MBDA State Executive Board and State Board of Representatives
State Executive Board
President
Claire Larson ~ Kenyon-Wanamingo MS/H
Claire Larson serves as Band Director at Kenyon-Wanamingo MS/HS in Kenyon, Minnesota. Larson earned a Masters of Arts in music education from the University of Minnesota and a Bachelors of Music in music education from St. Olaf College. Her principal teachers were; Miles 'Mity' Johnson, Dr. Timothy Mahr and Dr. Craig Kirchoff. She was the first recipient of the Miles Johnson endowment award in 1994 and received a graduate fellowship in horn performance at the U of M. Larson has both performed and presented at the MMEA midwinter clinic, and has coached the All State horn section coach In 2017, Larson was nominated for the honor of Minnesota "Teacher of the Year." Prior to her position in the Kenyon-Wanamingo schools, Larson served as visiting professor and director of the Symphony Band at Carleton College, band director at Brooklyn Center MS/HS and Patrick Henry High School in Minneapolis. Larson resides in Northfield with her husband John their 3 children in college (Linnea, Anders and Annelise)
Past President
Shannon Curtis ~ Zimmerman Middle High School
Shannon Curtis is the Director of Bands for grades 6-8 at Zimmerman Middle and High School and currently serves as President of MBDA. His primary duties at ZMHS involve teaching beginner band students and conducting the middle school bands. He also teaches high school instrumental lessons and works with students in preparation for Solo and Ensemble Contest, and All-State auditions. He is the director of the Zimmerman Middle School Jazz Band and the Zimmerman Pit Orchestra. Shannon also serves as director of the River Valley Sound winter hornline, and as co-director of the 728 Cadets Summer Marching Band.
Shannon is a 2013 Magna Cum Laude graduate of Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. While there he performed with the Luther Concert Band, Luther Symphony Orchestra, Luther Jazz Orchestra, and in various small chamber ensembles including the Luther Trumpet Ensemble. Shannon has presented to current Music Education students about best practices and has shared ideas for new teachers at various symposium events in Iowa and Minnesota including the MMEA Conference. Outside of his teaching job he currently serves as the musical director of the North Suburban Concert Band, performs with the Twin Cities Trumpet Ensemble, and subs in Twin Cities area bands and orchestras!
President Elect
Pam Redlinger ~ Moorhead High School
Pam Redlinger serves as band director at Moorhead High School in Moorhead, MN. She directs three 9-12 concert bands and several extra-curricular bands which include a non-competitive marching band, pep band, and jazz band.
After graduating with a BME from South Dakota State University, Redlinger started her career in Moorhead in 2003 as the beginning band instructor. She taught for 6 years at the middle school and assumed the high school director role in 2010. In her role at Moorhead High, she is most proud of re-establishing a jazz band program, keeping a marching band program afloat in a metro area where the marching arts are under-represented, and putting kids and music first while navigating the effects of COVID, new schedules, and facility transitions. Redlinger earned a Master’s Degree from the American Band College via Southern Oregon State in 2006.
Her prior service to MBDA began in the early 2000s by hosting and then assisting in hosting the Northwest Region MBDA Beginning Band Festival and First Year Band Festivals in Moorhead. She had the honor of being a Beginning Band Festival Conductor in the early 2000s. Redlinger served as the MBDA State Honor Band Coordinator from 2012-2014. She has remained a steadfast supporter of the MBDA organization by keeping Moorhead students involved in MBDA sponsored events and attending the various band director’s clinics and symposiums that have been offered in conjunction with the Northwest Region MBDA Honor Band and All State groups. She resides in the Fargo-Moorhead area with her husband and two young children.
Secretary
Melody Snyder- Edina
Treasurer
Laura Goucher- Mahtomedi High School
Laura Goucher is the Director of Bands at Mahtomedi High School in Mahtomedi, MN and currently serves as the Treasurer of MBDA. Her primary duties at MHS involve conducting the Wind Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble, Wind Orchestra and the 9th Grade Concert Band. In addition, she runs two extra-curricular morning jazz ensembles and an extra curricular percussion ensemble. She also teaches a guitar class. She is the director of two pit orchestras a year at Mahtomedi High School, as well as the very active Mahtomedi High School pep band, which appears at many state tournaments! Previous schools Ms. Goucher has worked at include Hermantown High School, Nashwauk-Keewatin High School and Mounds Park Academy.
Laura is a 1996 Magna Cum Laude graduate of Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, MN. While there, she performed with the Gustavus Band, Gustavus Symphony Orchestra, Brass Ensemble and Percussion Ensemble. She is a horn player, who has performed with the Twin Ports Wind Orchestra, the NorShor Theatre and the UMD musical theatre department.
Ms. Goucher has performed with her bands at MMEA in both 2002 and 2007 and will again in 2022! In addition, she has conducted honor bands at both UMD and for the NEMBDA region MBDA.
Laura lives in White Bear Lake with her two fur babies, Dorian and Dolce.
