Meet your Directors

Linda Ashley, registrar, has been involved in music since elementary school, playing oboe and english horn through her school years and in community bands and orchestras after high school.

She has been the Handbell Director at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Omaha, NE for over 30 years, currently directing two choirs. She began ringing at the church well over 35 years ago.

She has been a member of River City Ringers, Omaha’s community handbell choir (www.rivercityringers.com) since the fall of 2007. She has attended most Distinctly Bronze events since 2009 and Bay View Week of Handbells since 2010. She has attended most summers of Handbell Camp since learning about it in 2006. She has served on the Nebraska Board for the Handbell Musicians of America since 2005, currently as Registrar.

Linda recently retired after practicing Pharmacy for over 43 years, with hopes of spending more time gardening, sewing and with family. She is married with 3 grown children and 8 adorable grandchildren.

Trey Bures.

Janet Carter has a Music Education degree from Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand, and High School/Middle School teaching credentials from Christchurch Teachers College, Christchurch New Zealand. Janet has taught music in high schools, elementary schools, and preschools, and has more than 45 years’ experience as a church musician.

Janet is the Director of Music, Youth, and Small Group Ministries at Saint Mark’s United Methodist Church in Overland Park, Kansas. She is also the worship and technology coordinator and manages the church office. Janet’s music responsibilities include directing the Handbell Ensembles, the Chancel Choir, and the Praise Team.

Janet has been a clinician and faculty member at various handbell events including Handbell Musicians of America National, Area 8 and Area 2 events for both adults and young ringers. She is known for her “Maori Stick Games” classes, which help to develop rhythm and coordination skills for handbell ringers.

Janet thoroughly enjoys being on the Board of Directors for the Intergenerational Handbell Camp in Parkville, MO.

Staci Cunningham has been involved with music for as long as she can remember.  At a young age, she began to play piano and sing with her mom at church services.  In fifth grade, she took up flute in band and realized that she would be involved in music, somehow, the rest of her life. 

Music took her to Bethany College where she actually graduated with a degree in accounting, but took several music classes in the process.  Her Freshman year her choir was selected to sing as the back up choir for Kenny Roger’s Christmas concert in Salina, KS and she was also part of the Bethany College Oratorio Society that got to sing at Carnegie Hall in New York her sophomore year.  It wasn’t until she moved to Chanute, KS and joined a church there that she was able to try out handbells. 

Subbing became a weekly thing and after one year, she had the opportunity to direct the choir she subbed for.  She has since moved on from that church, but now directs a choir, rings in a choir and dabbles in solo ringing.  Handbell Camp has become a “must do” every year which began for her in 2008. 

Staci and her husband Scott run the family business in Chanute, which keeps them both busy.  They have two ‘almost adult’ daughters, Susanne and Sadie. In her free time, you can find Staci reading, sewing, or quilting.

Gail Welk This is Gail’s 29th year! has been Director of Handbell Ministries at Wesley United Methodist Church in Bloomington, IL since 1988 and currently directs three ringing choirs ranging from 3rd grade through adult.

Gail is a solo ringer, clinician and former sales representative for Malmark Handbells. She has taught classes at Handbell Musicians of America Area 8 conferences as well as local festivals and workshops around Illinois.

This will be Gail’s 29th year directing at Intergenerational Handbell Camp. She brings her enthusiasm for ringing and her commitment to teaching musicality to ringers of all levels of experience by understanding the proper use of basic ringing techniques.

Gail is retired from Bloomington Public Schools where she worked for 21 years in the Special Education Department.  She is now available to assist churches who are looking to rebuild their handbell programs after the struggles of the past few years.