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.

Christine A. Martin, Ph.D.

Immediate Past President

Christine Martin hails from northeastern Ohio where she was active in singing and musical theatre with lead roles in Brigadoon, Godspell and They’re Playing our Song. After beginning college as a vocal performance major, she switched to the physiological sciences (thinking she had a more realistic chance of earning a living in that field than of being a Broadway star). While teaching Anatomy & Physiology at Stark State College she was awarded the State of Ohio College Teacher of the Year. She is President Emeritus of the Human Anatomy & Physiology Society, an international association dedicated to college science teaching and pedagogy. Transplanted to Maryland in 2000 she continued as a Primary Care Educator at the University of MD Medical School until she began a private duty elder care company. Christine joined the DCC as an alto in 2014 and also performed with the DCC Chamber Choir. She served as President from 2017 through 2020.

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!

Kathy Browning

Kathy has recently “semi” retired from her job as a Flight Attendant where she worked for over 17 years. She has a daughter who is a professional pilot and continues the family’s love for aviation. Now that Kathy has come in for a landing she returns to what she has always loved….music! As a child she admired her father’s gift for singing. He sang throughout his life in church and in auditioned choirs. After losing her father in 2013, Kathy decided to “pickup the baton” in his name and joined the DCC in 2014. She continues to sing merrily as an Alto in both the DCC and the Chamber Choir.

Kathy earned her B.S. as a Maryland Terrapin and through the years has worked in the Hospitality industry.   Over the years she has been involved in a number of music and theater productions in Washington, Minnesota, Maryland, and Germany where she lived for 2 years.  Kathy loves animals and is currently a volunteer at a local animal rescue.  She lives with her husband Mike and cat Kittybear in Parkton, MD.

Kris Foster

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.

Meredith Leroy

Meredith Leroy is a Realtor with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage and lives in Jarrettsville, MD with her husband, Alan. In the past she has served as the secretary of the Deer Creek Chorale and has been singing with the group for many years. She is an active member of her church, Saint James Monkton, and enjoys reading, gardening, going to the beach and riding horses at her daughter’s farm.

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.

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.

Meccy Gast

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.

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.

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.

Alan Stokes