Treasurer Elect
Peter Gepsen- Glencoe-Silver Lake Public Schools
Peter Gepson is in his twenty-fifth year of teaching and his thirteenth with the Glencoe-Silver Lake Public Schools. He has previously served in the Minnesota school districts of Virginia, Triton (Dodge Center), and Albert Lea. From 2011-2016, he served on the staff of the Lake Mills (IA) High School Marching Band.
He is a 1989 graduate of Fort Calhoun High School in Nebraska where he played euphonium under the direction of Mr. Mark Jones. Twice selected to the Nebraska All-State Band, he also represented the state of Nebraska in the 1989 John Philip Sousa National Honors Band in Washington D.C. He holds a B.A in Economics from Northwestern College (Orange City, IA) and a B.M.E from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. In 1995, he received the M.M degree in Euphonium Performance from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. At all three institutions, he was a featured soloist on concerts and tours. In 2015, he earned a certificate in Inclusive Classroom Teaching from the University of La Verne (CA).
Mr. Gepson has served as a section coach on nearly all instruments at regional and state honor bands--including the 2000 and 2001 Minnesota All-State Bands. He is a frequent adjudicator at Minnesota State High School League Solo/Ensemble and Large Group Contests. He has been the guest conductor of the CMBDA Jazz Honor Band and has twice led the Bethany Lutheran College Fall Festival Band.
His bands have taken the stage in Orlando, Winnipeg, Chicago, Memphis, St. Louis, Boston and New Orleans. An enthusiastic proponent of the solo and ensemble experience, Peter’s students have posted a noteworthy mark of 246 Superior ratings out of 266 entries in the past thirteen years of Minnesota State High School League contests. In 2019, he was inducted into Phi Beta Mu—the International Bandmasters Fraternity.
Peter’s arrangements and original compositions, in addition to receiving performances by Glencoe-Silver Lake Band students, have been played by the Omaha Symphony Orchestra, the Advocate Brass Band (Danville, KY), and a variety of colleges and high schools throughout the United States. Many of his works for small ensemble are published by Veritas Musica Publishing.
State Board of Representatives (Elected, 2-year term):
Northeast President (NEMBDA)
Randy Lee
Central President (CMBDA)
Sam Khwice- Maple Grove Middle School
Sam Khwice is currently in his fourth year of teaching at Maple Grove Middle School in the Osseo school district. He is a graduate of Chanhassen High School and Minnesota State University, Mankato. Outside of his position at the middle school, Sam also assists with the Maple Grove Senior High marching band and is the current president of the Central Minnesota Band Directors Association.
Southeast President (SEMBDA)
Anthony Boldt- Kasson-Mantorville High School
Anthony Boldt is in his eleventh year of teaching and is currently the Director of Bands at Kasson-Mantorville High School. Mr. Boldt received his Bachelor of Music Degree, magna cum laude from Concordia College - Moorhead in 2010, and his Master's Degree in Music Education from the University of St. Thomas in 2019. At Kasson-Mantorville he teaches three concert bands, jazz band, AP Music Theory, and numerous small ensembles. Students at Kasson-Mantorville have earned continuous superior ratings at state and local music festivals in large group, ensemble and solo performances. Mr. Boldt currently conducts the Rochester Community Band. Anthony has been involved in musical theater in some capacity or another over the last twenty years. He began playing keyboards in orchestra pits in high school and has always enjoyed playing for shows. He currently plays tuba in the Classic Brass Quintet, the Rochester Pops Orchestra, and the Rochester Community Band. He currently lives in Byron, MN with his wife Janna, who also teaches in the Kasson-Mantorville School District.
South Central President (SCMBDA)
Joshua Tonkin- Maple River Public School
Joshua graduated from South Dakota State University in 2015 with his bachelors in music education with dual emphasis in vocal and instrumental music. After graduation, Joshua did a six-week stint teaching second grade at Lake Crystal. Joshua's first teaching position was at Butterfield-Odin. During his four years at Butterfield, Joshua taught instrumental music, vocal music and elementary music. In 2020, Joshua started teaching at Maple River. Joshua teaches all levels of instrumental music, jazz band, marching band and pep band. When not teaching, Joshua enjoys time camping and hiking with his wife and two daughters. Joshua's family also lives on a small hobby farm near Truman, MN where he enjoys working with cattle, sheep, goats, pig, chickens and llamas. Joshua is also a novice beekeeper and a dabbler in woodworking.
Southwest President (SWMBDA)
Collin Stephenson- Redwood Valley Middle School
Collin Stephenson has been the president of SWMBDA for the past 3 years. Mr. Stephenson graduated with Bachelor of Science in Music Education degree from Southwest Minnesota State University in 2012 where his main instrument was the trombone. He completed his student teaching in the Redwood Area School District and was subsequently hired as the Redwood Valley Middle School band director that same year. In 2016, he received gifts from several private benefactors to fund the development of the Redwood Valley Drumline. The drumline consists of both percussion and wind instrumentalists and performs at sporting events and concerts throughout the year. From 2014-2019, he served as the 7-8 Honor Band Coordinator for the SWMBDA. During 2020-2021 school year, Mr. Stephenson was awarded a Star Educator award by the Redwood Falls Chamber of Commerce for excellence in teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite all of the restrictions in place, he and his colleagues were still able to hold socially distanced rehearsals and performances for small audiences.
