Dr. Dara Gillis is Director Emeritus of the Delaware Hayes Choral Program and the director of both Consort and Cantabile ensembles at Capital University. She received her undergraduate and master’s degrees in music education from Ohio University and her Doctor of Musical Arts in conducting from Ohio State University. Her article, “African American Spirituals in the Public School Classroom: Our Most Powerful Weapon Against Racism” was published in the October 2021 edition of the Choral Journal and was excerpted from her dissertation on the same subject. During Dr. Gillis’s tenure with the Delaware City Schools, the choral ensembles at Hayes High School received consistent superior ratings at both district and state adjudicated events and performed at such prestigious venues as Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center. Dr. Gillis is an active…
Dr. Allyse Dunnigan is the President of North Dakota ACDA and spends her days as a parent educator for North Dakota State University Extension. Allyse is married to Kyle, who works as the VP of IT at United Valley Bank. They have two young children, Eloise (7), and Bear (5). She spends her free time directing music for community theatre productions and researching culturally responsive practices in the vocal music classroom. Prior to parent education, Dr. Dunnigan taught for thirteen years at the elementary, middle school, high school, and collegiate levels, with most of the time being spent at Schroeder Middle School in Grand Forks, ND. Dr. Dunnigan received her bachelor’s degree in music education from North Dakota State University in 2011 where she also minored in psychology. She then…
Janice Gilbert is the High School Choir Director at Tea Area School District in Tea, SD where she has led a thriving choral program for over a decade. A graduate of South Dakota State University (B.M.E.) and Lipscomb University (M.Ed.), she began her teaching career in Arlington, SD, and later taught in Murfreesboro, TN, where she specialized in inclusive music education. Under her leadership, Tea Area choirs have performed at the South Dakota Inservice Music Conference (2018, 2025) and the SD-ACDA Mid-Winter Conference (2024), with students selected for State, Regional, and National Honor Choirs. Mrs. Gilbert has served the South Dakota ACDA in multiple leadership roles, including Southeast Region Representative (two terms), and Personnel Chair for the Treble Junior Honor Choir (four years). Her contributions to music education were recognized…
Nick Oswald is a Choral Director in the Ankeny Community School District. In Ankeny, he directs the 8th and 9th grade Bass Clef Choirs and co-directs the 8th Grade Show Choir at Southview Middle School. Prior to Ankeny, Nick spent 15 years teaching Choral Music at Muscatine High School and Cedar Rapids Jefferson High School. Nick received his Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from the University of Northern Iowa and his Master’s Degree in Music Education from Anderson University in Anderson, South Carolina. Nick currently serves as President for the Iowa Choral Directors Association. Nick has previously served ICDA as the Show Choir R&R Chair from 2013-2023, Southeast District Representative from 2009-2013 and OPUS Honor Choir Facilities Chair from 2016-2018. In 2020 and 2023, his Ninth Grade Bass Clef Choir…
