INTERNATIONAL ALLIANCE FOR WOMEN IN MUSIC
IAWM Board
IAWM Board and Staff (effective 2026)
Interim President (Past President)
Christina Rusnak
Composer, Writer, and Cultural Catalyst, Oregon, USA
Vice President
Leah Reid
Composer, Assistant Professor of Music Composition, University of Virginia, and VP of Projects and Programs for the Society of Electroacoustic Music in the United States (SEAMUS), Virginia, USA
Treasurer
Katelyn J. Jahnke, Assistant Professor, Horn, University of Arkansas, USA
Secretary
Melanie Kjellsen, Visiting Assistant Professor of Horn, University of Kentucky | Lexington, KY
International Representative
Eline Cote
Double Bassist, Founder Virago Symphonic Orchestra, Belgium
Supporting Members
Becky Brown
Audio Engineer, Technical Director, Web develoment, Virginia, USA
Anruo Cheng
Composer, Music Producer, Educator, Washington, USA
Sabrina Clarke
Composer, Theorist, Asst. Professor, Meredith College, North Carolina USA
Anna Clifton
Composer, audio and video editor, sound designer and filmmaker
Aliyah Danielle
Composer, Producer, Owner, Aliyah Danielle, LLC, Music Services, Co. New York, USA
Po-Sim Fanny Head
Pianist, Musicologist, Educator, Missouri Western State University, USA
Kathryn Felt
Pianist, Writer, Educator, Rutgers University, New Jersey USA
Ala Gialla
Pianist, Composer, Educator, Colorado, USA
Joanna Hersey
Professor, Composer, Performing Artist, Tuba, Gordon College,Massachusettes, USA
Rachel Kim
Pianist, Artistic Leader, Educator, California, USA
Jennifer Lamont
Opera Vocalist, Elementary Educator, Researcher, Florida, USA
Susan Miranda
Oboist, Educator, Symphony Orchestra E.D. Tennessee, USA
Moon-Sook Park
Vocalist, Associate Professor of Music, University of Arkansas, USA
Staff
Megan Hughes
Operations Administrator, Musicologist, Music Therapist, MD, USA
Megan Hughes
Journal Administrator, Musicologist, Music Therapist, MD, USA
Bookkeeper
Erica Duncan, Feather Co. Bookkeeping, AR, USA
Committee Volunteers
Bianca Corrente
Pianist, Researcher, Advocate, Italy
Jackie Ga0
Violinist, Violist, New York, USA
Carolina Hengstenberg
Composer, Orchestrator, Conductor, Educator, Spain
Jui-Lin Hu
Flutist, Student, IN, USA
Deborah Nemko
Pianist, Professor, MA, USA
Ursula Rempel
Musicologist, Editor, Manitoba, California
Linda Rimel
Writer, Editor, OR, USA
Finance Committee
The committee coordinates with other IAWM committees on income-producing projects and approves all non-budgeted expenses. The chair is responsible for all financial transactions for IAWM, including financial updating, fiscal management, and developing the budget.
Katelyn Jahnke, Chair
Christina Rusnak
Marketing Committee
The Marketing committee carries out IAWM’s Marketing to increase external knowledge, advocacy and membership for IAWM. Members increase the visiblity of IAWM Programs and works closely with the Advocacy, Global Initiatives, Development and Communications Committees.
Marketing and Branding
Susan Miranda – Chair
Jui-Lin Hu, committee member
Social Media Networking
Ala Gialla – Chair
Development Committee
The Development carries out strategies to increase internal and external giving and support. It works with individuals, foundations, grantors and corporations to support the programming and advocacy of the IAWM.
Kathryn Felt and Rachel Kim – Co-Chair
Advocacy & Public Relations Committee
The Advocacy & Public Relations Committee aims to promote IAWM’s awareness worldwide, and stimulate membership through developing industry allies and memberships/partnerships, integrating projects that promote the music and awareness of women in music and outreach to media and broadcasting.
