Singspiration Staff
Over her career, Ms. Stark has been a passionate advocate for the arts, believing that it is the right of every child to a quality music education. Jody has studied music and music education at the University of Alberta where she ends an M. Ed. in music education, the University of Calgary, and at the Zoltán Kodály Pedagogical Institute of Music in Hungary. A long time music educator, mentor, and presenter, Jody is also a sessional instructor in music and music education at the University of Alberta and at Concordia University College. Ms. Stark is an experienced children's choral conductor.
 Gerhard Kruschke - Inspiration for Teachers Coordinator
Mr. Kruschke has enjoyed a wide and varied musical career ranging from conducting the Senior Concert Choir at King's University College, to working with the Edmonton Children's Choir, to his current position teaching choral music at the Victoria School for the Arts. Gerhard completed a Bachelor of Music (voice) from the University of Alberta and has studied musical theatre in Banff and vocal performance in Italy. Gerhard is also the Program Director for Music Enrichment at Edmonton Public Schools.
 Kathryn Smith - Credit Facilitator
Kathryn Smith completed her Ph.D. in Elementary Education at the University of Alberta. She is the newly appointed Director of the University of Alberta’s Child Study Centre and Adjunct Professor of Music Education in the Department of Elementary Education. Kathy has experience teaching music to children from Kindergarten to grade 6 in rural and urban schools in Alberta as well as two American International Schools in Qatar and Saudi Arabia. She has served as a music consultant for the Edmonton Public Schools and has presented numerous conference presentations, workshops, and in-services for music teachers in Canada, the United States, and in international locations. Dr. Smith is the recipient of the Phi Delta Kappa award for outstanding dissertation of 2008 at the University of Alberta.
Dr. Hooper is Professor of Music at Concordia University College of Alberta where he formally served as the Director of the School of Music. He earned his D.M.A. in choral music from Arizona State University as well as degrees in theory and composition from A.S.U. and James Madison University in Virginia. Dr. Hooper currently teaches theory, conducting, choral methods, choral literature, and composition, and is the conductor for Jubiloso! Bells of Concordia. John has been instrumental in developing Singspiration.
Dr. Joy Berg, assistant professor in music, holds degrees in Piano Performance and Choral Conducting from the University of Saskatchewan, the University of Alberta and the University of Iowa. Her dissertation focused on the Christmas cantatas of J. S. Bach. She has been a church musician for many years, participated in the Lutheran World Federation hymn selection committee as the Canadian representative, has presented at the ELCiC National Worship conference in 2000 on worship and church choirs, and has served the larger church as director of the Leadership Program for Musicians in Small Parishes for the Alberta synod of the ELCiC. Dr. Berg has been a clinician for Choralfest South in 1998 and 2001, an adjudicator of many music festivals throughout Alberta and B.C. in choral, vocal, and handbell areas, and is often a workshop leader for choirs and church music. An active chorister, she is currently singing with Pro Coro Canada.
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