About Us

Meet Our Staff

The Frances Clark Center

Jennifer Snow

CEO and Executive Director

Dr. Jennifer Snow is an internationally recognized executive, artist, educator, and thought leader. She leads all divisions of the Frances Clark Center: Piano Magazine, NCKP: The Piano Conference, New School for Music Study, Piano Education Press, International Teacher Education, Piano Inspires, and Piano Stories on Stage concert series. Passionate about the transformative power of the arts, Jennifer is dedicated to serving and advancing the mission of the Center.

Leah Claiborne

Director, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Leah Claiborne, D.M.A. promotes diversity in the arts by championing piano music by Black composers in her performances, research, and teaching. She serves as Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for the Frances Clark Center/National Conference of Keyboard Pedagogy.

Alejandro Cremaschi

Director, Research Advancement

Alejandro Cremaschi is Professor of Piano Pedagogy at the University of Colorado Boulder. His research areas include pedagogical technology and Latin American music. He has recorded for the labels IRCO, Ostinato, Marco Polo and Meridian Records. His pedagogical edition and publication of Alberto Ginastera’s Doce Preludios Americanos for piano was published by Carl Fisher in 2016.

E.L. Lancaster

Director, Publication Projects

E. L. Lancaster is a piano faculty member at California State University, Northridge. Previous positions include Senior Vice President and Keyboard Editor-in-Chief for Alfred Music and David Ross Boyd Professor of Music at the University of Oklahoma. In 2019, he received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Conference on Keyboard Pedagogy.

Sara Ernst

Director, Teacher Engagement

Sara Ernst, PhD, is an active pedagogue and pianist, and Associate Professor and Director of Piano Pedagogy at the University of Oklahoma in Norman. For the Frances Clark Center, she is Director of Teacher Engagement and leads programming for NCKP: The Piano Conference.

Shana Kirk

Director, Digital Operations

Shana Kirk is a Colorado-based pianist, teacher, and technology consultant. Exploring the convergence of technology and pedagogy, she serves as a liaison between education and industry, has appeared on programs across the US and Canada, and has written for numerous publications, including as the co-author of the long-running Tech Connect column in American Music Teacher.

Andrea McAlister

Director, Digital Content; Senior Editor

Dr. Andrea McAlister serves as Director of Digital Programming for the Frances Clark Center and a Senior Editor for Piano Magazine. Dr. McAlister is Professor of Piano Pedagogy at Oberlin College and a member of the Yamaha Master Educator Collective.

Artina McCain

Program Advisor, Advanced Repertoire

Hailed by the New York Times as a “virtuoso pianist” Artina McCain, has an international career as a performer, educator and speaker. Dedicated to creating awareness for underrepresented voices, McCain curates programming and arranged 24 African American Folk Songs for the Hal Leonard series. Currently, she is a professor at the University of Memphis.

Rebecca Mergen Pennington

Administrative Director, New School for Music Study

Rebecca Mergen Pennington has been a member of the faculty of the New School for Music Study since 2007 and currently serves as the Administrative Director. She holds a DMA and MM in Piano Performance from the University of Kansas, and a BM in Music Education from Concordia College.

Craig Sale

Director, Online Courses; Senior Editor

Craig Sale is a pianist, teacher, workshop clinician, adjudicator, author, and editor. For thirty years he served as Director of the Preparatory and Community Piano Program at Concordia University Chicago where he also taught university courses in piano pedagogy. He was a pedagogy student of Frances Clark and Louise Goss.

Luis Sanchez

Director, International Engagement

Luis Sanchez has maintained an active performing and teaching career and appeared in concerts in the United States, South America, Europe, and Asia. He is currently Professor of Piano and Director of Keyboard Studies at Texas A&M University-Commerce and serves as Director of International Engagement for the Frances Clark Center.

Pamela Pike

Editor in Chief and Chief Content Director, Piano Magazine

Pamela D. Pike is the Spillman Professor of Piano Pedagogy and Associate Dean of Research at Louisiana State University. As an active researcher of pedagogical topics, she is a sought-after speaker and clinician. Pike has published articles, book chapters and full-length books, and is editor-in-chief of the Piano Magazine.

