Executive Team and Board of Directors

  • Beth Kille – Music Director

    Beth Kille is an award-winning singer-songwriter from Madison, WI who has been performing her original music since 2000. In addition to performing with the Beth Kille Band, she is also a member of the trio Gin, Chocolate & Bottle Rockets and the band Kerosene Kites. When not performing, Beth serves as the Music Director for Girls Rock Camp Madison, a songwriting instructor, the co-founder/producer of Flannel Fest, producer/engineer at Studio Gusto, and is a mom. She co-founded Girls and Ladies Rock Camp Madison in 2010, and is continually amazed at the fantastic campers, staff, and community members she has had the opportunity to partner with on this journey. Her life’s mission is to inspire those around her to embrace their creativity! For more on Beth, please visit www.bethkille.com.

    Check out this video with Beth and BethDohrn all about Girls Rock Camp Madison!

  • Beth Dohrn – Executive Director

    Beth has been with GRCM since it’s inception when her daughter attended the first camp. She has been the Girl Power Coach supporting campers and staff during camp. She has attended many Ladies Rock Camps and plays bass in 6.4.Sunday, a band with LRC friends! Beth retired from teaching in 2020, but works part time at Edgewood College. She likes to go to live music shows, bike, kayak and travel. She’s a mom to two awesome kids and married to a guitar playing neuroscientist!

    Check out this video with Beth and BethDohrn all about Girls Rock Camp Madison!n!

  • Erin Elizabeth Clune - Board President

    Erin Elizabeth Clune is an author and educator. She completed her doctorate in US History at NYU, and has taught at both public and private colleges, including the CUNY Graduate Center and the Bard Prison Initiative. Currently, she is substitute teaching for MMSD and writing her fourth book. She is proud to say that both of her daughters, who are accomplished musicians, attended Girls Rock Camp.

  • Kris Huehne – Board Member

    Kris participated in the first Ladies Rock Camp and was hooked! As a long-time local music fan, it was the perfect volunteer opportunity. She got more involved with the GRC, became the Volunteer Coordinator, and eventually joined the board. She works as a computer programmer/analyst, updates the website, and is the chief button-maker at camp.

  • Maureen Cassidy - Board Member

    Maureen Cassidy just semi-retired after 25yrs at the American Heart Association. She brings that non-profit experience as well as serving on other non-profit boards in her professional life. Maureen is a 2x LRC attendee and her daughter is a GRC alum of 9 years. Maureen enjoys playing guitar and ukulele and is currently trying to learn (with moderate success) the bodhran.

  • Sherryl Pertzborn – Treasurer

    A weekend at Ladies Rock Camp sparked Sherryl’s return to making music. Now in addition to being Administrative Director for Academic Affairs at the UW School of Medicine and Public Health, she is also guitar player and backup vocalist for Punk Ass Unicorns. Sherryl is excited about giving back to GRC—an empowering and transformative experience—and hopes to someday have a photo where she is playing guitar without looking at her fingers.

  • Fran Greenman-Schmitz - Board Member

    Fran Greenman-Schmitz is a strategy, marketing, and business-development expert with more than twenty years of professional experience working with kids and family brands. She leads development of content, brand, digital, entertainment, education and marketing strategies for multichannel businesses. Her career includes development of product, content, experiential and entertainment properties, including toys, exhibits, curricula, feature films, episodic television, digital content, magazines, and both book series. She has worked with many of the top brands in the world, including Mattel, American Girl, and Highlights for Children, and several media, education and edtech companies.

  • Karisa Johnson

    Karisa is a feminist social impact professional who has worked in nonprofit management and politics in Wisconsin and Washington, DC. She is a co-founder of ART House 360, the owner of Slate Blue Studios, and served on the City of Middleton’s Arts Committee.

    She has an earworm at all times, a list of band names in her phone, and remembers distinctly when she could finally listen to WSPT on her very own AM/FM clock radio. One of Karisa’s 3 kiddos rocked it at GRC in 2017 and she is thrilled to help spread the joy!

