teacher for the NATS Intern Program at SUNY Fredonia. She maintains an extensive vocal library in more than 14 languages, which she is happy to share and from which she draws repertoire for her students.

• jnicosia@acdaeast.org

Robert W Drafall

Membership Chair

Robert W Drafall earned both B.S. and M.S. degrees in Choral Music Education at the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana. A Chicago native, Drafall spent 10 years teaching in Illinois before moving to Pennsylvania in 1992 with his wife, Lynn. From 1992-1996, Bob was Co-Director of Choirs at Williamsport Area High School. In 1996, he was appointed as Choir Director at State College Area High School. In 2011, he became the K-12 Coordinator of Music for the State College Area School District until his retirement in June, 2015. Choirs under Drafall’s directions have performed at State and Regional Conferences for IMEA, PMEA, NAfME and ACDA. The State College Master Singers were selected to perform at the Eastern Region Convention of ACDA in both 2002 (Pittsburgh) and 2006 (New York). They were also selected to participate in The Carnegie Hall National High School Choral Festival in March of 2008. Four choirs were selected nationally to this year-long program which included a residency in Salt Lake City, and concluded with a performance of Ein deutsches Requiem, Craig Jessop, conductor with Orchestra of St Luke’s and international soloists at Carnegie Hall. Drafall served PMEA as District 4 President and ACDA-PA as President and founder of the Summer and Fall Choral Conferences. Robert continues to be active as an adjudicator and consultant, and currently serves on the ACDA Eastern Region Board as Membership Chair.

• bob.drafall@acdaeast.org

J. Donald Dumpson

Community & Professional Choirs; Music in Worship

J. Donald Dumpson, Ph.D., President/CEO of Diverse Arts Solutions and Minister of Arts at Arch Street Presbyterian Church, founded the Westminster Choir College Jubilee Singers (WCCJS), the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra (NJSO) Community Chorus and the Philadelphia Heritage Chorale, Inc. He taught at Cheyney University, elementary general music and the High School for Creative and Performing Arts in Philadelphia. Upcoming collaborations include Trinity Wall Street’s Downtown Voices, Curtis Institute of Music and Drexel University. Recent productions include, A Soulful Christmas, Chorus America 2019 convention closing concert, WXPN’s The Gospel Roots of Rock and Soul, and The Movement Revisited by bassist Christian McBride. He made his Carnegie Hall choral debut in 2001, when the WCCJS performed Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess under the baton of the legendary Skitch Henderson. Dr. Dumpson has prepared choruses for several Philadelphia Orchestra performances including the Marian Anderson Awards, Julius Rudel conducting Florence Quivar; Porgy and Bess conducted by Bobby McFerrin and several Hannibal Lokumbe premiers Crucifixion & Resurrection: Nine Souls a Travelling; One Land, One River, One People Yannick Nézet-Séguin, conductor; and Can You Hear God Crying with the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, later released on Naxos ArkivMusic. He has conducted the NJSO and prepared the Community Chorus for performances of Mahler’s Symphony #2, Holst’s The Planets, and Al Jarreau and Peabo Bryson. He also prepared the NJSO chorus for Hannibal Lokumbe’s God, Mississippi, and a Man Called Evers and African Portraits. He has collaborated with Opera Philadelphia, Kathleen Battle’s The Underground Railroad and Breaking the Rules with Denyce Graves, Patti LaBelle, Chaka Khan, and Take 6, and Porgy and Bess with Jason Tramn and the New Jersey State Opera. His board affiliations are the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau, PHLDiversity, and R & R Chair: Lifelong Choirs for the American Choral Directors Association Eastern Division.

