Alumni

Jessica Donley (2017)

Jessica Donley is a board-certified music therapist who completed the Equivalency and Master of Music Therapy degree at Appalachian State University. Jessica graduated from the University of Louisiana at Monroe in 2012 with her Bachelor's degree in Music Performance-Flute. She works as a contracts and grants manager for the College of Health Sciences at Appalachian State University..

Reece Jennings (2017)

Reece Jennings completed the Equivalency in Music Therapy program in the Fall of 2017. He currently works as a music therapist for Music Therapy Services of Greater Atlanta in Roswell, GA. He graduated from Appalachian State with a BM in Music Education and the Jazz Studies Certificate in 2014, and taught in Guilford County Schools in Greensboro, NC prior to entering the Equivalency program. He enjoys teaching trombone lessons, playing bass in jazz combos, and learning about...

Hannah Lingafelt (2017)

Hannah Lingafelt, MT-BC, graduated from Appalachian State University in 2013 with her Bachelor of Music in music therapy iin 2017 with dual master’s degrees in music therapy and clinical mental health counseling. She has worked with individuals in both medical and mental health settings and is interested in the intersection of music therapy, mental health, and physical health. During her degree program she was a music therapy supervisor for pre-internship music therapy...

Kristin Neel (2017)

Kristin Neel, MMT, MT-BC, completed the combined Equivalency and Master of Music Therapy degree with a certificate in expressive arts therapy. Kristin earned her Bachelor’s degree in music with an emphasis in vocal performance and a minor in piano from West Chester University of Pennsylvania in West Chester, PA. She currently lives in Chapel Hill, NC and is employed as a Music and Movement instructor at Christ Church Preschool in Raleigh, NC.

Bethany Pastore (2017)

Bethany Pastore completed the Equivalency in Music Therapy. Bethany is from Somerset, Kentucky and graduated from the historic Berea College with her undergraduate degrees in both music and psychology. Bethany is a free-lance piano accompanist for Appalachian and the community. She has always had a passion for music therapy and is thrilled to begin her internship at Banner University Medical Center in Phoenix, AZ. She is working as a music therapist in the psychiatric unit of a general hospital...

Kelsey Philbrick (2017)

Kelsey Philbrick completed her Master of Music in Violin Performance. During her time at ASU, Kelsey served as first violinist of the Hayes Graduate String Quartet and concertmaster of the Appalachian Symphony Orchestra and Opera Orchestra. Since 2012, she has performed with numerous local symphonies, and in 2016, was awarded the position of Assistant Concertmaster with the Western Piedmont Symphony. Kelsey graduated from UNC-Greensboro with a Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance in 2014. In...

Elizabeth Chapa (2016)

Elizabeth Chapa is a second year graduate student in the Music Performance program and also received her Bachelor’s degree from Appalachian State University in Music Performance. She is a full-lyric soprano studying under the instruction of Mr. John Fowler. She is a member of the graduate vocal ensemble, Quintessential!, and has had the pleasure of teaching multiple levels of voice class for non-vocal majors. Ms. Chapa has performed roles including La Contessa in Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro,...

Rebecca Gildea (2016)

Rebecca Gildea completed the Equivalency Music Therapy ASU in the Spring of 2016. She graduated in 2012 from Marlboro College in Vermont with a Bachelor’s Degree in Music with an emphasis in Voice Performance and Musicology. She is currently working as a music therapist at the Sonatina Center in Dover, New Hampshire. She has a passion for feminist music therapy, bridging the gap between mental health facilities and their communities, and social justice.

Miranda Grimmer (2016)

Miranda Grimmer is a board certified music therapist who completed her Master of Music Therapy degree with an expressive arts focus at Appalachian State University. She interned for music therapy at Lakemary Center in Paola, KS working with students with developmental, psychiatric, and behavioral needs. She received her Bachelor's degree from Pittsburg State University in Music Education with emphasis in Violin.

Kimberly Hilton (2016)

Kimberly Hilton is a first year graduate student pursuing a Master's of Music in Vocal Performance. She also did her undergraduate work at Appalachain State University, graduating with a Bachelor of Music in Music Education. Kimberly is a mezzo-soprano in ASU's graduate vocal group, Quintessential!, and is studying under the instruction of Dr. Joseph Amaya. This spring, Kimberly will be taking on the role of Cherubino in Mozart's Le Nozze di Figaro with Appalachian State University Opera...