Dr. Frances Fonza serves as Director of Choral Activities at Southeastern Louisiana University, where she teaches undergraduate and graduate students and conducts the Concert Choir, Bella Voce, and Gospel Choir. She previously taught middle and high school in Kentucky and served at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, D.C. She holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Missouri–Columbia and master’s and doctoral degrees from Florida State University.

Before Southeastern, Dr. Fonza was Assistant Professor of Music Education and Director of Choral Activities at Wittenberg University, and has also taught at Stephen F. Austin State University and the University of Central Arkansas. Her choirs have performed at state, regional, and national festivals.

An active singer, clinician, and adjudicator, she regularly guest conducts nationally and internationally. Her research interests include community partnerships, healthy singing in Gospel music, the versatile voice, and innovative tone-building strategies for the choral classroom.

Grammy nominated American pianist and collaborator Kevin J. Miller is acclaimed for his dynamically artful performances. Recent collaborations include recitals with international artists, Lawrence Brownlee, Joseph Calleja, Nadine Sierra, John Holiday, Will Liverman, and Leah Hawkins. Mr. Miller also prepared soprano Jessye Norman for performances of Laura Karpman’s production of Ask Your Mama, which was performed at Carnegie Hall. He can be heard on piano on the recording Been in da Storm So Long, which features baritone Kenneth Overton. He can also be heard on Lawrence Brownlee’s recent release Rising.

Mr. Miller studied at the Mannes College of Music, where he received a Bachelor of Music degree in Piano.  He continued his studies at the University of Michigan School of Music where he received both a Master of Music degree and the Artist Diploma in Collaborative Piano under the tutelage of Martin Katz.  

Mr. Miller has held music staff positions at major opera houses across the country including The Metropolitan, Houston Grand Opera, LA Opera, Washington National Opera, The Glimmerglass Festival, Cincinnati Opera, and Opera Theater St.

Dr. Tammy L. Kernodle is a leading musicologist and the Parks Creative Arts Endowed Professor/University Distinguished Professor at Miami University. A specialist in African American music, jazz, and gender studies in music, her scholarship explores the intersections of race, gender, and musical practices across both popular and classical traditions. She holds degrees in choral music education and piano from Virginia State University and earned her M.A. and Ph.D. in music history from The Ohio State University. 

Kernodle is widely recognized for her influential research and public scholarship highlighting the contributions of Black women musicians, including Mary Lou Williams, Florence Price, Melba Liston, Nina Simone, and many others. She is the author of Soul on Soul: The Life and Music of Mary Lou Williams and has contributed to major reference works and cultural projects, such as the Carnegie Hall Digital Timeline of African American Music. She currently curates an annual Black music festival with New World Symphony in Miami, FL, called I Dream a World.

A native of Baltimore, Maryland, Dr. Arreon A. Harley-Emerson graduated from Goucher College in Baltimore, Maryland, with bachelor’s degrees in Music Theory & Composition and Vocal Performance (opera). There he studied piano with Dr. Lisa Weiss, voice with Mrs. Betty Ridgeway, and conducting with Dr. Elisa Koehler. He received master’s of music degrees in Choral Conducting and Vocal Performance from the University of Delaware School of Music, studying Choral Conducting with Dr. Paul Head and Voice with Dr. Noel Archambeault. Dr. Harley-Emerson completed his doctoral work and served as a university fellow at the Boyer School of Music and Dance at Temple University in Philadelphia. He has had the opportunity to conduct in venues such as St. Peter’s  Basilica in Vatican City, The Kimmel Center for the Arts in Philadelphia, and the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall in Baltimore.

Dr. Harley-Emerson has held a number of teaching and artistic director positions. He served as Director of Music and Operations of the Choir School of Delaware from June 2013 through December 2022. In this position, he was responsible for the musical components of the renowned Choir School program as well as serving as Executive Director, managing the day-to-day operations of the organization. An avid researcher and presenter, Dr. Harley-Emerson has contributed a chapter to The Oxford Handbook for Choral Pedagogy entitled “The Gang Mentality of Choirs: How Choirs Have the Capacity to Change Lives.” He also has a TEDx Talk that bears the same title and contributed to the research literature regarding culturally responsive choral and classroom practice.

