2022-23 School Year
Effective July 1, 2022
President:
Brad Schneider
Retired – Middleton Cross-Plains High School
President-Elect (Advocacy Chair):
Will Janssen
Retired – Mount Horeb High School
Past-President:
Paul Budde
University of Wisconsin-River Falls
Executive Board
| Position | Name, Term, District | Additional Roles |
|---|---|---|
| Northwest Vice President (District #1) | Renee Rademaker Retired - Cumberland | |
| North Central Vice President (District #2) | Ginger Marten Lincoln High School - Wisconsin Rapids | |
| Northeast Vice President (District #3) | Bridget Duffy-Ulrich Oshkosh North High School | |
| Southwest Vice President (District #4) | Amelia Armstrong Platteville High School | WMEA Executive Committee |
| South Central Vice President (District #5) | Carrie Backman Edgewood College & UW-Madison | |
| Southeast Vice President (District #6) | Erica Breitbarth Reagan IB High School - Milwaukee | |
| Membership Coordinator | Chris Powers Madison Metropolitan School District | WMEA Executive Committee |
| Executive Director | Laurie Fellenz Wisconsin Music Educators Association | WMEA Executive Committee WSMA Executive Director WFSM Executive Director |
Council of State Chairs
| Position | Name, Term, District | Office | Position Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administration | Holly Prast (6/30/23) Northeast (#3) | Kimberly School District | Serves as a voice and provides the expertise of an active school administrator in connection with WMEA strategic plan goals. Consults on issues in the field of education and initiatives of the association. |
| Band | Brianne Knox (6/30/24) Northeast (#3) | Florence Schools | Encourages the musical growth of wind and percussion students of all ages and abilities, provides leadership to Wisconsin music educators who teach in a band classroom, and recommends written, human and networking resources that support teachers and/or students. |
| Choral | Shawn Gudmunsen (6/30/24) Northwest (#1) | St. Croix Falls | Encourages the musical growth of vocal students of all ages and abilities, provides leadership to Wisconsin music educators who teach in a choral classroom, and recommends written, human and networking resources that support teachers and/or students. |
| CMP | Patty Schlafer (6/30/23) South Central (#5) | Retired - Mt. Horeb | The Comprehensive Musicianship through Performance (CMP) Project was initiated in Wisconsin in 1977 as a means of assisting teachers with the development of performance with understanding in school music programs. New Steering Committee members are invited by the existing committee members. The council chair is selected internally by members. |
| College and University, WSMTE President | David Potter (6/30/23) Northwest (#1) | UW-Superior | Monitors and promotes innovative higher education initiatives in the state and facilitates communication within the college and university music education community. Keeps membership informed on licensure developments in Wisconsin music educator preparation programs (EPPs). |
| Composition and Improvisation | Michelle McQuade Dewhirst (6/30/24) Northeast (#3) | UW-Green Bay | Provides the leading voice to members regarding the development of the creative elements of composition and improvisation in all areas of music education through: recommendations of resources, examples of success, networking opportunities and other ways to make composition and improvisation part of every student's experiences. |
| Early Childhood Music | Beatriz Aguilar (6/30/23) South Central (#5) | Edgewood College | Provides the leading voice to members regarding music education for the youngest learners and the adults who work with them regarding: curriculum, instruction, recommendations of resources, examples of success, networking materials and other ways to benefit students in these first years. |
| Elementary General Music | Natasha Verhulst (6/30/24) Northeast (#3) | Menominee Indian School District | Monitors and promotes innovative elementary general music activities in the state by serving as the leading voice and conduit to the elementary general music teacher community. |
| Government Relations | Molly Petroff (6/30/25) South Central (#5) | Waunakee Community School District | Provides the leading voice to members regarding areas where music education is impacted by state and federal government policy and budget decisions. This will include helping keep members aware of upcoming areas of concern, impact of decisions and ways to get involved to benefit students in music classrooms. |
| Jazz Education | Adam Bever (6/30/23) Northwest (#1) | Rice Lake Middle School | Encourages the growth of jazz education for students of all ages and abilities, provides leadership to Wisconsin jazz educators who teach jazz in both formal classroom or ensemble setting, and recommends written, human and networking resources that support teachers and/or jazz students. |
| Lifelong Engagement in Music | Kristin Tjornehoj (6/30/24) Northwest (#1) | UW-River Falls | Encourage engagement in music across the course of a lifetime and maintain communication with retired WMEA members. |
| Mentoring | Stephanie Kapsa (6/30/24) Northeast (#3) | UW-Stevens Point | Helps coordinate and publicize the Early Career Music Teacher Collaboration (ECMTC) Project. ECMTC is the new mentoring program for the state of Wisconsin. See https://wmeamusic.org/pro-development/mentoring/ for more information. |
| Historian and Retired Members | Lisa Benz (6/30/24) Northwest(#1) | Retired - Ellsworth | Maintain communication with retired WMEA Members, informing them of service opportunities and encouraging their continued involvement in the profession. |
| Music In Our Schools Month/Capitol Concerts | Kathy Bartling (6/30/24) South Central (#5) | Retired - Waunakee | Communicates and amplifies Music In Our Schools Month (MIOSM) resources each March and encourages membership to celebrate MIOSM in their home communities. In addition, this Council Chair coordinates with the State Capitol events office and WMEA to organize and host music performances in the State Capitol during the month of March. |
| NAfME Collegiate Advisor | Tobin Shucha (6/30/24) South Central (#5) | Ripon College | Oversees and coordinates the NAfME Collegiate chapters in Wisconsin, organizes an annual summit for its membership, and organizes a collegiate panel as part of the Aspiring Music Majors event at the annual conference. |
| Orchestra | Kristen Flak-Solom (6/30/24) South Central(#5) | Glacier Creek Middle School - Middleton Cross Plains SD | Encourages the growth of string students of all ages and abilities, provides leadership to Wisconsin music educators who teach in an orchestral classroom, and recommends written, human and networking resources that support teachers and/or students. |
| Research | Rachel Brashier (6/30/24) North Central (#2) | UW-Stevens Point | Provides a leading voice to members regarding the evolving intersection of music education, research and active practice in the classroom. |
| Secondary General Music | Eli Grover (6/30/23) Northeast (#3) | Appleton School District | Monitors and promotes innovative secondary general music activities in Grade 7-12 music classrooms outside of the band, orchestra, and/or choir areas by serving as the leading voice and conduit to the Secondary General Music teacher community. |
| Standards | Aimee Swanson (6/30/24) Southeast (#6) | South Milwaukee High School | This is a “Special Large Committee.” The chair of this committee is selected internally by WMEA Standards Committee members and leads the committee in the creation of workshops and other professional development events to assist teachers in using the WMEA Music Standards for the benefit of their students. |
| Technology | Lee Stovall (6/30/23) Southeast (#6) | Rufus King High School - Milwaukee Public Schools | Provides a leading voice to members regarding the evolving intersection of music education, creativity, and technology including: recommendations of resources, examples of success, networking opportunities and other ways to use technology to improve student learning. |
| Tri-M Music Honor Society | Sarah Lemon (6/30/24) Southeast(#6) | New Berlin West Middle/High School | Provides a leading voice to members regarding the opportunities for student growth through involvement in Tri-M Music Honor Society chapters including: sharing materials that encourage the creation of local chapters, assisting existing chapters to connect, and showcasing chapter excellence. |
| State Arts and Creativity Education Consultant | Chris Gleason South Central (#5) | Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction | This position is held by the employee in the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI) Arts and Creativity Education Consultant role. |
