Board of Directors

Executive Committee

JULIE FREEDMAN SMITH, PRESIDENT
Julie Freedman Smith has been involved in teaching for the past 28 years. Her experience as an Elementary/Jr. High music teacher, a choral conductor with the Calgary Boys Choir, a voice instructor and a choral clinician has resulted in extensive opportunities to work with children and adults in both individual and group environments. A founding member of Luminous Voices and a regular addition to VoiceScapes, Julie continues to feed her love of performance. Since 2002, she has encouraged parents across the country as co-founder of Parenting Power. Julie holds B.Sc. Biology and a B.A. Psychology with Distinction from the University of Calgary.

MAME GOEHNER, PAST PRESIDENT
Lyrical soprano Mame Helise Goehner has been performing and studying music since the age of six. Studying under the expertise of Opera Nuova’s founder Kim Mattice Wanat and Canada’s top baritone Peter Barcza, she has won several major scholarships and festivals throughout Canada and Europe. Mame completed her BMus and MMus at the University of British Columbia under the tutelage of Bruce Pullan and Nancy Hermiston; while at UBC, Mame was a lead member of the UBC Opera Ensemble. She has toured throughout Europe, personally sang for the Queen of England and has showcased many private recitals and performances in Canada. Mame currently teaches and runs a thriving music school in Calgary, AB, and travels across Alberta doing Masterclasses, teaching clinics and adjudicating.

AMY ABBOTT, SECRETARY
Amy Abbott is a lawyer currently based in Edmonton. She obtained an LL.B at Dalhousie University in 2009, after completing her BA Honours at the University of Alberta. She articled with the ARCH Disability Law Centre in Toronto, Ontario, where she was called to the bar before returning to Alberta in 2010. Amy currently works at Emery Jamieson LLP, one of Alberta's oldest law firms, where she maintains a general practice, and has represented clients before all levels of Court in Alberta. Prior to law school, Amy was a long-time chorister with the University of Alberta Mixed Chorus. Music, and choir in particular, has been a passion of Amy’s since childhood. She values the opportunity to reconnect with her choral roots and contribute to the choral community as a member of the Choir Alberta Board.

CAROL CALLAGHAN, TREASURER
Carol Callaghan was born and raised in ranching country in SE Alberta, currently living east of Calgary. Along with serving as Treasurer on her church council and involvement in various small-town organizations, she has been at the helm of a successful rural natural gas utility for 16+ years, where numbers and budgets have become her second language. Having discovered her love of choral music with Rosebud Masterworks Choir (directed by Bill Hamm of the Rosebud Theatre & School of the Arts), she is currently singing with the women’s ensemble Blend Vocal in Calgary, where she has also served as Treasurer and is currently President. Carol is so pleased to be able to contribute her financial skills and experience to Choir Alberta and be part of the support and programming this organization provides to choral groups across our province.

Directors

LAUREL HALKIER, VICE PRESIDENT MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS
Laurel Halkier has a Visual Communications degree from the University of Alberta, where she remains a sessional instructor, teaching business practice to 500 Level students. She has been an invited speaker at design and publishing conferences and lectures, and has served as jury member in numerous design and communication competitions. Laurel also holds a Graduate Certificate in Executive Coaching from Royal Roads University, and maintains a coaching practice focussed on supporting women in all levels of leadership. Laurel renews her spirit by singing with Vocal Alchemy, and serves on the board of the Choir Alberta.

KATE KOPLOVICH, VICE PRESIDENT DEVELOPMENT
Kate Koplovich is a passionate advocate for performing arts; herself being involved in various aspects for over 20 years. Kate’s 15 years of choral experience with the Calgary Girls’ Choir and Cantare Children’s Choir allowed her to compete in provincial and national competitions and tour nationally and internationally showcasing Alberta’s incredible choral talent! Alongside her extra-curricular choral experience, she was an active member of the Strathcona-Tweedsmuir Junior High and High School Choirs, has performed in various musical theatre productions, and remains an avid pianist. Kate holds a Master’s of Science in Economics and Policy of Energy and the Environment from University College London and a Bachelor of Environmental Studies from the University of Waterloo and works at Deloitte. She is honoured to be part of Choir Alberta and shape performing arts in Alberta.