Yeeseon Kwon

Director, Institutional Engagement

Dr. Yeeseon Kwon is Associate Professor in the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University teaching piano, musicianship, piano pedagogy, and special topics in graduate seminars. Also specializing in andragogy, she enjoys teaching adult piano students at the Northwestern University Music Academy. Dr. Kwon is the Music, Materials, and Books Editor for Piano Magazine and Vice President of The College Music Society, as well as Immediate Past President of the Illinois State Music Teachers Association.

Heather Smith

Director, Development and Advancement

Heather Smith maintains a multi-faceted career as an educator, administrator, music examiner, and community arts advocate. She is the co-creator of The Frances Clark Center’s online course, A Pianist’s Guide to Studio Management. Heather holds advanced degrees in music and business and enjoys supporting communities through music fundraising initiatives.

Michaela Boros

Manager, Program Operations
Associate Director, NCKP

Michaela Boros earned a DMA in Piano Pedagogy from the University of South Carolina, studying under Sara Ernst and Scott Price. She has presented at MTNA and NCKP conferences, been published in American Music Teacher, and won Runner-Up in Piano Magazine’s 2019 Collegiate Writing Contest.

Sarah Leonard

Manager, Subscriber Support and Advertising

Sarah Leonard began working for Piano Magazine as a student intern in 2021. She has since graduated with her Master’s in Piano Pedagogy from LSU, where she focused her research on small-handed pianists. Currently, she teaches in Baton Rouge.

Curtis Pavey

Manager, Online Publications

Dr. Curtis Pavey is a pianist, harpsichordist, and educator. A performer of works from the 16th through the 21st centuries, he feels equally at home performing or teaching at the piano and the harpsichord. He currently serves as Assistant Professor of Piano Pedagogy and Performance at the University of Missouri.

Carla Salas Ruiz

Manager, Communications and Periodicals

Carla holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Costa Rica and a Master’s and PhD from Louisiana State University. She is a piano instructor at Brazosport College, dedicated to fostering a supportive, inclusive, and stimulating learning environment. Her research focuses on motivation, interest development, and effective practice strategies in piano education. Carla has presented her research at national and international conferences and contributed to research journals.

Jessie Welsh

Manager, Digital Programming

Jessie Welsh, DMA, NCTM is Assistant Pedagogical Professor of Piano at Western Kentucky University, where she coordinates group piano, teaches piano pedagogy and accompanying, and directs the Piano Laboratory Program. Dr. Welsh holds five music degrees in piano pedagogy, piano performance, and music education. Her research, presentations, and publications have been featured by national conferences and journals.

Fanarelia Guerrero

Coordinator, International Engagement

Fanarelia Guerrero has dedicated part of her career to piano pedagogy, and to the research of Nicaraguan and Latin American music. She holds degrees from the University of Costa Rica and Texas State University (Piano Performance). She recently earned her DMA in Piano Pedagogy at the University of South Carolina. Dr. Guerrero currently serves as Coordinator of the International Engagement for the Frances Clark Center.

Ricardo Pozenatto

Coordinator, International Engagement

Ricardo Pozenatto, a native of Brazil, earned a PhD in Music Education with focus in Piano Pedagogy from Florida State University. He has presented at MTNA and NCKP conferences, and at Canadian and Brazilian conferences. Besides being a Coordinator of International Engagement at the Frances Clark Center, Ricardo also serves as the Florida State MTA Teacher Awards Chair.

Megan Rich

Coordinator, Communications

Megan Rich is the Coordinator of Piano Studies at the University of South Carolina at Aiken. She teaches beginner and advanced group piano, music theory, aural skills, and applied piano.

Elizabeth Smith

Coordinator, Program Development

Elizabeth Smith is pursuing a DMA in piano performance at the University of Colorado – Boulder studying under Dr. Jennifer Hayghe. A native of Dallas, Texas, Elizabeth maintains an independent piano studio and is passionate about making diverse music accessible to all piano students.

Anthony Ty

Coordinator, Social Media

Anthony Ty is 23 years old and recently graduated from DePaul University. Ty currently teaches at Solo Classic (Buffalo Grove, IL), and is now also building up his private studio in Skokie, IL. He has a passion for online teaching and implementing technology in his studio.

