Topics and Speakers
Find information about our mentor leaders, speakers and specific topics for discussion and presentation
IAAE Mentor Co-Administrators
Iowa "Model of Excellence" Arts Mentor Program
Leon Kuehner received both his bachelors and masters degree in music education from the University of Northern Iowa. He has been president of the Iowa Bandmasters Association, state chair of the American School Band Directors Association, president of the Iowa High School Music Association and state chair of the Iowa Alliance for Arts Education. In 2012, he was named the national winner of the National Federation of High School Association’s Citation for contributions to music education. He has served as Executive Director of the IAAE since July of 2013 and Co-Administrator of the IAAE “Model of Excellence Program” since its inception in 2005.
Cassidy Noring received her bachelors degree in music education from the University of Northern Iowa and her masters degree in music education from Kent State University. She is in her fifteenth year of teaching at the Adel DeSoto Minburn school district where she has taught general music, choir, and instrumental music at various points throughout her career. She currently teaches 6th-8th grade instrumental music.
Elizabeth Fritz has been a music educator for over 35 years. She retired from public school teaching in 2016 and now works as a consultant for arts education professional development. Liz currently creates and teaches online instruction for professional learning for arts educators and works with school districts to provide facilitation of professional development PLC’s for music departments.
She is active in many statewide initiatives including the Iowa Fine Arts Standards work and co-administrator of the IAAE Arts Educator Mentor Program. She has presented at state and national level conferences for music technology, comprehensive musicianship and mentoring.
Ms. Fritz is a Past - President of the Iowa Bandmasters Association, the second woman to hold that post in the 91-year history of the Association. She currently serves as IBA Webmaster. In May of 2013, she received (the first woman) the statewide Iowa Bandmasters Karl King Service Award - Active.
She was recently named the recipient of the NFHS Outstanding Music Educator Award for 2020 by the IHSMA Executive Board.
Breakout Session:
Tips for Online Teaching
Zoomed Out? Flipping out over Flipgrid? Join Liz for strategies and tips for online teaching.
Susan Mckenna-Macumber
Arts Educators of Iowa Mentor Chair
Susan Mckenna-Macumber knows it is important for students to feel comfortable before they can be creative. This is her 26th year teaching elementary art and her 2nd year teaching 4th and 5th grade art at Oak Hill Elementary School for Clear Creek Amana CSD. Mrs. MnM is a member of the Amana Arts Guild board and the Art Educators of Iowa board.
She is a graduate of the University of Iowa, where she earned her teaching credential and a Master of Education degree. Every year will bring its own set of challenges, Susan is excited to share her experience and expertise with new teachers.
Breakout Session: Art Teachers...Don't Take Yourself so Seriously!
You already have the tools, you just need to remember to use them! This session will review some tried and true ways to make connections with your learners using art games, conversation starters, and other techniques.
Jesse Bunge
Breakout Session: Teaching with Respect
“For all the singers whose voices I did not hear…”
Stephen Sieck
Mr. Jesse Bunge, Visiting Assistant Professor of Music at Coe College, will discuss the key components of the book Teaching with Respect: Inclusive Pedagogy for Choral Directors by Stephen Sieck. Although the book refers to choral directors, educators of all backgrounds will find a value in the discussions of perspective, safe environments, diverse abilities, race, gender, sexual identity, religion, and world music. We will examine how choral experiences do not always respect and value everyone. Do we have a moral responsibility to understand and confront how we have included or marginalized our students?
Jesse Bunge is a visiting assistant professor of music and oversees the choral, voice and choral education programs at Coe College. He directs the Crimson Singers and Concert Choir, instructs private voice lessons and teaches courses in vocal pedagogy, diction, choral methods and music history. Bunge is a frequent clinician with elementary, middle and high school choirs, community ensembles and barbershop choruses and quartets. In addition, he is in demand as a festival and honor choir director and as a guest lecturer at colleges throughout the Iowa. Bunge received national recognition in 2018, when he was chosen as a semi-finalist for the GRAMMY Music Educator of the Year Award.
