Division candidates - MTNA

American Music Teacher, August-Sept, 2003

MTNA members will be electing Division officers and directors beginning in February 2004. Included here are the nominees as recommended by the MTNA Nominating Committee. The committee nominates two candidates for each position.

MTNA members also may submit nominations for the ballot. To do so, you must send to the MTNA headquarters a petition indicating your nominee(s) signed by one hundred (100) active members. This petition must be received no later than December 1, 2003.

The members of the Nominating Committee are: R. Wayne Gibson, NCTM, Atlanta, Georgia, chair; Carleen Graff, NCTM, Plymouth, New Hampshire; Scott McBride Smith, NCTM, Irvine, California; Julianne Miranda, NCTM, Greencastle, Indiana; Debra Ronning, NCTM, Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania; Jody Graves, Missoula, Montana; Celinda Hallbauer, NCTM, Belton, Texas; Roy Wylie, NCTM, Auburn, Alabama; Cheryl Pachak-Brooks, NCTM, Portales, New Mexico; and Janice Wenger, NCTM, Columbia, Missouri.

EAST CENTRAL

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Karen Thickston Nashville, Indiana

Karen Thickstun, adjunct faculty at Butler University and director of the Butler Summer Piano Camps and the Butler Community Arts School, is an instructor for the Indianapolis Piano Academy and maintains an independent studio in Nashville, Indiana: Karen holds a B.A. degree from Duke University majoring in economics and piano performance, an M.M. degree from Butler University and an M.B.A. degree from the University of Virginia. She is immediate past president of the Indiana MTA and was awarded the 2002 IMTA Distinguished Service Award.

"MTNA is a vital part of the music fabric of our society--enlightening, challenging, and uplifting its members, students and industry colleagues," she says.

Kenneth Williams Columbus, Ohio

Kenneth Williams, NCTM, directs the graduate programs in piano pedagogy and coordinates the class piano program at The Ohio State University. Recent articles by Williams are published in American Music Teacher, Update: Applications of Research in Music Education, College Music Symposium and Keyboard Companion. He received the 2002 AMT Article of the Year Award and serves on the Ohio MTA executive board.

"MTNA successfully nurtures the careers of professional music teachers because it adapts to the changing needs of members and their students. Continuing education opportunities offered by MTNA challenge the profession to reach higher levels of excellence in teaching and larger and more diverse groups of students," he says.

PRESIDENT-ELECT

Cynthia "Benson Bowling Green, Ohio

Cynthia Benson holds degrees from the University of Central Arkansas, Rice University and The University of Texas at Austin. She teaches at Bowling Green State University. Cynthia has served on MTNA's Collegiate Chapter's advisory board and as co-chair of MTNA's Poster Sessions. She chairs Ohio MTA's Buckeye Auditions and is president of OMTA's Northwest District.

"MTNA provides teachers and students the opportunity for growth and support, and conveys a sense of community in which we all work together to impart the art of music through positive, meaningful musical experiences. I am grateful to those members who have dedicated their time and efforts for the benefit of others," she says.

Laura Swenson Wales, Wisconsin

Laura Swenson, NCTM, co-owner of Music Dynamics, Ltd., received a B.M. degree from Alverno College. Her MTNA and Wisconsin MTA service began as president of the Alverno Student Chapter. Laura helped initiate the WMTA-Greater Milwaukee Chapter and has served in nearly every position on both the state and local levels.

"I realized MTNA and WMTA were vital for the independent teacher, so I wanted to be an active participant. I believe for MTNA to continue to support the independent teacher, we must continue to recruit young teachers. We need to listen and implement their new ideas so we can keep MTNA relevant to all teachers," she says.

EASTERN

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Melanie DeMent Newark, Delaware

Melanie DeMent, NCTM, teaches studio voice and vocal pedagogy for the University of Delaware. A fourteen-year member of MTNA, she has served as Delaware MTA student activities chair and president. Nationally, Melanie has been a member of the Teacher Enrichment Grant Committee, the College Faculty Forum and currently serves on the Editorial Committee. She has had four students in both Collegiate and High School Voice advance to the national competitions over the past eleven years, including one first place winner.

"I welcome the opportunity to work for the needs of the membership should I be elected to the Board of Directors," she said.

Debra Ronning Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania

Debra Ronning, NCTM, is a music lecturer and piano, division coordinator at Elizabethtown College in Pennsylvania. A graduate of Indiana University of Pennsylvania, her students have been successful in MTNA state competitions at the junior high, high school and collegiate levels. Debbie has been Pennsylvania MTA junior high competitions chair, state convention coordinator and president. Debbie currently is MTNA's Eastern Division president.