Board Members
Officers
Stephanie Davis
President
Alto Stephanie Davis is very familiar with the role of President, having served DCC in this position previously from 2009-2014. She is currently the Executive Director for Camp Sunrise. Camp Sunrise, Camp Sunrise at Hopkins, and Camp SunSibs provide families affected by childhood cancer an array of life-changing camping experiences dedicated to the health, happiness and healing of every camper. Co-chair of DCCs 2019 Camp Opportunity Charitable project, she is a charter member of DCC and has sung with director Marty Banghart from Carnegie Hall to China’s Great Wall, or, as we call it, “The Hall to the Wall.” Steph has been volunteering in Africa for the past 8 years working with Project C.U.R.E. — the largest provider of donated medical supplies and equipment to developing countries around the world.
Kris Foster
Vice President
Kris Foster serves as the Judicial Assistant to a Federal Judge in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland. Prior to serving in the federal courts, she worked at the Baltimore office of Miles & Stockbridge P.C. for almost 15 years. She is a former student of Martha Banghart and is a charter member of the Deer Creek Chorale. Kris served as our first President of the Chorale from 2006-2009. Kris resides in Pylesville, Maryland with her husband, Jim, and two children, Jimmy and Julia, who are also members of the choir.
Sharon Kachur
Secretary
Lance Ledebur
Treasurer
Lance Ledebur is a retired 40-year career Harford County teacher who is married to Deer Creek Chorale Soprano, Hope Ledebur. After his teaching career ended, he worked for Harford County and the state of Maryland as an advisor for the Harford County Regional Association of Student Councils and as the Executive Director for the Maryland Association of Student Councils for a total of 14 years. He worked in many capacities from Dean to Office Manager for Indian Lake Christian Camp for almost 40 years and has served in many positions, including Elder, at Fork Christian Church. He and Hope are the parents of three children and grandparents to six granddaughters. Acting as Hope’s chauffeur and waiting patiently through rehearsals, he felt he could be useful in other ways, helping out at concerts and then accepting the role of treasurer. He only asks that the Chorale continue making excellent music!
Directors
Jeff Ayres
Jeff is a partner at the law firm of Venable LLP, where he has worked for 45 years. He has been married to long-time DCC soprano, Janet, for 43 years. They also sing together with the Connections Choir at the Church of the Redeemer in Baltimore. They live in Lutherville and have 3 children and 4 grandchildren living nearby.
Patty Ballinger
Patty Ballinger earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music Education from Graceland University in Iowa, Master of Music Degree in Organ Performance from University of Missouri in Kansas City, and took further studies in Choral Conducting and Rehearsal Techniques from Westminster Choir College in Princeton, New Jersey. She taught seven years of Elementary School general music in the Kansas City, Missouri area. From 1991 to 2019 she was Choral Director at Fallston High School in Harford County, Maryland. Patty is an ordained minister of Community of Christ and serves as musician and in other ministerial capacities. She also serves on the Board of Camp Opportunity, a not-for-profit organization that offers a residential summer camp and several mid-year activities to children ages 8-11 who have suffered abuse. Patty lives in Harford County with her husband, Gary. They have four children and four grandchildren.
Paula Benalcazar
Paula Benalcazar is a Baltimore County resident and active pianist and organist. She is a graduate of Northwestern University School of Music, with a Master’s degree in Piano Performance and Pedagogy. Paula served on the piano faculty of Mount St. Mary’s College in Los Angeles, California. She also served on the piano faculty at Carthege College in Kenosha Wisconsin, as well as University of Wisconsin-Parkside. During her years in Los Angeles and Chicago, she maintained busy private piano studios. She was the principal organist at St. Gabriel’s Catholic Church in Chicago for six years. Following her move back home to Baltimore County in 2000, Paula focused on raising her 3 children with her husband. She maintained an active accompaniment schedule, playing piano accompaniment for violin and vocal recitals, including for Paula Kurrus, Thea Moore, Sharon Becker and Martha Banghart. More recently, she plays regularly at St. John’s Hydes Catholic Church, as well as substituting at other area churches. Last year the Homeschool Co-Op of Christ the King Catholic Church hired her to teach
general music.
Sue Hill
Bio coming soon!
Donald McGonigle
Don McGonigle has over 30 years of experience in all aspects of systems engineering, program and content management with specialized expertise in Knowledge Management and dissemination solutions for Federal Government agencies. His teams deliver information portals, databases and collaborative systems including healthcare quality measures, toxic agent characteristics, international treaties and biotechnology market surveys, historical production and test processes. Don is a certified Project Management Professional and Leadership Coach Trainer. He currently volunteers as a Field Associate for the Maryland Area of the Christian Businessmen Connection and is involved in community development planning. He started singing in his middle school choir in the South Hills area of Pittsburgh (he is also the support team of the McGonigle musical family).
Lynn Moore
Lynn Moore has been a resident of Harford County since 1987. First living in Aberdeen, then moving to Churchville in 1993. In 1995 she joined the Harford Choral Society and was a member with them until 2003 when she joined Masterworks of Carroll County. In July of 2005 she attended the 5th Biennial International Festival and Choral Celebration of Song. “Festival 500 Sharing the Voices” in Newfoundland Canada: a multi-day event with 25 choirs from around the world. She continued to sing with Masterworks until the fall of 2010.
