MONTREAT CONFERENCE CENTER
MONTREAT, NORTH CAROLINA
2025 Worship & Music Conference
Faculty
Click on the class name at the bottom of each faculty bio
to be directed to the class description.
Faculty members are listed alphabetically by last name.
John Alexander
Collaborative Pianist: Adult Choir & Organ Seminar Leader
John is the Director of Music and Organist of First Presbyterian Church in Greensboro, North Carolina, where he has served since 2003. The church has multiple instrumental and choral ensembles and offers a beautiful performance space for ensembles from across the region. John also appears regularly as a recitalist and choral collaborator. John holds degrees from the University of North Carolina–Greensboro and the Cleveland Institute, where he studied with Robert Burns King, Todd Wilson, and André Lash.
Will Arnold
Instrumental Ensembles Assistant Director
Will is a music educator and violinist residing in Chicago. He serves as the Director of Orchestras for La Grange School District 105 and Gurrie Middle School. As an educator, he has recruited some of the largest beginning orchestras ever in D105, and he has a passion for passing along a love for music to the next generation. In his free time, he loves photography, attending lots of concerts, and spending time with his wife, Olivia, and his cat, Mr. Ollie.
Brenda Austin
Handbell Choir Co-Director
Brenda is in-demand nationally as a conductor and clinician because of her dynamic and energetic approach to connecting musicians through handbells. Brenda is an Editor at Hope Publishing, Music Director for Embellish handbell ensemble, and Director of Music at First United Methodist Church in Eaton Rapids, Michigan. More than 90 of her handbell and sacred choral titles have been published since 2015. Brenda holds degrees in vocal performance and choral conducting.
Margaret Aymer
Conference Preacher & Interest Session Presenter
Margaret serves as Academic Dean at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, as wife of Dr. Laurent Oget, and as mom of Gabriel Oget. She is a minister member of Mission Presbytery, deep in the heart of Texas. Ringing handbells, singing, playing (intermediate-level) piano, and crocheting bring her joy and relaxation.
Mark Britt
Instrumental Ensembles Director & Interest Session Presenter
Mark has taught at Furman University since 1995, served as Chair of the Music Department (2010–2020), and teaches orchestration, music history, and music education courses. He is principal trombonist of the Spartanburg Philharmonic and the Hendersonville Symphony and performs with the Greenville Symphony. He is a new member of the South Carolina Music Educators Hall of Fame and conducted in the International Honors Music Festival in Freiburg, Germany. The 2025 conference marks his 11th term as the Instrumental Music Director.
Michael Burkhardt
Children's Choir Director
Michael is Artist-Professor of Organ at Eastern Michigan University and Founder-Artistic Director of Hearts, Hands and Voices Worship and Fine Arts Program for Children in Southeast Michigan. Internationally known for innovative and inspiring hymn festivals and creative work with children, he is in frequent demand as a choral clinician, organ recitalist, hymn festival leader, and composer. He has performed and led seminars regionally and nationally for ACDA, AGO, Association of Lutheran Church Musicians, National Association of Pastoral Musicians, and PAM.
Kathy Dawson
Children’s Bible Leader & Robert Stigall Seminar Leader
Kathy serves on the faculty of Columbia Theological Seminary and is project director for the Wonder of Worship grant funded by Lilly Endowment Inc. She is ordained and certified within the PC(USA) and has served churches around the country as a staff member, consultant, and workshop leader. She enjoys sharing time with children and her dog, Hope.
Richard Deibert
Adult Seminar Leader
is a recently retired hospice and palliative medicine physician and PC(USA) minister. His Cambridge PhD on 2 Corinthians, “Paul’s Gospel of Human Mortality,” explores Paul’s theology of physical death. Now in Florida, soon to be residents of Montreat, he and wife Elizabeth were organizing co-pastors for Immanuel Presbyterian Church in Montgomery, Alabama; they enjoy four adult children (and two spouses) and three grands. Richard has experienced a renewal of faith thanks to the Eastern Orthodox Church.
