©2023 Ohio Music Education Association
Recognition
OMEA Past Presidents
Ohio School Band Association
Ohio School Band Association
1924–25
John (Jack) Wainright
Fostoria
1925–26
J. Merton Holcomb
Mansfield
1926–27
Harry Clarke
Cleveland
1927–28
Peter McCormick
Cleveland
1928–29
Verner Kelley
Akron
1929–30
J. Merton Holcomb
Mansfield
Ohio School Band and Orchestra Association
Ohio School Band and Orchestra Association
1930–31
Wilbur Lehman
Columbus
1931–32
Arthur Williams
Oberlin
Ohio Music Education Association
Ohio Music Education Association
1932–33
Samuel Burns
Medina
1933–34
Louis Pete
Ashland
1934–35
Merrill McEwen
Bowling Green
1935–36
Russell Smith
Crestline
1936–37
Gertrude DeBats
Bedford
1937–39
Eugene J. Weigel
Columbus
1939–41
Ralph Rush
Cleveland
1941–43
Oscar Jones
Defiance
1943–44
Gerald Frank
Elyria
1944–46
William McBride
Columbus
1946–48
A.D. Lekvold
Oxford
1948–50
Clark Haines
Kettering
1950–52
Mary R. Tolbert
Columbus
1952–54
Ernest Manring
Cleveland
1954–56
Richard Stocker
Springfield
1956–58
Richard Schilling
Oxford
1958–60
Charles Benner
Columbus
1960–62
Richard Shoup
Urbana
1962–64
Byron Griest
Massillon
1964–66
George H. Wilson
Columbus
1966–68
Calvin Rogers
Ashland
1968–70
Richard Davis
Parma
1970–72
Katharine McGill
Columbus
1972–74
B. Neil Davis
Lakewood
1974–78
James Thomas
Ashland
1978–80
Daniel Baker
Columbus
1980–82
Stuart Ling
Wooster
1982–84
Lee R. Suman
Cincinnati
1984–86
Paul E. Thoms
Fairfield
1986–88
David L. Meeker
Columbus
1988–90
Warren E. George
Cincinnati
1990–92
Gayle M. Stalheim
Mentor
1992–94
Rosemary J. Koepfle
Cincinnati
1994–96
William K. Guegold
Akron
1996–98
Nancy Ditmer
Wooster
1998–00
Marcus Neiman
Medina
2000–02
Sharon H. Nelson
Farmersville
2002–04
Steven Stroup
Dover
2004–06
William Anderson
Aurora
2006–08
Mark Hensler
Hamilton
2008–10
James Dowdy
Gahanna
2010-12
James Dowdy
Gahanna
2012-14
Patricia Meeks
Lima
2014-16
Terry Herschman
Mentor
2016-18
Michael Crist
Youngstown
2018-20
Kathleen McGrady
Perrysburg
2020-22
Ann Usher
Akron
2022-24
Daniel Ruckman
Coldwater
OMEA Staff
Our OMEA staff are an amazing group of talented music educators who now serve the organization as the team behind running the crucial business aspects of the organization. Thank you for your endless dedication and work to make this organization strong.
Executive Director
Jay Wardeska
Director of Business and Trade Show Operations
William Wittman
Director of Professional Development
and Conference Management
Mark Hensler
Director of Adjudications
Bill Thomas
Director of Adjudicated Events Materials and Awards
Dane Newlove
Director of Technology
Nicholas Turon
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Leadership Recognition
We would like to extend our thanks and appreciation to the individuals listed below who are serving in leadership positions within the Ohio Music Education Association. Their dedication to the profession of music education and their service to our association are deeply appreciated.
