Ms. Snow is a native of Milton, Wisconsin and graduated from Milton High School, where she was an active participant in choir, show choir, swimming, and theatre. She graduated cum laude from Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa with a degree in Music Education. Throughout her time in college, Ms. Snow earned multiple awards and distinctions for her work in the field. Previously, Ms. Snow was the Music Director at Regis Middle School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, where she led three curricular choirs, one extracurricular show choir, and assists with the musical.

Outside of school, Kiah loves to hike, read,
travel, and bake. One of her life goals is to hike the Appalachian Trail and her favorite book series is The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. 

Justin Steger is excited to judge this competition at Fort Atkinson High School. As the high school band director, he teaches two concert bands, two jazz bands, a marching band, and an introductory guitar class. He also directs the pit orchestra for the school musical. His ensembles have performed across the country, including at the Wisconsin State Capitol, Traverse City, MI, Minneapolis, MN, Chicago, IL, Nashville, TN, and Orlando, FL. Additionally, the show choir combo he directs has competed at FAME Nationals in Nashville, TN, and have earned multiple Best Band awards over the years.

Justin grew up playing the saxophone, and his passion for both performing and teaching led him to the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater, where he earned a Bachelor's degree in Music along with a Jazz Certificate. Before beginning his teaching career, he was honored with the Richard G. Gaarder Award from the Wisconsin Music Education Association. He remains an active performer, playing regularly with the Queue Saxophone Quartet and the Main Street Big Band in Lake Mills, WI. Beyond teaching and performing, he proudly serves on the Wisconsin Music Education Association’s state advocacy committee.

Aaron Athas is happy to be back as your host of this year’s Fort Showcase. A former show choir kid, he once performed as part of Fort High’s South High Street Singers. He has been a member of multiple semi-professional choruses in Northern Wisconsin and central Minnesota. As a soloist, his voice has been featured in several major works including Handel’s “Messiah,” Bob Chilcott’s “Requiem,” Mozart’s “Regina Coeli,” and in Dan Forrest’s “Requiem for the Living” performed at L’eglise de la Madeline in Paris.

 He is currently an academic coach and counselor in the Sauk Prairie School district having previously taught in Merrill, Eau Claire, and Sartell, MN.  He graduated from UW-Platteville in 2010 with studies in music and broadcasting and graduated in 2014 with a Masters of Science from Minnesota State University and earned an education administration endorsement from Concordia University in 2022.  With colleagues, he has delivered educational technology integration lectures at major Wisconsin and Minnesota leadership conferences. He is a member of several professional and social organizations including the American Choral Directors Association, Wisconsin Educational Media and Technology Association, the UW-Platteville Alumni Association, and Phi Mu Alpha. He was a 2020 recipient of the Herb Kohl Fellowship for excellence in Education.

Craig Engstrom is an alumnus of Luther College with a Bachelor's Degree in Music Education and he holds a Masters Degree from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse in Educational Professional Development. Engstrom began his teaching in 1988 with a career in choral music with the School District of St. Ansgar, Iowa. Following that, he and his wife Denise moved to Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin, where he spent the next 30 years teaching choral music before retiring in 2021. While in Fort Atkinson he conducted three concert choirs and directed two co-curricular competitive show choirs.  Additionally, he directed the school’s musicals each fall and was heavily involved in community theatre. Nothing is more important to Craig than his family. His wife Denise and three children; Brittany, Hannah-Mae, and Ian are the lights of his life. In Craig’s free time he enjoys time with friends, traveling, and time with his grandchildren Kaleb and Brynnlee. For the past 10 years, Craig has been a travel agent with Marvelous Mouse Travels. He is excited to remain a part of the show choir community as an active judge and clinician throughout the Midwest.

Mike Weaver is an author and award-winning director/choreographer based in Chicago. He works widely in both conceptual and technical development with a variety of projects ranging from show choir competition programs to concerts, musicals, and other theatrical events. Credits include: Chicago Tap Theatre, Carnival Cruise Lines, Six Flags Discovery Kingdom: Marine World Africa USA, Warner Bros Publishing, Hal Leonard Publishing, and Applause Theatre and Cinema Books. As a clinician, Mike has served as adjunct faculty with several U. S. Colleges and headed workshops at numerous performing arts camps, including The Master Class Series in Ontario, Canada, Show Choir Camps of America, and North Carolina Summer Institute for Choral Arts. Mike regularly collaborates with some of the country’s noted high school music departments, staging concerts and theatre shows. His work has garnered awards for best directing, choreography, lighting, set, and show design. He has directed and/or staged musical theatre productions for Tulane University, Northeast Missouri State University, Hattiesburg Civic Light Opera, and Revival Theatre (Cedar Rapids, Iowa). In 2014, Mike was honored with an industry-awarded Aspire Lifetime Achievement presentation for his past and ongoing contributions to the field of show choir. He is co-author of the definitive and acclaimed book -- Sweat, Tears and Jazz Hands: The Official History of Show Choir from Vaudeville to ‘Glee’.  (amazon.com) Mike is former a National Repertoire and Resource Chair for Commercial and Contemporary music for the American Choral Directors Association. During the challenges of 2021, Mike produced four episodes of Show Choir Live - a virtual show choir tournament that let choirs compete nationally from their own home stage. Mike is the creator behind Show Choir Dance Moves, a video reference app for directors, choreographers and dance educators needing style specific dance ideas for their projects — available for iPhone and iPad. (iTunes Store). Working in a variety of creative endeavors, Mike currently serves on the board of Chicago Tap Theatre, where he occasionally directs or associate produces.  He recently served as creative consultant and on-camera performing arts expert for a new documentary called Sloane, A Jazz Singer, to be world premiered in two International Film Festivals spring of 2023. Mike is an alumni of Millikin University (Piano Jazz performance and Music Business, BM Commercial Music) and Columbia College Chicago (MFA, Film Directing).