Gregory Worthley

Coordinator, Website

Gregory Worthley received his masters degree in Piano Performance and Pedagogy from the University of Oklahoma and his undergraduate degree in piano performance from Evangel University in Springfield, Missouri. He is currently a Post-Graduate Fellow at the New School for Music Study in Kingston, NJ.

Owen Zhou

Coordinator, Audio and Video

Owen Zhou holds degrees in piano performance from the Eastman School of Music, Northwestern University, and the University of Colorado at Boulder. Owen maintains a full teaching studio. He also runs an audio and video production business, serving high profile clients. Owen is also an avid mountaineer and skier.

Hyrum Arnesen

Administrative Support

Hyrum Arnesen is finishing a DMA from the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music while working as a Visiting Assistant Professor of music at Southern Virginia University. He is an active soloist, collaborator, and teacher with particular research interests in Argentine piano repertoire, building strong technique, and fostering motivation in students.

Julia Beck

Administrative Support

Julia Beck is currently pursuing a masters in piano pedagogy and performance at University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where she studies with Dr. Brenda Wristen and Dr. Paul Barnes. A native of Minot, North Dakota, her special interests include teaching students with hearing loss and researching advancements to their music curriculum.

Tahja Belin

Administrative Support

Hailing from Dallas, TX, Tahja Belin is pursuing a Bachelors of Music in Piano Performance. Known for her expressive and energetic playing, she has performed with a variety of ensembles across the Memphis Metropolitan Area. Aside from her musical studies, Tahja is a certified IT technician with aspirations of pioneering new technology within the music industry.

Anna Johnson

Administrative Support

Active as a performer and pedagogue, Anna Johnson is committed to community engagement and bringing music to the underserved, and enjoys discovering hidden gems of the piano repertoire. She recently completed her DMA in Piano Pedagogy and Graduate Certificate in Collaborative Piano at Texas Tech University.

Helena Kim

Administrative Support

Dr. Helena Hyesoo Kim is a Korean-Canadian pianist who focuses on discovering underrepresented composers and specializes in the works of Soviet female composers. She recently graduated with her doctorate from the University of Cincinnati and serves as the Coordinator of Accompanying at the University of Akron.

Qin Ling

Administrative Support

Qin Ling is a faculty member at the New School for Music Study. She has a combination of administrative background and piano teaching and performing experiences. She is passionate about working with diverse learners, engaging communities, and connecting Chinese and American piano pedagogy field.

Abigail Olson

Administrative Support

Holding advanced degrees in pedagogy, performance, and collaborative keyboard, Abigail Olson is devoted to excellent musical performances that display vulnerability and authenticity. She consistently seeks to share these qualities with her audiences and purposefully cultivates a joyful, genuine atmosphere in her Ohio-based studio.

Savannah Royston

Administrative Support

Originally from East Tennessee, Savannah Royston has played piano since she was 6 years old. She studied with Jerry Reed at Lipscomb University and currently studies with Paul Barnes at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Beyond teaching piano lessons, Savannah works in arts administration and is a freelance grant writer.

Makayla Stevenson

Administrative Support

Makayla is a music teacher, computer programmer, and everything in between! Her strengths are in writing, editing, research, organization, and communication, allowing her to fit in almost any capacity. She currently serves as administrative support for the Frances Clark Center.

Yuan Zhuang

Administrative Support

Yuan is an active pianist, organist, chamber music performer, and teacher. Having been teaching the piano for over ten years, she enjoys leading students from various backgrounds to explore the music world. She is finishing her doctoral degree in Piano Performance at the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.

Florencia Zuloaga

Administrative Support

Florencia Zuloaga is an active concert pianist in Argentina and the USA. Past soloist collaborations include the Arkansas Philharmonic and the Amadeus Radio Orchestra (Argentina). Her performances of music by Argentine women composers have been featured internationally. Florencia is a DMA Candidate in Piano Performance at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Heather Hancock

Student Intern

As a Performing Artist, Pedagogue and Activist, Heather Hancock is passionate about the intersection of artistry and social justice. Currently, Heather is a DMA candidate (Piano Performance) at The University of Georgia where she is a Teaching Assistant. Her research explores solo piano works that directly engage social justice issues. As a collaborative pianist, Heather delights in exploring works by under represented composers as well as newly discovered and contemporary composers.