Mark Douglas
Adult Bible & Seminar Leader
Mark is an ordained minister in the PC(USA) and Professor of Christian Ethics at Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, Georgia. He is the author of numerous books, most recently Christian Pacifism for the Environmental Age and Modernity, the Environment, and the Christian Just War Tradition (Cambridge University Press, 2019 and 2022). He is married to the Rev. Dr. Lindsay Armstrong, who is also a PC(USA) minister. Their daughter, Logan, is a doctoral student at St. Andrews University in Scotland.
David Gambrell
Liturgist
David is associate for worship in the Office of Theology and Worship of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). He is co-editor (with Kimberly Bracken Long) of the Book of Common Worship (WJK, 2018), editor of the Connections Worship Companion series (WJK, 2021–24), and author of Presbyterian Worship: Questions and Answers (WJK, 2019) and Breathing Spirit into Dust: Fifty Hymn Texts (GIA, 2015).
Max Gambrell
Instrumental Ensembles Intern
Max has been attending the PAM Worship & Music Conference since he was in third grade. He was the WPC Conference Office intern for 2024 and is thrilled to now be the intern for instrumental ensembles. He is an upcoming senior music education major at the University of Kentucky with a focus in flute and loves to make music. He also enjoys being creative in other ways, such as playing guitar, writing songs, drawing, and making collages.
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Nancy Graham
Adult Seminar Leader
Nancy is a hymnologist, church musician, and author with a PhD and Doctor of Sacred Music degree from the Graduate Theological Foundation House in Oxford, as well as an MM from Westminster Choir College. She has a special interest in congregational singing and folk hymnody, particularly African American spirituals. Nancy has served congregations in several states and Scotland. She currently lives in Mobile, Alabama, and is a member of Government Street Presbyterian Church.
Lynda Hasseler
Adult Choir & Adult Chamber Choir Director
Lynda performs as a clinician and conductor nationally and internationally with singers of all ages. She is Director of Choral Activities at Capital University's Conservatory of Music in Columbus, Ohio. Choirs under her direction are known for their expressive tone, phrasing, and commitment to storytelling. Recognitions include a world premiere, gold medals at the World Choir Games, the American Prize, and frequent collaborations with world-renowned composers.
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Ana Hernández
Routley Lecturer
Ana is a composer-arranger, recording artist, song leader, activist for peace and justice, and retreat leader. Ana collects and composes chants and short songs, and has sung with the New York Choral Artists, Trinity Choir, and St. Mary the Virgin Choir (aka Smoky Mary’s). She is the author of The Sacred Art of Chant: Preparing to Practice and has recorded nine albums, the most recent of which is Banquet of Love: Vol. I of the Big Chants Project.
Marcus Hong
Small Group Facilitator & Robert Stigall Seminar Leader
Marcus has cultivated creative worship ecologies for nearly twenty years. He is the Director of Field Education, Chapel Worship Coordinator, Assistant Professor of Practical Theology, and Project Director for the Sun-Walking Fellowship at Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary. He loves hiking, movies, fantasy literature, poetry, and songwriting, and, alongside his wife Sarah, has his hands blessedly full raising two precocious children.
Julie Hoplamazian
Dance & Movement Leader
Julie is an Episcopal priest, serving as the Associate Rector at St. Michael's Church in New York, New York. She is also the founder of Faith on Pointe, a ministry at the intersection of ballet and Christian theology. When she is not at the altar or the barre, she can be found walking along the Hudson River with her aggressively loving hound Amos or curled up on her couch and getting lost in a good story (on screen or on paper).
Amy Kotsonis
Davis Flohr Middler Choir Director
Amy is the Director of Choral Activities at the University of New Hampshire and the Artistic Director for the Community Chorus at South Berwick. Previously, she was Associate Professor of Choral Ensembles and Music Education at the University of Northern Iowa, was Assistant Conductor for the Young People’s Chorus of New York City, taught public school, and directed church choirs. She holds degrees from New York University, the University of New Hampshire, and Florida State University.
David LaMotte
Co-Service Musician
David is a singer-songwriter, author, and speaker. He has offered more than 3,500 concerts and speaking events on six continents, authored four books, and released 15 albums (13 of his own and two more with Abraham Jam, an interfaith trio). His most recent book is You Are Changing the World Whether You Like It Or Not (2023), and his most recent album is Still.
