Alumni 2010 – present
Ashley Kerr [BS expected 2018] will begin a position as an associate actuarial analyst at Auto Owners Insurance.
Alizabeth Jordan [BS 2018] is in an associate's degree program in audio technology at Northern Michigan College.
Gozde Cakir [MM 2017] is a graduate assistant in the MM program at the University of Missouri, Kansas City. In the fall of 2018, she won the second flute position in the Topeka Symphony.
Samantha Brown [BM 2017] is a graduate assistant in the MM program at Ohio University
Rachael Mills [BME 2017] teaches music in the New Lothrup Area Schools.
Amy Walling [BME 2017] teaches music in the Essexville-Hampton Schools.
Julia Herlein [BME 2016] finished an internship with the Ann Arbor Symphony Youth Orchestra and is now in the Master of Science in Arts Administration program at Boston University.
Jessica Jones [Fall 2016] taught music and now has her own business.
Katelyn Miller [BME 2016] was a k-12 music teacher for the Martin, Michigan public schools. She is now in graduate school at the University of Akron.
Amy Rosendall [BME 2016] received an MM degree from the University of New Mexico, where she held a graduate woodwind quintet assistantship. She won the UNM Concerto Competition in the fall of 2016.
Hunter O’Brien [former High School Student] is now a BM student in the flute studio of Paula Robison at the New England Conservatory. In the fall of 2018, he performed the Fenwick Smith Recital in Jordan Hall in Boston as the result of winning the James Pappoutsakis Solo Competition. He also won the position of principal flutist in the Boston Philharmonic Youth Orchestra. While in high school, he won the Michigan Music Teachers Association Senior Division, Woodwind Performance Competition, representing Michigan in the regional competition in January, won the regional competition in Indiana, and went on to take second place nationally in San Antonio in 2016. He won the 2015 Michigan Youth Arts Concerto Competition, performing with orchestra at the Michigan Youth Arts Festival in April of 2015. In the fall of 2014, he won the high school soloist competition of the South East Michigan Flute Association, and he has soloed several times with the Central Michigan Area Concert Band and won the Saginaw Symphony Young Musician’s Award. In 2014 he was the principal flutist of the state honors band and in 2015 principal flutist of the orchestra. He attended CMU’s Summer Music Institute in 2013 and 2014. While attending the National Music Camp at Interlochen in 2015, Hunter was the principal flutist in the top band and attended the High School Flute Institute.
Jenna Wojdula [BM 2015] is assistant director of bands at Plainfield South High School. She has also taught at Andrew G. Schmidt Middle School and West Central High School.
Heather May Derosia [BME 2015] is a public school music teacher.
Jordan Smith [BM 2015] is in the MM program at the University of Michigan.
Mary Anne Davis [BME 2015] was a public school music teacher in Blytheville, Arkansas and now teaches music in Michigan at the Eastpoint schools.
Chelsea Miller [BS 2015] will conduct the South East Michigan Flute Association Flute Choir.
Sarah Haidar [BME 2015] is a band director at Caloosa Middle School in Florida.
Elizabethe Fedewa [BME 2014] is a band director for the Onaway Area Community Schools.
Julianne (Martin) Dise [BME 2014] works at the Takata Corporation.
Ann-Marie (Munro) Engels [BA, Music and Psychology, Spring 2014] taught in Manchester, New Hampshire for one year for City Year, an education non-profit through Americorps. She worked with third graders at Gossler Park Elementary as a tutor and mentor and helped with after school activities.
Ayça Cetin [MM 2013] received a performer’s certificate from the Boston Conservatory in 2015 and a DMA in flute performance program from Florida State university in 2018. She has been a winner of the National Flute Association Performer’s Competition, thus premiering a chamber piece at the 2013 National Flute Association Convention, a winner of the 2015 NFA masterclass competition, a semi-finalist in the 2015 NFA Young Artist Competition, a finalist in the NYC Flute Club Competition, and a winner of the Boston Woodwind Society 2015 Doriot Dwyer Flute Merit Award Competition. She is active with her flute/clarinet group, Duo Esplanade (which commissions American composers) playing a 2016 Midwest tour, performing in Boston, and at the 2016 Florida Flute Association convention.
Miranda Browne [BM 2013] is an administrative assistant at Flute Specialists in Clawson, Michigan. She performed with Timothy Ginn, guitar, for Flute Specialists on an exhibitor’s concert at the August 2014 National Flute Association convention in Chicago. They performed a work by Katherine Hoover and the composer spoke about the piece before they played. The duo performed a recital at the guitar festival at CMU in 2016.
