Washington Music Educators Association

Serving All Music Educators

WMEA Leadership History

WMEA State Conferences

YearPresident, CityConference
1937James Yenney**, OlympiaPortland
1938Edna McKee**, PullmanSpokane
1939Marjorie Pidduck**, SeattleTacoma ##
1941Robert Choate**, SpokaneSpokane ##
1943Leslie Armstrong**, OlympiaEugene##
1948Theodore F. Normann**, SeattleTacoma
1950Harriet Charlton**, SeattleBellingham
1952Wayne S. Hertz**, EllensburgYakima
1954Frank L. D’Andrea**, BellinghamYakima
1956Edward Krenz**, PuyallupSpokane
1958William T. Herbst**, YakimaYakima
1960Randall Rockhill**, RentonWenatchee
1962Jack E. Schaeffer**, SeattleTacoma
1964Jack W. Francis**, VancouverYakima
1966A. Bert Christianson**, EllensburgSpokane
1968William D. Cole**, SeattleSeattle ##
1970Fred P. Schlichting**, OlympiaYakima
1972Raymond W. Thompson**, SeattleVancouver
1974Robert L. Miller**, PullmanTri-Cities
1976Vern Nicklaus**, TacomaWenatchee
1978Bernie Ackerman**, BothellYakima
1980Jack Potter**, BellinghamBellingham
1982Karla M. Timmerman, OlympiaRichland
1984Neal Porter**, SeattleRenton
1986Peggy Burrough**, PuyallupWenatchee
1988Ken Noreen**, ShorelineTacoma
1990Wayne Timmerman**, OlympiaSeattle^, Olympia
1992Mel Clayton, BothellTacoma
1994Bruce Caldwell, EdmondsYakima
1996Dave Cross, EverettTacoma
1998Vicki White Miltun, Mercer IslandYakima
2000Bruce Gutgesell, KirklandShoreline^, Yakima
2002Ted Christensen, KenmoreTukwila^, Yakima
2004Fred Dole, ClarkstonTukwila^, Yakima
2006Dave Weatherred, SpokaneTukwila^, Yakima
2008Don Clausen, IssaquahTukwila^, Yakima
2010Mark Lane, EllensburgSpokane#, Yakima
2012Kevin Paustian, AuburnBellevue#, Yakima
2014Dan Wing, ShorelinePortland#, Yakima
2016Scott Barnes, EdmondsSpokane#, Yakima
2018Jim Rice, EverettBellevue#, Yakima
2020Andrea Klouse, PuyallupPortland#, Yakima
2022Karen Helseth, ShorelineVirtual#, Yakima
2024Ron Gerhardstein, TacomaBellevue#, Yakima
2026Frank Lewis, TacomaSpokane#, Yakima
** Deceased
^ Combined with ArtsTime in odd-numbered year
# Combined with NAfME (formerly MENC) Northwest Division Conference in odd-numbered year
## Combined with MENC National Conference

WMEA Executives

YearsName, CityPosition
1946-48Liborius Hauptmann**, SeattleBusiness Manager
1983-84Coyne Burnett**, EllensburgExecutive Secretary
1995-2015Bruce Caldwell, EdmondsExecutive Director
2015-2025Scott Ketron, RentonExecutive Director
2025-presentElizabeth Fortune, SeattleInterim Executive Director
** Deceased

WMEA Publication Officers

YearsName, CityPosition
1941-42Robert Choate**, SpokaneBulletin Editor
1946-50Theodore F. Normann**, SeattleNorthwest Music Review Editor
1950-54Frederick Kintzer**, CentraliaWashington Music Educators News Editor
1954-55Ben Hallgrimson**, TacomaWashington Music Educators News Editor
1955-57Don Walter**, BellinghamWashington Music Educators News Editor
1957-60R. Bruce Bray**, EllensburgWashington Music Educators News Editor
1960-64Mary Elizabeth Whitner**, EllensburgWashington Music Educators News Editor
1964-90Coyne Burnett**, EllensburgVoice Editor
1990-95Tom Bourne, EllensburgVoice Editor
1995- 2015Jo Caldwell, EdmondsVoice Editor and Publications Manager
2015-2016Scott Ketron, RentonPublications Manager/Editor
2016-2021Mario Brown, MarysvillePublications Editor
2022- PresentRacheal Papadopoulos, SeattleVoice Editor
** Deceased