Martha Matthews
Handbell Choir Co-Director
Martha holds a BME from Houghton College and an MM of flute performance from the University of Idaho. Martha conducts Kalamazoo Ringers, the oldest advanced community handbell ensemble in the US. She founded Philadelphia Bronze with the motto “elegant energy.” Directing handbells at Csehy Summer School of Music and Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Martha worked as Director of Sales at Malmark Bellcraftsmen and for Handbell Musicians of America.
Daniel Otu
Drumming Seminar Leader
Daniel first came to the United States from Ghana in June 2003 for the PAM conference. Alan Barthel was the Executive Director and Vicki Fey was the president-elect. Daniel was invited back by Eric Wall in 2005 to lead classes in African drumming and then again by David VanderMeer in 2008. Since moving to the United States, he continues drumming and is a proud father of two children, Max and McKenzy Vicky (named after Vicki Fey). Daniel is delighted to be back in Montreat.
Brent Shaw
Collaborative Pianist: Children & Middler Choirs
Brent serves as organist and choir director at Eastridge Presbyterian Church in Lincoln, Nebraska, as well as wedding music coordinator and associate carillonneur, and an assistant organist at First-Plymouth Church in Lincoln.
Debbie Snow
Children's Art Leader
Debbie has taught art for 38 years. The last 25 years she taught art at Bradenton Christian High School in Bradenton, Florida. She retired from teaching in May 2023, and now is pursuing a career in painting, stained glass, and ceramics. Debbie and her husband, Chris, have been married 39 years. They have two adult children, Sierra and Andrew, and a son-in-law, Tim.
Brian Tanaka
Collaborative Pianist: Senior High Choirs
Brian is Organist/Pianist at Westlake Hills Presbyterian Church in Austin, Texas. He is a versatile pastoral church musician with experience in eclectic musical styles, ranging from western practice to global song, to playing in a worship band and drumming in a jazz combo. He balances being a bivocational church musician with working full-time as a Texas Real Estate Broker. Brian serves on the PAM Board and helps the Connecting Committee support the work of the PAM Regions.
Josh Taylor
Professional Development Leader
Josh teaches Sacred Music at the University of North Texas and is the Director of Worship & Music at First United Methodist Church in Denton. He previously served as musician for the Iona Community and as the Director of Worship & Music at First Presbyterian Church in Dallas. Josh currently serves as PAM’s President-elect. He holds a Doctor of Pastoral Music degree from SMU Perkins School of Theology. He is the proud dad of Hannah and Catherine.
Dan Trabue
Artist-In-Residence
Dan is a sometime writer, photographer, artist, and poet who wanders the woods every chance he gets. After a few careers (teacher, mapmaker), Dan is an Employment Specialist helping adults with disabilities to find meaningful employment. Dan has taken part in Kentucky art festivals and had his art on display at art galleries in Louisville, Kentucky. Dan's art has mostly been in pen and ink, watercolor, and oil pastel, with an emphasis on nature, music, and beloved community.
Tom Trenney
Co-Service Musician
Tom is a composer, conductor, organist, preacher, and teacher who has been blessed to serve as Minister of Music to First-Plymouth Church in Lincoln, Nebraska, since 2009. In 2019, he became Director of Choirs at Nebraska Wesleyan University. Tom’s choirs have been honored to perform for state, regional, and national conventions of the ACDA, and they have been award winners in the American Prize for choral ensembles.
David VanderMeer
Planning Team Member & Children's Handchimes Leader
Dave is Minister of Music and Fine Arts at First Presbyterian Church of Ann Arbor, Michigan. Dave has served churches in New Jersey, Texas, Georgia, and now Michigan. Dave has been a handbell clinician for many festivals. He has served as Conference Director for many PAM Worship & Music Conferences. Dave is past president of PAM and is currently the Vice President of the PAM Great Lakes Region. In his spare time, Dave enjoys entertaining, reading, traveling, and being with his grandson.