Jessica Mills [BA Spring 2012] is the band and orchestra director at Romulus High School. She received an MM in flute performance from Wayne State University.
Jillian Schlegel [BA Spring 2011] is the head band director at Owosso High School.
Danielle (Fowler) Reece [BME 2011] is the band and choir director at Roseville Middle School. She formerly taught at Reach Academy.
Rachael (Nieman) Palajac [BME 2012] is director of Bands at Pinkney High School. She formerly taught in the Bronson Community Schools.
Melissa (Lane) Harris [BME 2010] is a band and orchestra teacher at Truman Middle School in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Tracey Letten [BME 2010] teaches music for the Racine Unified School District.
Michelle Schuenemann Nuffer [BM, BME 2010] is a music teacher at Manton High School and was formerly band director at St. Anne Catholic Grade School.
Valerie (Shaw) McClain [BME 2010] lives in Madison, Wisconsin.
Anna Pulcer [BME 2010] is a music teacher at Summit Academy North Middle School.
Kathryn (Gielczyk) Vermeer [BME 2010] is a music educator in the Grand Rapids public schools.
Madeline (Trombly) Walker [BS 2010] is marketing manager at Synetic Theater. She received a master of music degree in flute performance from the University of Iowa and lives in Arlington, Virginia.
Megan Morrison [bachelor’s fall 2010] is billing operations supervisor at Anesthesia Practice Consultants in Grand Rapids.
Natalie (Unsworth) Pagel [BM, BME 2010] teaches music in the Clarkston Public Schools. She was formerly the Assistant Band Director at Berkley High School and was the general music teacher at American International Academy in Westland, the Assistant Marching Band Director at Royal Oak High School. She has worked as a marching band, drum major and flute instructor for Royal Oak High School, Royal Oak Middle School, Groves High School, Bloomfield Hills High School and Berkley High School.
Alumni 2000-2009
Emily Morgan-Booth [BME 2009] teaches music in the Suttons Bay public schools.
Tracie (Harris) Smith [BME 2009] lives in Elkhart, Indiana.
Whitney (Levin) Emeigh [BM, BME 2009] spent time in Japan and is now back in the United States.
Nina McCuller Seddelmeyer [BME 2009] teaches music in the Allen Independent School District in Texas.
Shelly (McLeod) Eiffler [MME 2009] was recently a first grade teacher at Union Elementary School District. She was the choir director for North Augusta High School in South Carolina and previously taught instrumental music in the Phoenix Elementary School District.
Jessica Stark [BME 2009] is the Women’s Campus Coordinator at His House Christian Fellowship (MCCM).
Tiffany Billings-Sandall [BM 2007] has been working in the banking realm, currently at FirstMerit Bank. She has an MM degree from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln and lives in Traverse City, Michigan.
Stacy (Weidenmiller) Hetrick [BME 2007] is currently a scopist and proofreader in Ohio and has been a church musician.
Stephanie (Kalamaras) Ceisiun [BME 2007] is district manager at Family Video in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Alyce Barnes [bachelor’s 2007] works in Pinellas County, Florida.
Heather May [BME 2007] teaches K-12 music in the Mackinac Island public schools and is store manager/candymaker at Mays candy shop. She is a freelance flutist. Heather won the CMU Concerto competition in 2004.
Katie Peak [BS/BA] in Music and Economics 2007, works at Dignity Memorial and lives in Colorado Springs. In the past, she taught English as a second language near Osaka, Japan and Shanghai, China.
Jennifer Spinner Father [MM 2006] now lives in Bellevue, Nebraska. She has worked as a flute finisher for Powell Flutes in Boston and performed on concerts, tours, and on a recording with the Air Force Band of Liberty. She then lived in Anchorage, Alaska where she was a Woodwind Repair Technician and Co-Director of the Arctic Wind Junior Flute Choir. Jennifer received her undergraduate degree from SUNY Potsdam in 2003.
Rachael Whipple [BME 2006] is assistant band director at Waco High School in Texas. She formerly taught Elementary Band in Benton Harbor. Prior to coming to CMU, Rachael was a musician for a Marine Corps Band in San Diego, California.
Jennifer Lindquist [BME 2005] teaches music K-8 and band in Flushing, MI. She received a MM degree from East Carolina University.
Rachel (Brunken) Moore [BME 2005] teaches elementary music in the Farmington Public Schools.