Anna Clifton – Chair
Bianca Corrente, committee member
Radio Requests & Broadcasts – providing information on past, recent and upcoming broadcasts of music by women
Ursula Rempel and Linda Rimel
Awards, Grants & Concerts
The IAWM Awards / Concert Committee is comprised of four subcommittees that plan, administer, coordinate all entries, selects judges and and publicizes the IAWM annual concerts and awards.
Search for New Music (SNM) – honoring new compositions by women in several categories and genres
Moon-Sook Park, Chair
Pauline Alderman Awards – honoring writing about women and music
Jennifer Lamont
Annual Concert – plans the annual IAWM concert
Eline Cote, Chair
Education Grant – grants for educators ages 4-18
OPEN
Programming Award – honoring performers who program and advocate for music by women
OPEN
Conductor – recognizing the role of conductors who program and advocate for women
OPEN
Membership Committee
The Membership Committee verifies and maintains the informational database for all members, circulates a directory and executes the annual membership drive.
Leah Reid – Chair
Internship Coordinator – Works with universities and individuals in managing IAWM’s Internship program.
Sabrina Clarke
For questions, please email [email protected]
Communications & Website Committee
The Communications Committee is responsible for all external communication from IAWM publishing, the IAWM website, Webinars, and social media sites. This committee works closely with the Advocacy, Membership, and Marketing committees and the rest of the board in developing organizational communication messaging. It is comprised of three subcommittees:
IAWM Website / Media / Video
Becky Brown, Webmaster, Radio Requests
Anruo Cheng, Web Content, Media and Video
Elizabeth Hinkle-Turner, Listserv
Journal
OPEN – Journal Editor in Chief
Elizabeth Keathley, Associate Editor
Jesus Ramos-Kittrell, Assistant Editor
Mary Natvig, Assistant Editor
Jessie Freyermuth, Assistant Editor
Amy Zigler, Membership News
Kathleen Carter-Bell, Reviews Editor
Meagan Hughes, Journal Administrato
Conference Committee
The Conference Committee vigilantly seeks out international and U.S. sites for future Conferences. Any institution wishing to host a Conference should contact the committee chair or president. During the two years preceding a Conference, the committee supports the preparations by the host committee.
Joanna Hersey, Chair
Po-Sim Fanny Head
Global Initiatives Committee
This committee works closely with the Advocacy, Membership and Communications committees and the rest of the board to foster and develop awareness, and connection with members throughout the world, forming diverse partnerships and transformative opportunities for membership expansion, alliance, equity, community engagement and outreach. The Committee actively recruits member and potential board members from under-represented groups, geographies and musical disciplines.
Aliyah Danielle Qualls, Chair
Po-Sim Fanny Head
Nominations/Elections Committee
The IAWM board annually invites people to nominate themselves and others, with permission, to the IAWM board. The Nomination / Election Committee receives nominations and supporting materials, and facilitates the annual election of new board members. The Call for Nominations opens each year on June 15 and closes in early-mid August. Contact president@iawm or committee chair to learn more, or if you are interested in serving on one of IAWM’s committees.
Melanie Kjellsen, Chair
Historian
The Historian works with the Secretary, Communications, Membership Committee, and the rest of the board in documenting organizational activities and history, member information, board meetings, and decisions, awards communication, and statistics.
Melanie Kjellsen
Advisory Board
Jeannie G. Pool
Musicologist
Film Music Society
Los Angeles, CA
Chen Yi
Composer
University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory
Kansas City, MO
Judith Shatin
Composer
University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA
Ingrid Stölzel
Composer
University of Kansas
Lawrence, KS
Beth Denisch
Composer
Berklee College of Music
Boston, MA
Monica Buckland
Conductor and Educator
Balmain Sinfonia, and Bel a cappella
Sydney, Australia
Jennifer Higdon
Composer
Curtis Institute
Philadelphia, PA