  • Cooper Talbot - Advisory Board & Staff Member

    Cooper is host of Her Infinite Variety on 89.9 fm WORT and recipient of the 2018 Madison Area Music Association Award for Favorite Local Music Radio Personality. She has become known as The Emcee/Host, engaging, inviting and inspiring the share of passion in the spirit of music. Her belief is that Music is powerful medicine, simple and truthful. She honors her role as a music broadcaster as it can without words, evoke our laughter, our fears and our highest aspirations.

  • Julie Busche - Advisory Board & Staff Member

    Julie has been a part of the board of directors since 2016. She is a Real Estate Broker- Associate with Julie B & Associates & Inventure Realty Group selling residential and commercial real estate. She is the co-owner and creator of Magic Moon Productions, a local women owned company creating organic and natural health, wellness, and body products. She first joined the Girls Rock Camp staff, volunteering as a Band Manager, she learned how to play the drums during a session of ladies Rock Camp and was hooked! She is a member of the band known as Chick Trip. She is a certified Firewalk Instructor and leads self-empowerment workshops.

Staff

  • Helen Avakian

    Helen is the 2014 International Fingerstyle Guitar Champion and the first female to win that title. She is also an award winning singer/songwriter voted Favorite Acoustic Act by Rhythm and News Magazine. Helen has released a number of singer/songwriter and guitar instrumental albums, and she has appeared as a studio guitarist and vocalist on other artists’ projects including “Storm King,” the final album recorded by the legendary Pete Seeger.

    Helen has 30 years professional music teaching experience as a private instructor, college, high school and summer camp educator, including 7 years at Camp Mariah Cary Fresh Air Fund Camp near New York City. Helen teaches guitar, ukulele, songwriting and composition in Madison and Sun Prairie. She holds a Master of Music in Classical Guitar Performance from Hunter College, City University of New York with studies at Mannes College of Music. In addition Helen has taken master classes in performance with jazz legend, Stanley Jordan.

    Helen is always excited to teach at Girls Rock Camp Madison which provides one of the most nurturing and inspiring programs she has ever participated in.

  • Tempestt Ballenger, aka DJ Femme Noir

    Tempestt Ballenger, or DJ Femme Noir, is Wisconsin DJ originally from Poplar Grove, Illinois. From college until now she has resided in Wisconsin for the past 12 years. Although she has been actively DJing for only three years her love of music began at a young age due to her family’s influence. DJ Femme Noir’s sets are intertwined with an eclectic array of music styles from various genres of mainstream and underground music. From popular classics that will have your whole family on their feet, to current singles that dominate the charts, she will have you dancing the whole night away.

  • Stephanie Benicek

    Stephanie Benicek began her audio career in the concert industry working at an independent concert venue in Madison with experience ranging from concert photography and marketing to hospitality and concert production management. She joined Audio for the Arts in 2021 and enjoys being active in both the studio and live music scenes.

    At the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Stephanie concentrated on digital signal processing, earning a BS in Electrical Engineering and a Certificate in Physics. She continued her studies at New York University where she focused on 3D audio, live sound, production, and virtual reality to earn a Masters Degree in Music Technology. Earning the award in Leadership and Inspiration in Music Technology from NYU’s music technology graduate program, she served as president for the Society of Women in Technology (SWiTCH) and is very passionate about female representation in the music industry. Though primarily an engineer, Stephanie also plays guitar from time to time. She is super stoked to teach and empower the campers at GRC!

  • Sarah Mulvihill (Burgess)

    Sarah Mulvihill (Burgess) is a singer-songwriter, piano and voice teacher, and community singing song leader in Madison. She performs her music locally; her voice is often referred to as soothing, her songs are most closely aligned with the folk, jazz and blues languages. She plays the piano and accompanies herself on guitar as well. She is also a Lullaby Teaching Artist through the Overture Center for the Arts, helping parents write lullabies for their babies.