Mr. Stephenson resides in Redwood Falls with his wife and daughters. He currently teaches 6th grade, 7th/8th grade bands, middle school jazz band, and high school drumline.
Northwest President (NWMBDA)
Derek Ziemer- Alexandria Schools
Derek Ziemer is the Associate Director of Bands at Alexandria Public Schools in Alexandria, MN. Originally from St.Cloud Minnesota, Derek is a 2014 graduate of the University of Minnesota Morris. Prior to his position in Alexandria, Mr.Ziemer was the 5-12 Director of Bands at Brandon-Evansville Public Schools from 2014 to 2016. Mr. Ziemer's duties at Alexandria include directing the 7th Grade Cardinal and Viking Bands, High School Jazz Bands, Marching Band, and Pep Band. Mr. Ziemer is also an active performer in the Alexandria Area; most notably as a Bassoonist in the Central Lakes Symphony Orchestra(CLSO). He is also a Cannonball Educator for Cannonball Musical Instruments and serves as Adjunct Instructor of Saxophone for the University of Minnesota, Morris. Mr. Ziemer is also a member of MMEA, MBDA, and serves as the NWMBDA Jazz Festival Coordinator.
State Board of Representatives (Appointed)
Membership Chair
Rick Olson
Rick Olson currently teaches middle school band in the St. Michael-Albertville School District. He received his Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Minnesota and his Master of Music in Conducting from the American Band College and Sam Houston State University. Prior to his position on the State board, Rick has served as honor band coordinator and treasurer for the Northeast Region of MBDA. Rick also taught band in Hinckley-Finlayson Public Schools from 2010-2016 and Lakeville Public Schools from 2016-2017. Rick and his wife Becca live in Plymouth with their daughter Charlotte.
Honor Band Audition Chair
Todd Blaser
Honor Band Event Coordinator
Willy Leafblad
Jazz Honor Bands
Honor Band Steering Committee
Mike Knutson- Buffalo High School
Mike Knutson teaches band, orchestra, jazz ensemble, chamber strings, music history, and AP Music Theory at Buffalo High School. He holds a Bachelor of Music Education degree from UW - Eau Claire and a Masters degree in Education from Cardinal Stritch University.
Volunteer Coordinator
Nathan Blinn ~ Chippewa Middle School
State Board of Representatives (Directed)
MMEA Band Vice President
Brad Mariska
Perpich Center for the Arts Education
ASBDA Representative
Terri Svec ~ Buffalo
A graduate of East Carolina University and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with degrees in Music Education, I have taught for 36 years in both the Chicago area and Buffalo, Minnesota. I have been a member of MBDA since it's inception, as well being active in MMEA and ASBDA (American School Band Directors Association). I have taught 6-8 band and general music at Buffalo Community Middle School for the past 30 years. I currently live in Minnetonka and enjoy playing Oboe and English Horn with various adult bands and orchestras through out the Metro area.
CBDNA Representative
Dr. Peter Haberman
Concordia College ~ Moorhead
NBA Representative
Robert Anderson- Ulen-Hitterdal Public School
Rob Anderson is the Director of Bands at Ulen-Hitterdal Public Schools where he started in 2006. He teaches Elementary, Junior High, and High School Concert Band as well as Jazz Ensemble and 7th/8th Music. He also is the school’s Musical Director and National Honor Society Advisor. Previous to his time at U-H, Rob was Director of Bands at Martin County West schools from 2001-2006. Rob received a Bachelor of Music degree from Concordia College in 2001 and a Master’s Degree in Music Education from North Dakota State University in 2017. He is a member of NAfME, MMEA, MBDA, and the NBA. He was awarded Ulen-Hitterdal Teacher of the Year during the 2017-2018 school year. In his free time, Rob enjoys working on classic cars, watching football (Go Vikes!!), and traveling with his family. He currently lives on a farm north of Hawley with his wife (and Ulen-Hitterdal Choir Director), Kylie and their daughter, Arwen.
Equity Chair
Roque Diaz ~ Senior Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Adjunct MacPhail Center for Music
Bio Coming Soon
State Board of Representatives (Hired)
Web Manager
Sandra Riehl -
Past Presidents
- July 2019-June 2021 ~ Geneva Fitzsimonds
- July 2017-June 2019 ~ Erica Bierman
- July 2015-June 2017 ~ Michael Moeller
- July 2013-June 2015 ~ Paul Gronert
- July 2011-June 2013 ~ Charles Weise
- July 2009-June 2011 ~ Adam Tervola Hultberg
- July 2007-June 2009 ~ Barry Zumwalde
- July 2005-June 2007 ~ Dr. Elizabeth Jackson Kirchhoff
- July 2003-June 2005 ~ Dr. Scott A. Jones
- July 2001-June 2003 ~ Joni Sutton
- July 1999-June 2001 ~ Charlie Liebfried
- July 1997-June 1999 ~ Wendy Barden
- July 1995-June 1997 ~ Bill Webb
- July 1993-June 1995 ~ Russ Pesola