Jasmine Harry

Student Intern

Jasmine Harry is a doctoral candidate in piano pedagogy at the University South Carolina. She received her masters degree in piano pedagogy at Michigan State University and her bachelor degree in piano performance at Stetson University. She is part of national organizations including MTNA, NFMC, Golden Key International Honor Society, and the Pi Kappa Beta Society. She has served as President of Stetson University Collegiate Chapter and currently serves as Vice President of University of South Carolina Collegiate Chapter.

Rachel Misheff

Student Intern

Rachel Misheff is a Doctoral Candidate studying piano pedagogy at the University of South Carolina. She serves as the admissions assistant and an instructor for the university’s Center for Piano Studies. Rachel enjoys teaching and performing in a variety of settings and takes special interest in feminist musicology.

Asia Passmore

Student Intern

Asia Passmore is strongly passionate about including the works of African American composers on the concert stage and in the pedagogical canon. She is currently a DMA student at the University of Georgia studying piano performance with Dr. Liza Stepanova, and piano pedagogy with Dr. Peter Jutras and Dr. Grace Huang.

Molly Thomas

Student Intern

Molly Thomas began studying piano at age seven and has been passionate ever since. She is currently pursuing her Doctor of Musical Arts in Piano Pedagogy at the University of South Carolina. Her interests include contemporary compositions and promoting jazz study to students of all ages.

Piano Magazine

Pamela Pike

Editor in Chief and Chief Content Director, Piano Magazine

Pamela D. Pike is the Spillman Professor of Piano Pedagogy and Associate Dean of Research at Louisiana State University. As an active researcher of pedagogical topics, she is a sought-after speaker and clinician. Pike has published articles, book chapters and full-length books, and is editor-in-chief of the Piano Magazine.

Craig Sale

Senior Editor

Craig Sale is a pianist, teacher, workshop clinician, adjudicator, author, and editor. For thirty years he served as Director of the Preparatory and Community Piano Program at Concordia University Chicago where he also taught university courses in piano pedagogy. He was a pedagogy student of Frances Clark and Louise Goss.

Olivia Ellis

Editor

Olivia Ellis, DMA, NCTM, is Associate Professor of Music at Bryan College where she teaches piano, pedagogy, music theory, and piano ensemble. She is active in MTNA and recently served on the National Certification Commission. Dr. Ellis is a member of the Chiara Piano Duo and also enjoys sharing teaching tips on her blog at creativepianoteacher.com. She holds a DMA in Piano Performance and Pedagogy from the University of Oklahoma.

Linda Christensen

Column Editor; Technology

Dr. Christensen is on the Piano Team for Roland. She is a frequent presenter for state, national, and international conferences, focusing on integrating technology into music lessons.

Yeeseon Kwon

Column Editor; Books, Materials, and Music

Dr. Yeeseon Kwon is the Director of Institutional Engagement for the Frances Clark Center and Column Editor for New Books, Materials, and Music. She is Associate Professor at the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University and Vice President of The College Music Society.

Heather Lanners

Column Editor; Recordings

Canadian pianist Heather Lanners has performed throughout the United States, Canada, Europe, China and Brazil. Professor of Piano at the Greenwood School of Music at Oklahoma State University, she holds degrees from the University of Western Ontario, École Normale de Musique and Eastman School of Music. She is currently Recordings Editor for Piano Magazine.

Lesley McAllister

Column Editor; Healthy Playing, Healthy Teaching

Lesley McAllister, DMA is Professor of Piano and Director of Piano Pedagogy at Baylor University. She has presented at national and international conferences and been published in the Piano Magazine and American Music Teacher as well as publishing two books: The Balanced Musician and Yoga in the Music Studio.

Omar Roy

Column Editor; Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Omar Roy currently serves as Assistant Professor of Piano and Piano Pedagogy at the University of South Carolina. His research interests include practice efficiency, inclusive teaching, and narrativity in music. Dr. Roy earned the DMA in Piano Performance and Pedagogy from the University of Oklahoma.