  • Cynthia Burnson

    Cynthia Burnson has been playing in Madison bands for 20 years. Past bands include Screamin’ Cyn Cyn & the Pons and Venus in Furs. She plays guitar, keys, and vocalizes/screams. Her bands have been described as “high energy catharsis”, “a punk rock cabaret trainwreck”, and “pretty juvenile.” Her singing has been described as “acerbically shouted and nicely pitch-challenged” and her guitar playing as “zigzagging careening”. She taught preschool and summer day camp for 10 years at Big Oak Child Care Center on Madison’s eastside and has degrees in child development. Her favorite thing about music is that anyone can do it and have fun together. She can’t wait to rock out this summer at GRC.

  • Jori Costello

    Jori Costello

    From the Ozark Mountains of Fayetteville, AR, Jori Costello is an award winning singer/songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, teaching artist, and radio host. In her 4th decade of performing, Jori has been in several bands and choirs, a solo artist, a dance DJ, festival emcee, stage manager, music director, co-producer, and is now delving into her lifelong love of acting.

    She is well known for her part in the nationally touring band Big Bad Gina with Renée Janski and Melodie Griffis and for her musical collaborations with chakra rocker, Ginger Doss, and actor/director, Jules Taylor. Jori’s one woman musical tribute, Songs of My Soul, has been featured at 6 women’s festivals and produced by Willow Productions in K.C. MO.

    As a teacher, Jori offers private lessons in multiple instruments, leads group ukulele instruction at various festivals and camps, has created music programs for youth camps, been a Music Mentor for private school, is a song leader for her local UU Fellowship, and is on her 4th year as a session staffer at Girls Rock Camp Madison.

    Tune in Fridays at 3pm central, for Jori's radio show, Go Sistah Go, women’s vocals with empowering messages - livestream and archives at www.KPSQ.org.

  • Cathy Couture

    Cathy is a LRC alum and has written and recorded two albums. Prior to her start in music she worked as a Psychotherapist who specialized in working with children, teens, and families. She lives in Madison and is the mother to one grown son. She is known to show up every now and then in inflatable costumes “just because” and enjoys making people smile.

  • Marlo Darken

    Banging on drum kits since she was a youth, Marlo spent grade school and high school in concert, symphonic, marching and jazz bands, many times as the only girl drummer. She is currently the drummer for Madison surf punk band, Venus in Furs (www.venusinfursband.com), and is accepting drum lesson students; contact her at mmdobrient@gmail.com to schedule.

  • Olivia Dregne

    Olivia Dregne grew up in the Madison area, immersed in classical and jazz piano and known for her constant music-making (which precipitated a No Singing in Confined Spaces Policy from her brother). At West High School, Olivia became a dedicated choir member and co-founded an inclusive women's a cappella group, earning the Becknell-Gilbert Award for her leadership in choral music. In 2022, Olivia released her first EP of originals titled "Coming of Age'' and now holds a B.S. in Psychology from UW-Madison with plans to pursue a career in mental health. Olivia enjoys musical ventures such as playing keys and singing for the Eras Encore band, and is thrilled to empower the campers at GRC Madison through her passion for music and community!

  • Danica E

    Hi! I'm Danica E and I have been plucking strings and hitting things since I was a very small child. I'm a self-taught bassist, guitarist, drummer and producer, and I've played in a wide variety of bands here in Madison as well as on the West Coast. I especially love the spontaneity and flow of ideas in a good jam session, and encourage collaboration in songwriting of all types. Some of my favorite musical artists are Big Thief, Deerhoof, St. Vincent and Kishi Bashi.

  • Lyndsay Evans

    Lyndsay Evans is a singer and songwriter. She is the front woman for Madison Band, Sexy Ester and a member of Americana/Country band, The Prairie Flowers. She is also a member of the Cabaret group, Les Cougars. She is a three time winner of the Madison Area Music Award for Female vocalist of the year and a winner of the Wisconsin Area Music Industry Award for Female vocalist of the year. She is a Vocal Instructor at Forte Studios and a Secretary for the Mount Horeb Area School District. Lyndsay is very excited to be returning to Girls Rock Camp this summer!

