Fay Adams retired as Associate Professor Emeritus at the UT School of Music where she was coordinator of the keyboard area teaching piano, pedagogy, and Suzuki pedagogy. She has won the Distinguished Faculty Teaching Award, and MTNA National Teacher of the Year. Fay teaches privately and still works with MTNA, the Suzuki Association, and the Suzuki Piano School of Knoxville. Fay chairs the teaching & lesson resource committee.

Cindi Alpert is a native of New Jersey and graduated Ohio State in journalism. She joined the JoMS board 2014 and was president 2018-2019. Cindi started her broadcasting career as a TV reporter, later owning two area radio stations. Now semi-retired from broadcasting she performs as a vocalist. Cindi is also a television spokesperson, professional DJ, freelance model, and voice-over artist. She enjoys golf, wake surfing, scuba diving, hiking and spending time with her teenage daughter. Cindi chairs the JoMS development committee.

Louise Aponte

Bio Coming Soon!

Harold A. Black is the James F. Smith Jr. Professor of Finance (emeritus) at the University of Tennessee. He served on the initial board of the National Credit Union Administration. He has held faculty positions at the University of Florida, UNC Chapel Hill, Howard University and American University. He is past chairman of the Atlanta Federal Reserve Bank – Nashville Branch.

Susan Brackney, a UT Knoxville grad, has been volunteering since 1961 when she joined the Junior League. She was Dogwood Arts Chair, organizing their first House and Garden Show. Susan has served UTK on their Alumnae Committee, Women’s Council, Pan-Hellenic, and Chi Omega boards. She serves on the Old Gray Cemetery board, and was State Pres. for the Nat’l Society of Colonial Dames of America. Susan chaired our Holiday Sparkles & Spirits gala from 2010 to 2022.

Rick Carl plays lead trumpet with Boys Night Out, and performs with various other legit and not so legit ensembles. He holds a B.S. in Music Ed. from Maryville College, a M.S. in Music Ed. from he UT Knoxville, and a J.D. from UT Law School. Rick’s day gig for the last 22 years was as an attorney with Baker Donelson. A two-time past board president with JoMS, Rick serves as a general counsel for the School, with which he as been associated since 2003. Before entering law school, Rick taught music in Knox County schools, and at Webb School, where he was music department chair.

Trey Coleman is the regional president for HomeTrust Bank in Knoxville, Tenn. He is a past Joy of Music School board president. Prior to joining the board Trey served as a volunteer guitar instructor at the School. He enjoys chess, golf, mountain biking and fly fishing.

Mike Combs is Associate Principal Timpanist of the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra and, until his recent retirement, was Professor of Percussion at the University of Tennessee. He is the founding President of the Joy of Music School and has served as a Director on the Boards of several non-profit organizations. He is a member of the Leadership Knoxville class of 1998 and is recipient of the Tennessee Arts Academy Lifetime Achievement Award, the Tennessee Higher Education Commission’s Resolution of Commendation, the Tennessee Music Education Association Lifetime Achievement award, the Percussive Arts Society’s national Lifetime Achievement Award, and Phi Eta Sigma award for excellence in teaching.

Sarah Davis returns to the board, having served previously from 2015-2020. She served as Governance Chair from 2016-2020. Sarah has been a Knoxvillian for more than 50 years, moving here to attend graduate school at UT and never leaving. In 2011, she retired from Knox County Schools, where she taught elementary and middle school music. Since retirement, Sarah has kept busy with church, family, Choral Society, and her work with JoMS. She looks forward to working again with a board committed to the School’s mission, is and dedicated to providing the best music education possible for children and youth.

Rachel Ford is Executive Director of the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra. She serves on the boards of the Arts & Culture Alliance, Knoxville Rotary Club, and is a member of the Executive Women’s Association. Rachel has a piano performance degree from the University of Michigan and is a graduate of the League of American Orchestras’ Management Fellowship Program. She is a Leadership Knoxville graduate, and was a 2013 YWCA Tribute to Women honoree.

