NATS Cal-Western Region Officers
Region Governor
Region Governor
Region Governor
Region Governor
Region Governor
Jennifer H. Erickson
NATS Cal-Western Regional Governor
Dr. Jennifer H. Erickson is a passionate educator and singer who enjoys a diverse and unique career. A native of Utah, Jennifer has sung, directed, music directed, conducted, and coached diction with various groups throughout the area, most notably NEXT Ensemble, Utah Opera, Utah Symphony Chorus, Moab Music Festival, Weber State University, and University of Utah, as well as recitals, big band concerts, and other solo and group performance opportunities.
Jennifer has a passion for teaching and has particularly enjoyed working at the university level for the past decade – in the classroom and in the voice studio. She currently works at the University of Utah in the Musical Theatre Program. Jennifer has a love for many styles of singing and has worked to be proficient in singing and teaching classical, musical theatre, jazz, and CM techniques. Jennifer has been a guest master clinician for voice studios and choirs at the university level, and for private studios and public schools. Along with her teaching responsibilities at the university level, Jennifer teaches private voice from her home studio in Syracuse, UT.
A long-time member of NATS, Jennifer has served at the chapter level as Audition Coordinator, Vice-President, and as Chapter President for the Northern Utah Chapter, and as Treasurer and now Region Governor of the NATS Cal-Western Region.
Jennifer holds a DMA and MM in Voice Performance from the University of Utah.
Region Governor
Region Officers
Position Now Open
Position Now Open
Position Now Open
CWR Treasurer
Position Now Open
Position Now Open
Position Now Open
CWR Development Liaison
Katie Tupper
Dr. Phillip Harris
Position Now Open
CWR DEI Task Force Committee Chair
Dr. Phillip Harris
Dr. Phillip Harris
Dr. Phillip Harris
CWR DEI Task Force Committee Advisor
Phillip Harris is singer and teacher with a diverse background in vocal music that includes classical, musical theater, gospel, and rhythm and blues. He has performing associations with Carnegie Hall, San Francisco Symphony, Oakland Symphony, San Francisco Opera (Chorus), Aspen Music Festival, Reno Cham
CWR DEI Task Force Committee Advisor
Phillip Harris is singer and teacher with a diverse background in vocal music that includes classical, musical theater, gospel, and rhythm and blues. He has performing associations with Carnegie Hall, San Francisco Symphony, Oakland Symphony, San Francisco Opera (Chorus), Aspen Music Festival, Reno Chamber Orchestra, Opera Las Vegas, Mountain Play, Pocket Opera, and San Mateo Masterworks Chorale. Teaching associations include San Francisco Conservatory of Music, San Francisco Girls Chorus, Peabody Conservatory, University of California, Santa Cruz, Alabama State University, Los Medanos College, University of Nevada Las Vegas, San Francisco City College, West Valley College, MoonSchool at 42nd Street Moon, Head-Royce, The Nueva School, Convent & Stuart Hall, and Menlo School. Phillip previously served for four years as Co-VP of Students Auditions in the SFBAC-NATS chapter. Recordings include Phillip Harris in Recital with Damien Sneed, an EP of original music, In My Philz, and a recording of Dr. Deon Nielson Price’s work, “Gallery.” He holds voice degrees from University of California Irvine (B.M.), University of Michigan (M.M.), and University of Nevada Las Vegas (D.M.A.). More information is available at www.philliplnharris.com.
Dr. Darryl Taylor
Dr. Phillip Harris
Dr. Phillip Harris
CWR DEI Task Force Committee Advisor
Monica Williams-McCullough
Monica Williams-McCullough
Monica Williams-McCullough
SNATS Region Coordinator
Allison Houston
Monica Williams-McCullough
Monica Williams-McCullough
CWR Webmaster
Allison is the NATS CWR Webmaster and also serves as the Valley of the Sun Chapter Treasurer. She is a graduate of Arizona State University's Music Theatre program and currently heads the theatre, voice, and dance department at East Valley High School in Mesa, Arizona. She runs a private studio in Quee
CWR Webmaster
Allison is the NATS CWR Webmaster and also serves as the Valley of the Sun Chapter Treasurer. She is a graduate of Arizona State University's Music Theatre program and currently heads the theatre, voice, and dance department at East Valley High School in Mesa, Arizona. She runs a private studio in Queen Creek and is the founding artistic director of Places! Productions, a non-profit performing arts program. Her performance credits include over 30 productions, with favorite roles including Natalie in Loves Makes the World Go 'Round (World Premiere), Olive (...Spelling Bee), Kate Monster/Lucy (Avenue Q), and Lucy (...Charlie Brown).
