Vitae

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND

1995-1999 University of Notre Dame ~~ M.A. Liturgical Theology

  • Solo Cantor, Baccalaureate Mass
  • “Egeria” in Sacristy Power

1989-1993 Dickinson State University  ~~ B.S. Composite Music Education

  • Graduated Summa Cum Laude
  • Chosen Outstanding Female Graduate
  • Composite Voice and Instrumental Major
  • Director, Hilltop Holiday Variety Show
  • Assistant Director “The Marriage of Figaro”
  • Multiple performances in musical ensembles and on stage
  • Organizations: Mu Phi Epsilon, Music Educator’s National Conference
  • Who’s Who Among College Students 1992

Additional College Credits

Northern Montana College, Bismarck Junior College, Mary College, Creighton University, St. John’s University, Minot State University, University of North Dakota, North Dakota University, University of Notre Dame

MINISTRY HISTORY

May 2020-Present: Director of Liturgical Ministries

May 2019 – 2020 : Liturgical Ministries Coordinator

Adrian Dominican Sisters Adrian, MI

Responsibilities include:

  • I am the Director of Liturgical Ministries and work with a priest and a musician.
  • I coordinate all the liturgies
  • Train and schedule liturgical ministries
  • Provide education and outreach
  • Plan and implement many funerals
  • Work with the Liturgy Committee

2020-Present  Region Six Representative NPM (National Pastoral Musicians)

July 2002-May 2019: Director of Liturgy and Music

Saint Frances Cabrini Parish West Bend, WI

Responsibilities include:

  • Planning and coordinating all parish liturgies
  •  Directing adult choir, children’s choir, resurrection and contemporary ensemble, supervising handbell choir
  • Scheduling and training of liturgical ministries
  • Planning and playing for Weddings and Funerals (approximately 30 weddings and 70 funerals per year)
  • Working with the Prayer and Worship Committee
  • Educating parish on liturgical catechesis through regular bulletin articles
  • Presenting talks and workshops within the parish
  • Maintaining Liturgy portions of  Parish Website
  • Creatied ad hoc committee to study audio/visual needs of the parish, and implemented new system as of February 2007: Including pan-tilt camera, 2 video screens, and the ability to meet overflow needs (SEE ARTICLE in 2007 AIM magazine)
  • Involvment with the local ministerial association to help create ecuemical prayer celebrations and preaching in the Lenten Ecumenical series

2015-2019: Private Voice and Guitar Instructor: West Bend Music Academy, and my private studio       West Bend , WI

  • Vocal Students from 2nd grade to Adult
  •  Improving vocal techniques across all genres of music
  • Developing expression and self esteem
  • Teaching beginning and medium level students
  • Reading music, theory
  • Finger picking, chords
  • Folk acoustic and classical guitar, banjo

2005-2008: Editor: Archdiocesan Prayer and Worship Newsletter
Archdiocese of Milwaukee Milwaukee , WI

  • Collecting all resources for the quarterly newsletter
  •  Editing articles
  • Layout and formatting for publication

2004-2008: Guitar Instructor
White House of Music West Bend, WI

  • Teaching beginning and medium level students
  • Reading music, theory
  • Finger picking, chords
  • Folk acoustic and classical guitar, banjo

1987-2002 Sacred Heart Monastery Richardton, ND
Liturgist, PR Person, Computer Person 1999-2002
Assistant Liturgist, PR Person, Computer Person, Volunteer Coordinator, Kitchen Supervisor 1997-1999

  • Responsible for liturgical catechesis, ministry schedules, environment, music, rehearsals, and all aspects of worship for monastic community.
  • Resetting entire Liturgy of the Hours book with FINALE computer program.
  • Creating and sending out monthly brochures and mailings to Spirituality Center participants, maintaining database.
  • Co-editing quarterly newsletter.
  • maintaining computer network, troubleshooting problems for others, building and maintaining multiple websites, including the Notre Dame Center for Pastoral Liturgy for several years
  •  Recruiting, screening and supervising live-in volunteers.
  • Supervising kitchen staff, scheduling, purchasing supplies, preparing meals, and writing evaluations.
  • Serving on multiple boards and committees

Music Educator grades 1-12, Assistant Liturgist 1993-1997

  • Teaching eight grades of classroom music, three choirs, three bands, and extra curricular activities at Hebron Public Schools
  • “Who’s Who Among Educators” 1996

College Student, Musician 1989-1993

  • Music major at Dickinson State University
  • Musician for monastic liturgies
  • Involvement in Newman Center Liturgies

Monastic Formation, Musician 1987-1989

  • Participant in monastic formation classes
  • Musician for monastic liturgies

AWARDS AND ACHIEVEMENTS

  • St. Frances Cabrini Children’s Choir featured on the 2006 THRESHOLD CD
  • 2007 Marquis Who’s Who Listing
  • Member Archdiocescan Community Advisory Board for Sexual Abuse
  • Member Archdiocesan Liturgical Commission Board of Directors
  • Winner Yamaha Worship Forum
  • 2nd Place Essay Winner Ecumenical Institute, St. John’s University 2002 (essay later published in RITE
  • Personal Liturgical Website featured in Australian Liturgy Magazine
  • Web Work featured in the Sunday Chicago Tribune
  • Web Work featured in the St. Anthony Messenger Magazine
  • Web Work featured on KXMA Television
  • Planning liturgies for three major Benedictine Conventions
  • Speaking engagements in WI, MT, ND, TX, Canada on liturgy, Taizé prayer, www, and spirituality
  • Montana Youth Choir
  • National Honor Society

MUSICAL SKILLS

  • Soprano, with a strong lower range, skilled vocal sight reader
  • Classical and folk guitars in a wide variety of styles: soloist/accompaniment
  • Keyboards
  • Saxophone, Digital Midi Horn, Recorder, lousy Trombone, and basic knowledge multiple other instruments (I taught band so had at least a semester on most instruments)
  • Composing, arranging, transposing
  • Choir and Band Direction
  • Diverse musical tastes and background

COMPUTER SKILLS

  • Windows operating systems
  • Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Publisher, Excel
  • Ministery Scheduler Pro
  • Microsoft Movie Maker
  • Media Shout
  • Corel Word Perfect, Draw
  • Adobe PageMaker
  • Adobe In Design
  • Adobe Acrobat
  • Paint Shop Pro
  • Finale Music Program
  • Multiple Web publishing programs, including HomeSite, Arachnophilia, Front Page
  • CSS, some Java
  • Multiple Web Browsers
  • Multiple Drawing Programs
  • Simple Video Editing Capabilities
  • If I don’t know it, give me five minutes!

VOLUNTEER EFFORTS

  • Archdiocesan Liturgical Commission
  • ALMA-NPM   Local Level and NPM National Chapters Committee
  • Unity Club
  • Guest Chef at Linden Inn as a fundraiser for St. Frances Cabrini 2007
  • Archdiocesan Community Advisory Board for Sexual Abuse
  • Kettle Moraine Jazz Festival
  • Relay for Life
  • Dickinson Community Concerts
  • Domestic Violence Center
  • Heartland Hospice
  • Benedictine Internet Commission, American Benedictine Acadamy
  • Liturgical Ministries in parishes in Chinook, Havre, MT;
  • Bismarck, Dickinson, ND; Cheyenne, WY.

HOBBIES

  • Cooking international cuisine
  • Attending Concerts
  • Writing music and poetry
  • Bicycling
  • Camping
  • ALMA-NPM
  • Area Open Mic Evenings and Jam
  • Karaoke

Thoughts on music, prayer, liturgy, and that which strikes my fancy!