Committed to the principles of  Access, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Belonging, and Restorative Practice (ADEIBR), Dr. Harley-Emerson has established a thriving consultancy, Equity Sings, to assist arts and culture nonprofit organizations in remaining relevant in the 21st century. His work includes longitudinal studies, strategic planning, Board Excellence training, resource and asset development, and board diversification. Dr. Harley-Emerson currently serves as the National Chair of the American Choral Directors Association’s Diversity Initiatives Committee. An active member of the Wilmington, Delaware community, Dr. Harley-Emerson is on the Delaware Arts Alliance’s Board of Directors, where he serves as President of the Board and chairs the Advancement Committee, which is tasked with fundraising, membership development, and DEIB.

In addition to conducting and performing classical and operatic works, Dr. Harley-Emerson is an avid lover of musical theater. When not performing, you can find him indulging in his true passion…potatoes! He has never met a potato that he did not eat!

Maria A. Ellis is a passionate music educator and conductor. She is the owner of Girl Conductor LLC, which specializes in diverse music education resources and serves as the Artistic Director of The Sheldon’s All-Star Chorus and the University of Missouri-St. Louis Voices of Jubilation Ensemble. Maria is a highly sought after clinician, adjudicator and presenter throughout the United States and abroad. She holds a B.M. in Music Education emphasis on Voice (K-12 Certified) Degree from the University of Missouri- St. Louis, Level 3 Certification from the CME Institute for Choral Teacher Education and is currently pursuing her Masters of Arts Degree with emphasis on Choral Conducting from Webster University. Maria is the host of the Award-Winning Radio Show "Bach and Beyoncé" and "American Gospel with Maria A. Ellis" on Classic 107.3, The Voice for the Arts in St. Louis. This past June Maria made her Carnegie Hall Debut as a conductor and was awarded The St. Louis Arts and Education 2023 Arts Innovator Award as well as the St. Louis Suburban Music Educators Association 2023 Merit Award Winner. Maria is an active member of the American Choral Directors Association, National Association of Music Educators where she is the Chair Elect for Choral Music Education Council, Missouri Alliance for Arts Education, where she is chair of the RIDE (Race, Inclusion, Diversity & Equity) Committee and a member of the Chorus America Board. Maria is the wife of Marion Ellis and the mother of Aria, Kendal and Noah Ellis.

Dr. Emorja Roberson is a conductor, vocalist, composer, and scholar whose work amplifies the rituals, pedagogies, symbols, and performance practices of African-derived music with a focus on the oral transmission of African American gospel music. Dr. Roberson is a member of the GRAMMY’s Recording Academy, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, the American Choral Directors Association, and several historically Black and service-oriented organizations including Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated and 100 Black Men of America. With a career spanning performance, pedagogy, and cultural advocacy, Dr. Emorja Roberson continues to shape the future of sacred and Black music in both academic and community contexts through his series, Black Church, Black Music, which centers the African American sacred music traditions, and his oratorio, BE-SPOKEN.

Praised as "one of opera’s strongest voices at present – both as a singer and a shaper of its culture” (The Washington Post), GRAMMY® Award-winning soprano Karen Slack is celebrated as both an extraordinary performer and a change-maker in classical music.

Recently, Slack has been on a nationwide tour for her critically-acclaimed African Queens, which continues into her 25-26 season, including an orchestral version presented by the Naples Philharmonic in Naples, Florida. Slack’s season engagements include world premieres of Tamar-kali’s new work with the Miró Quartet for the Arizona Friends of Chamber Music and Philadelphia Chamber Music Society, the Dallas Symphony Orchestra’s presentation of Kathryn Bostic’s Drag, and Brittany J. Green’s Letters to America, part of American Composers Orchestra’s program Hello, America: Letters to Us, from Us. She also appears with the Orlando Philharmonic, Chamber Music Cincinnati, and Spivey Hall.