  • Jen Farley

    Jen Farley is a Professional Life Coach, Performer, Speaker and a friend in Madison, WI. 
As a Rockstar Life Coach, Jen wants to help dreamers and seekers find and define their authentic voice to become the Rockstar in their lives. She has created Coach Jen Farley, a life coaching company, which hosts one on one, group coaching and live guest discussions on how you can ignite the light within you. She is also a member of the power-trio, Gin, Chocolate and Bottle Rockets, performing all over Wisconsin for the past seven years. The group has also created motivational speaking presentations while blending three-part harmonies with original music. Jen is also the Social Media Manager for GRC.

  • Fran Felton

    Based in the Driftless town of Viroqua, WI, Fran is a multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter, board-certified music therapist, and a newly discovered Ladies Rock Camp bass player. She is most comfortable using her voice and guitar, however Fran has a tendency to collect instruments, and can often be found jamming out on whatever she can get her hands on. (Music therapists are known to make anything into an instrument!) With powerful yet tender vocals, Fran jives more in the slower lane of the folk scene, having most recently performed at Great River Folk Fest in La Crosse, and opened for folk greats Johnsmith, Shanna in a Dress, and Ellis Delaney in performances across the Midwest. Professionally, Fran has been practicing music therapy for nearly 30 years, and is currently employed within the hospice department at Mayo Clinic in La Crosse, providing music therapy services for patients and their families. Fran is thrilled for the opportunity to share her passion for community music-making and songwriting with Girls Rock Camp this summer!

  • Terri Felton

    Terri Felton is an elementary music educator in the Madison Metropolitan School District, where she teaches K-5 general music and 5 th grade orchestra. She has been a Ladies Rock Camper and a Girls Rock Camp mom for the past four years, and she is greatly looking forward to rocking out on violin and ukulele with campers this summer!

  • Liz Fleig

    Liz Fleig is a singer/songwriter who currently leads indie rock group Bosky Point (formerly known as Late Harvest.) Liz has been singing since she was 4, getting her start in church choirs and evolving through grocery store recitals, high school jazz choir, college jam sessions and now playing original music all over the greater Madison area with the talented musicians of the award-winning Bosky Point. Liz believes that music is about connection in every form, and cannot wait to empower the next generation to express themselves both on and off stage and encourage them to be exactly who they are in the moment.

  • Heidi Fornay

    Heidi Forney enjoyed singing anything when she was younger. She knew every note of every vocal track on Disney movies like The Little Mermaid and Aladdin. In high school, she became a member of the choir where she learned to perform with a group and harmonize. Heidi began playing guitar when she was 20; she had always wanted to! She found tools on the internet to help her learn basic chords from favorite songs, and soon she began writing her own songs. Heidi played her music at home and for friends in the living room for many years. She always pictured herself playing her songs on stage someday. She began playing under the name “Bitter Nothings” in 2015, and plays mostly folk-rock. Over the years, Heidi has learned that bandmates have to work hard to work together. Bandmates may have different ideas about creating songs or different ideas about how to perform on stage. Working together, staying positive, and remembering to have fun makes playing music together an unforgettable experience. “Bitter Nothings” has performed at open mics, coffee shops, Do-It-Yourself venues, and local stages that are gracious enough to have her. Heidi currently volunteers at “Communication,” an all-ages, sober-space, and LBGT+ safe venue in Madison. She is the host and coordinator of Communication’s local Madison music showcase called “SongSpace” and is a former co-host and volunteer for the “Fierce Females” showcase.

  • Lesley Goff

    Lesley Goff is a local singer/songwriter originally from Monona, Wisconsin. She studied songwriting at Berklee College of Music, and continued on writing and recording in Los Angeles for a couple of years before returning to Madison. Lesley is profoundly inspired by her family, folk music and the youth she gets to work with daily. Lesley is currently writing her first E.P. to be released in 2025!

