Alumni

Elizabeth Derrick (2019)

Elizabeth Derrick is from Little Mountain, South Carolina and received her Bachelor of Science degree in Music Education with a concentration in Voice from Presbyterian College, located in Clinton, South Carolina in 2014. Elizabeth taught music at two title 1 public schools in Newberry, SC for the 2014-2015 academic year. While teaching music, Elizabeth experienced working with special education students, which re-sparked her previous interest in music therapy. She completed her clinical...

Lisl Doughton (2019)

Lisl Kuutti Doughton is pursuing a Master's in Cello Performance and is a member of the Hayes Graduate String Ensemble. She received her B.A. in Music and Art from Furman University in 2011. In addition to playing cello, Lisl is a colored pencil artist who incorporates original poems in her art. She has lived in Raleigh and Atlanta as well as Osaka, Japan, where she gave a solo recital and played in a community orchestra.

Kathryn Esposito (2019)

Kathryn Esposito is board-certified music therapist who completed the Equivalency/Master’s in Music Therapy. Kathryn graduated from the University of Vermont (UVM) in 2013 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and Music and was actively involved in psychology research, piano performance, chamber music, and accompanying during her time there. Her studies led her to two musical and cultural immersion trips to India and Inner Mongolia, where she deepened her appreciation for world music....

Katie Komorek (2019)

Katie Komorek is a board-certified music therapist in her final year of the combined Master's and Equivalency degree in Music Therapy at Appalachian State University. She completed her internship with Seasons Hospice in Boston, Massachusetts. Katie received her Bachelor of Music degree in May, 2013 from North Carolina School of the Arts in Vocal Performance. Katie is a Mezzo-soprano who is originally from Raleigh, NC.

Taylor McCulloch (2019)

Taylor McCulloch is pursuing a Master of Music in Piano Performance. She graduated summa cum laude from Campbell University in 2016 with a BA in Piano Pedagogy. During her time at Campbell, she served an instrumental and vocal accompanist, pianist in the jazz ensemble, cellist in the chamber strings ensemble, and performed in multiple student composition recitals. She also has experience as a solo performer, an accompanist for musical theater, and a private piano teacher. Taylor is currently a...

Amy Mercier (2019)

Amy Mercier is a board-certified music therapist completing her Master of Music Therapy degree. She graduated from High Point University in High Point, NC in 2013 with a Bachelor of Arts in Music Performance with a concentration in voice and a minor in psychology and completed her Equivalency at Appalachian State University. Originally from Westfield, Massachusetts, Amy is an avid singer, songwriter and pianist and also enjoys playing the guitar and drums. She hopes to combine her passion for...

Robert Neeb (2019)

Robert Neeb, MMT, MT-BC is music therapist with Rehabilitative Rhythms in Denver, Colorado. At Appalachian State, Robbie was a graduate assistant for the SDAP (Scholars with Diverse Abilities Program) and also a graduate assistant for the Hayes School of Music. His final clinical paper was "Therapeutic Songwriting with Hospice Patients Diagnosed with Major Neurocognitive Disorder on a Long-Term Care Unit." Robert received his undergraduate degree in Music Education with a Concentration in Jazz...

Sarah Swann Solberg (2019)

Sarah Swann Solberg, MMT, MT-BC is a board-certified music therapist who received her bachelor's degree in music from the Sunderman Conservatory at Gettysburg College and completed both the Master of Music in Vocal Performance and Master of Music Therapy degrees at Appalachian State University. She completed her internship in music therapy at Park Nicollet Medical Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Sarah has a particular interest in treating voice disorders that result from Parkinson's disease...

Angie Sylas (2019)

Angie Sylas, MT-BC, MMT, is a board-certified music therapist currently who completed her Master of Music Therapy degree at ASU after practicing as an MT-BC for 16 years in disability services. Angie has a Bachelor of Arts in Music Therapy with a minor in Psychology from Charleston Southern University in South Carolina and completed her Music Therapy Internship at Fort Wayne State Developmental Center in Northern Indiana. With additional training in unique methodologies such as Dalcroze...

Jonathan Williams (2019)

Jonathan Williams is a board-certified music therapist pursuing a Master of Music Therapy degree at Appalachian State University’s Hayes School of Music. He began Appalachian’s Music Therapy combined Equivalency/Master’s program in 2015. He works as a graduate assistant for the Music Therapy Program and for the Scholars with Diverse Abilities Program as a Person-Centered Planning Advisor. Before coming to Appalachian, Jonathan received a Bachelor of Arts in Music (Cello) Performance with a...