Directors

Haley Gibbons serves as one of three choir directors at Valley High School in West Des Moines, Iowa, where she leads traditional, show, and jazz ensembles. She conducts two curricular choirs: Valley Singers, a select-auditioned chamber choir, and Concert Choir, Valley’s non-auditioned large ensemble. Outside of the school day, Ms. Gibbons leads two co-curricular groups: Choralation varsity show choir and Vocal Point prep jazz choir. 

Choirs under Ms. Gibbons's direction have twice performed at the prestigious American Choral Directors Association National Convention: Valley Singers in 2023 and Vocalese Jazz Choir in 2019. In addition, Valley Singers are frequent guests on collaborative concerts with collegiate groups, including choirs from Iowa State University, Drake University, and Luther College. In 2023, Ms. Gibbons was named Outstanding High School Choral Educator by the Iowa Choral Directors Association. Her students are frequently selected to be members of the Iowa All State Choir, the Iowa All State Jazz Choir, and other regional and national honors ensembles. She is frequently in demand as a guest speaker, clinician, and adjudicator for choirs, soloists, jazz choirs, and show choirs.

Ms. Gibbons is currently a teaching artist at Drake University where she leads the Show Choir/Jazz Choir methods class, and she served as chair for the Iowa All State Jazz Choir from 2019 to 2023. She is a summa cum laude graduate of Luther College and of Florida State University, where she earned her Masters of Music Education. Ms. Gibbons lives in West Des Moines with her husband and son.

Heather Nail is a graduate of Drake University where she received her Bachelor of Music Education with Vocal Emphasis and Master of Science in Education Leadership degrees. She has been teaching in West Des Moines since 2010. Additionally, she has obtained levels one and two Orff music teaching certification, and level one Kodaly music teaching certification. Prior to West Des Moines she was an educator in the Des Moines Public Schools. She has experience teaching in all levels of education including preschool, elementary school, 9th grade and 10th-12th grade programs. In her current position, as one of two choral directors at Valley High School she directs the A Cappella auditioned Junior-Senior choir, Select Treble Clef Choir, Vocalese, Vox, and Lab jazz choirs, and currently serves as the music department chair and Tri-M music honor chapter advisor. 

Mrs. Nail is a proud member of the National Association for Music Education, the Iowa Choral Directors Association, the Jazz Education Network, and Jazz Educators of Iowa. She served as the Iowa Vocal Jazz Championships Chair for seven years, the Opus Honor choir chair for three years, and is a regular adjudicator and clinician in the state of Iowa, and has had the privilege of conducting several honor choirs. Her ensembles have received recognition in Downbeat Magazine, won several awards at the local and regional level, and consistently placed in the top ranks at the State Jazz Championships. In 2017, she was the first recipient of the Barbershop Harmony Society/ NAfME Music Educator of the Year Award.  Currently, she serves as the Jazz Repertoire and Resources chair for ICDA. 

She is proud to be a member of a legacy and team of educators in West Des Moines who have helped to build this successful program, and loves the opportunity to collaborate with other professionals to continue to learn and grow in order to benefit her students and provide them with unique and challenging experiences.

Chloe McCartney is an alum of Drake University, graduating Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Music Education in 2015. While at Drake, her collegiate accomplishments included being a state and regional finalist at NATS (National Association for Teachers of Singing) and receiving an Encouragement Award at the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions for two consecutive years. 

At Valley Southwoods, she conducts Treble Clef, Bass Clef, Southwoods Singers, Ignition show choir, and Syncopation jazz choir.  In addition to her teaching position, Chloe teaches voice lessons out of her home in Clive and is an active member of ICDA and NAfME. Prior to Valley Southwoods, she taught 5-12 vocal music at Sibley-Ocheyedan CSD and 6-12 vocal music at Prairie City-Monroe CSD. In her free time, Chloe enjoys cooking, being outdoors, and spending time with her husband, Ben, and daughters, Emery & Ellia.