• donald.dumpson@acdaeast.org

Michael Bussewitz-Quarm

Choral Composition

• michael.bussewitz-quarm@acdaeast.org

Diana Sáez

World Musics and Cultures

Diana V. Sáez is the Director of Choral Activities at Towson University in Baltimore where she directs the TU Chorale, Women’s Choir and Choral Society. Before coming to Towson, Sáez was serving as Visiting Choir Director at Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois where she conducted the College Choir and Madrigal Choir. Previously she served as Visiting Choir Conductor at McDaniel College in Westminster, MD. Sáez also directed the Catholic University Women’s Choir for six years and served as artistic director of the World Bank-IMF Chorus in Washington DC for sixteen years. Frequently invited as guest conductor, adjudicator and lecturer in the United States and abroad, she has presented interest sessions at national and regional ACDA conventions as well as in Puerto Rico and Argentina. She was guest conductor at the Festival Distrital de Coros en Bogotá, Colombia and has directed regional honor choruses in Virginia, Maryland, New York and Pennsylvania. As a leading specialist in the field of Latin American music, Sáez served as artistic director of Cantigas, a chamber choir that she founded with the mission to increase awareness and appreciation of Latin America and Spanish choral music. For 25 years Cantigas was a principal performer of Latin American music, with appearances at the ACDA Eastern Division Convention, Kennedy Center, Strathmore Center, museums and embassies, as well as international tours in Colombia, Argentina, Venezuela, Puerto Rico and Cuba. In 2014, the choir was awarded the Choral Excellence Award for Most Creative Programming by the Choralis Foundation in Washington, DC. Dr. Sáez began her musical education at the Escuela Libre de Música in San Juan, PR. She earned a Master of Choral Conducting from Temple University, and a Doctorate in Musical Arts at the University of Maryland in College Park. Her choral music and arrangements are published by Boosey and Hawkes and by the Roger Dean Publishing Company, a division of The Lorenz Corporation.

• diana.saez@acdaeast.org

Hana Cai

S/A Choirs

Dr. Hana Cai serves as an Assistant Professor of Music at Ithaca College where she conducts the Treble Chorale and Chorus and teaches conducting. In March 2019, she was the winner of the ACDA Conducting Competition in Kansas City, MO. She has presented her research on tokenism at ACDA conferences and her Mandarin Chinese diction for singers and conductors was published in the Fall/Winter 2021 issue of The Choral Scholar & American Choral Review. She holds degrees from the University of Maryland, the Eastman School of Music, and Indiana University.

• hana.cai@acdaeast.org

Kevin Dibble

T/B Choirs

Dr. Kevin Dibble is returning to the Greatbatch School of Music, Houghton University in the fall of 2022. At Houghton he will be serving as the Director of Choral Activities and Visiting Assistant Professor of Music. A frequent guest conductor and clinician, Dr. Dibble has worked with singers and instrumentalists of all experience levels and all ages in New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Iowa, Connecticut, Michigan, California, Arizona, New Mexico, Illinois, Maryland, Rhode Island, and Colorado. His ensembles have performed at Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, and Philadelphia's Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts. Previous appointments include serving on the faculties of the Esther Boyer College of Music and Dance at Temple University, the Greatbatch School of Music, Houghton College (2013-2015), The School of Music at Cairn University, and, most recently, in the music department at Gordon College. His primary areas of interest include the exploration of communication through performance, recruitment program development in musical organizations, choral literature and performance practice, the collaboration of chorus and orchestra in the presentation of masterworks, conducting pedagogy, and indigenous choral music from non-western traditions. An avid participant in music touring, Dr. Dibble has participated in and led tours for vocal and instrumental ensembles throughout the United States and Europe. As a former director of a School of Music Touring Office, Dr. Dibble coordinated as many as five tours a year and looks forward to leading many more. Dibble holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Vocal Music Education, and a Master of Music degree in Choral Conducting with a cognate in Vocal Pedagogy, both from the Greatbatch School of Music, Houghton University. He earned his Doctorate of Musical Arts in Choral Conducting and Pedagogy at the University of Iowa. Dibble’s primary conducting instructors include Timothy Stalter, David Puderbaugh, Brandon Johnson, and Stephen Plate. Kevin and his wife, Anna, welcomed their first child, David, in September of 2021. They enjoy hiking, kayaking, reading, and spending as much time as possible with their dog, Luna. Additionally, Kevin owns and operates a woodworking shop from their garage.

