A collaborative pianist in the Greater Cincinnati region, Jan is Principal Accompanist for the Cincinnati Children’s Choir, in residence at the University of Cincinnati, College Conservatory of Music where she accompanies the Bel Canto, Con Brio and Cincinnati Girl Choir and conducts CCC’s south satellite choir, located in Northern Kentucky. Jan also serves on staff at Xavier University as Accompanist for the Concert Choir and for student recitals. In demand as a freelance accompanist, Jan performs regularly for many choral festivals, workshops and reading sessions throughout the US. In 2008, Jan was the recipient of the Alderson-Broaddus College Outstanding Young Alumni Award for excellence achieved in the field of music within ten years of graduation. Previously, Jan held positions as Staff Accompanist and Adjunct Lecturer of Music at Northern Kentucky University, Alderson-Broaddus College and Marietta College. She also served as Director of Music and Organist at the First Baptist Church of Parkersburg, WV where she founded and directed the Mid-Ohio Valley Children’s Choir, Chancel choir, handbell choir and worship team and maintained a private studio, teaching voice, piano and organ. Jan received the MM degree in Organ Performance from the Shenandoah University Conservatory of Music and a BA degree in Applied Music (organ performance) and Church Music from Alderson-Broaddus College.

A native of NE Ohio, Michael Waltenberger serves as Minister of Music/Organist at First Baptist Church (ABC/USA) in Decatur, Il where he directs the choral and handbell choir programs. A graduate of Eastern Nazarene College and Kent State University, Mike taught public school music in Massachusetts and Ohio for several years prior to becoming Minister of Music and School Administrator at First Baptist Church in Alliance, Ohio where he served from 1980 through 1988. At Decatur, Mike founded MUSICAMP, a music and related arts summer program for elementary school children, which recently celebrated their 25th year. He coordinates the church’s two concert series, Music for a Season of JOY and Music for Meditation during Advent and Lent. He has been active in various musical organizations and events in the Decatur community as well as in the Great Rivers Region (ABC/GRR). Currently, he serves as pianist and music librarian for Heart & Soul, a community choir for special need adults. Mike and his wife, PJ enjoy their free time together, tending flowers, attending concerts, going to the movies and hosting dinners with friends.

Carla is the pianist and substitute organist at First Baptist Church in Columbus, Indiana. She also plays handbells in a touring bell choir as well as in an off the table handbell quartet.

As FABM Webmaster, Carla keeps the website up to date with new information.

Carla has been attending the conference since 2007.

Joyce Crowder is Minister of Music at First Baptist Church in Columbus, Indiana and began attending the Conference for church Musicians in 1988. As the director of an Adult Choir, Youth Music, Children’s Musicals and several Handbell Choirs, she finds the conference a necessity to prepare for the many opportunities for music ministry at the church, in the community and beyond. Joyce’s husband, Scott, as well as their 3 grown children have attended the conference and continue to come back to Green Lake as often as possible. Now with several grandchildren of her own and many children and youth in the congregation, most years she has someone sharing in each of the different areas of the conference. This is truly a family conference with music opportunities for everyone.

Vanessa lives in Columbus, Indiana and is the Education Director and Production Manager for the Columbus Indiana Philharmonic. She teaches private and group strings classes as well as directs the Philharmonic Youth Orchestra. In addition to being a violinist, she plays handbells in a touring bell choir and in a handbell quartet.

Vanessa has been attending the Conference for Church Musicians since 2005. She looks forward to this conference every year.

As Membership Secretary, Vanessa keeps track of registrations for the conference. She’ll be at the registration table when you check in at this summer’s conference. She’s looking forward to seeing you there!

Karen has been a volunteer at the Lending Library since it was moved to Indianapolis in the early 1990’s; now as the Librarian, she additionally tends to the administrative aspects of the library. She has also served on the FABM Board as Treasurer and President.

An enthusiastic patron of the lending library since 1978, Karen has borrowed library anthems to help facilitate the choir ministries of the churches she has served, both large and small. After serving several American Baptist churches in Colorado and Indiana, she is currently the Director of Music Ministries at Mt. Auburn United Methodist Church in Greenwood, Indiana, where she directs the choral and handbell choirs, the children’s music ministry, serves as Organist and plans seasonal experiences in multi-sensory worship.

Karen has attended the Conference for Church Musicians every summer since 1994. The rich resources of the conference in choral music and conducting for all ages, handbells, organ, worship and instrumental areas, as well as networking opportunities with clinicians and colleagues provide inspiration all year long and for years after, building a magnificent cumulative base of knowledge, refreshment and encouragement for a vital music ministry.

Karen’s husband Mark and their son Kyle are also musicians who have stepped up countless times to support both her local church music ministry and her ministry at the music conference and the library. Mark and Karen together write curriculum for the ABCUSA. Karen is a member of Joyful Sound, a Greenwood-area community handbell choir. She enjoys fiber and textile arts, often incorporating them into her musical worship experiences.