Arizona District
Mary Jane McCloskey
Deborah Prischmann-Gryniewicz
Deborah Prischmann-Gryniewicz
Arizona District Governor
arizonadistrictdirector@nats.org
Mary Jane is pleased to serve as Arizona District Governor for the National Association of Teachers of Singing. She has previously served on the board of the Valley of the Sun NATS Chapter as Co-Chair for the Arizona District Student Auditions, as well as the Arizona Summer Heat
Arizona District Governor
arizonadistrictdirector@nats.org
Mary Jane is pleased to serve as Arizona District Governor for the National Association of Teachers of Singing. She has previously served on the board of the Valley of the Sun NATS Chapter as Co-Chair for the Arizona District Student Auditions, as well as the Arizona Summer Heat CM Auditions.
Mary Jane has been active in Arts Education for more than years in public, private and charter schools. She was honored to be awarded “West Valley Teacher of the Year” for her arts education work in the public schools.
She also served as Education Director for Arizona Opera, where she developed their “Opera in a Box” school presentation. The program was awarded several state and local grants to bring a simple, fun opera introduction into classrooms around the Phoenix Metro area.
Mary Jane is also the co-founder of the Muddy River Opera Company, for whom she wrote and was awarded a National Endowment Grant to bring opera to underserved schools in rural Illinois. The Muddy River Opera Company is still thriving in Central Illinois where its mission is to give emerging singers a chance to perform in fully-staged productions as they develop their careers.
Mary Jane has preformed in opera, concert and musical theatre. She is an adjunct voice teacher at Arizona Christian University, and maintains a busy private voice studio.
Mary Jane has an MM in Vocal Performance from The University of Michigan
Deborah Prischmann-Gryniewicz
Deborah Prischmann-Gryniewicz
Deborah Prischmann-Gryniewicz
Southern Arizona Chapter President
soarizonapresident@nats.org
www.facebook.com/southernaznats
Deborah Prischmann Gryniewicz holds a Master of Music degree in Opera and Vocal Pedagogy from Temple University where she taught voice class for two years (GTA), and a Bachelor of Music Education (K-12) from the University of Arizona, studying wit
Southern Arizona Chapter President
soarizonapresident@nats.org
www.facebook.com/southernaznats
Deborah Prischmann Gryniewicz holds a Master of Music degree in Opera and Vocal Pedagogy from Temple University where she taught voice class for two years (GTA), and a Bachelor of Music Education (K-12) from the University of Arizona, studying with Igor Gorin of the Metropolitan Opera on full Vocal Scholarship. A Voice Faculty member at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia for several years she was the founding Director/Instructor of the Meadowlark Vocal Studio in Doylestown, PA for 25+ years. Deborah currently serves as President of the Southern Arizona Chapter of the National Association of Teachers of Singing in Tucson. She is the Director/Instructor of the Jubilant Voice Studio in Tucson, AZ. As a Vocal Clinician, Deborah presents Vocal Seminars for Colleges, (including Lafayette College), junior - senior high schools and churches. The Embedded Private Vocal Instructor for Marana High School; she has adjudicated for the NATS CAL-Western Region Student Auditions (ASU and UA) and Eastern Region Conference Student Auditions (Westminster Choir College and West Chester University).
Vocal coach and directing credits include: the Philadelphia Opera Children's Chorus for La Boheme, the Bucks County Playhouse Equity Summer Theater, CB West High School musical West Side Story, Musical Arts Academy of Bucks County Youth Chorus, Newtown Arts Company’s Narnia, Doylestown United Methodist Church, Central Schwenkfelder Church, Calvary Chapel of Chalfont, Light The Way Church and was the embedded private voice teacher at Marana High School. She currently is the soloist and pianist for the First Baptist Church of Catalina.
