Current NASA Officers

The North American Saxophone Alliance is an organization made up of individuals who share a common interest in the saxophone. Members include professional performers, university professors, public school teachers, students of all levels, and others who have an interest in the saxophone. In addition to the Alliance's emphasis on disseminating information concerning the saxophone, the organization also works to provide opportunities for its members to make music, fostering fellowship among saxophone enthusiasts of all ages and backgrounds.

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Executive Committee

Jessica Voigt-Page Board Position: President NASA Member Since: 2010 University / Organization: Calendly

Christopher Creviston Board Position: Immediate Past President NASA Member Since: 1988 University / Organization: Arizona State University What I Love About NASA: Whether we're actually at a conference or not, this is our community, and NASA affords us opportunities to shape a better future for that community. The members of NASA are our colleagues, collaborators, heroes, students, competitors and friends — and I love being involved with this world of saxo-geeks!

Kim Goddard Loeffert Board Position: President-Elect NASA Member Since: 2009 University / Organization: Oklahoma State University

Noa Even Board Position: Treasurer NASA Member Since: 2003 University / Organization: Rowan University What I Love About NASA: The energy! Members of this organization inspire and support each other, think creatively, and care deeply about their work. As NASA continues to grow and evolve, these values seem to be the thread that carries through.

Steven Banks Board Position: Secretary NASA Member Since: 2011 University / Organization: Kenari Quartet LLC

Gene Smith Board Position: Jazz Coordinator NASA Member Since: 2011 University / Organization: GSO Jazz LLC, Jackson State University What I Love About NASA: I love being an advocate for the saxophone. I also cherish the opportunity to help guide NASA towards greater sustainability so the organization can be funded into perpetuity.

Julia Nolan Board Position: Director of Scholarly Publications NASA Member Since: 1984 University / Organization: University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada What I Love About NASA: What began as an idea with Eugene Rousseau and Paul Brodie, NASA has blossomed into an important international presence in global musical communities. I enjoy hearing music that is new, old, and in-between performed by professionals, students, and enthusiasts, renewing old friendships, and making new ones at the local, national, and international conferences. Good times, good friends, good music, and a great organization!

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Appointed Officers

Jennifer Blackwell Position: Saxophone Symposium Editor NASA Member Since: 2009 University / Organization: University of Hawai'i at Mānoa What I Love About NASA: I love the community NASA has created for performers, scholars, teachers, and enthuiasists of the saxophone to come together and share their passion for this beautiful instrument!

Myles Boothroyd Position: Saxophone Symposium Assistant Editor NASA Member Since: 2009 University / Organization: University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point What I Love About NASA: I am grateful for this incredible forum in which saxophonists everywhere can share new ideas, present diverse music, learn about their craft, and inspire one another. NASA is a vibrant light for the continued celebration and mastery of our instrument!

Austin McFarland Position: Marketing Admin NASA Member Since: 2017 What I Love About NASA: I love the collaboration and camaraderie that NASA provides to the saxophone community. NASA provides so many opportunities for saxophonists of all ages to come together, learn, and grow as more than just musicians that share a love of the saxophone.

Nathan Mertens Position: Director of Marketing NASA Member Since: 2008 University / Organization: Hastings College What I Love About NASA: Throughout my journey, NASA has continued to inspire, rejuvenate, and challenge me as a musician and person. I feel incredibly lucky to be a part of such an amazing community of saxophonists who support each other, music, and the instrument.

Alexia McLean Position: Social Media Outreach NASA Member Since: 2019 University / Organization: Syracuse University What I Love About NASA: I treasure the community and friendships that NASA has given me. Not only has NASA a brought exceptional opportunities of the saxophone, it has also enhanced comradery amongst amazing individuals.

Matt Younglove Position: Membership Director NASA Member Since: 2009 University / Organization: Tennessee Technological University What I Love About NASA: I am grateful for the many years of devoted work and passion that the NASA community gives to our exceptional instrument. Our community of performers, teachers, scholars, students, amateurs, creatives, and enthusiasts is an amazing and supportive group from diverse backgrounds and with unique perspectives.

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Regional Directors

Idit Shner Position: Region 1 Director (WA, OR, ID, MT, WY, AK) NASA Member Since: 2005 University / Organization: University of Oregon School of Music and Dance, Professor of Saxophone and Jazz Studies What I Love About NASA: NASA brings people from different regions and backgrounds together sharing all things saxophone. I love how the saxophone can sound a million different ways; it would be so boring if we all sounded the same! Going to the NASA conferences and hearing people's different sounds and concepts is something I cherish.