In the winter of 2010, Lynn began to study ballroom dancing along with her husband. They continue to dance competitively about 3 times a year. Lynn has also been a dedicated and an involved volunteer for the Maryland Center for the Arts. She continues to be involved for the fundraising efforts of the Maryland Center for the Arts today.
In spring of 2015, Lynn returned to singing, joining with the Deer Creek Choral. She has been an enthusiastic participant since. In February of 2018, she joined along with approximately 50 members from Deer Creek Chorale where they performed at Carnegie Hall in New York City and continue to wow audiences in Baltimore and Harford Counties.
Linda Perrine
Linda Perrine is a retired Spanish teacher having taught all levels of Spanish during her career in Harford County. Upon retiring in 2002 she and her husband, Richard, moved to Garrett County to assist his parents in their declining years. There she found her love of choral music and joined the Garrett Choral Society where she sang for 17 years. In 2010 she was asked to serve as the soprano section leader and joined the board of directors for that organization. In 2021 she and Richard moved back to Harford County to be closer to family and to spend time with her grandchildren. She found her music outlet with the Deer Creek Chorale soon after returning to Forest Hill. She also sings with her church choir. She is currently very active in serving with the Baptist Convention of Maryland/Delaware Disaster Relief program in the area of flood and hurricane recovery, having travelled as far west as Colorado and as far south as Florida to minister to affected people.
Luianne Potter
Luianne retired in 2017 from teaching for the Harford County Public Schools after 33 years. She taught first graders for 21 years at North Harford Elementary School. Currently, she enjoys the flexibility of substitute teaching in several local elementary schools. Luianne has sung second soprano and alto for the North Harford High School Madrigals and choruses, in community choruses and choirs at Slate Ridge Presbyterian Church, where she is an active member. Luianne joined Deer Creek Chorale in 2018 to broaden her music experience and loves the opportunity it provides to sing with others each week, as well as to participate in concerts and charitable projects. She is an active member and officer of Alpha Theta Chapter of Delta Kappa Gamma, a society of women educators. She serves on the Board of Directors for The Children’s Centers of North Harford. Luianne volunteers for the Literacy Council of Harford County by making presentations at Upper Chesapeake Hospital to soon-to-be parents. Each month she prepares and serves a community meal in Whiteford for Clean Plate at The Slate. She and her husband, Jeff, have two daughters and four grandchildren. They enjoy golfing and spending time in Myrtle Beach, SC. They currently reside in Bel Air, MD.
Jeff Roemer
Jeff has been a resident of Harford County since 1971 and has lived in the North Harford district since 1997. A proud father of 2, Alexandra and Casey, he has been married to his wife Kim for 32 years. Singing since the age of 8 in a church choir, and all through school and college years, life happened and music took a passive only role in his life. Over 10 years ago, on a whim, he attended an open rehearsal of the Chorale. The director, Marty, happened to be his original guitar teacher, but what drew him in was the talent and quality of music that was being performed. Needless to say, it has been his pleasure ever since to be a member of the Chorale as well as a member of the Chamber Choir. As a Bass II, he has had the pleasure of performing as far away as Sanibel Island and singing in the famed Carnegie Hall. A serial collector of stringed instruments, DCC has reignited the dormant spark of music into a bonfiire of melodies.
John Schiedel
John Schiedel joined the Deer Creek board in 2023. John spent seven years in the Army holding leadership positions while serving in countries including South Korea, Vietnam and Japan and achieved the rank of Captain in Signal Corp. After his years of service he earned a B.S. degree from Towson University with an emphasis in International Business and Finance. John worked in the field of industrial filtration holding positions in both sales management and marketing, with emphasis in developing and growing business in Australia, Asia and Europe and finished his career in this field with ownership in his own business for a period of 14 years. John is excited to join an organization and effort where he can apply his skill sets and experience.
Sally VanLieshout
Sally VanLieshout has been a part of Deer Creek Chorale since 2018. She has a B.S. in Design from the University of Delaware and currently works part-time in accounts payable/receivable for Creative Engineers, Inc. In her spare time she has volunteered with the Baltimore County Animal Shelter, has fostered several dogs and is currently a TRU Rescue volunteer.
Advisory Board Members
Jeffrey Gonya
Jeff Gonya is a Trustee of the Friends School of Baltimore and serves on the Board of the Middle Grades Partnership. Mr. Gonya serves on the Board of Trustees of the Mpala Wildlife Foundation, Inc. and the Fund Management Committee of the ICDDR, B. He is also a member of the Baltimore Estate Planning Council. Mr. Gonya is a member of the Estates and Trusts Section Council of the Maryland State Bar Association. He holds degrees from the University of Virginia and is a law partner at Venable.
Ken Hrica
Ken Hrica is the owner of Century Accounting and Financial Services. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and Accounting from Loyola College and is a Certified Public Accountant.