Spotlight on Outgoing Board Members
Katherine Dines
Hometown and region: Denver, Colorado; Mountain Region
CMN member since: 1992 or ’93. I can’t remember!!!
Joined CMN’s Board of Directors (BOD): 1993 or ’94.
What you like most about CMN: The amazing people I’ve met, the resources they share, the conferences, and the songs I hear.
Why should people serve on the BOD? Because people can learn important skills they didn’t even know they had. CMN has continued to be successful all these years because of its volunteer efforts. Every person deserves to take a turn. Working together strengthens relationships and creates trust, and decisions made on the Board will carry CMN into the future. Most of all, new Board members keep CMN fresh.
A favorite CMN memory: Please may I have more than one??
1) A song-sharing circle during a conference. Jackson Gilman had just introduced one of my songs when I walked into the room. He said, “Well, here comes Katherine right now!” Then a woman literally jumped out of her seat, ran over to me and said, “Katherine DINES? I’ve been playing your Hunk-Ta-Bunk-Ta music for ten years and have always wanted to meet you!” We just don’t know how far or wide our work goes.
2) Meeting Linda and Dennis Ronberg (also CMN Board members), who after a California conference gave me one of my first out-of-state gigs at their bookstore, Linden Tree Books in Los Altos, California. I was thrilled.
3) Producing Bob Blue’s compilation album shortly before he died, and falling in love with all of the artists who loved him and contributed their recordings of his songs for the album. Bob was one of the founders of CMN, and his gentle ways are still with many who knew him.
4) Understanding how songs could teach and reach children. I didn’t understand that before I joined CMN.
Favorite conference: Almost all of them in California—mainly because I love going to that state. I particularly liked the conferences in Petaluma outside of San Francisco.
Final thoughts? I could stay involved with CMN forever. However, it’s time for other people to move into the fold and share some responsibilities. CMN has helped me grow as a songwriter, performer, producer, teaching artist, and keynote presenter. For all those things and the incredible people that make CMN what it is, I am and will be forever grateful.
Susan Salidor
Hometown and Region: Chicago, Illinois; Midwest Region
CMN member since: Too long to remember.
Joined CMN’s Board of Directors (BOD): Late 2009
What you like most about CMN: The community and its willingness to share EVERTYHING. I left professional theatre in my late twenties because I disliked the competition and what the “business” and desire to succeed in such a small market did to perfectly wonderful, talented people. Not so in the world of CMN.
Why should people serve on the BOD? If you like CMN, serving on the BOD gives you an opportunity to see how the organization (mostly volunteer) runs. It also gives you an opportunity to be in on important decision-making and to contribute new ideas and initiatives that will attract new members AND stay in line with CMN’s important mission.
A favorite CMN memory: Too many to choose.
Favorite conference: I remember weeping when we honored/celebrated Ruth Pelham with the Magic Penny Award a few years back. I was so moved that she attended the conference such a short time after losing her beloved sister. Her presence demonstrated her deep love of and commitment to CMN. I also feel that Ruth’s songs live at the heart of the organization.
Final thoughts? Happy to have served. Looking forward to where current and new BODies will take CMN.