I am excited to join the CSUMC staff in September 2024 as the Music Director and Organist! I have been serving as Organist and Music Associate at Shandon United Methodist Church in Columbia, SC, for the past seven years. Originally from Aiken, SC, I have been involved in church music since I was a child growing up at First Baptist Church in Aiken. I earned a Bachelor of Music degree in Organ Performance from Winthrop University and a Master of Music in Organ and Church Music from Indiana University in Bloomington.
I have held many organist and choir director positions in various denominations as our family moved seven times with my husband Tom’s career as a Warrant Officer Bandmaster in the U.S. Army. I have also enjoyed teaching piano and organ students of all ages. My favorite musical experiences include directing an award-winning musical theater production, singing with a cappella choral ensembles, assisting with church choirs on European tours, and performing solo organ recitals and organ/brass programs.
My husband and I are now enjoying his military retirement in beautiful Beaufort, SC. We have one daughter, Katie, who is studying engineering at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. Our empty nest is kept busy by our 2-year-old German shepherd and two cats.