President
Mary Alice Balderrama
Mary Alice Balderrama has a B.F.A in Theatre and Dance and M.Ed. in Pedagogy and Learning from Eastern New Mexico University. She has taught elementary performing arts and some visual arts with the RISD Arts Connect program for 15 years. She also teaches dance and yoga at ENMU-Roswell and privately at her studio. She has danced professionally in New Mexico and Texas. Mary Alice has completed Level I World Music Drumming Certification and Orff Level I. Although her background is predominantly in theatre and dance, Mary Alice is enthusiastic about Orff pedagogy and sharing it with colleagues. She has presented several workshops including a Yoga for Teachers workshop at the 2019 NMPED Inspire conference and workshops on how to integrate the Visual and Performing Arts at the 2018 NMPED Winter Meeting and the 2018 SEADAE Arts Education Within ESSA Conference.
Diversity, Inclusion, & Equity Advisor
Cat Woo
Cat Woo was Vice-President of NMAOSA from 2012-14 and President from 2014-16. She currently serves on the board as Past President. She took her Orff and Kodaly levels at the University of New Mexico and her World Music Drumming levels in Albuquerque. Cat is also a member of the New Mexico Music Educators Association. She is an elementary music teacher with Albuquerque Public Schools.
Vice President
Kristen Hutchinson
Kristen Hutchinson received her Bachelors Degree in Music Education from New Mexico State University in 1998. She started her career as a high school choral director. After four years, she moved into elementary education as a classroom teacher. Kristen then began teaching Music in the elementary classroom with Albuquerque Public Schools. She has her Level III Orff certification. Kristen is an accomplished singer, choral director and musical director in local musical theatre productions over the past twenty years.
Past President
Diane Marino
Diane Marino received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Music Education from Long Island University, a Master in Music Education from the College of St. Rose in Albany, NY, and is a National Board Certified Teacher. She taught band and general music in upstate New York for 22 years before moving to Albuquerque. She now teaches K-5 general music for Albuquerque Public Schools and has completed Orff Levels I and II World Music Drumming Levels I and II. Diane has extensive experience directing children’s musical theater, and has taught private piano and woodwind lessons to students of all ages.
Treasurer
Vicky Wood
Vicky Wood is an elementary music teacher for Albuquerque Public Schools. This is her 13th year teaching and her 12th year as a member of NMAOSA. She previously served as Secretary for three years and is beginning her sixth year as Treasurer.
Secretary
Alexis Abeyta-Ward
Alexis Abeyta Ward graduated from the University of New Mexico as a vocalist with a bachelor’s degree in Music Education. She taught elementary music for one year in Tyler, TX and then began teaching with Albuquerque Public Schools in the fall of 2020. She is Orff Level I certified. Since she began teaching in New Mexico she has found great help through the NMAOSA workshops and resources and is happy to serve as secretary for the 2022-2023 school year.
Historian
Anna Smock
Historian
Theresa Steinke
Member-at-Large
Kristin Higginbotham
Anna Smock received her Bachelor of Music Education from University of New Mexico and a Master of Music Performance in Bassoon from University of New Mexico. She is Orff and Kodaly certified, and has earned one level of World Drumming. She has taught elementary music with Albuquerque Public Schools for ten years, and enjoys working with student teachers and mentoring new teachers. In her free time she plays bassoon, soccer (this has been temporarily replaced with online gaming due to Covid 19) and with her dogs.