As a professional vocal artist, Deborah has performed throughout the US in Opera, Oratorio, Off-Broadway NY, and on Carnivale Cruise Lines. A featured soloist of the “Voices of the Pops” with Peter Nero and the Philly Pops from 2001 – 2006 performing regularly at the Kimmel Center, the Mann Music Center in Philadelphia and on ABC television. Deborah can be heard as a studio vocal artist recording for such labels as Glory Sound, Shawnee Press, and regularly for Alfred's Music with singers from the New York Voices, Fred Waring’s Pennsylvanians, and the Voices of Liberty of Disney World. She is the founder of JUBILANT VOICE MINISTRIES, a non-profit outreach ministry of music and drama. As a concert soloist, keynote speaker, composer and writer she performs in many venues. Deborah is the producer, writer, composer and performer in the musical dramas Daughters Of The King and Children Of The King. As a songwriter, Deborah has produced 4 albums of her original music. She is listed in the Marquis Who’s Who in America for her outstanding achievement in the field of music and Life Time Achievement Award (2017). Deborah was honored at Council Rock high school (2010) receiving the lifetime achievement award in the Performing Arts.
Nichole Jensen
Deborah Prischmann-Gryniewicz
Nichole Jensen
Northern California District
Jacque Wilson Scharlach
Jacque Wilson Scharlach
Jacque Wilson Scharlach
Northern California District Membership Director
northerncaliforniadistrictdirector@nats.org
Jacque Wilson Scharlach is hailed as a "passionate singer with beautiful warm tones." She has more than fifteen years of teaching at the college and university level. She is currently on the voice faculty of San José State Universit
Northern California District Membership Director
northerncaliforniadistrictdirector@nats.org
Jacque Wilson Scharlach is hailed as a "passionate singer with beautiful warm tones." She has more than fifteen years of teaching at the college and university level. She is currently on the voice faculty of San José State University, West Valley College and Chabot College, as well as maintaining a small private vocal studio. She is currently the President of the San Francisco Bay Area chapter of NATS. Previously she was the Co-VP for the Singing Festival/Student Auditions.
Jacque holds a Master's degree in opera performance from The Boston Conservatory and a Bachelor's degree from California State University, Northridge. She has appeared with numerous orchestras and choruses across the country including the Boston Symphony Orchestra, San Francisco Opera and Philharmonia Baroque Orchestra. She has performed to great renown on both coasts in opera and musical theatre. Some of her favorite roles include: Meg Page (Falstaff), Meg (Little Women), Cherubino (Le Nozze di Figaro), Prince Orlofsky (Die Fledermaus), Julie Jordan (Carousel), Sarah Brown (Guys and Dolls), and Pitti Sing (The Mikado). She believes in teaching a bel canto technique to all her students whether they are singing classical, musical theatre or jazz.
Christine Buckstead
Jacque Wilson Scharlach
Jacque Wilson Scharlach
California Capital Chapter President
Dr. Phillip Harris
Dr. Phillip Harris
Dr. Phillip Harris
San Francisco Bay Area Chapter President
Phillip Harris is singer and teacher with a diverse background in vocal music that includes classical, musical theater, gospel, and rhythm and blues. He has performing associations with Carnegie Hall, San Francisco Symphony, Oakland Symphony, San Francisco Opera (Chorus), Aspen Mus
San Francisco Bay Area Chapter President
Phillip Harris is singer and teacher with a diverse background in vocal music that includes classical, musical theater, gospel, and rhythm and blues. He has performing associations with Carnegie Hall, San Francisco Symphony, Oakland Symphony, San Francisco Opera (Chorus), Aspen Music Festival, Reno Chamber Orchestra, Opera Las Vegas, Mountain Play, Pocket Opera, and San Mateo Masterworks Chorale. Teaching associations include San Francisco Conservatory of Music, San Francisco Girls Chorus, Peabody Conservatory, University of California, Santa Cruz, Alabama State University, Los Medanos College, University of Nevada Las Vegas, San Francisco City College, West Valley College, MoonSchool at 42nd Street Moon, Head-Royce, The Nueva School, Convent & Stuart Hall, and Menlo School. Phillip previously served for four years as Co-VP of Students Auditions in the SFBAC-NATS chapter. Recordings include Phillip Harris in Recital with Damien Sneed, an EP of original music, In My Philz, and a recording of Dr. Deon Nielson Price’s work, “Gallery.” He holds voice degrees from University of California Irvine (B.M.), University of Michigan (M.M.), and University of Nevada Las Vegas (D.M.A.). More information is available at www.philliplnharris.com.
