STATE
LEADERSHIP
ALASKA
President 2025-2027
Vacant
coming soon
President-Elect 2027-2029
Vacant
coming soon
IDAHO
President 2025-2027
Sean Kane
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.
President-Elect
Corrina Steinbach
Coming Soon
MONTANA
President 2024-2026
Thomas Baty
Thomas Baty is in his 15th 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.
President-Elect 2026-2028
Morgan Kirk
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
President 2025-2027
Sandra Babb
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 vocalogist.
President-Elect 2027-2029
Anna Rikli
Anna Rikli teaches at Southridge HS, having previously taught at Liberty HS (Hillsboro) and at the middle-school level in Salem-Keizer. Under her direction, the Southridge Choirs have performed multiple times at state competitions for both large and small ensembles. Mrs. Rikli has held positions on the Oregon board of the American Choral Directors Association and is the choir liaison for OSAA Activities.
WASHINGTON
President 2025-2027
Dr. Kristina Ploeger-Hekmatpanah
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.
President-Elect 2027-2029
Ryan Hyde
Ryan Hyde is in his 6th year as Choir Director at Sammamish High School in Bellevue, WA, and his 14th year as a Choir Director. He received his Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from the University of Washington (Seattle), and his Master’s Degree in Music Education from Central Washington University. Ryan is in demand as a clinician, adjudicator, and composer/arranger, and enjoys performing with Choral Arts Northwest. He was a member of the NW Vocal Jazz ensemble “Last Call.” When not doing things choir, Ryan enjoys spending time with his wife, Taylor, as well as his family and friends.
WYOMING
President 2025-2027
Brian Murray
Dr. Brian C. Murray is the Director of Choral Activities, Assistant Professor of Music, and Vocal Arts Area Coordinator at the University of Wyoming. At UW he conducts the Collegiate Chorale, Singing Statesmen, and Happy Jacks, as well as teaching choral conducting.
Dr. Murray earned his Doctor of Musical Arts degree in choral conducting at the University of North Texas, studying with Drs. Allen Hightower, Jessica Nápoles, Richard Sparks, and Kristina MacMullen. He also completed a related field in vocal studies, studying voice with Dr. David Robison and vocal literature with Dr. Jeff Snider. While at the University of North Texas, Dr. Murray served as the instructor of Fundamentals of Conducting and the conducting associate for A Cappella, University Singers, Concert Choir, and Vox Aquilae.
President-Elect 2027-2029
Beth Kean
Beth Kean, a Wyoming native, is a 2005 graduate of St. Olaf College with a degree in Music Education and a Master's in Music Education from Colorado State University. She has taught at various schools including Cheyenne East High School, Laramie County Community College, and Laramie High School, where she continues to help students earn spots in prestigious honor choirs and achieve top festival ratings. Beth has also directed the Cheyenne All-City Choir and is currently co-directing the Laramie Children's Chorus. An active clinician and adjudicator, she has received numerous awards, including the 2013 Weiss Choral Music Educator of the Year and 2019 Southeast Wyoming Music Educator of the Year. Beth is married and has three wonderful daughters.