Slack’s Beyond the Years: Unpublished Songs of Florence Price with pianist Michelle Cann in collaboration with ONEcomposer on Azica Records won the 2025 GRAMMY® Award for Best Classical Solo Vocal Album. In 2025, Slack was featured on Shawn Okpebholo’s album Songs in Flight, released with Cedille Records.

Slack has performed at the Metropolitan Opera, Lyric Opera of Chicago, Washington National Opera, Scottish Opera and many others. In concert, her credits include the Melbourne and Sydney symphonies, Bergen Philharmonic, St. Petersburg Philharmonic, Orchestra of St. Luke’s at Carnegie Hall, and Philadelphia Orchestra. She made her New York Philharmonic debut in May 2024.

A recipient of the 2022 Sphinx Medal of Excellence and 2025 MPower Artist Grant, Slack is an Artistic Advisor for Portland Opera, serves on the board of the American Composers Orchestra, and holds a faculty position at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity. In the 2024-2025 season, she served as Artist-in-Residence at both Lyric Opera of Chicago and Babson College.

A native Philadelphian, Slack is a graduate of the prestigious Curtis Institute of Music, as well as the Adler Fellowship and the Merola Opera Program at the San Francisco Opera. Learn more at www.karenslack.com.

Loneka Wilkinson Battiste is an international scholar with over 20 years of experience teaching music in school and community settings. She is Associate Professor of Music Education at the University of Houston and serves as Director of Music and Arts at First Unitarian Universalist Church of Houston.  Her work has been published in the Choral Journal; Journal of Historical Research in Music Education; Journal of General Music Education; Proceedings of the International Society for Music Education, and General Music; Dimensions of Practice; Action, Theory, and Criticism, and Theory for Music Education: and Toward Equity in Music Teacher Education: Ideas for Practice in Music Teacher Education. A former member of the Moses Hogan Chorale and the Moses Hogan Singers, her scholarly interests include culturally responsive teaching and the Black musical aesthetic. She is Social Justice Chair for NAfME-TX and serves on the advisory board of the Bulletin for the Council of Research in Music Education.

Dr. Brandon A. Boyd is the Mary M. and Harry L. Smith Endowed Chair, Director of Choral Activities, and Associate Professor of Music at the University of Missouri, where he leads the University Singers, Sankofa Chorale, and Choral Union Symphonic Chorus. He also directs the Graduate Choral Conducting Program and teaches courses in conducting, choral literature, and arranging.

An advocate for choral music’s power to build community, Dr. Boyd’s research explores the music of the Black experience—particularly Gospel and Spirituals—as well as choirs for underserved populations, including those experiencing homelessness and incarceration. He is also interested in the therapeutic and social benefits of group singing. In Florida, he co-directed several community-based choral partnerships, including a women’s prison glee club, a senior choir, and a middle school-university collaboration.

As an active composer and arranger, his music is sung regularly by ensembles throughout the United States and abroad. He is also the curator and editor of the "Brandon A. Boyd Choral Series," a choral series with Hinshaw Music Publications helping promote exciting and innovative works composed by both established and new composers and arrangers. His music also appears in the catalogs of Gentry Publications, Hinshaw Music Company, MorningStar, GIA, and Kjos Music Press. In addition, he is the Executive Choral Editor of Gentry Publications (Fred Bock Publishing Group) and the Abbington African American Sacred Music Series (GIA Publications). 

Internationally, he has collaborated with the London Symphony and the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra and has conducted at Carnegie Hall. He has also served as composer-in-residence with the Santa Fe Desert Chorale.

Dr. Boyd holds degrees from Florida State University and Tennessee State University and is an active member of ACDA, NAfME, NANM, AGO, and Chorus America.

Dr. J. Donald Dumpson, President/CEO of Diverse Arts Solutions and Minister of Arts at Arch Street Presbyterian Church, is the founding conductor of the Westminster Choir College Jubilee Singers, the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra (NJSO) Community Chorus and presently the Philadelphia Heritage Chorale. He has taught at the Westminster Choir College, Cheyney University of Pennsylvania, elementary general music and at the Philadelphia High School for Creative and Performing Arts. 

