Board of Trustees
Meet the DSA Board of Trustees.
Updated January 9, 2021
The Dalcroze Society of America is a membership association governed by a Board of Trustees. On the membership's behalf, the Board envisions the DSA's future and enacts policies to ensure that its programs fulfill its stated purpose and meet the community's evolving needs. The board meets once a month. For more information, please contact boardchair@
Anthony Molinaro
Board Chair
Anthony Molinaro is a professional musician, teacher, producer, and podcaster. A veteran of 14 years in the classroom, Mr. Molinaro holds the Dalcroze Certificate and is the Eurhythmics instructor at the Preparatory Academy of Carnegie Mellon University, as well as a candidate for a Masters in Music Education from CMU. He produces and hosts the world's first podcast about the Dalcroze Method, The New Dalcrozian.
Lauren Hodgson
Vice Chair, Chair of National Events Committee
Lauren Hodgson is a Dalcroze educator and pianist in Cleveland, Ohio. She oversees the Dalcroze program and maintains a private piano studio at the Baldwin Wallace Community Arts School and is on the summer faculty at the Dalcroze School of the Rockies Dalcroze Academy.
Paula Zerkle
Secretary
Dr. Paula Ring Zerkle is Professor of Music and Director of Vocal Music at Moravian College in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, where she conducts the Moravian College Choir, Chorale, Men’s Chorus, Women’s Chorus, and Vocalis, a small a cappella choral ensemble. She also teaches conducting and musicianship.
Adam Sheldon
Treasurer, Chair of Finance Committee
Adam Sheldon is the director of the Community Arts School at Baldwin Wallace University. Sheldon holds a Masters of Business Administration and a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Baldwin Wallace University with an emphasis in Arts Management and with additional studies at the University of the Sunshine Coast in Brisbane, Australia.
Patrick Cerria
Trustee, Chair of Chapter Outreach Committee
Patrick Cerria is a Music Educator and Education Consultant in New Jersey. After working as a recording and touring musician, he has been in music education for the past two decades. He has taught in schools that serve inner city students, children with behavioral and emotional issues, and has worked in alternative education with at risk populations.
Mary Dobrea-Grindahl
Trustee
Mary Dobrea-Grindahl is professor of piano at Baldwin Wallace University where her responsibilities include teaching private piano, piano pedagogy, eurhythmics and solfège. She holds the Diplôme supérieur from l’Collège de l’Institut Jaques-Dalcroze.
Cassandra Eisenreich
Trustee
Dr. Cassandra Eisenreich is Assistant Professor of Flute and Music Education at Slippery Rock University. She holds a Dalcroze Certificate and has been teaching preschool through college level Eurhythmics classes for over 13 years.
Lori Forden
Trustee, Marketing Working Group
Lori Forden is a public school teacher in Colorado where she teaches Kindergarten through 8th grade. Lori is currently pursuing her Dalcroze License at the Dalcroze School of the Rockies.
Cynthia Lilley
Trustee
Cynthia Lilley earned her Dalcroze License at Longy School. She lives in New York where she currently teaches at the Dalcroze School at the Lucy Moses School of Music and the Dalcroze Program at the Diller-Quaile School of Music. She is past president of the New York Chapter of the DSA. She is a composer of art songs.
Jeremy Dittus
Ex officio, Chair of Professional Development Committee
Jeremy Dittus enjoys an international career as a pianist, theorist, and Dalcroze Education Specialist. He currently directs the Dalcroze School of the Rockies, teaches on the faculty of Hope College in Holland, Michigan, and serves on l’Collège de l’Institut Jaques-Dalcroze.
Alex Marthaler
Ex officio, Interim Executive Director
Alex Marthaler is a composer, pianist, and educator in Pittsburgh, PA. He is a pianist for modern dance and ballet classes at Point Park University and Carnegie Mellon University. Alex also teaches children's musical storytelling and improvisation classes, and teaches at Carnegie Mellon University.
Committee Chairs
While not members of the Board of Trustees, Committee Chairs provide crucially important work for the DSA. We welcome any DSA member in good standing to serve on committees.
2020-21 Committees and Task Forces
- Professional Development Committee
- Governance Committee
- Executive Director Search Task Force
- Finance Committee
- Fundraising Subcommittee
- Scholarship Task Force
- Chapter Outreach Committee
- National Events Committee
- Publications Committee
- Marketing Working Group
Michael Joviala
Chair of Publications Committee
Michael Joviala teaches at the Lucy Moses School of Music and Dance, the Diller Quaile School of Music and Columbia University in New York City. He is the music director of the improvisation collective Loco Motors, and is a candidate for the Diplôme Superiéur at the Institut Jaques-Dalcroze in Geneva, Switzerland.
Jessica Schaeffer
Chair of Governance Committee
Jessica Schaeffer is a professional freelance harpist in the San Francisco Bay Area. She is a faculty member at Holy Names University Preparatory Music Program and maintains private teaching studio. Jessica is certified in Dalcroze Education, which continually informs and inspires her own practice as a performer and teacher.
Get Involved
Interested in becoming a board member? Find out what board service entails.
Email us at boardchair@dalcrozeusa.org for information regarding upcoming board vacancies or about serving on a committee.
Local Chapters leadership is also critical to the success of the DSA. Find information about their board members and activities on the local chapter webpages.