Member-Powered Leadership

The Director's Music Team is responsible for developing musical and performance excellence in the San Diego Chorus at all levels. This invitation-only team is selected by the Director for one year terms. Together they work closely to bring the director's creative vision to life through section leadership, visuals, choreography and music education.

Kathleen Hansen

MASTER DIRECTOR

Kathleen joined the San Diego Chapter of Sweet Adelines in 2000. Introduced to barbershop by watching top-level quartets and choruses, Kathleen has since rooted her experiences with Sweet Adelines in elevated expectations that are reflected in her drive to challenge the chorus and herself for the highest quality performances. In 2015, she was awarded Master Director status after directing the San Diego Chorus on the International stage, and she has directed the chorus to first place in subsequent Regional competitions.  

Leah Rippetoe

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR / LEAD SECTION LEADER

Leah Rippetoe is the Assistant Director and Lead Section Leader of the San Diego Chorus. She was recently honored as the Sweet Adelines of the Year in 2019. Leah has been a Certified Director since 2009 and recently served on the 75th Anniversary Task Force for Sweet Adelines International. Leah joined the San Diego Chorus in 2016 and has been a  Sweet Adelines International member for 21 years. Leah has been a member of SAI in Regions 8, 11 and 4. She currently sings lead in the quartet Flirtini, and has been a participant in multiple quartets throughout her chorus career. 

Denise Brinkerhoff

BASS SECTION LEADER

Denise has been a member of Sweet Adelines International and the San Diego Chorus since 1995. She has sung tenor, baritone and bass, and is currently the Bass Section Leader.  Denise has competed in quartets in all three of the parts that she has sung. She has proudly served in many chorus administrative positions, including Team Coordinator, as well as music and leadership positions. She is currently enrolled in the Director's Certification Program (DCP) to continue her musical education. Denise was named Sweet Adeline of the Year 2010.

Nicole Clement

BARITONE SECTION LEADER

Nicole has been a member of Sweet Adelines International and the San Diego Chorus since 1998, and an a cappella and barbershop fan long before then. Nicole has always been a baritone. She currently is the Baritone Section Leader and uses her education, experience and love of words to develop scripts and other types of messaging for the San Diego Chorus. Nicole has a background in dance and uses her love of movement as a member front row. 

Keri Leasure

TENOR SECTION LEADER / MAKEUP CONSULTANT

Keri joined the San Diego Chorus and became a member of Sweet Adelines International in 2017. Keri has been singing since a very young age; starting her singing career at the age of two in her church's Christmas show. She sang in high school choruses, college groups, and several worship teams at various churches in the San Diego area. Recently, Keri joined a chorus quartet as the tenor and looks forward to learning more about the craft of barbershop. Her skills as a makeup consultant help prepare the chorus for performances and competitions.

Meg Adams

VISUAL COORDINATOR

Meg joined Sweet Adelines in 2000. She spent a year singing with White River Sound, in Indianapolis, IN, before moving to Southern California and joining the San Diego Chorus in 2001. Meg started working as the assistant choreographer in 2004, and took over as the Visual Coordinator in 2006. Meg starred as Mary Poppins in the school musical in second grade and has been singing and performing ever since! Meg is a former classroom teacher and brings her teaching experience and love of dance and theater to the chorus each and every week. Meg was named Sweet Adeline of the Year 2012.

Lorna Katz

EDUCATION COORDINATOR

Lorna has been a member of Sweet Adelines since 1999. During her years as a Sweet Adeline, Lorna has been a member and Assistant Director of the L.A. South Towns, Assistant Lead Section Leader of Verdugo Hills Showtime Chorus, and Assistant Director of the Golden Sands Chorus, all in  Region 11. She was also a member of the Harborlites Chorus before joining the San Diego Chorus as a dual member in 2015. Lorna has sung in many quartets, most recently as the lead in Revue. Lorna recently graduated from CSUDH with a major in Music, Vocal Performance, and began graduate school for a Masters in Music Composition/Music Theory at CSUF in Fall 2020.   

Jennifer French

SECRETARY

Jennifer French joined the San Diego Chorus in 2011. Since joining, she won the Rookie of the Year and immediately joined a quartet. Her first quartet won the Novice Quartet Award at the Region 21 contest. Jennifer has been quartetting her entire Sweet Adeline career, recently winning Fourth place in the 2019 Regional Quartet Contest with her quartet SoloVoce. She served on the Chorus Management Team for five years in the capacity of Membership and Business Development. In this role Jennifer was the catalyst for the Raise the Risers Campaign. Jennifer has won both the Director's and the Team Leader Awards, and was named  Sweet Adeline of the Year in 2017.

Pam Murray

CHORUS MANAGEMENT TEAM LIAISON

​Pam became a Sweet Adeline in 2016, joining the San Diego Chorus as a baritone. She has been singing and performing in various singing groups and musical theater since the age of 4. Pam graduated from UCSD with a major in Drama and a minor in Music, Vocal Performance. With over a 30 year background in corporate leadership, global supply chain, procurement, contracting and entertainment management, she is putting those skills to work in Sweet Adelines. Pam also plays guitar and sings baritone in So Noted Quartet.