Brandon Waddles
Senior High Choir & Senior High Chamber Choir Director
Brandon is Assistant Professor of Choral Conducting & Music Education at Wayne State University. He is also Artistic Director of the Rackham Choir. Brandon’s choral compositions and arrangements have been performed by choral ensembles around the world. His scholarship on Black sacred music has been experienced in the halls of Harvard, Yale, Morehouse, and Hampton, and on American Black Journal on PBS. He serves as Music Director for Ledisi and National Music Director for NAACP ACT-SO.
Click on the class name at the bottom of each Interest Session Presenter's bio
to be directed to the Interest Session's description.
Interest Session Presenters are listed alphabetically by last name.
Kelly Abraham
Interest Session Presenter
Kelly Abraham, PAM Executive Director and Interest Session Presenter, serves PAM from its headquarters in Louisville, Kentucky. Prior to joining PAM in 2017, she served at First Presbyterian Church in Lexington, Kentucky. She is a graduate of the University of Puget Sound (BA in accounting & international business) and the University of Missouri–Columbia (MBA in management information systems). She is married to Kirk Abraham and has two daughters, Ella and Claire.
David Brinson, CCM
Interest Session Presenter
David serves as Director of Music at Davidson College Presbyterian Church in Davidson, North Carolina. He first went to Davidson as Associate Director of Music in 2014. He earned a Master of Sacred Music from Emory University and a Bachelor of Music from Appalachian State University. Past organ instructors have included Timothy Albrecht, Joby Bell, and Ken DeBoer. David has served churches in North Carolina, Georgia, and Florida.
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Jason N. Brown
Interest Session Presenter
Jason is a native of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. His performance and recording credits include the American Spiritual Ensemble, Kentucky Bach Choir, and Lexington Singers. In addition to music of the African diaspora, his particular interests lie in high baroque and neoclassical repertoire. As a conductor, Mr. Brown has worked with ensembles along the Eastern Seaboard, and he currently serves as Minister of Music and Arts at the historic First Presbyterian Church of Richmond, Virginia.
Kirsten Foyles
Interest Session Leader
Kirsten is Associate Director of Music at Community Presbyterian Church in Pinehurst, North Carolina. She holds a BA from University of Wisconsin, a JD from University of Louisville, and a Master of Education in Kodály Music Education from Loyola University Maryland. Foyles is Kodály Certified and has presented on the topic at the PAM Worship & Music Conference. Foyles has also presented on the topic of copyright law for churches at Montreat & APCE, and for both national and state ACDA conferences.
Charles Freeman
Interest Session Leader
Charles is a 2014 graduate of Union Presbyterian Seminary in Richmond, Virginia, coming to ministry after a career as a music historian and professor at the University of Kansas. He has served as pastor of Grace Presbyterian Church in Gainesville, Florida, and most recently as interim pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Independence, Kansas.
Mandy Keathley
Interest Session Presenter
Mandy has served Presbyterian churches of various sizes as Director of Music and/or Organist. She is currently the Director of Music at Central Presbyterian Church in Anderson, South Carolina, where she has served for the past 16 years, leading adult choirs, children's and youth choirs, and handbell choirs. In addition, she teaches private piano, organ, and voice lessons.
Enoch Smith, Jr.
Interest Session Presenter
Enoch plays jazz with a spiritual dimension. Before becoming Director of Music and Worship at the Allentown (New Jersey) Presbyterian Church, Smith steeped himself in music business and management along with piano at the prestigious Berklee College of Music. His Jazz at APC vespers series has brought new dimensions to worship in Allentown. He serves as Vice President of the Board of Directors for the Heart of Jazz Foundation.
Joseph Taber
Interest Session Leader
Joseph first and foremost is a child of God. He is also genetically Presbyterian and grew up in western North Carolina, which naturally led to innumerable summers at Montreat. Joseph attended Presbyterian College, where he met his wife Leah, then went on to Columbia Theological Seminary and currently serves as Pastor of Culpeper Presbyterian Church in Virginia. Joseph plays trombone in the community band there and is teaching his seven-year-old, William, how to play chess.
Anne Wilson
Interest Session Leader
Anne is a seasoned educator who has served three different churches in Houston, Texas. She is a former PAM Board member, past president of APCE, and Life Achievement Award recipient.