TEAM MEMBERS
Dawn Jantsch
Executive Director
Dawn Jantsch has been Executive Director of Choristers Guild since 2017. She specializes in organizational management, focusing on strategic planning, financials, and governance, with specialties in the entrepreneurial field. She has 31 years of experience serving as chief executive of trade and professional associations, as well as charitable and educational foundations. Dawn is a Certified Association Executive (CAE), and Accredited in Public Relations (APR). She serves on the executive committee of The Church Music Publishers Association, and on the Church Music Publishers Association Action Fund, and served as a nonvoting member on the Dallas Chapter of Choristers Guild for four years.
An active public speaker, media contact, and business advocate, Jantsch represented businesses and causes at city, county, state, and international levels. She was also appointed to a number of civic and government committees by elected officials from both parties in several cities and counties. A long-time chorister in four different cities, Dawn has sung Rutter's Gloria, The Gift of Life and Visions, Faure’s Requiem, Mahler’s Symphony No. 2, Mendelssohn's Elijah, and Orff's Carmina Burana. Dawn is a true Chorister, having been taught to sing by member Gordon Palmer at First Presbyterian Church of Arlington Heights, IL, in high school.
She currently volunteers at AARP as an advocate. She lives in the Dallas area with her husband Ted, a poodle, and a Maltese, two of 39 dogs she has fostered.
Colleen Klein Oates
Director of Customer Enhancement
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Colleen Klein Oates joined Choristers Guild as Director of Customer Enhancement in July 2018. Besides enhancing relationships with our 12,000 stakeholders of composers, members, buyers and dealers, she manages our royalties, licensing and permissions duties.
An Illinois native, Colleen attended Western Illinois University on a clarinet scholarship before her focus shifted to singing, and graduated with a B.A. in choral and general music education. She maintained her involvement in singing while gaining work experience in administrative roles with acoustical, architectural and design firms, public relations and marketing. Colleen excels at detail work, earning the moniker of "project detective" at Choristers Guild.
Colleen's professional musician career as a vocal soloist and section leader has led to performances with multiple choirs and ensembles, both sacred and secular. As a Choristers Guild staff member, she appreciates being able to introduce teaching resources and music to new generations of choir directors and singers.
Pam Harris
Director of Marketing
Pam Harris, Director of Marketing since 2018, leads our communications outreach to tell the Choristers Guild story and all we offer as a nonprofit organization that supports choir leaders in churches, schools and communities. Through email, social media and more, Pam helps connect choral leaders and music educators with resources and educational opportunities.
Pam earned her Bachelor’s degree in Journalism from the University of North Texas, going on to serve as an editor at several North Texas media outlets including The Dallas Morning News, Dallas Business Journal, and WFAA-TV. Before joining the Choristers Guild team, she worked in marketing communications for Dallas-area United Methodist churches.
When she’s not working, Pam and her husband enjoy exploring the greater DFW area and beyond with their teenage daughters.
James Dixon
Director of Operations
James joined Choristers Guild as Director of Operations in September 2024. He manages our fulfillment department and focuses on creating effective shipping and delivery methods for Choristers Guild orders.
An Arkansas native, James started his career serving in the US Air National Guard before attending the University of Central Arkansas, where he graduated with his bachelor’s in music education. He obtained his master's in music education from Texas Women’s University and continued to work as a music educator and choral director in Mansfield ISD before beginning his position at Choristers Guild.
When he is not working, James enjoys woodworking, automotive restoration, reading, recording audio narration, singing, playing piano, and spending time with family.
Cory Curvin
Education Director
Cory D. Curvin’s public performance premiere was at the age of six, and his piano rendition of “I’m A Little Teapot” was complete with choreography. A native of Mississippi, he was a music educator and choral conductor in North Texas before beginning his work as Education Director with Choristers Guild.
In addition to his role with the Guild, he serves as an assistant director and collaborative pianist for the Dallas Symphony Children’s Chorus and arranges music for choir, piano, instrumental ensembles, and handbells.
Outside of the office, Cory works within the music ministry of his church and enjoys road trips, the autumnal holidays, winter sports, and collecting Texas historical memorabilia.
Kathryn Mills
Customer Enhancement Manager
Kathryn Mills joined the Choristers Guild as the Customer Enhancement Manager. She obtained her degree in Art and performance History from the University of Texas at Dallas and has done coursework at Dallas Theological Seminary. She has also completed her alternative teaching certification. After over twenty years in customer service, teaching, and ministry, she felt the call to discipleship, which she actively pursues.
In her free time, Kathryn enjoys road trips, backpacking, singing, baseball, and tending to her garden.
Amy Farnell
Editor of The Chorister and Permissions Associate
Amy joined Choristers Guild as an intern in 2017, and stayed on the team in various roles before becoming Editor of The Chorister and Licensing & Permissions Associate in 2021.
Amy grew up playing instruments, singing in choirs, and was drum major of her high school's marching band – now a professional singer, she performs regularly in ensembles across America and Europe, including The Zurich Chamber Singers, Basler Madrigalisten, Contre le Temps, Junger Kammerchor Basel, Verba vocalis, Quod Balensi, and QueenSingers. In June 2022, she received a Masters in Renaissance Ensemble Performance from Schola Cantorum Basilisnsis in Switzerland. She also holds degrees in Church Music from Baylor University (2015), and in Early Music from the University of Birmingham, England (2017).
In her free time, Amy enjoys knitting, yoga, playing with cats, thrifting, exploring, and working for Choristers Guild!
Meredith Smith
Communications Specialist
Meredith Smith joined the Choristers Guild in June 2024 as the Communications Specialist. Meredith obtained her Bachelor's in Marketing from the University of Arkansas, going on to work for the Salesmanship Club of Dallas as a Marketing Intern, and as the Marketing Projects and Events Coordinator at Orphan Outreach. She has a passion for music and grew up taking voice lessons and participating in her school and church choir.
When she is not working, Meredith loves to spend time with her husband, Daniel, travel, watch college football, and volunteer in the DFW community.