 

Dr. Dumpson conducted the Black Diaspora Immersion Choir at the ACDA National Conference in Cincinnati, Ohio 2023. Recent collaborations include a PEW Foundation project with composer Ari Benjamin Meyers, Curtis Institute of Music and Drexel University as well as projects with the Trinity Wall Street Downtown Voices and Bucks County Choral Society, Christmas in a Time of Isolation which aired on PBS in December 2020. A Soulful Christmas at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts 2011–2023, Chorus America 2019 convention closing concert, WXPN’s The Gospel Roots of Rock and Soul 2019, and The Movement Revisited by bassist Christian McBride. He made his Carnegie Hall choral debut in 2001, when the WCCJS performed Gershwin’s Porgy and Bess under the baton of the legendary Skitch Henderson. Dr. Dumpson has prepared choruses for several Philadelphia Orchestra performances including the Marian Anderson Awards, Julius Rudel conducting Florence Quivar; Porgy and Bess conducted by Bobby McFerrin and several Hannibal Lokumbe premiers Crucifixion & Resurrection: Nine Souls a Travelling; One Land, One River, One People Yannick Nézet-Séguin, conductor; and Can You Hear God Crying with the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, later released on Naxos ArkivMusic. 

 

He has conducted the NJSO and prepared the Community Chorus for performances of Mahler’s Symphony #2, Holst’s The Planets, and Al Jarreau and Peabo Bryson. He also prepared the NJSO chorus for Hannibal Lokumbe’s God, Mississippi, and a Man Called Evers and African Portraits. He has collaborated with Opera Philadelphia, Kathleen Battle’s The Underground Railroad and Breaking the Rules with Denyce Graves, Patti LaBelle, Chaka Khan, and Take 6, and Porgy and Bess with Jason Tramn and the New Jersey State Opera. 

 

His board affiliations are the ACDA Eastern Division Community Choirs Coordinator and Board Member (ACDAEAST), Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau (PCVB), PHLDiversity of the PCVB Adviser. His committee service includes the College Music Society (CMS) Committee for Community Engagement, VOCES8 Foundation Advisory Board. Dr. Dumpson’s memberships include Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), Chorus America (CA), College Music Society (CMS), National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Life Time Member (NAACP), National Association for the Study and Performance of African American Music (NASPAAM), National Association for Negro Musicians (NANM).

Come and enjoy a bite or libation with the BBNB community!

Rollo Dilworth is currently Vice Dean and Professor of Choral Music Education in the Department of Music Education and Therapy at Temple University’s Center for the Performing and Cinematic Arts in Philadelphia, PA. He has served on the faculty since 2009. In addition to teaching undergraduate and graduate level courses in choral music education, Dilworth serves as Conductor for the Temple University Singing Owls Campus/Community Chorus, as Artistic Director for Singing City, and as Conductor for the School District of Philadelphia High School All-City Chorus. 

 

Over 200 of Dilworth’s choral compositions and arrangements have been published, and many are part of the Henry Leck Creating Artistry Choral Series with the Hal Leonard Corporation.  He is an active clinician and frequent guest conductor of all-state, honors, festival, community, church and professional choirs.  He has researched, lectured, and presented extensively on various topics including African American choral music, composing/arranging for choirs, social justice, social emotional learning, cultural appropriation, urban music education, community engagement, and diversity, equity, and inclusion. 

 

Dilworth serves on the national boards of Chorus America, the National Collegiate Choral Organization (NCCO), and the Presser Foundation; he is an active life member of the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA). He also holds memberships with several other organizations, including the National Association for Music Education (NAfME), the National Association of Negro Musicians (NANM) and the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP).

Houston native Robert T. Gibson is a conductor, composer, and clinician who desires to develop future music educators for the next generation of music education. His passion for music continues to leave lasting impressions on the students he encounters. Gibson is director of choral studies at Lancaster Bible College where his responsibilities include conducting all choral ensembles as well as instructing undergraduate courses in choral conducting, aural skills, and choral methods. He serves as a guest clinician with school, church, and community choirs throughout the country in addition to festival, honor choirs in Texas, Pennsylvania, Nebraska, Tennessee, Kansas, Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, and New York. Gibsons recent clinics include the Louisiana All State Middle School Choir, South Dakota ACDA Jr. Choir festival, and the Eastern ACDA middle school gospel choir. Robert holds degrees from Missouri State University (MM) and the University of North Texas (BM). Robert’s choral arrangements have been performed through the U.S. as well as surrounding countries and can be found through Walton Music, Alfred Publications, Oxford Press, BriLee Music, Carl Fischer, Hinshaw, and Hal Leonard. He is the proud husband of Amber Renae and his two daughters Truly and Lovie.