Christa Durand
Dr. Phillip Harris
Dr. Phillip Harris
Southern California District
Joel Balzun
Katherine Polit
Aram Barsamian
Southern California District Governor
southerncaliforniadistrictdirector@nats.org
Praised as a "mature artist with a voluminous sound," baritone and composer Joel Balzun has held teaching posts at Biola University, Fullerton College, Pepperdine University, University of Rochester and University of Southern California. He is the Winner of th
Southern California District Governor
southerncaliforniadistrictdirector@nats.org
Praised as a "mature artist with a voluminous sound," baritone and composer Joel Balzun has held teaching posts at Biola University, Fullerton College, Pepperdine University, University of Rochester and University of Southern California. He is the Winner of the 2021 Fulham Opera Robert Presley Memorial Verdi Prize, and prize-winner in Metropolitan Opera Laffont Competition (Los Angeles District and Western Region) and Pasadena Vocal Competition. His continually-expanding repertoire includes the title roles of Don Giovanni and Gianni Schicchi, Giorgio Germont (La traviata), Scarpia (Tosca), Marcello (La bohème) the Four Villains in Les contes d'Hoffmann, Prince Yeletskiy and Count Tomskiy (Pikovaya Dama). Albert (Werther), Belcore (L'elisir d'amore), Dr. Malatesta (Don Pasquale), Valentin (Faust), Sid (Albert Herring) and John Brooke (Adamo’s Little Women), among others, with companies including Opera Saratoga, Pacific Opera Project, Pittsburgh Festival Opera and Opera Santa Barbara.
An avid proponent of the music of living and contemporary composers, Mr. Balzun won critical acclaim for his portrayal of the titular Joseph de Rocher in the South Florida premiere of Jake Heggie's Dead Man Walking with Miami Music Festival. On the concert stage, he has championed rarely-performed works such as George Rochberg's String Quartet No. 7, Peter Maxwell Davies's virtuosic Eight Songs for a Mad King, Kurt Erickson’s Here, Bullet and numerous performances of Robert Denham's Sutter Creek. Mr. Balzun is the founding curator of Black Dog Commission, a new commissioning series for art song repertoire which openly discusses life with mental illness, as inspired by his own journey with depression.
Aram Barsamian
Katherine Polit
Aram Barsamian
Los Angeles Chapter President
Aram Barsamian is the full-time Coordinator of Vocal Studies and Director of Opera Studies at Fullerton College, as well as an adjunct faculty member of CSU Long Beach's Bob Cole Conservatory of Music. Previously, he has served on the voice faculties of La Sier
Los Angeles Chapter President
Aram Barsamian is the full-time Coordinator of Vocal Studies and Director of Opera Studies at Fullerton College, as well as an adjunct faculty member of CSU Long Beach's Bob Cole Conservatory of Music. Previously, he has served on the voice faculties of La Sierra University, Orange Coast College, Pasadena City College, Cypress College, and Mount San Antonio College. The baritone has sung with the opera companies of San Francisco, Sacramento, Eugene, Reno, Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, and others. Favorite roles include Dandini in La Cenerentola, Malatesta in Don Pasquale, Belcore in L’elisir d’amore, Guglielmo in Co sì fan tutte, and Schaunard in La bohème. He has performed the baritone solos in Brahms’ Ein Deutsches Requiem, the Requiems by Fauré and Duruflé, Bach’s Mass in B-minor and St. John Passion, Handel’s Messiah and Judas Maccabaeus, with organizations like the Pacific Chorale, the Corona-del-Mar Baroque Festival, the Ventura Chamber Music Festival, Long Beach Camerata, and others. As a member of the Pacific Chorale, he has served as bass section leader, personnel manager, and language coach. He is a two-time winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions in Orange County, as well as winner of the NATS Artist Award (Los Angeles), the NATS Career Division, and the NATS Apprentice Division competitions. Mr. Barsamian holds a Master of Music degree from the University of Southern California and a Bachelor of Music degree from CSU Fullerton. A member of NATS since 2017, he served on the Board of NATS-LA as Director 2018-2021 and as President in 2023-2024.