Board of Trustees
President
Brian Stevens
Immediate Past President
Dan Ruckman
President-Elect
BethAnn Hepburn
Treasurer
Tim Hoagland
Secretary
Stephanie Bonitz
Editor of TRIAD
Hilary Patriok
District/Region Officers
District/Region Officers
District 01
District 01
President
Brett Grime
President-Elect
Nathan Kester
Past President
Benjamin Lupo
Secretary/Treasurer
Don Clark
District 02
District 02
President
Rod Miller
President-Elect
Melissa DiAlberti
Past President
Steve Kauffman
Secretary/Treasurer
Brian Edwards
District 03
District 03
President
Raymond Wolfe
President-Elect
Amy Phillips
Past President
Patricia Ruckman
Secretary/Treasurer
Karen Kelly
District 04
District 04
President
Joshua Brunger
President-Elect
Clinton Steinbrunner
Past President
Brett Benzin
Secretary/Treasurer
Megan Arnica
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District 05
District 05
President
Reid Young
President-Elect
Heather Sirney
Past President
Michael Summers
Secretary/Treasurer
Megan Mullins
District 06
District 06
President
Aaron Welker
President-Elect
Ryan Bonitz
Past President
Liam Sleggs
Secretary/Treasurer
Samantha Gossett
District 07
District 07
President
Jeff Link
President-Elect
Brett Tomko
Past President
Benjamin Meisel
Secretary/Treasurer
Scott Sell
District 08
District 08
President
Danielle Shaub
President-Elect
Elizabeth Barkan
Past President
Jonathon Stuck
Secretary/Treasurer
Heather Shive
District 09
District 09
President
Amanda Blevins
President-Elect
Justin Schwertfeger
Past President
Jonathon Kelsey
Secretary/Treasurer
Andrew Ruetz
District 10
District 10
President
John Barrett
President-Elect
Marc Zirille
Past President
Lee Auer
Secretary/Treasurer
Jeffrey Freytag
District 11
District 11
President
Zachary Roberts
President-Elect
Casey Layer
Past President
Myles Bowers
Secretary/Treasurer
Wyatt Heinz
District 12
District 12
President
Emma Fitzpatrick
President-Elect
Matthew Frost
Past President
Matthew Frost
Secretary/Treasurer
Laura Conrad
District 13
District 13
President
Andrew Carr
President-Elect
Aaron Rex
Past President
Avious Jackson
Secretary/Treasurer
Michael Reese
District 14
District 14
President
Kelsey DeMange
President-Elect
Geoffrey Miller
Past President
Patrick Bauer
Secretary/Treasurer
Toby Biederman
District 15
District 15
President
Phillip Showalter
President-Elect
Wendy Reeves
Past President
Grace McAllister
Secretary/Treasurer
Benjamin Factor
District 16
District 16
President
Paul McCalla
President-Elect
Michelle Turon
Past President
Timothy Hoagland
Secretary/Treasurer
Rick Duffus
District 17
District 17
President
Aaron Backes
President-Elect
Emily Talley
Past President
Ryan Hurd
Secretary/Treasurer
Ryan Hurd
NE Region
NE Region
Chair
Molly Tweel
Chair-Elect
Claire Jarmusik
Past Chair
Kendra Karriker
Secretary/Treasurer
Adam Albright
SC Region
SC Region
Chair
Christopher Lape
Chair-Elect
Vince Huzicka
Past Chair
Patrick Barrett
Secretary/Treasurer
Casey Wagner
NW Region
NW Region
Chair
Janet Fu
Chair-Elect
Abigail Miles
Past Chair
Janet Fu
Secretary/Treasurer
Dan Wilson
SW Region
SW Region
Chair
Breana Landis
Chair-Elect
Jordan Millard
Past Chair
Katherine Harford
Secretary/Treasurer
Brian Frey
EC Region
EC Region
Chair
Lori Cornett
Secretary/Treasurer
Elissa Hock-Wimmers
Committee Chairs
25 Year Recognition
Denise Petersen
Frank Petersen
Advocacy
Danielle Shaub
All - Region Orchestra Chair
JesseMartin
All-State Children's Chorus Chair
Danielle Jones
All-State Children's Chorus Chair
Amanda Rasey
All-State Ensembles Acceptd Chair
Jason Branch
Appeals Board
Gayley Hautzenroeder
Constitution
Mark Tryon
DaCapo Chair
Dan Ruckman
DEIA
Rayna Brooks
Editor -Contributions to Music Education
Brian Meyers
General Music Committee
Nathaniel Rogers
General Music Professional Development
Julia Kandel
Historian
Marcus Neiman
Membership Development
Liam Sleggs
Mentorship
Diane Ballard
Music In Our Schools Month Chair
Grace Dickmann
NFHS Liason
Brandon DuVall
OCMEA Advisor
Laura Kitchel
ODE Arts Consultant
Helen Buck-Pavlick
Ohio Youth Arts Month
W. Ronald Kenreich
Research
Eugenia Costa-Giomi
Retired Music Educators
Unfilled
Society for Music Teacher Education
Elizabeth Menard
Special Learners
Veronica McMurray
Strategic Plan
Unfilled
Teacher Evaluation & Student Assessment
Rachael Fleischaker
Tri-M Advisor
Amy Thompson
Young Composer Initiative
Jennifer Merkowitz