
2019 WVMEA ALF
ADVOCACY LEADERSHIP FORCE
As one of only five recipients of the Country Music Association’s Advocacy Grant, advocacy chair Andi Hasley hosted WVMEA’s first state-based Advocacy Leadership Force (ALF).
What’s an Advocacy Leadership Force? Based on the National Association for Music Education’s model, this group will discuss issues affecting music education at the local and state level and learn where to focus necessary advocacy efforts.
Seven applicants were chosen as members of our ALF. Each member has been assigned either specific state senatorial districts or a specific category of focus. The inaugural WVMEA ALF team members are:
WVMEA ALF
NAME | ALF EMAIL | SENATORIAL DISTRICT
• Bethany Fernbaugh | WVMEA.ALF1@gmail.com | Districts 1, 2• Chris McDerment | WVMEA.ALF2@gmail.com | Districts 3, 4, 5
• Allen Kade | WVMEA.ALF3@gmail.com | Districts 6, 7
• Kim Cantley | WVMEA.ALF4@gmail.com | Districts 9, 10
• Heidi Dunkle | WVMEA.ALF5@gmail.com | Districts 2, 13, 14
• Andi Hasley | WVMEAAdvocacy@gmail.com | Districts 15, 16
• Jane Godwin | WVMEA.ALF6@gmail.com | Districts 11, 12
• Ray Lowther | -- | Districts 8, 17
• Genesis Mihalko | WVMEA.ALF7@gmail.com | Collegiate
• Michael Ibrahim (ex-officio) | WVMEA.ALF8@gmail.com | Higher Education
Special thanks for donating their time to our weekend training goes out to:
- Randall Reid-Smith from the Department of Arts, Culture and History
- Chiho Feindler from VH1 Save the Music
- Michael Kamphuis from Conn-Selmer
- Matt Barusch from NAfME
- Jazzmone Sutton from North Carolina MEA
Should you have any advocacy-related questions, feel free to e-mail wvmeaadvocacy@gmail.com. Stay tuned to future issues of Etude for more updates from your WVMEA Advocacy Leadership Force!


Thanks to CMA Foundation our new WVMEA Advocacy Leadership Force held their first meeting on October 18, 2019. Special thanks to West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History, VH1 Save The Music Foundation, Conn-Selmer Education, NCMEA, and National Association for Music Education for presenting.

North Carolina Music Educators Association president Jazzmone Sutton starts day 2 of our advocacy leadership training. Thanks CMA Foundation for helping WVMEA make this possible.

Andi Hasley, WVMEA Advocacy Chair and Immediate Past President and North Carolina Music Educators Association president Jazzmone Sutton.