  • Meggie Gilfilan

    Meggie is a multifaceted singer, songwriter, and producer, excelling as a sound engineer at Audio for the Arts and the Madison area. Classically trained on piano, she has been creating music since a young age. Her latest project, “M Shays,” features her expansive voice and dazzling piano skills, aiming to captivate audiences with a unique sound and emotional depth. As her journey progresses, she continues to push the boundaries of her creativity, promising more innovative and heartfelt music to come.

  • Teresa Marie Hardy

    My name is Teresa Marie and I have known my whole life that I was put on this earth to touch the world with music. I believe I was singing notes before I was speaking words. I am blessed to be the female lead singer of the Rhythm and Soul family, The People Brothers Band and together we have been spreading love and positivity through our music for over a decade. My amazing husband and I run the UpNorth bar in Madison, where the Live music community is thrives, grows, and continues to be a home for any and all who love music.

    I truly believe in the power of love and music making the world a better place and it will be my honor to share what I know with the future generations, as well as to learn from them.

  • Katrina Harms

    Katrina Harms is a Madison based singer/songwriter, producer, and keys player (yes, even accordion!). She is an art teacher at Sun Prairie East High School and rocks keys and vocals with Zeroed Hero.

  • Nora Harstford

    Nora Harstford is a Chicago based vocalist and music teacher with roots in jazz, folk, and contemporary music genres. Originally from Madison, Wisconsin, Nora spent her formative years attending Girls Rock Camp, participating in musicals, and performing vocal jazz competitively. After moving to Chicago, Nora attended the Chicago College of Performing Arts to earn a Bachelor’s of Music. Nora has performed around Chicago including venues like the Jazz Showcase, Fulton Street Collective, Jazz Union League Club, and many more.

  • Jennifer Hedstrom

    Jennifer Hedstrom (they/she) is a pianist, singer, songwriter, music director, and educator based in Madison, WI. As a songwriter, Jennifer has released two full-length solo albums and has been hired to write songs for local arts organizations such as Music Theatre of Madison, Overture Center's Lullaby Project, Puppet Laurieate, and Whoopensocker. Jennifer is the co-author of “Ten Days in a Madhouse,” an original musical commissioned by Music Theatre of Madison. Written with local playwright Karen Saari, the musical had its world premiere in August of 2022. Jennifer is currently the Music Director at James Reeb Unitarian Universalist Congregation, where they provide piano accompaniment for services and lead the Sacred Breath Choir.

  • Annelies Howell

    Annelies is really excited to join the GRC staff because she’ll get to combine her favorite things: music and education. Annelies has been a vocalist, guitar player, bass player, and junky keyboard player in The German Art Students (www.germanartstudents.com) since 1998. Over the years she’s played in a variety of other projects, ranging from playing fiddle in a classic country band to channeling Brad Delp in a Boston cover band. She’s been teaching math and physics at Verona Area High School since 1995, and helping students understand the physics behind musical phenomena like resonance is one of her passions. Eons ago, Annelies was a YMCA summer camp counselor and program director and she can’t wait to go back to camp this summer! More information is available at www.annelieshowell.com.

  • Jenna Joanis

    Jenna is a multi-instrumentalist who absolutely loves to spread musical joy in every way possible. Jenna is fortunate enough to teach music full-time through her private studio, many of her students are current/former Girls Rock Campers who get to continue their musical growth with her all year round. Jenna began playing guitar at a very young age and much like many of the campers, started playing bass when she could barely hold it up or hold a string down. Drums/percussion though, is her greatest love. Jenna went to UW-La Crosse for Percussion/Music Performance and Psychology, graduating in 2008. She has provided therapeutic recreation in the form of music in a variety of settings and continues to do so currently through nursing homes.

