STATE
LEADERSHIP
ALASKA
KYLE SCHNEIDER
VACANT
President
2017-2019
Presiden-Elect
Kyle Schneider is in his 13th year of music education, and has spent the last 12 years in Alaska. Kyle attended Illinois State University, receiving his Bachelor’s in Music Education in 2007 with focuses in Vocal Performance and Ethnomusicology. Kyle currently teaches 7-8 Mixed Choir, 9-12 Concert Choir, 9-12 Swing Choir, 9-12 Guitar, and 9-12 History in Homer, AK. Kyle is an active chorister, director, actor, and soloist with Kenai Peninsula Community Choir, Kachemak Chorale, Pier One Theatre, and Kenai Peninsula Singers, an alumni of four seasons of the Midwest Institute of Opera, serves as director of music ministry at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, and maintains a small private studio. He has also served as presider, presenter, and adjudicator for various festivals and conferences. Kyle resides in Homer with his wife, Beth, and their Newfydoodle, Wrigley. He is a diehard Chicago Cubs and Chicago Blackhawks fan, and in his spare time, enjoys baking, cooking, fishing, photography, and traveling.
filled by special election
IDAHO
SERENA JENKINS CLARK
SEAN KANE
President
2023-2025
President - Elect
2025-2027
Serena Jenkins Clark serves as Director of Choral Activities and Voice at the College of Southern Idaho, conducting choirs and teaching studio voice and music appreciation. She earned her M.M. from the University of Idaho and her B.A. in Vocal Performance/Music Education from Pepperdine University. Serena’s teaching career began as an elementary music specialist for the Santa Monica/Malibu Unified School District, later teaching choir to grades 6-12. Her students have performed at Carnegie Hall, on professional recordings, and on the Broadway stage. Serena enjoys performing, is a member of Critical Mass Vocal Artists in Boise and is well known to local audiences from solo work with the Magic Valley Symphony and musical theater roles. In addition to serving as President-elect for the Idaho Chapter of ACDA, Serena is an active member of NATS, NAfME, and NFMC. She enjoys serving as a clinician and adjudicator, particularly with middle-school choirs!
Sean Kane has served as the director of choirs at Timberline High School since 2015. From 2008-2015 he served as director of choirs at Gonzaga Preparatory School in Spokane, WA. Choirs under his direction have been invited to perform at state and regional ACDA and NAfME conventions, tour extensively, and are regular recipients of top honors, awards and superior ratings at local, regional, and national festivals. A member of ACDA his entire career, both in Washington State and Idaho, he was named ID-ACDA 2019 Conductor of the Year, the 2021 Idaho DIII Music Educator of the Year and is the current ID-ACDA President-Elect. He holds degrees from Gonzaga University and Montana State University. He enjoys fly fishing in his home state of Montana, and is the proud father of three children: Melia, Corinne, and Samuel.
MONTANA
THOMAS BATY
MORGAN KIRK
President
2024-2026
President - Elect
2026-2028
Thomas Baty is in his 15 th year of teaching. He currently teaches at Capital High School in Helena where he directs five different choral ensembles and teaches two sections of modern band. He was born, raised, and educated in Missoula and earned dual bachelor’s degrees in Vocal Performance and Music Education from the University of Montana. While in Helena Baty has maintained an active performance schedule with his school ensembles and co-organized many local collaborative events with his colleagues. He has had the honor of guest directing for various festival choirs in Montana, as well as adjudicating for district music festivals across the state. In the Spring of 2018, Baty earned a Master of Education degree from Montana State University. In recent years, he has enjoyed supporting the MCDA membership by presenting sessions at state conferences on the topics of burnout, philosophy, and repertoire. When he is not
teaching, rehearsing or performing, he is enjoying family time with his wife and two boys.
Morgan Kirk received a Bachelor of Arts in Music Education from Montana State University in 2009 and a Master of Arts in Vocal Performance from the University of Montana in 2014. She started out her teaching career with two years in elementary music, followed by three years in a combined middle school and high school choir position. For the past eight years, she has taught choir, music technology, and piano courses at Belgrade High School. In Montana ACDA, Morgan has served as an R&R Chair for Treble Choirs and a Regional Advisory Board Member. She has performed with the Bozeman Symphonic Choir, Dolce Canto, and Opera Montana (formerly Intermountain Opera) in Bozeman. When not directing choirs, she enjoys getting out to go skiing or fishing with her husband and two daughters.
OREGON
DANIELLE WARNER
SANDY BABB
President
2023-2025
President - Elect
2025-2027
Coming Soon
Sandra Babb is Associate Professor of Choral Music Education at Oregon State University where she directs OSU Bella Voce and the University Chorale. Her choirs have performed for state, regional, and national conferences of ACDA. Dr. Babb is an active conductor/clinician throughout the United States, and she has written for International Journal of Research in Choral Singing, The Journal of Music Teacher Education, and the Choral Journal. Babb received her BME, MME, and PhD in music education from Florida State University, and she is a National Center for Voice and Speech certified vocologist.
WASHINGTON
MONIKA TABOR
KRISTINA PLOEGER-HEKMATPANAH
President
2023-2025
President - Elect
2025-2027
Monika Tabor serves as Director of Choirs and ASB advisor for Lake Stevens High School. Formerly she worked at Gateway Middle School in Everett, and Prairie High School/Laurin Middle School in Battle Ground. Monika has a love for vocal jazz that was instilled in her by her junior high school and high school music teachers in Marysville and Lake Stevens. Teaching in public schools since 2004, she has taught vocal jazz, choral music, musical theater, general music/music history, as well as stagecraft and sound design. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Music from the University of Washington and teacher certification from Western Washington University. Currently, she is pursuing her Masters in Educational Leadership and Principal Certification with Eastern Washington University. Monika has served on the WA ACDA board and Washington Music Educators, and has presented at both state and regional conventions.
Dr. Kristina Ploeger-Hekmatpanah is a Professor of Music serving as Director of Choral Activities and Coordinator of Undergraduate Music Education at Eastern Washington University. Previously, she was the Artistic Director of the Spokane Area Youth Choirs, the Director of Spokane Symphony’s Chorale, did periodic adjunct work at Gonzaga and Whitworth, St. George’s School, West Valley High School in the Spokane Valley, Everett HS, Ephrata HS, and AC Davis HS. Kristina has served on the WA ACDA Board in four R& S chair positions and is the current President-Elect of WA ACDA. She has presented numerous times for state and all-northwest MENC/WMEA conventions and WA-ACDA Summer Institutes. Directing Honor Groups and All-State Choirs in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and Kentucky from Elementary through High School levels has allowed her to work with a wonderful array of choristers and directors.
WYOMING
MANDI STEELE
COMING SOON
President
2023 - 2025
President - Elect
2025-2027
Mandi Steele is currently the choral director at Campbell County High School in Gillette Wyoming. She holds a Master of Music in Vocal Education from the University of South Dakota and a Bachelor of Music Education from Boise State University. Mandi has taught every grade level as well as privately in her vocal studio. Mandi’s culminating Master’s project was the founding of the Vermillion Children's Choir and served as the Executive Director of the Sioux Falls Children's Choir. Mandi is currently the program manager and one of the directors of the Gillette Children’s Choir. Beyond her abilities as an educator and choral director, Mandi is also a professional vocalist. She sang with the GRAMMY-nominated South Dakota Chorale as well as with the classical ensemble Transept based out of Sioux Falls and currently sings with the Gillette Chamber Singers.
Bio Coming Soon.