• kevin.dibble@acdaeast.org

Katherine Chan

Collegiate R&R Chair: College & University; Two-Year Colleges; Student Activities

Australian conductor, Dr. Katherine Chan, is known for her energy and enthusiasm on the podium. As Director of Choral Activities and Associate Teaching Professor of Music at Northeastern University, Chan conducts the Northeastern University Choral Society (Chorus), Chamber Singers, Mosaic Advance Treble Ensemble, and teaches courses in conducting, music theory, and piano. A sought-after choral clinician, Chan also serves as the Artistic Director of Boston Choral Ensemble. Chan has presented and performed at prestigious international festivals and conventions, including: Australia National Choral Association (ANCA) National and State Conventions, National Conductors’ Symposium, Canada, and American Choral Directors Association (ACDA) National and State Conventions, and ACDA All-State Honor Choir Festival. Chan has also been a conducting scholar with Maestro Helmuth Rilling, conducting at Oregon Bach Festival, Taipei Bach Festival and Hong Kong SingFest. Other notable engagements include work with Boston Landmarks Orchestra, Minnesota Chorale, Xi’an Symphony Chorus (China), Cantata Singers and Ensemble, The Bach Choir of Bethlehem, and selection as one of the top-12 finalists at the 2019 World Choral Conducting Competition, Hong Kong. Prior relocation to the United States, Chan was extensively involved in Australia’s choral community, holding numerous musical positions. She also served on National Council, and Queensland & Northern Territory State Committee for Australian National Choral Association (ANCA). Chan received her Bachelor of Music Performance and Pedagogy in piano from the Queensland Conservatorium of Music, Griffith University, a Master of Music degree in choral conducting from the University of Washington, and Doctor of Musical Arts in Conducting from the University of Minnesota (UMN) under the mentorship of Kathy Saltzman Romey and Matthew Mehaffey.

• katherine.chan@acdaeast.org

Cheryl B. Engelhardt

Contemporary Commercial

Cheryl’s love for choral music started in her youth and led her to being a judge for the ICCA’s, a founding member of the social justice choir Voices21C, and having her compositions featured in PEOPLE magazine. As a #1 best-selling and award-winning New Age recording artist, a composer for films, commercials, theater, and social justice choirs, Cheryl values collaboration, connection, and experiences in her works. Her unique journey as an indie artist has landed her in Forbes, Grammy.com, and Harper's Bazaar, on stage singing with Sting, and on a train: being the first person to compose and produce an entire album on a cross-USA journey. She's had 40+ TV and commercial placements of her music, toured the globe, fan-funded several records for over $20k each, has over one million streams on Spotify, and shares exactly how she does it all in her musician mastermind, Amplify. Cheryl is also a sought-after presenter, moderating panels at SXSW, ASCAP Expo, and speaking at many universities including her alma mater of Cornell University.

• cheryl.engelhardt@acdaeast.org

Rebecca Saltzman

Vocal Jazz and A cappella

Rebecca Saltzman is the Choral Director at Simsbury High School, where she directs 5 curricular ensembles in addition to an extracurricular Gospel ensemble and three a cappella groups. She also serves as the head of the Simsbury High School Equity council and is the advisor to the school’s GSA. Additionally, Mrs. Saltzman is an adjunct faculty member at the Hartt School where she teaches their course on school choral programs and supervises the pre-service educator secondary choral teaching lab experience. Prior to her time in Simsbury, Mrs. Saltzman served as the choral director at Ramsey High School where she directed the award winning a cappella group “The Ram Jams.” Mrs. Saltzman holds a Masters Degree in Choral Music Education from Florida State University and her Bachelors of Music Education from Ithaca College. She is a frequent festival adjudicator and conference presenter in the tri-state area. She is an active member of both NAFME and ACDA and is currently serving as the ACDA Eastern Division Vocal Jazz and A cappella Repertoire and Resources Chair.