Kara (Beery) Owens [BA 2004] is executive secretary for the college of graduate studies at Central Michigan University and won a staff excellence award in 2007. She is a limited license professional counselor at Christian Counseling of Mid Michigan.
Evie (Orwig) Miller [BME 2004] lives in South Carolina, where she has been a music teacher in the schools. She and her husband have two children.
Kim (Graham) Moskwa [Special Education 2004] received a graduate degree in special education from Oakland University in 2007.
Alicia (Bell) Ormsby [BME 2004] taught music at Farwell High School in Michigan for several years and is now teaching in Arizona.
Deanna (Zimmerman) Garafolo [2003-2004] received a bachelor’s degree in East Asian Studies from Oakland University in 2008. She works at Fifth Third Bank and McCormick and Schmick’s.
Tina Donze [BME 2003] is a music teacher in the Hale Public Schools.
Nicolas Real [MM 2003] Nicolas teaches flute and music at the North Broward Preparatory School, at a private music academy, and in the music prep program for Miami Dade College in Florida and is principal flutist for the Florida Lake Symphony Orchestra. He premiered his own flute concerto in Venezuela and played it as guest of the Central Michigan Flute Festival in 2018. Nicolas completed his doctorate at Temple University in Philadelphia where he studied with David Cramer. He is a founding member of the National Flute Orchestra of Venezuela and the flute quartet Miquerebo, known for their recordings and National Flute Association Convention performances. He grew up in the orchestral training program in Venezuela and played in the Simon Bolivar orchestra under Eduardo Mata and other conductors. He holds a BB degree from IDUDEM Caracas. Nicolas has a daughter, Fabiana.
Beth (VanTroostenberghe) Shumaker [Elementary Education, Science, History, Music 2003] is a District Title I instructional coach in the Port Huron Area School District. She received a Master’s in the Art of Teaching from Marygrove College in 2007. She was married in 2004 and has a rat terrier named Sandi.
Megan Walker Grimaldi [BME 2003] is associate director, program quality and accountability at Communities in Schools and lives in Washington, District of Columbia. Prior to that, she was Research Associate for the Learning Research and Development Center. She has degrees in Arts Management and in Public Policy and Management from Carnegie Mellon University.
Jennifer (Armstrong) Wilcox [BME 2003] has taught fifth grade band and is a piano accompanist for the St. John's Public Schools. She plays flute for events, performs in the Mid-Michigan Festival Orchestra in the summer, and will be teaching K-3 music at Teenworks in Grand Ledge. She also homeschools her son and daughter. Jennifer and her husband grow wheat, grind their own flour, raise chickens, sell eggs, and she makes laundry soap, cards, and quilts.
Diana Cheslek-Craven [BME 2002] loves teaching as Director of Bands for the Evart Public Schools. She and her husband have two children.
Ann (Skoglund) Murray [BME 2002] lives in Sterling Heights and teaches elementary vocal music for the Utica Schools. She also studied at Oakland University, (Music Education with an elementary emphasis,) where her thesis topic was, “Out of this World! Exploring Student Experiences with Culturally Unfamiliar Music in the Elementary Music Classroom.” She has two children, Matthew and Katie.
Jennifer Ware [BME 2002] lives in the Minneapolis where she is a supervisory program administrator at the Department of Veteran Affairs and 42R Bandsman at Minnesota National Guard. She is also a freelance flute and piccolo player. Jennifer performs with the Grand Symphonic Winds, the First Unitarian Society Orchestra, and frequently subs with the Civic Orchestra of Minneapolis, the Saint Paul Civic Symphony, and the Saint Anthony Symphony on flute and piccolo. In December 2006, Jennifer was the featured soloist with the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra on a Military Appreciation Concert. She received an MA in Arts Administration from Saint Mary's University of Minnesota in 2007. She has one son, Cylis who was born in April 2009.
Krista Hansen Elkins [BME 2002] is an admissions specialist at Lake Michigan College.
Catherine Zimmer Kazakos [BME 2001] has been a grant writer for Covenant House in Detroit. She received a MM in Flute from Michigan State University in 2006 and a Master of Public Administration Degree in Nonprofit Management from Grand Valley State University in 2004.
Jennifer (Diebel) Nichol [BME 2001] teaches Band and Choir for the Ubly Community Schools. She received an MME degree from VanderCook College in 2006.
Earon (LaCroix) Palma [BME 2001] is on the office staff at The Point, colorguard instructor at West Michigan Home School Fine arts, a private lesson music teacher, and a color guard designer. She has taught music for the Sparta schools. She and Marc have a daughter, Mia.