    Playing with countless bands, touring the country, playing all the big Midwest stages and some national ones as well. She's hung up her giggin' boots a bit in recent years to turn her focus on teaching. Watching young musicians grow is truly a passion of Jenna's and she was recognized for it through the Madison Area Music Awards in 2020, receiving Teacher of the Year. In previous years she's received Drummer of the Year, Bassist of the Year and is this year's Percussionist of the Year through the Madison Area Music Awards.

    Girls and Ladies Rock Camp is one of her favorite places to be and can't wait to rock every single time with every new group.

  • Melissa Kieler

    Licensed Massage Therapist, Reiki Master Practitioner, small business owner, and long time musician and vocalist, Melissa, has been singing since she could walk. Hailing from the small midwest town of Monroe, Wisconsin, Melissa Kieler is a true music dynamo. Whether playing piano, rocking the bass, ripping on guitar, or incorporating offbeat instruments like the melodica and vibraslap, Melissa's diverse instrumental skill set paired with her limitless vocal range makes her a force to be reckoned with.

    Melissa Kieler knows how to entertain. Unbounded, her voice tells a story - effortlessly moving between genres with grace and style. She takes her audience for the ride of a lifetime - 90mph down hard rock quarter-miles, through harmony hills, straight through 80s pop culture, only to slow it down and enjoy the ride of soft, soulful originals. No matter the riff, Melissa Kieler maintains full control of her voice and can choose to either melt your heart or blow your mind.

    Melissa's passion for all things music bleeds into everything she does on stage and off. For nearly a decade, she has shared her knowledge and love of music with the like-minded young campers of the Girls Rock Camp of Madison. On any given weeknight, Melissa can be found at the local brewpub, Bullquarian Brewhouse's open mic night, where she emcees for other local artists.

    Find more information at www.MelissaKielerMusic.com

  • Laura Lang

    Laura is a Madison, WI based singer-songwriter, teacher and instructional coach. A classically trained pianist and mainly self-taught guitarist, she wrote her first official song in high school. While working as a high school English and Reading teacher for 10 years in the Chicago-area, she looked for every opportunity to sneak songwriting into her classes.

    For the last 5 years, Laura has worked with Overture Center for the Arts’ Lullaby Project site in Madison. In this role, she works with new and expectant parents to help craft and record personalized lullabies for their babies. This role, along with the amazing musicians she’s met through the Ladies Rock Camp, Girls Rock Camp &; Lullaby Project communities, inspired her to explore even more ways of integrating her music and education backgrounds. To learn more and to hear some of her music, check out her website: lauralangcoaching.com.

  • Lo Marie

    Lo Marie is a Jazz/R&B singer and guitar player. She is a Madison native who spent 6 years in Nashville, TN before returning to her hometown. She is a 2016 Gold winner in Best of Madison and a 2015 Madison Area Music Award winner who has 2 sensational albums to her name and more plans on the horizon. She is also the host of LM2, a radio show on 98.7 promoting local music, a recording engineer, and music event planner. She is dedicated to supporting local artists and building a strong sense of community in the Madison area. For more information, visit www.lomariemusic.com.

  • Audrey Martinovich

    Audrey Martinovich started her engineering journey as a classically-trained singer who, through experimenting with recording her voice lessons and performances, fell in love with audio production. In 2012, she graduated from Madison Media Institute with a degree in Recording and Music Technology before going on to earn her Bachelor’s in Entertainment and Media Business. In 2014, Audrey officially joined the staff at Audio for the Arts where she now specializes in recording acoustic instruments and voice, and has a passion for blending classical, jazz, and pop elements in her productions which have garnered her several Madison Area Music Association Awards.

    In 2017, Audrey became the first regular female contributor to Production Expert and Pro Tools Expert, industry blogs which provide knowledge and training to over 6 million yearly visitors. The following year, Audrey was a finalist to receive the award for Breakthrough Studio Engineer from Pro Sound Europe. In 2020, she joined the Recording Academy as a voting member, and currently serves as Governor on the Chicago Chapter Board as well as Chair of the Chicago Chapter Producers & Engineers Wing Committee.

