Paula Alles officially retired in May, 2009 after 32 years of teaching. During her first 14 years, she directed the choir at Southridge High School and taught high school math classes. During the past 18 years, she taught math and algebra classes at Southridge Middle School. This year, she began directing the freshman choir at the brand new John Paul the Great Catholic High School in Jasper in addition to her duties as Director of Music at St. Joseph Catholic Church, also in Jasper. The Celebration Singers Community Choir is one of her favorite hobbies where she is a co-director. Paula earned both Bachelor's and Master's degrees from the University of Evansville with a major in secondary education. Her major field of study was mathematics with a minor in music. Paula lives in Jasper with her husband, Bill.

Marcia Yost is in her 27th year of directing choral music at Goshen High School and her 33rd year of teaching music in Elkhart County. In her tenure of teaching at Goshen, her choirs and the Crimsonaires have garnered championships in New York City, Toronto, Washington, D.C., and Montreal. The Crimsonaires were named National Champions of the Fiesta-Val Competitions from throughout the United States in 1988.

Marilyn Sexton Mason is in her 5th year of teaching in Indiana and her 17th year of teaching overall. She teaches 7-12 Vocal Music at Manchester Jr-Sr High School in North Manchester, IN. She also directs all of the theatre productions for the school. Marilyn has been an ACDA member all of her career and a member of ICDA since moving to Indiana in 2005.

Mark Yount is an Indiana native graduating from Martinsville High School and Western Michigan University. While in college, Mark was in Gold Company under the direction of Steve Zegree. In addition to being a choir director, Mr. Yount has been choreographer for high schools throughout Michigan and Indiana, Purdue University, and the International Music Camp. Mr. Yount has presented many times at the Indiana Choral Directors Convention, most recently about recording techniques. Mr. Yount is also a contributing author to the “Complete Idiot’s Guide to Singing.” He has taught in Wayne Township since 1997, first at Fulton Jr. High and now at the Ben Davis Ninth Grade Center. In addition to many successes at the ISSMA music contest, many of Mr. Yount’s choir students have earned the privilege to participate in events like the ACDA Regional Honors Choir and All-State Choirs.

Daniel E. Borns is in his seventh year as the choral director at North Decatur Jr.-Sr. High School in Greensburg, Indiana. Previously, he taught at Fort Wayne Northrop High School and served as a graduate assistant in the choral department at Bowling Green State University. Mr. Borns is a graduate of IPFW (Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne) where he received his degree in Music Education. At North Decatur Mr. Borns directs several ensembles including two junior high choirs and four high school groups. Performers under his direction have consistently received gold ratings at district and state solo/ensemble contest, as well as receiving high marks at organizational contest. Each year the choirs perform in numerous university, high school, and community events. North Decatur choirs have also performed with great success in clinics and festivals during tours across the United States and Canada. Dan has been a member of ACDA for the past 13 years, serving as vice president of his collegiate chapter for two years. He has also been a member of MENC during this time, also serving as treasurer while in college. If he were to become District VIII representative, Mr. Borns would like to try and get more choral directors from this area of the state involved in ICDA. He feels that it is important for choir students from all sizes of schools have the most fulfilling experience possible, and that he could be someone to represent and help attempt to make this happen in the small school setting.