Katherine Polit
Katherine Polit
Katherine Polit
San Diego Chapter President
Hailed by Opera News as “vibrant,” Dr. Katherine Polit is a passionate performer and educator. At home in the concert hall and on the operatic stage, recent appearances
include Belinda in Dido and Aeneas with Bodhi Tree Concerts, Pamina in The Magic
Flute with Pacific Sympho
San Diego Chapter President
Hailed by Opera News as “vibrant,” Dr. Katherine Polit is a passionate performer and educator. At home in the concert hall and on the operatic stage, recent appearances
include Belinda in Dido and Aeneas with Bodhi Tree Concerts, Pamina in The Magic
Flute with Pacific Symphony, Mozart’s Exsultate Jubilate with Helena Symphony, and Vivaldi’s Gloria at David Geffen Hall.
She apprenticed with Virginia Opera for two seasons and returned to their mainstage to
perform the role of Ännchen in Der Freischütz. Her other notable operatic roles include Musetta (La Bohème), Nannetta (Falstaff), Despina (Così fan tutte), Zerlina (Don Giovanni), Johanna (Sweeney Todd), and Josephine (H.M.S. Pinafore). She has been featured with San Diego Opera, La Jolla Symphony, The Ohio Light Opera, Opera
Naples, Charlotte Symphony, Orchestra Santa Monica, Evansville Philharmonic, Opera Louisiane, and Charlottesville Opera. Accolades include being chosen as a finalist in the Rochester Idol Competition and the Fritz and Lavinia Jensen Foundation Competition. Currently a member of the voice faculty at San Diego State University, Katherine completed her Doctor of Music in Vocal Literature and Performance at Indiana
University, holds a Master of Music in Opera Performance from the University of Texas
at Austin, and a Bachelor of Humanities and Arts from Carnegie Mellon University. She
previously served on the board of San Diego NATS as vice-president.
Nevada District
Position Now Op
Position Now Op
Position Now Op
Lisa Elliott
Position Now Op
Lisa Elliott
Las Vegas Chapter President
https://www.facebook.com/NATSLasVegas
Dr. Lisa Elliott is the Music Director at Grace Presbyterian Church Las Vegas where she directs the traditional choral music program, including the Grace Concert Choir and orchestra, and the Grace Summer Sings community concert events. Recent major
Las Vegas Chapter President
https://www.facebook.com/NATSLasVegas
Dr. Lisa Elliott is the Music Director at Grace Presbyterian Church Las Vegas where she directs the traditional choral music program, including the Grace Concert Choir and orchestra, and the Grace Summer Sings community concert events. Recent major works include Handel’s Messiah, Vivaldi’s Gloria, Durufle’s Requiem, Mozart Vespers, Shaw The Many Moods of Christmas, Saint-Saëns Christmas Oratorio, and the Mozart Requiem.
Recent stage performances include Adele, Die Fledermaus, Mabel, Pirates of Penzance, Mrs. Nordstrom, A Little Night Music, Madame Heartmelt, The Impresario, and Mabel, Pirates of Penzance.
Recent soprano soloist performances include the Schubert Mass in G, Rutter Requiem, Rutter Magnificat, Haydn Little Organ Mass, Fauré Requiem, Dubois Seven Last Words of Christ, Handel Messiah, Orff Carmina Burana, Clausen A New Creation, and the Saint-Saëns Christmas Oratorio.
In 2020, Lisa completed her DMA degree in vocal performance through the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV), having already earned a Master’s degree at San Diego State University in vocal performance, and a Bachelor’s degree in choral conducting at Scripps College in Claremont, CA. Her DMA document: Sacred Song Sisters: Choral and Solo Vocal Church Music by Women Composers for the Lenten Revised Common Lectionary, is a practical guide for church musicians that highlights many vocal works by women composers.
In 2014, Lisa was the Founding Artistic Director and Conductor of the Millennium Master Chorale of Central Florida. An auditioned, 40-voice SATB community choir in Central Florida, created to meet the needs of singers interested in performing masterworks and other quality choral pieces.
Dr. Elliott is an adjunct voice professor at UNLV and also maintains a vibrant private voice studio.