  • Jenn Morea

    Jenn Morea composes instrumental music for keyboard and piano. She wrote the lyrics for the Candy Claws album Ceres & Calypso in the Deep Time (Twosyllable Records), named one of the “50 Best Shoegaze Albums of All Time” by Far Out Magazine. Her poetry has appeared in journals and films and been performed by a choir. She has taught K12 poetry for 25+ years and is an educator at heart with a mission to inspire others to express themselves creatively with clarity. She teaches artists and educators how to teach creativity, and writes curriculum and leads professional development for the Young Critics Program and the Matinee Program at the Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts at the University of Chicago.

  • Dana Perry - Gear Manager

    Madison-based evo-folk artist Dana Perry has been making music passionately for 30 years, with over 15 years of focus on playing guitar and songwriting. A thumping guitar style, combined with poignant lyrics and powerhouse vocals; her music resonates with anyone who recognizes that we are all on our own Journey. Dana is a 15-time winner at the Madison Area Music Association (MAMA) Awards; including Acoustic Guitarist of the Year (2019) and Folk/Americana Performer of the Year (2020), and Best Female Vocalist (2021). Her most recent album Tunes on the Battlefield won the 2021 MAMA award for Folk/Americana Album of the Year. She has self-released 7 albums – 3 of them she recorded herself under Folk U Productions, a DIY mobile studio she runs with her partner. When she’s not on the road, Dana teaches songwriting and guitar workshops, is a guitar instructor/band coach for Girls Rock Camp Madison, and music coordinator at Cargo Coffee East. Dana is GRC Madison’s Gear Manager. Email with anything gear related at grcmgearmanager@gmail.com.

  • Autumn Maria Reed

    Autumn Maria Reed is a Wisconsin-based composer and Berklee alumna. Autumn has composed library and theatrical music for companies in Madison and Milwaukee. Her music is available to stream under the name AMReed8. In 2022, she debuted with two pieces —a symphonic work "Exodus From Extinction" for Black Diaspora Symphony Orchestra and a string quartet "Yankadi” at LunART Festival. She plays the string bass with Dayvin Hallmon's The Black String Triage Ensemble. This group performs string music for trauma and violence victims. She advocates ending the stigma of mental illness. She also values spending time with her family.

  • Stephanie Roberts

    Stephanie is an alumna of many Ladies Rock Camps playing bass and guitar and is excited to now be a staff member as a Band Coach and Manager. She is a life-long lover of live music, attending her first concert at age nine seeing Elvis Presley. From then she started playing guitar and writing lyrics. She loves the positive experience that GRC provides and is honored to be a part of it.

  • Nancy Rost

    Musical collaboration is one of Nancy Rost’s favorite things, and she’s eager to share the fun with this year’s campers. Nancy has co-written hundreds of songs with a wide variety of musicians. She teaches piano at Madison Music Foundry and performs as a singer-songwriter, as a member of acoustic trio Two Johns & A Nancy, and on bass guitar with the Madison Area Ukulele Initiative.

  • Darwin Scholz - Admin Assistant

    Darwin is a dreamer with a firm sense of logic and reason. She is an accountant by trade and a musician at heart. Her music is eclectic, drawing from all genres. She grew up playing saxophone and now also enjoys piano, guitar, and bass.

  • "K.I.L.O aka SkitL'z

    "K.I.L.O aka SkitL'z officially picked up the mic in 2010. She was featured on some tracks with her label-mate and business partner 1neofmani of the BloodLine group. In 2012 SkitL'z received her stamp of approval from the group as BloodLine's 1st Lady. She has been working in collaboration with local artists in Madison and surrounding areas. Recently, at the 2022 MAMA Awards SkitL'z received her 4th Hip Hop Performer of the Year Award. To date, SkitL'z released 3 mixtapes 'Watch Your Toes', 'Stepping On Toes, and her solo mixtape 'L.I.A.R Living In a Reignbow. Although K.I.L.O's awards are testimonies to her hard work, in order to fully engage with her, you must see her live for yourself. For booking: connect with 1neofmani at bookingbrothers@gmail.com

  • Nicky Sund

    Nicky Sund

    Nicky Sund plays drums and percussion with Ladies Must Swing, Atimevu, Mona Augustin, Minor Changes, The Retro Swing Band, Minor Changes combo and Meskales.