JOANNE COLLIER, DIRECTOR
Joanne Collier has shared her passion for choral singing with people of all ages as either a singer or conductor her entire life. Currently she teaches for Holy Spirit Catholic Schools at The Children of St. Martha School in Lethbridge, is Music Director at St. Augustine’s Church, and Music Director of Vox Musica Choral Society. For nineteen years she was on faculty at Medicine Hat College where she taught voice and directed children’s, youth, and adult choirs including the award-winning MHC Girls’ Choir. Originally from Boissevain, Manitoba, Joanne holds a Bachelor of Music (Performance) from the University of Manitoba and Master of Music (Vocal Performance) from the University of British Columbia. Following an accomplished career of almost twenty years, she entered the Faculty of Education at the University of Lethbridge in 2011 where she received the William Aberhardt Gold Medal upon graduation. She is the recipient of the Alberta Choral Federation’s “Con Spirito” award for contributions to choral music in her community, the Johann Strauss Foundation scholarship for study in Austria, Medicine Hat College Employee of the Year and City of Medicine Hat Civic Award for contributions to the arts.

TYLER LEAVITT, DIRECTOR
Tyler Leavitt is the choral conductor of Gilbert Paterson Middle School, as well as the Drama Coordinator and lead Fine Arts teacher - a position he has held since 2008. He is an active singer and performer in the community and on stage. Tyler is one of the founding members of the Chinook Chamber Singers in Lethbridge, and has had the privilege of singing under the direction of award-winning conductors, including Dr. George Evelyn and Dr. Marvin Dueck. Tyler's most recent stage performances include "Titanic: The Musical" and "All is Calm: the Christmas Truce of 1914". Tyler holds a B.A. in French and a B.Ed. in modern languages from the University of Lethbridge.

BETH PECSON, DIRECTOR
Beth Pecson is an accomplished choral director, music teacher, pianist, and church musician. She has taught with the Edmonton Catholic Schools as a music specialist for 27 years. Beth is the Conductor of the ECSD All-City Junior High and the Monsignor Fee Otterson Junior High Choirs. In addition to performing at local, provincial and national music festivals, her choirs serve at Liturgical and Eucharistic celebrations. They are also actively involved in faith formation sessions. Beth is currently piloting a High School Liturgical Music program. In 2017 the Council of Catholic School Superintendents of Alberta presented her with an Excellence in Catholic Education Award. She finished her Master of Religious Education Degree (with Distinction) from Newman Theological College and was the recipient of the 2017 graduating class’ Emmaus Award. Beth serves in the music ministry of Annunciation Catholic Church. She is one of the conductors of the Edmonton Youth and Children’s Choirs. Beth lives in Edmonton with her husband and their four beautiful children.

ANDREW SNYDER, DIRECTOR
Andrew Snyder is the choral teacher at Lindsay Thurber Comprehensive High School in Red Deer, and has held the position since 2017. He studied voice performance and education at the University of Lethbridge where he graduated with great distinction. Andrew is slowly (emphasis on slowly) working towards achieving his Masters in Leadership Studies from Royal Roads University on Vancouver Island and is passionate about Values-Based Leadership. He loves being active, leadership, music, fun and being creative, and is passionate about music literacy and growing his student's choral skills. Andrew currently sits on the board for Choir Alberta and is the department head of Fine Arts at his high school. He and his wife Denise have three children - Theo, Jack, and Celia.

THOMAS SPILA, DIRECTOR
Tom Spila (B. Ed, U of A, secondary music major) recently retired after having taught music at the Elementary, Jr., & Sr. High School levels for a total of 43 years. The past 39 of those were spent at Camrose Composite High School where the music program consisted of concert and jazz bands, mixed chorus, chamber choir and vocal jazz, as well as beginner and advanced guitar. Student groups under his direction have been recognized at regional, provincial, and national levels. He has been the director of the Camrose & District Community Band since its inception in 1983, is a past recipient of the Tommy Banks Award from the Alberta Foundation for the Arts, was presented with the first Vondis Miller Legacy Award in 2004, and is a member of the International Bandmasters Fraternity: Phi Beta Mu – Mu Alpha Chapter. He has been recognized for his work by Alberta Education, the University of Alberta (Augustana Faculty), the Alberta Band Association, the Alberta Choral Federation, the city of Camrose, the Alberta Government, and the Governor General of Canada. In 2017, he directed the Southern Alberta Jr. High School Honour Band for the Alberta Band Association. Mr. Spila has served on the board of the Alberta Band Association and now looks forward to working for the music community as a board member of Choir Alberta.

INTERESTED IN JOINING THE CHOIR ALBERTA BOARD?
Our volunteer Board is made up of musicians and non-musicians dedicated to supporting choirs and choral practitioners across Alberta. The broad range of skills and perspectives represented on the Board contribute to the effective planning and delivery of the organization's diverse offerings.

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