Chris McDowell President
Chris McDowell has been a public school general music teacher for 16 years. He currently teaches kindergarten through fifth grade at Clays Mill Elementary in Lexington, Kentucky. He has a master’s degree in vocal performance from Miami University, is certified by the American Orff-Schulwerk Association, has completed four levels of Dalcroze eurhythmics training, and is trained in Modern Band. He is an active member of the Kentucky Orff-Schulwerk Association where he currently serves as president.
Kayla Collier Vice President
Kayla Collier (she/her) is the music, movement, and visual arts specialist at Cochrane Elementary in Louisville, KY. She earned a Bachelor’s of Music Education from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a Master’s of Music in Music Education from the University of Kentucky. She completed three levels of Orff-Schulwerk training at the University of Kentucky and has been published in The Orff Echo
Jamie McGlothlin Treasurer
Jamie McGlothlin teaches K-5th General Music and 4th-5th Choir at Paint Lick Elementary in Garrard County, KY. Jamie received her Bachelor’s in Music Education at Asbury University, and her Master’s in Music at Western Kentucky University. She has also completed all three Orff-Schulwerk levels at the University of Kentucky.
Julianna Nitz Membership
Julianna Nitz currently teaches at Bridgeport Elementary School in Frankfort, KY. She received her Bachelor’s of Music Education from University of Kentucky, a member of AOSA, and she has completed all 3 Orff-Schulwerk level certifications and Level 1 Dalcroze eurythmics. Her teaching experience spans public and private schools and prior to teaching in Kentucky, she also taught in Pennsylvania as well as overseas in Jaffna, Sri Lanka.
Katie Hazelwood Secretary, Hospitality
Katie Hazelwood teaches PreK-8 Music at John Paul II Academy and St. Athanasius School in Louisville, Kentucky. She received her Bachelor’s in Music Education from Northern Kentucky University and has completed all-three Orff-Schulwerk Levels from The University of Kentucky.
Jordan Smith Social Media
Jordan Smith teaches preschool through 8th grade music at Saint James School. After school she teaches percussion ensemble, Orff ensemble, modern band, and choir. She founded and directs Etown Beats, a K-5 lesson based community music ensemble in Elizabethtown, Kentucky. She works as a percussion instructor and private lessons teacher to different middle schools and high schools in the surrounding area. In addition to teaching she performs in an indie-rock band called GEMMA.
Jordan earned her Bachelor’s in Music Education from Campbellsville University. She has completed Orff-Schulwerk levels I and II at the University of Kentucky and has been published in The Orff Echo. She is an active member of the Kentucky Orff-Schulwerk Association, where she currently serves on the board as the social media chair.
Lindsey Duncan Member-at-Large
Lindsey Duncan teaches PreK—8th grade Music at Saint Agnes Parish School in Louisville, KY. Lindsey earned her Bachelor’s in Music Education from Asbury University and her Master’s in Music Education with an emphasis in Orff-Schulwerk from the University of Kentucky. She has completed all three Orff-Schulwerk levels along with an Orff-Schulwerk curriculum design course and has been published in the Orff Echo.
Rebecca Sepulveda Setup Committee
Rebecca Sepulveda has taught in private and public schools for the past 9 years. She currently teaches K-5 music at James Lane Allen Elementary in Lexington, Kentucky. She has a Bachelor’s and Masters degree in Music Education from Eastern Kentucky University as well as her ESL Certification. She has completed all 3 Orff Levels and Curriculum Development at the University of Kentucky. Rebecca is an active member of Sigma Alpha Iota International Music Fraternty where she currently serves as Sigma D Province Officer.
Mia Quintana Setup Committee
Mia Quintana teaches general music to students in Kindergarten through 5th grade at Madeline M. Breckinridge Elementary School in Lexington, Kentucky. She received a Bachelor of Music in Music Education from the University of Kentucky and a Master of Science in Child and Adolescent Developmental Psychology from Northcentral University. Mia has completed Orff Schulwerk training levels I and II and is currently serving as a board member for the Kentucky Orff-Schulwerk Association.
Brooklyn Smith Setup Committee
Brooklyn Smith (she/they) is starting her third year of teaching as a public general music teacher. She currently teaches kindergarten through fifth grade at Shelby Traditional Academy in Louisville, KY. She earned a Master’s of Arts in Teaching and Bachelor’s Music Education from the University of Louisville. She has completed the International Course at the Orff Institute in Salzburg, Austria. She has completed Orff-Schulwerk levels one and two at the University of Kentucky. She is an active member of the Kentucky Orff-Schulwerk Association, where she currently serves as part of the Organization and Setup Committee.
Katherine Reardon Setup Committee
Katherine Reardon is a second year teacher, currently teaching kindergarten through 5th grade at Crestwood Elementary School in Oldham County Public a schools. She received her Bachelors of Music in Music Education emphasis in Strings from the University of Louisville. She has also completed the International Course at the Orff Institute in Salzburg Austria and has her Level 1 training in Orff from the University of Kentucky. In addition to teaching, she also plays the double bass and plays in the Indiana University Southeast Orchestra.
Dr. Martina Vasil Webmaster, University of Kentucky Liaison
Martina Vasil is an Associate Professor of Music Education at the University of Kentucky where she teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in music education and directs the summer music education program (Orff, Dalcroze, Modern Band). She also teaches PreK–6 music part-time at Lexington Montessori School. Martina earned her Bachelor’s and PhD in Music Education from West Virginia University and her Master’s in Music Education from Eastman School of Music. She has completed all three Orff-Schulwerk levels and is on the editorial Board for The Orff Echo, the national journal of the American Orff-Schulwerk Association.
Dr. Rob Amchin University of Louisville Liaison
Dr. Robert Amchin is a distinguished teaching professor and concentration coordinator of music education at the University of Louisville. He enjoys leading undergraduate and graduate classes in teacher education to music.
Dr. Amchin’s studied at the Orff Institute (Salzburg), New England Conservatory of Music, Memphis State University, Hofstra University, Hamline University, and the University of Michigan. He was an elementary music specialist in Spring, Texas and still works with children in the Kentucky area as an artist-in-residence guest music teacher locally. He presents workshops locally, nationally and leads Orff teacher training courses throughout the nation and around the world
Dr. Michele Paynter Paise Morehead State University Liaison
Dr. Michele Paynter Paise is a faculty member and Director of the Kodály Institute of Kentucky at Morehead State University, where she teaches courses in undergraduate and graduate music education. A native of Maryland, Michele is certified in both Kodály and Orff-Schulwerk and level I of World Music Drumming. She completed Orff levels I and II at Middle Tennessee State University and level III at Arizona State University. Michele has served as an officer for many state and national organizations and is currently on the editorial board of the Music Educators Journal.
Kentucky Orff-Schulwerk Association 