Jerry Greene is the East Tennessee Market Executive and Middle Market Team Lead for Fifth Third Bank. He is a UT graduate a Tri-Cities are native. He is a drummer/percussionist and a member of the Johnson City Symphony (on whose board he also serves). and the Symphony of the Mountains. He has performed in over 30 shows at the Barter Theatre in Virginia. He is passionate about music and its impact on his life. He enjoys being part of an organization that makes the joy of learning and performing music available to those who may not otherwise have access.

Marsha Hollingsworth has extensive community involvement including Fantasy of Trees, and the Red Cross. A former Clinton Jaycees Woman of the Year she has served on the Knoxville Opera, Baptist Health Foundation, Pellissippi State CC Foundation, and the Bijou Theatre boards. She now serves on the boards of the Museum of Appalachia and the Sertoma Home. She also sponsors programs for Junior Achievement of East Tennessee, including BizTown.

Cathy Leach, Board Secretary, is Professor of Trumpet at the UT School of Music, where she has also served as Associate Director of both Graduate Studies and Undergraduate Studies.  She played Principal Trumpet with the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra for 31 years and is currently President of the International Trumpet Guild.  She happily offers her musical and administrative experience to JoMS.

Rob Masengill, is a Senior VP at Pinnacle Bank in Knoxville. In addition to the Joy of Music board role, Rob leads the Latin American Missions Ministry at Two Rivers Church. A long time drummer, Rob has served on other community focused boards and committees including the Boy & Girls Club of East Tennessee Advisory Board, Morristown Chamber Board, the MATS Homeless shelter and United Way of Hamblen County.

Nancy Middlemas received her Music Ed. vocal degree from UT Knoxville and holds an MS in English from UT. For 34 years, she taught elementary and middle school choral and general music at Farragut Middle School. During part of this time Nancy was the Music Director at First Methodist Church, Knoxville. She has sung and soloed for many years with the Knoxville Choral Society. Over the years Nancy has served as their Membership Chair, Vice President, and President. She is a published composer of sacred music.

Cavanaugh Mims is a Nuclear Engineer and has a B.S. degree in Nuclear Engineering from the University of Tennessee with over 40 years of professional experience in the areas of transportation and logistics, radioactive waste packaging and disposition, environmental remediation, and special nuclear materials disposition. He new serves as the Vice President of Transportation of Turnkey Technical Services, LLC located in Oliver Springs, Tennessee.

Andrew Parrott has experience in strategic and tactical planning, contract negotiation, new business development, and acquisition, with digital & legacy media marketing expertise. Receiving multiple honors and awards throughout his career; Andrew has evolved into a sought-after professional, community leader, and overall badass. He brings positive energy into every moment as he’s focused on achieving the highest degree of success in every situation.

Clay Prewitt is a Group Creative Director at The Tombras Group. A native of Virginia, he graduated from Emory & Henry College with a double major in Art and Communications. Since moving to Knoxville in 2010, he’s led advertising and marketing initiatives for clients in Food & Beverage, Healthcare, Insurance, Sports and Tourism, and also serves on the board at the Knoxville Family Justice Center. In his free time, he enjoys playing guitar, writing songs, and attempting to learn the banjo. Thus far, progress has been very slow.

John Rosson is a graduate of Western Kentucky University and the UT School of Law. He runs a private law practice and has been the Knoxville City Municipal Judge since 1986. A member of the American and Knoxville Bar Associations, John has served on the latter’s Executive Committee of Specialized Courts. He also serves on the Tennessee Municipal Judges’ Conference Legislative Committee. John chairs the Joy of Music School’s advocacy committee.

Darren Seay, Board Treasurer, is the Director of Business Intelligence at Pilot Company. In addition to working in accounting and data analytics, he has been a professional jazz musician and music instructor. He has served as a United Way Loaned Executive and is currently the treasurer for both Atomic Rowing and Oak Ridge Sister City Support Organization.  Darren serves on the JoMS finance committee.

Joyce Thames is the mother of one current and three former JoMS students. She has been a homeschool mom for over 20 years and is now educating the last of her six children. She organizes a variety of social and educational events for her church, and has organized and produced homeschool events. Joyce also served as a volunteer for Children’s Hospital events and as a 4-H leader.