In January 2014, the National Association for Music Education (NAFME) will conduct online voting for its next generation of leaders. All Association members will vote for 2014–2016 NAfME national president-elect.
Members in three divisions will also vote to select their 2014–2016 president-elect: North Central, Southern and Western. Voting for all candidates will open on Tuesday, January 14, 2014, and close at midnight on Wednesday, February 12, 2014.
Denese Odegaard and John L. Kuhner are the two candidates for national president. Odegaard is the Fargo (North Dakota) Public Schools’ performing arts specialist. Kuhner is the K–12 music department chairman for the Cheshire (Connecticut) Public Schools.
Kuhner and Odegaard each shared their visions for the Association’s future at NAfME’s National Leadership Assembly which met in June 2013 at Tysons Corner, Virginia. They also answered questions from the delegates.
Visit NAfME’s election page to watch a video of the national presidential candidates, as well as photos and biographies of all candidates.
The Division president-elect candidates are:
- Southern Division: Andrea Coleman (Mississippi) and Sara Womack (Alabama)
- Western Division: Russ Sperling (California) and Paul Watson (Utah)
- North Central Division: Judith Bush (Nebraska) and Leyla Sanyer (Wisconsin)
The new officeholders will assume their duties one week prior to the date of the National Assembly meeting that follows the election. The National Assembly will next meet in June, 2014, with Glenn E. Nierman taking office as 2014-2016 NAfME National President. Nierman, associate director of the University of Nebraska (Lincoln) School of Music, is currently 2012–14 NAfME President-Elect. He is a past president of the NAfME’s North Central Division and of the Nebraska Music Educators Association (NMEA). His public school teaching experience includes work with middle school general music and choir, as well as high school band and orchestra.
Nancy E. Ditmer of Wooster, Ohio, is the current NAfME president.
Roz Fehr, NAfME managing editor for news, December 13, 2013. © National Association for Music Education (NAfME.org)