Christie Jasina Rosas [2000s] is a music teacher at the Woodward Academy.
Nicole (Hunter) Bruski [BME 2000] teaches music in the Midland public schools.
MaryAnn Hubbard [MM 2000] is Instructor of Flute and chamber music at Alpena Community College. MaryAnn taught music in the public schools for many years.
Jennifer Karel Carlson [graduate student] is manager and tax professional at Due Dilligence Tax and Financial Services and owner/photographer/designer at Jennifer Sleeper Photography and administrative assistant at Muskegon Area Intermediate School District.
Adrienne (Mallory) Lutz [BA or BS in French 2000] is a former French teacher at Huntington Beach High School in California. She has a Masters, Reading in the Content Area from Walden University in 2007. She and her husband Jim have a daughter.
Alumni 1990-1999
Rebecca (Meador) Bennett [BS 1999] Rebecca Bennett holds M.M.s in flute performance and musicology and is a Ph.D. from Northwestern University. Her dissertation topic was—"The Anxiety of Appreciation: Virgil Thomson Wrestles With a 'Racket'". Rebecca has taught graduate and undergraduate courses at Northwestern University. She has spoken regionally, nationally, and internationally on topics related to American music and the music-appreciation industry and has received the Indiana University Press Award given annually by the Midwest Chapter of the American Musicological Society. She lives in Evanston, Illinois with her husband Joshua and their son.
Lisa (Barber) Esch [BME 1999] works with her husband for their company, Esch Landscaping, and teaches flute and piano. They have two children.
Heather (Nurmi) Hundt [1999] is a middle school band director for the Lapeer Community Schools. Heather received an MME from Marygrove College of Detroit. She and husband Dan have four children, Joshua, Hannah, Jonathon and Brayden.
Sara Potter [BA in Spanish, Music, Business Administration 1999] is assistant professor of Spanish at the University of Texas, El Paso. She received her PhD in Spanish from Washington University in St. Louis. She received an MA in Spanish from Middlebury in 2000
Jamie Springfield-Saincome [BME 1999] is a vocal music teacher for the Rockford Public Schools. She has also taught Kindermusic in Comstock Park. She and her husband Rick have five children,
Jodi (Burton) Thompson [BME 1999] teaches music at Jefferson Middle school.
Hannah Volz Winn [BME, flute and piano 1999] lives in Aurora, Colorado.
Maryanne Beery [MM 1998] is Director of Music for Presbyterian Church USA. She and her husband Eric have two children, Meg and Clara. Her undergraduate degree was from Manchester College in 1990 and she attended the Interlochen Arts Academy as a high school student.
Karen (Engley) Hackney [BME 1997] and her husband Jason have identical twin sons. She has worked in the areas of public school music and music therapy at the Kentucky School for the Blind.
Jenise Collins [BS 1996] has worked as a sales manager for Michigan Opera Theater and works for the Detroit Zoo.
Anna (Ialacci) Meyers [BME 1996] lives in Beaufort, North Carolina. She formerly taught band, choir, and computer at Jefferson Middle School. She received an MME from VanderCook College of Music in 2001 and worked on an Education Specialist at Oakland University in 2007. She and her son Aidan live in Grosse Pointe Woods.
Scott Winship [1996] is director of grantmaking programs at New Music USA. He was formerly program anger for New York based Meet The Composer, whose mission is to increase opportunities for composers by fostering the creation, performance, dissemination, and appreciation of their music. Prior to Meet The Composer, Scott served as the Associate Director and Youth Jam Coordinator for Chicago’s Rock For Kids, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping Chicago’s homeless children through Holiday relief programs and Youth Jam, a free music education program. He has also served as the Development Assistant for the American Music Center in New York. Scott also joined the Honorary Board of the Intonation Music Workshop (Chicago, IL) www.intonationmusicworkshop.org, which is a band-based after-school music program whose mission is to provide access to musical instruments, instruction, and performance opportunities for kids in neighborhoods where programming is needed most. An active composer, Scott continues to write music for various ensembles across the country. He received a Community Recognition Alumni Award from Central Michigan University in 2006. A Presser Scholar while at CMU, Scott also won the James Madison University Composition Contest for his flute choir piece, The Sign, which the CMU Flute Choir performed in Chicago in 1997. Scott received his MM in Composition degree from Bowling Green State University and a BME from Central Michigan University. His primary composition teachers include Marilyn Shrude, Jeffrey Mumford, Phillip Grange, Mikel Kuehn, and David Gillingham. His music has been performed by ensembles including the Cleveland Chamber Symphony, Massachusetts High School Flute Choir, Brevard Repertory Orchestra, and groups at James Madison University, Central Michigan University, the University of Nebraska, and the University of Exeter in England.