Michael Talamonti, a native of Manteno, IL is a choreographer and clinician based out of Chicago, IL. A graduate of the Illinois State University, Michael holds a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing. While at ISU, Michael studied jazz, modern, and ballet. As an aberrant of all aspects of performance, Michael’s expansive knowledge of performance and the stage includes show design, concept, costuming, and vocal presentation. As a student member of Manteno High School’s Magic Show Choir Michael’s career started as a student choreographer for the ensemble. During Michael’s Tenure with Magic, the ensemble has garnered numerous awards for show design, choreography, visual effect and vocal performance. Michael is in demand as a critique judge and clinician and has appeared at festivals and competitions throughout the tri-state area.

Dallas James Pritt is currently an Equity Principal Actor at Walt Disney World and can be seen in the Frozen show at Hollywood Studios. He recently released his debut single, ‘Somehow (Beautiful To Me)’ with renowned musical theatre composer Joey Contreras. The song and music video has earned thousands of views and has played on Broadway show-tune radio stations around the world. For the past 12 years in the show choir world, Dallas has worked as a choreographer, show designer, and vocal coach for ensembles in 13 states, and has been a clinician/adjudicator for about 45 competitions. His groups have won many awards including Overall Grand Champions, Best Choreography, Best Show Design, and Best Overall Effect along with becoming consistent finalists and placing nationally. He is also the recipient of the national 2018 FAME Aspire Award for Best New Choreographer. As an actor, singer, and dancer, he has been seen across the country at various regional theatres, theme parks, and on television. He is most recognized from the film, 'A Heart's Calling’, the Toyota Tacoma Mall Terrain and Curology Pimple commercials, and co-starring as Chet alongside Billy Ray Cyrus in season two of 'Still The King' on CMT. Dallas holds a BFA in Musical Theatre after studying at Roosevelt University's Chicago College of Performing Arts and Lipscomb University's College of Entertainment and the Arts. www.DallasJamesPritt.com 

Lin Warren retired from Hastings High School (HHS) in 2017 after 32 years of teaching vocal music. During his tenure, he directed Select Chorale, the Tenor-Bass Choir and Riverside Company, HHS’s varsity show choir. Lin received a Bachelor of Music degree from Hastings College in Hastings, Nebraska, and a Master of Arts degree in Music from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. Throughout his career he received several honors including: 1988 “Outstanding Young Choral Director” from the American Choral Directors Association of Minnesota (ACDA-MN), 1989 “Teacher of the Year” and 2009 “Employee of the Year” for Hastings Public Schools and 2014 “Minnesota Choral Director of the Year” from the ACDA-MN. Lin’s choirs have appeared at the Minnesota Music Educators Association Convention, the ACDA-MN Convention, the Divisional Music Educators National Conference, the Dorian Festival at Luther College and the 2010, 2015 and 2017 Choral Arts Finale. He was also very active in organizing conferences for the ACDA at both the regional and national levels from 2005–2017. Following his retirement from teaching, Lin began a new career in sales with Gateway Music Festivals and Tours. During his free time, he enjoys working as a clinician, competition judge, and accompanist for ensembles and soloists.

Lori Nahirniak recently retired from Monona Grove High School after teaching choir for 35 years. While at Monona Grove School District, the high school choir program grew and flourished to boast of four curricular choirs, two extracurricular show choirs, extracurricular madrigal choirs and contemporary a cappella choirs, and the annual musical. Monona Grove High School’s “Silverstage,” a prestigious, midwest show choir competition, was established by Mrs. Nahirniak, and she enjoyed hosting it for 18 years of her career. Lori also founded the Madison Area Show Choir Camp, a high-quality summer intensive program that ran for 15 years. Most of her productions were a family collaboration, thanks to her husband, Taras. Lori and Taras were very proud to think out of the box and design creative shows for the award-winning varsity show choir, “The Silver Connection.” Together they also produced professional-caliber musicals that won numerous Jerry Awards. Today Lori stays busy running a full voice studio at her home, directing children’s ministry at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, and traveling the country to see her children perform in Broadway National Tours. Lori is a proud Badger with both an undergraduate and graduate degree from UW-Madison, and her favorite place on Earth is the Memorial Union Terrace.