• rebecca.saltzman@acdaeast.org

Karla McClain

Middle School/Jr. High Choirs

Karla McClain (she/her) is a National Board Certified Teacher in Early Adolescent/Young Adulthood Music in her 24th year of teaching. Currently, she teaches Choir and General Music at Illing Middle School in Manchester, CT. Prior to teaching in Manchester, Karla taught at Irving A. Robbins Middle School and East Farms Elementary in Farmington, CT, in West Hartford, CT and Hilliard, OH. She also is the former director of the Canticum Choir of the Connecticut Children’s Chorus at the Hartt School of Music, Community Division. Karla is also an active staff member at Laurel Music Camp in Plymouth, Connecticut. Karla is an active presenter and clinician and has presented for state, regional, and national conferences. Her choirs have been Featured Showcase Ensembles for the CMEA State Conference. Karla has served on the Diversity Initiatives Committee of CT-ACDA and was the Co-Chair of Middle School Repertoire and Resources. She is a past member of the Professional Development Committee for CMEA. She is a frequent adjudicator for Regionals and All-State. As a performer, she has remained active by singing as a soloist and section leader, currently with the South Church Chancel Choir in New Britain. She has also performed in several musical theater groups. Karla received her Bachelor of Music in education from Ohio Wesleyan University, and her Master of Science in Music Education from Central Connecticut State University. In 2021, she was selected as the CT- ACDA Choral Director of the Year. She has a passion for using music technology and global music to engage students. She lives in Cromwell, CT with her husband and 2 children.

• karla.mcclain@acdaeast.org

Juan Carlos Tavarez

Elementary Choirs

Juan Carlos Tavarez is in his ninth year as a music educator. He currently teaches elemental music for grades K-5 at Walnut Street School in the Uniondale School District in Uniondale, NY. Tavarez leads the fourth and fifth-grade chorus and is the director of the All-District Elementary Chorus. In addition, he has been serving as the Male Rites of Passage mentor, facilitating conversations and activities to develop character education in young males. Before joining the Uniondale faculty, Mr. Tavarez taught for the NYC Public Schools, serving as a founding music teacher and school culture coordinator. He received his BM in Music Education from Five Towns College and his MM in Music Education from New York University with a certification in Kodály. He completed his Orff-Schulwerk training at George Mason University in 2018. Tavarez is pursuing his Doctoral Studies at Long Island University in Transformational Leadership. His current research focus is on how music and music education develop agency, identity, and personhood in young males in the Black and Latinx communities. How can music guide us to better understand human action and experience? His approach demonstrates respect and dignity for children's unique needs through play, exploration, and kindness. His charge as a music educator is to bring all his students into a life-long love for music with practical skills and true musicianship in his teaching and learning.

• juan.carlos.tavarez@acdaeast.org

Kendra Balmer

Children's and Community Youth Choirs

Kendra Balmer currently serves as Adjunct Faculty at Temple University within the Music Education and Music Studies departments. Originally from Dallas, Pennsylvania, Kendra is a founding teaching artist of Sister Cities Girlchoir, a choir for social change in Philadelphia, Camden and Baltimore. Ms. Balmer has lectured, guest conducted, and performed across the tri-state area, in North America, South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Mozambique. In the last decade she has served as the Director of Music at Russell Byers Charter School, Universal Daroff, and Southwest Leadership Academy in Philadelphia, as well as at the Herzlia Highland Primary School in Cape Town, South Africa. Kendra has also conducted choirs composed of the houseless of Philadelphia in collaboration with Project Home, and refugees within South Africa at Scalabrini Center in Cape Town. In 2018, Balmer served as the conductor of the Quarrymen Choir, in Cape Town, South Africa, as well as the conductor of Xiquitsi Choir in Maputo, Mozambique. In 2021 in Philadelphia, Kendra conducted the world premier of the Vagina Chorus; a social-distanced live performance, combining wearable technology, theater, physical therapy-inspired choreography and vaginally produced music to create an immersive audio-visual experience. She received her BM in Music Education with a concentration in clarinet from Temple University in 2011 and her MM in Choral Conducting also from Temple University in 2017.

• kendra.balmer@acdaeast.org

William Gunn

Senior High Choirs

William Gunn is the director of music at Plymouth Regional High School where he conducts the Concert Band, Jazz Ensemble, Concert Choir, Chamber Singers, and teaches a year long guitar elective. He is also the music director of the Pemigewasset Choral Society in Plymouth, NH and a teaching lecturer in music education at Plymouth State University. Mr. Gunn received his bachelor of music in music education from Ithaca College and his masters of music in conducting from Colorado State University. Mr. Gunn has studied conducting with Wes Kenney, Dwight Bigler, Steve Peterson, and Eric Hammer. Mr. Gunn is the immediate past president of New Hampshire ACDA and serves as the Treble Choir Chair for the NHMEA All-State Festival.

• william.gunn@acdaeast.org