The Delaware Academy of Vocal Art's flagship, all-professional performing ensemble, Elevation, is Delaware’s only professional vocal ensemble. Elevation performances fuse traditional, classical choral music with jazz, hip-hop, R&B, storytelling, and spoken word. Unique to our model and our repertoire, we consider the vocal arts to be more than just singing and are inclusive of the many ways the human voice is used in creative and artistic expressions.

Elevation self-produces performances throughout Delaware annually. Performances are produced in New Castle County, Kent County, and Sussex County. In addition to these self-produced concerts, Elevation is presented by colleges and universities, arts and culture venues, and houses of worship.

More than just performers, Elevation’s Vocal Artists mentor our Vocal Arts Apprentices and support Delaware arts educator professional development and school-based residencies.

Melanie Mijares is the director of choirs at Concord High School, President Elect of Delaware ACDA, and current diversity chair for the chapter. In her 10 years as a choral educator, she has devoted time and research to the topic of democratic processes in the music classroom (and choral rehearsal) as a form of culturally responsive teaching. In April of 2023 she presented on this subject at the World Symposium for Choral Music in Istanbul. As diversity chair of DEACDA, she works to provide access to resources and support for directors in their Anti-Racism, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ADEI) initiatives. In addition to her involvement with DE ACDA, she is also the co-chair for All-State Senior Choirs with the Delaware Music Educators Association and a member of Elevate Vocal Art's flagship ensemble Elevation.

Kimberly Waigwa is a thinker of thoughts, meower of tunes, and educator dedicated to intentional music making at the intersections of racial justice and queer advocacy.

Waigwa has served as a facilitator and clinician to the choral department at Temple University and the Choir School of Delaware. Recently, they contributed to a GALA Choruses webinar focused on programming and performing music of the global majority, as well as participated in the inaugural Chorus America Choral Executive Leadership Academy. 

As a conductor, Waigwa was selected for the National ACDA Conference masterclass both as an undergraduate and graduate student. They received their masters of music in Choral Conducting from Temple University and is now the artistic Director of One Voice Mixed Chorus. 

When they aren’t waving their arms, they sing as a vocal artist with Elevation of Elevate Vocal Arts. They are a lover of Star Trek, oil pastels, long walks, and podcasts. 

Coty Raven Morris is a proud alumnus of Texas State University- San Marcos and Michigan State University where she attained a Masters in Choral Conducting.

Along with her work at Portland State University as the Professor of Choir, Music Education, and Social Justice, she is also the Founder of Being Human Together (BHT), a community rooted in music education striving to normalize difficult topics in our field through conversation and connection. She also serves as the Community Choir Chair for the NW American Choral Directors Association and the Choral Chair for the National Association for Music Education. 

Prior to this, she was the Director of Choirs at Crosby High School in the Houston area and has served as the Outreach Choir Director at the MSU Community Music School and Music Director at Grand Ledge United Methodist Church. Her choirs received consistent Sweepstakes & Division I ratings at UIL and choral festivals. A newly published author, composer, and Host on All Classical Radio, Morris is a sought after clinician, artist, and speaker across the country. Her most recent acknowledgments include being a nominee for the Portland State University George C Hoffman Faculty award as well as a Finalist for the 2024 Music Educators Grammy!

A seasoned non-profit executive, Robyn Hilger brings a wealth of experience in administration, fundraising, grant writing and strategic innovation to her work. She graduated with high honors from Oklahoma City University with a bachelor’s degree in Instrumental Music Education. Robyn has a master’s degree in School Administration from the University of Central Oklahoma. She is a National Board-Certified Teacher and was named the Teacher of the Year for the State of Oklahoma in 2007. She is an adjunct professor in the Masters of Arts in Nonprofit Leadership program at Oklahoma City University.