Eric Lau Position: Region 2 Director (CA, NV, UT, AZ, CO, NM, HI) NASA Member Since: 1998 University / Organization: The University of New Mexico

Matthew Patnode Position: Region 3 Director (ND, SD, NE, MN, IA) NASA Member Since: 1986 University / Organization: North Dakota State University What I Love About NASA: NASA has raised the level of performance, pedagogical research, and embracing all styles of saxophone playing. It provides a great forum for students and professionals alike though publications and conferences at regional and national levels.

Jeffrey Loeffert Position: Region 4 Director (KS, OK, MO, AR, TX) NASA Member Since: 1999 University / Organization: Oklahoma State University / h2 quartet What I Love About NASA: NASA provides a platform to share musical and pedagogical ideas for saxophone enthusiasts at all levels.

Farrell Vernon Position: Region 5 Director (WI, IL, IN, OH, MI) NASA Member Since: 1994 University / Organization: Purdue University Fort Wayne What I Love About NASA: , NASA is a major organization that encourages the birth of new art music. Our conferences gives an attractive reason for new composers to continue to create repertoire for our instrument. This is paramount as the Saxophone is just in its adolescence. Secondly, NASA is a forum to see, play, and hear rare saxophones, the extremes. Thirdly, NASA's free exchange of pedagogical techniques, both in masterclass and clinic formats. All of these reasons and more keep me excited about the next conference. Together, we help form the continued history of the saxophone.

Adam Estes Position: Region 6 Director (LA, MS, AL, GA, FL, PR) NASA Member Since: 2011 University / Organization: The University of Mississippi, Associate Professor of Saxophone and Bassoon What I Love About NASA: I've always enjoyed the community-building that comes from our annual conferences. For the past 20 years, I have attended these events, and in addition to the sharing of ideas, teachings, and performances, meeting others and establishing relationships in our field has always been my favorite aspect of NASA.

Timothy Roberts Position: Region 7 Director (KY, TN, VA, NC, SC, MD, DE, DC) NASA Member Since: 1985 University / Organization: Shenandoah Conservatory, Professor of Saxophone What I Love About NASA: NASA gives us the ability to meet new colleagues, build friendships with more familiar ones, and learn about lots of wonderful new repertoire for our instrument.

David Stambler Position: Region 8 Director (NY, PA, NJ, WV, CT, MA, RI, VT, ME, NH) NASA Member Since: 1987 University / Organization: Penn State School of Music, Professor of Saxophone What I Love About NASA: NASA is a community of saxophone artists, scholars, and enthusiasts from whom we all continue to learn. We serve each other as a great resource for repertoire, pedagogy, and performance activity, and we constantly remind each other of the ever-evolving standards of excellence.

Glen Gillis Position: Region 9 Director (BC, AB, SK, MB, YT, NT, NU) NASA Member Since: 1982 University / Organization: University of Saskatchewan, Professor of Music What I Love About NASA: The opportunity to hear and collaborate with many musicians and the presentation of so much new music for the saxophone.

James Kalyn Position: Region 10 Director (QC, NL, NB, NS, PE, ON) NASA Member Since: 1989 University / Organization: Mount Allison University, Associate Professor What I Love About NASA: The shameless play on the NASA name. We can be completely professional about our art and still have fun.

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Committee Chairs

Connie Frigo Position: Committee on the Status of Women Chair NASA Member Since: 1992 University / Organization: University of Georgia What I Love About NASA: I love possibilities and learning above all else, which is why being a part of NASA and serving in the various roles I've had over the years has been so interesting. In addition to loving the energy and welcoming spirit of our community, serving NASA has offered me the chance to really learn about and freely contribute to the scope of our collective imagination and vision as saxophonists and educators. It runs deep and is always evolving. The commitment across the membership — especially by students and younger members — to advance all aspects of our instrument and our profession is inspiring and sometimes jaw-dropping. My new role as Chair of the Committee on the Status of Women feels like the most important work thus far and it's a privilege to be a part of this initiative and work alongside other committee members to advance this mission. New possibilities always exist at NASA!

Dan Gelok Position: 2020 Biennial Conference Competition Chair NASA Member Since: 2004 University / Organization: University of Houston; Associate Instructional Professor of Saxophone What I Love About NASA: NASA provides a wonderful environment of support for what we all love — the saxophone and its advancement in North America and beyond.

Diane Hunger Board Position: 2020 Biennial Conference Composition Competition Chair NASA Member Since: 2010 University / Organization: Syracuse University, The MANA Quartet What I Love About NASA: I love seeing, hearing, collaborating with, and learning from old and new saxophone friends at the conferences. I always leave them inspired and full of new ideas for my own playing and teaching, and with newly acquired knowledge of fantastic repertoire for our instrument. I'm all for all things saxophone, and that's what NASA is for me.

Shawna Pennock Position: 2022 Biennial Conference Program Chair NASA Member Since: 2011 University / Organization: University of Nevada Las Vegas What I Love About NASA: I love the opportunities NASA creates for members to share meaningful art.

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