Jerry Wong

Column Editor; International

Jerry Wong has gained critical acclaim for performances as soloist, chamber musician and recording artist on the MSR Classics label. His masterclasses have led him to Australia, China, Hong Kong, Italy, Korea, Macau, Malaysia, Russia, Singapore and Taiwan, as well as throughout the United States. Wong holds the position of Associate Professor of Piano and Co-Head of Keyboard at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music in Australia.

Rebecca Bellelo

Copy Editor

Rebecca C. Bellelo, NCTM, PhD, teaches applied piano and RMM classes to students of all ages in her studio, Piano Pathways. She currently serves as a Professional Affiliate faculty member at Louisiana State University, where she teaches piano pedagogy and group piano. She is a frequent presenter at conferences and webinars, and serves in state and local MTAs.

Andrea McAlister

Copy Editor

Dr. Andrea McAlister serves as Director of Digital Programming for the Frances Clark Center and a Senior Editor for Piano Magazine. Dr. McAlister is Professor of Piano Pedagogy at Oberlin College and a member of the Yamaha Master Educator Collective.

Curtis Pavey

Copy Editor

Dr. Curtis Pavey is a pianist, harpsichordist, and educator. A performer of works from the 16th through the 21st centuries, he feels equally at home performing or teaching at the piano and the harpsichord. He currently serves as Assistant Professor of Piano Pedagogy and Performance at the University of Missouri.

Jessie Welsh

Copy Editor

Jessie Welsh, DMA, NCTM is Assistant Pedagogical Professor of Piano at Western Kentucky University, where she coordinates group piano, teaches piano pedagogy and accompanying, and directs the Piano Laboratory Program. Dr. Welsh holds five music degrees in piano pedagogy, piano performance, and music education. Her research, presentations, and publications have been featured by national conferences and journals.

Barbara Fast

Editorial Board

Barbara Fast is Piano Chair and Director of Piano Pedagogy, coordinates the group piano program and teaches graduate piano pedagogy at the University of Oklahoma. An active workshop clinician, she co-founded the Group Piano/Piano Pedagogy (GP3) Forum. She is the co-author of iPractice: Technology in the 21st Century Music Practice Room.

Alejandro Cremaschi

Editorial Board

Alejandro Cremaschi is Professor of Piano Pedagogy at the University of Colorado Boulder. His research areas include pedagogical technology and Latin American music. He has recorded for the labels IRCO, Ostinato, Marco Polo and Meridian Records. His pedagogical edition and publication of Alberto Ginastera’s Doce Preludios Americanos for piano was published by Carl Fisher in 2016.

Rebecca Grooms Johnson

Editorial Board

Rebecca Grooms Johnson, Ph.D., NCTM, is a nationally respected leader in the field of piano pedagogy. She is an independent teacher and has taught extensively at the university level. Active in the Music Teachers National Association, she has served as President of the Ohio MTA, National Chair of MTNA’s Pedagogy Committee, and national Certification Chair.

Midori Koga

Editorial Board

With performances described as “meltingly lovely”, “rippling clean” (Globe and Mail), and “with exquisite tone colors” (Fanfare Magazine), pianist Midori Koga has been featured as soloist and chamber musician throughout Canada, USA, Spain, China, Taiwan and Austria. Koga currently serves as Associate Professor of piano and pedagogy at the University of Toronto.

Scott McBride Smith

Editorial Board

Scott McBride Smith is the Cordelia Brown Murphy Professor at the University of Kansas. A recognized leader in music education, his philosophical and cognitive approach, combined with a sense of humor, has made him an audience favorite around the world. His numerous practical initiatives to improve today’s piano lesson experience include the series American Popular Piano and the summer program International Institute for Young Musicians.

The New School for Music Study

Rebecca Pennington, Administrative Director

Faculty

• Gonzalo Aguilar
• Marvin Blickenstaff
• Kristin Cahill
• Fiona Christano
• Allison Fog
• Jason Gallagher
• Amy Glennon
• Derek Hartman
• Esther Hayter
• Denise Isaac
• Kairy Koshoeva
• Teresa Lim
• Qin Ling
• Charl Louw
• Morgan Murdock
• Margie Nelson
• Rebecca Pennington
• Savannah Royston
• Alexa Stier
• Malissa Tong
• Angela Triandafillou Jones
• Gregory Worthley