Karen Widlak Lopez [BME 1995, MME 2001 1995/2001] teaches music in the Oscoda Area Schools.
Stacy Kohl [BME 1994, MME 2000 1994/2001] teaches music in the Clarkston, Michigan schools. Stacy has a daughter, Gwendolyn.
Rebecca (Clark) Clark [BS in Ed 1994] teaches sixth to eighth grade band in the Chippewa Valley Schools and received an MME from VanderCook College of Music in 1999. She and her husband Robert have a son, Russell and she has a stepson, Ben.
Caryn (Howard) Torres [BS in Ed 1994 in Child Development, Music, and Language Arts 1994] teaches 3rd grade for the Troy school district. She received a master’s degree in Literacy Education from Madonna University in 1997. She and her husband Ray have two children, Ella and Alec.
Monica Daniels Schmitt [BME 1993] works at Monica June Photography and Tyco Safety Products.
Jennifer Feneley Green [BME 1992] works at the University of Michigan and lives in Ypsilanti.
Dawn Witt Saxton [BS 1992] lives in Minneapolis where she is director of Children’s Ministry at Word of Peace Lutheran Church. Formerly she was Origination Coordinator for Unison. Dawn was Director of Music Events at Central Michigan University from 1999-2006 and before that worked as Marketing Director for the Detroit Symphony. Marketing experience prior to that was with the Grand Rapids Symphony. Dawn plays flute with the Three Rivers Chamber Orchestra and freelances as a flutist.
John Phillip Rush [1991-1994] is Principal Flutist with the Tulsa Symphony Orchestra and and teaches at Tulsa Community College. He has studied baroque flute as a specialty and is also an Altus artist. John received degrees from Wayne State University (Flute), Louisiana State University (Flute), and Indiana University (Historical Flute Performance and Early Music).
Cathy Townsend [BA, music minor, 1991] has worked as an audiologist in the southwest.
Kate Shirley Peterson [1990s] does many things involving working with children. She and Mike have two daughters, Grace and Madeline.
Lori (Medema) Schimmelmann [Music Minor 1990s] is children’s choir director and handbell choir director at Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Jenison, Michigan. She and her husband Eric have two children.
Lauri Seibert-Krueger [1990s] works for McCarty Law Offices and has two children, Hunter and Grace.
Christy (Bielski) Dodge [1990-1992] was director of bands at Capac Community Schools and now teaches in the Birch Run Area Schools. She and her husband have five boys.
Annette (Smith) King [BME 1990] lived overseas as a member of a United States Army Band and is now back in the United States.
Kirsten (Kramer) Swanborg [CMU Audiology 1990] received an MA in Audiology from Wayne State University in 1992 and is an audiologist at Spectrum Health in Grand Rapids. She and her husband have three children.
Alumni 1987-1989
Margaret Stevens [BME 1988] lives in Sault Saint Marie, Michigan. She plays principal flute in the Sault Symphony Orchestra and the Algoma Chamber Symphony and she started a city band. She directs two flute choirs at the Sault Theatre Arts Resource Studios and she teaches flute. Meg has taught at Milliken College and Lake Superior State University and has a MM from Bowling Green State University in 1992 and a DMA in Music Performance from the University of Illinois in 2001.
Alumni pre 1987 (before I was at CMU)
Jean Brack Hudson [BS in Ed 1978] taught band, vocal and elementary music as well as PE at Palo Community Schools, near Ionia, MI for 27 years. She still plays flute in her community band (Greenville, MI) as well as some clarinet and saxophone, in local musical theater, when needed. She is retired but will be working part-time for Carson City-Crystal Area Schools as a middle school counselor. Her master's degree was completed in 2008 through CMU's off-campus program.
Kim Jeanette Teal [BME 1970s] runs the Teal Flute Studio (with its own web page) and has been the solo piccoloist with the Saginaw Bay Orchestra since 1975. She was a founding member, business manager, and composer/arranger of the flute group, Flutée. She is also artistic director of Birds of a Feather Flute Ensemble and plays with Toot-n-Tell. She has performed at many National Flute Association conventions. Kim has an MM degree from the University of Michigan and did graduate study in musicology at Indiana University. Her teachers include John Wheeler, Paula Robison, James Pellerite Harry Houdeshel, and Keith Bryan.