  • Amber Swenor

    Amber Swenor is a heart-centered metalhead who imagines a world where everyone experiences the freedom to be their full authentic selves. In 2008 she formed her first cover band with Brandon Pockat who’d become her long-term partner in music and life. They formed an original metal band that went through different iterations and in 2018 emerged as the symphonic melodic metal band, Morningstar, with Amber on vocals and writing. Amber is a multi-creative entrepreneur, founder of Soul Seed which provides transformational coaching and consulting for leaders and teams. Her personal transformation book is a best-seller and was named most inspirational of 2023: Unleashed: A Been There Rocked that Guide to Radical Authenticity in Life and Business. When she’s not helping others or rocking on stage you’ll find her wrestling with her pups Titus and Nova. You can learn more at: www.soul-seed.com and www.morningstarband.com

  • Caila Webber

    Caila is super excited to be at Girls Rock Camp this summer! She has been playing guitar since age nine and has picked up other instruments since then, such as piano, ukulele, and voice. In high school, Caila was in the band Ukulele Wednesday. She will graduate with a degree in Music Education from UW-Milwaukee in May 2019. She has been teaching private music lessons since the summer of 2018.

  • Dodie Whitaker

    Dodie is a multifaceted singer, actress, educator and mom who brings her enthusiasm, diverse musical background and passion for singing into connection and collaboration with people of all ages and walks of life. A resident of Viroqua, WI and and active community song leader in the Driftless region of Southwestern Wisconsin,

    Dodie previously made her home in her native Chicago, where she performed and led vocal workshops in the Chicago Public Schools and at the Old Town School of Folk Music. She currently enjoys sharing the gift of music with students at Pleasant Ridge Waldorf School, Youth Initiative High School and Western Technical College and on stages as varied as Chicago’s House of Blues, The Weber Center in La Crosse and Viroqua’s own Historic Temple Theater. A musical activist who is on a continuous journey to build community by blending social justice and inclusion with her lifelong love of all things musical, Dodie is beyond excited to be a part of the GRC family this summer!

  • Miranda Whitaker

    Miranda Whitaker is a Wisconsin based singer/songwriter and a lover of all things music. She has been the vocalist for multiple bands, sung in multiple choirs and musicals and loves to rock it out on stage. She has experience with piano, guitar, bass, and ukulele. Miranda loves all genres of music and thrives in a collaborative environment.

  • Jacy Whitehead

    Jacy is Ladies Rock drums and bass alumnus. She grew up on guitar but now favors her janky drum kit. Jacy uses her educator skills, improvisational forte, and love of rock-n-roll to support and encourage the glorious GRC.

  • Camela Widad

    A mainstay Americana Folk Troubadour, Camela Widad is a performing songwriter who is a little bit saintly and a little bit rock and roll, delivering Americana music for the dreamers. With seven albums, critical acclaim, and multiple performances solo or with a band, Camela could not have achieved this without the vocal coaching style she discovered during a workshop in Nashville. This technique has enabled her to play more shows on the road without voice fatigue or loss, as well as perform with bands with a bigger sound.

    As a working singer-songwriter, she began sharing this knowledge, and after 14 years of teaching, she now has a vocal coaching roster of students from all over the world, both online and in person. A Wisconsin native who moved back about four years ago, she currently performs in the Midwest after years on the East Coast. Camela is stoked to be part of the team at Girls Rock Camp!

    To hear Camela's Work visit www.CamelaWidad.com

Past Instructors and Volunteers.