Bunge previously taught in the public schools of Iowa and Colorado, where his students and ensembles earned top ratings at state events, were selected for All-State honors, performed at music conferences, appeared at Carnegie Hall and accompanied the rock band, Foreigner. He served as director of the Franklin Chorale community choir (Hampton, IA) and was assistant director of the River City Men’s Chorus barbershop choir (Mason City, IA). An active performer, Bunge has been a member of the Mandatory Fun and Harmony Hawks barbershop ensembles and was a featured performer at the Convocation and Vespers services at Coe. In 2016, he gave a presentation on community choirs at the Iowa Choral Directors Association (ICDA) Summer Symposium and in 2018 was selected to present on repertoire considerations for high school bass and treble choirs at the Colorado Music Educators Association Convention. From 2015 to 2017, he served as the community choir chair on the ICDA board.
Bunge is a member of ICDA, American Choral Directors Association, National Association for Music Education, National Association of Teachers of Singing and Iowa Music Educators Association. He holds a Bachelor of Arts from Luther College in Decorah, Iowa and earned a Master of Music Education with an emphasis in vocal pedagogy from the University of Kansas. He lives in Cedar Rapids with his wife, Erin, an elementary music teacher and private lesson instructor, and their son, Leo.
Dr. A'ndrea J. Wilson
Breakout Session:
Color My World: Fostering Racial Inclusivity in Arts Education
Do students of color feel safe and welcomed to participate in arts activities and events? Does a lack of participation indicate students of color are not interested in the arts or signal barriers beyond their control? This workshop will address the obstacles that often prevent students of color from engaging in arts curriculum, and the importance of educators doing the necessary work to help all students explore and embrace their creativity.
Dr. A’ndrea J. Wilson is a multi-medium, award-winning, creative writer, educator, and speaker. She has earned a Bachelor's degree in Psychology, a Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology; Marriage and Family Counseling, a second Master's degree in Dramatic Writing, and a Ph.D. in Global Leadership; Educational Leadership. As a writer, she expresses herself most often through books, theatrical plays, and screenplays. Her continuously growing body of work often integrates her clinical background, interest in interpersonal/intrapersonal development, and love for the African-American community with storytelling.
As an educator, A’ndrea is an Assistant Professor and the Braida Endowed Chair of Creative Writing at Grand View University in Des Moines, Iowa. She also holds the position of Director of Diversity and Inclusion Initiatives at Grand View, and frequently delivers keynote addresses, workshops, and seminars/webinars on race-relations, writing, and personal/professional development.
Brad Lampe and Pat Kearney
Breakout Session:
Don’t Play Someone Else’s Game: Developing Your Teaching Persona and Program Identity Through Coaching, Mentorship, and Reflection
What does it mean to build a teaching persona and create a distinct identity for your classroom or program? In what way can coaches and mentors support you in ensuring that your program meets the specific needs of your students and your community.
There is no single path to build a great program and there isn’t just one way to become a great teacher. Building a network of mentors, utilizing coaches, and being reflective can help you define what greatness looks like in your classroom.
Brad Lampe earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from Augustana College in Rock Island, Illinois. He earned his Master’s Degree in Music Education from Drake University in 1991. His first two years of teaching were in a 5th-12th grade instrumental music program at Shelby-Tennant Schools in Shelby, Iowa (now A.H.S.T.W.), and then he taught for a year in the 5th -12th grade instrumental music program at Lansing Community Schools in Lansing, Kansas. Starting in 1987, he taught for 29 years as the High School Band Director at Clarke High School, in Osceola, Iowa. He is currently the Instructional Coach for Clarke Community Schools in the middle school and high school buildings.
He is in his fourth year as an Instructional Coach at Clarke MS/HS and is enjoying his fairly new position. Taking care of teachers and helping them improve their skills to increase student learning, is a "big picture" career move and challenge that Mr. Lampe did to make a positive difference in Clarke Schools.