 

Robyn began her career as an instrumental music teacher. In 2007, she joined the staff of the Foundation for Oklahoma City Public Schools as the Chief Programs Officer. In 2014, she was named Executive Director of El Sistema Oklahoma. El Sistema Oklahoma facilitates the development of empowered youth who use music to make strong positive change in their lives, their communities, and the world. Before joining ACDA, Robyn served as the Director of Community Engagement for ReMerge of Oklahoma County. ReMerge is a leader in developing solutions in criminal justice reform specifically focused on women facing felony offenses who are mothers. Robyn joined ACDA as the National Executive Director in September 2021.

Christie McKinney has a heart for cultural justice and an aptitude for organizational efficiency. As Vice President of Programs, Strategy, and Development at Chorus America, Christie curates professional development for and coaches leaders in the choral music field in the US and Canada. She began her career as a middle school choral music educator and high school musical theater director. During her time with Chorus America, Christie has expanded the organization’s programming to include virtual offerings and a deeper focus on racial justice. Her work creates new opportunities for the field from cohort-style learning to field-wide gatherings, including an annual conference, equity-focused programs, conducting workshops, and a virtual chorus management institute. Christie holds a bachelor’s degree from The Pennsylvania State University and a master’s from American University.

Joshua Palkki (he/him) is Assistant Professor of Music Learning and Teaching/Choral Conducting and Associate Director of Choral Activities at Arizona State University and co-author of Honoring Trans and Gender-Expansive Students in Music Education (Oxford University Press, 2021). He holds degrees from Michigan State University (Ph.D. music education), Northern Arizona University (M.M. choral conducting), and Ball State University (B.S. music education). Dr. Palkki has presented at national and international events including the National ACDA Conference, NAfME National Conference, and the Society for Music Teacher Education Symposium and is a sought-after guest conductor and scholar on equity and justice topics. Joshua’s writing appears in several choral and music education publications including Choral Journal, Journal of Music Teacher Education, and Journal of Research in Music Education, Engaging Musical Practices: A Sourcebook for Middle School General Music (2nd edition), Routledge Companion of Jazz and Gender, and the Handbook of Music and Art (Bloomsbury).

[Full bio coming soon!]

Dr. David Fryling is director of choral activities at Hofstra University, where he teaches conducting, supervises student teachers, and conducts the Hofstra Chorale and Chamber Choir.

Recent invitations include all-state and regional honor choirs, master classes, workshops, and adjudications across the United States. From 2007 to 2013 he served as conductor of the World Youth Honors Choir and Festival Choir & Orchestra at the Interlochen Arts Camp. He has also served as a conducting faculty for the New York State Summer School of the Arts as well as for the Sitka Fine Arts Camp in Sitka, AK.

David is the founding conductor and artistic director of the eVoco Voice Collective. In 2014 he was inducted into the Long Island Music Hall of Fame as an “Educator of Note,” and he is the winner of two 2016-17 American Prizes in Conducting for his work with eVoco and the Hofstra Chamber Choir. He currently serves as the National President of the ACDA.

Dr. Lauren Conrad serves as the Education Associate for Visual and Performing Arts for the Delaware Department of Education.  In this role Dr. Conrad oversees arts programming in public and charter schools in the state.  She works to provide high quality professional learning experiences for arts educators and provides guidance through an arts lens with the Curriculum, Instruction, and Professional Development workgroup at the DOE. Dr. Conrad taught vocal music education for 15 years where her primary role was to encourage human self-expression and academic excellence from her students through multiple choral ensembles.  Dr. Conrad is currently serving as President-Elect of the State Education Agency Directors of Arts Education (SEADAE).  She maintains an active vocal performance and guest conducting schedule.

The Bent But Not Broken Movement is scholarly and celebratory! Join us for the Sneaker Ball, a party to celebrate everyone who is a part of the movement! There will be light hors d'oeuvres, a cash bar, and lots of line dances! Don't forget to throw on your best pair of kicks!