WMEA Webmasters

YearName, City
1995-2001David Mohs, Lynnwood
2001-2004Doug Dossett, Seattle
2004-2011Doug Sutton, Deming
2011-PresentJim Kovach, Wenatchee
2022 – PresentJim Cutler, Longview (Website)

NAfME Northwest Conferences

  • 1927 Seattle
  • 1929 Spokane Letha L McClure, Seattle WA
  • 1931 Spokane Frances Dickey, Seattle WA
  • 1933 Seattle Anne L Beck, Eugene OR
  • 1935 Boise Charles R Cutts, Billings MT
  • 1937 Portland Ethel M Henson, Seattle WA
  • 1939 Tacoma Louis G Wersen, Tacoma WA
  • 1941 Spokane Andrew Loney, LaGrande OR
  • 1943 Eugene Walter C Welke, Seattle WA
  • 1945 Spokane Wayne S Hertz, Ellensburg WA
  • 1947 Seattle Stanley M Teel, Missoula MT
  • 1949 Portland Wallace H Hannah, Vancouver WA
  • 1951 Missoula Karl D Ernst, Portland OR
  • 1953 Bellingham Leslie H Armstrong, Olympia WA
  • 1955 Eugene A Bert Christianson, Ellensburg WA
  • 1957 Boise O M Hartsell, Helena MT
  • 1959 Seattle A Verne Wilson, Portland OR
  • 1961 Spokane Frank L D’Andrea, Bellingham WA
  • 1963 Casper Donald C Scott, LaGrande OR
  • 1965 Portland Bruce Bray, Moscow ID
  • 1967 Missoula Jesse S Foster, Portland OR
  • 1969 Eugene Jack E Schaefer, Seattle WA
  • 1971 Boise Avery L Glenn, Billings MT
  • 1973 Portland Randall Rockhill, Renton WA
  • 1975 Spokane Jerry Weseley Harris, Beaverton OR
  • 1977 Seattle Rex Yocum, Cheyenne WY
  • 1979 Billings Stephen Stone, Eugene OR
  • 1981 Vancouver Coyne G Burnett, Ellensburg WA
  • 1983 Seattle Burt A Burda, Boise ID
  • 1985 Spokane Dolores L Gibler, Spokane WA
  • 1987 Portland Lynn E Sjolund, Medford OR
  • 1989 Boise Larry D Williams, Bozeman MT
  • 1991 Seattle Neal Porter, Seattle WA
  • 1993 Portland Will Elliott, Boise ID
  • 1995 Spokane Bill Larson, Great Falls MT
  • 1997 Bellevue Mel Clayton, Bothell WA
  • 1999 Portland Dennis Granlie, Great Falls MT
  • 2001 Spokane Betty Ellis, Anchorage AK
  • 2003 Portland Lynn Brinckmeyer, Cheney WA
  • 2005 Bellevue Renee Westlake, Bozeman MT
  • 2007 Portland Jim Rice, Kenmore WA
  • 2009 Spokane Dave Weatherred, Spokane WA
  • 2011 Bellevue Debbie Glaze, Portland OR
  • 2013 Portland Sean Ambrose, Cheyenne WY
  • 2015 Spokane Mark Lane, Ellensburg WA
  • 2017 Bellevue Camille Blackburn, Idaho Falls ID
  • 2019 Portland John Combs, Missoula MT
  • 2021 Virtual Scott Barnes, Edmonds, WA
  • 2023 Bellevue, Tom Muller, Portland, OR
  • 2025 Spokane, Dusty Molyneaux, Great Falls, MT