Patrick J. Kearney recently served as the Facilitator for Teacher Leadership in the Johnston Community Schools. He is currently serving as the 8th and 9th grade band director at Johnston Middle School. From 2000-2015 he spent 15 years as the Director of Bands at Johnston High School. During his tenure at JHS his bands performed at the Jazz Educators Network National Conference, the Iowa Bandmasters Association Conference, as well as winning the Iowa Jazz Championships, Valleyfest Marching Contest, and the Waukee Marching Invitational.
He has served on the National Teacher Leadership Collaborative and has written for the Huffington Post on educational issues. He has also taught at Remsen St. Mary’s High School, Hoover High School (DSM), Stilwell Junior High (WDM), and Dallas Center-Grimes High School. His wife Cathy is a master educator in the Des Moines public schools and his son Brogan is a first-year band director in the Westwood Schools in Sloan, Iowa.
Kris VerSteegt
General Music
Kris VerSteegt is a music specialist dedicated to developing the musical and aesthetic potential of children, educating pre-service teachers and those currently serving the profession regarding the concepts and content of music education, and educating teachers and pre-service teachers regarding how an education with music can both support and elevate work in the general education classroom.
Kris is an elementary general music specialist who lives in Ames with her husband Travis and two sons (Jake, 20 and Lincoln, 17). She teaches K-5 vocal/general music for Ankeny Community Schools, teaches Music in Elementary Education at Iowa State University, and serves on the Drake University Summer Music Institute faculty.
Mrs. VerSteegt was the founding president of the Kodály Educators of Iowa (KEI), an affiliate chapter of the Organization of American Kodály Educators (OAKE) and has served as president of the Iowa Music Educators Association (IMEA), a federated state organization of the National Association for Music Education (NAfME). In addition, Kris was the general music team leader and writer on the Iowa Fine Arts Standards Adoption team. Kris currently serves on the Iowa Alliance for Arts Education executive board.
IBA Mentor Chairs
Ted Schacherer - Mentor Coordinator
Russ Kramer - Mentor Chair
Brad Jensen - IBARD Chair
Helen Duranleau- Brennan
Speech and Drama Mentor Chair
Iowa Thespians Advocacy Director
Advocacy Leadership Network
Iowa Educational Theatre Association
ICDA Mentor Chairs
Jennifer McClenehan - Mentor Chair
Julie Schnieders - Retired Member Chair
Alan Greiner
Iowa High School Music Association
Alan Greiner is currently serving his 20th year as Executive Director of the Iowa High School Music Association. In addition to his duties as Executive Director, Alan has served on the National Federation’s Citizenship, Ethics, and Integrity Committee, is reviewer for the National Federation Music Association Journal, and is the past chair of the National Federation’s Music Committee. He is a frequent presenter for the National Federation Summer Meeting and the National Federation Music Supervisor’s Conference and is was heavily involved with the development of National Federation courses on U.S. Copyright Law designed for music educators, cheer and dance coaches, and activities directors.
The NFHS Course, Understanding Copyright and Compliance, has been unanimously endorsed by the National Music Council and is recognized as the preeminent course in copyright education for music educators in the United States. Alan has also served on the committees to develop the NFHS’ latest courses Band Safety; NFHS Copyright Course for Theatre, Speech, and Music Adjudication.
Mr. Greiner received his B.S. M.E. from Iowa State University and his Master’s Degree in Music Education from the University of Northern Iowa. He began his teaching career at Northwest Webster Community Schools where he taught for two years. He then moved to the Prairie Valley Community School District where he taught for 14 years.
Mr. Greiner has served as a guest conductor for the Iowa State University Wind Ensemble, University of Iowa All-State Music Camp, the Iowa State University Cyclone Honor Band, the NCIBA 9-10 Grade Honor Band, the NWIBA Junior High Honor Band, and the Calhoun County 8th Grade Honor Band. He has served as a guest clinician for several high school and middle school bands around the state.
He is the first recipient of the Iowa State University Outstanding Music Educator Award, is an Honorary Lifetime Member of the Tri-M Music Honor Society, is the recipient of the 2011 Iowa Music Educators Association Outstanding Music Educator Award, and was the 2018 National NFHS Citation Award winner for contributions to Music Education. He loves to read, camp, travel, boat, and scuba dive.