Schedule

Yana Cisco

Yana Cisco was born and raised in Kiev, Ukraine. She came to United States at the age of 16 on full ride college scholarship, completed her education with honors and began a successful career in finance. Although she was raised in a musical family and fine arts school, her musical career did not start until she signed up her first-born daughter for church choir and volunteered to help. That same year she found herself directing her daughter’s choir and coordinating a rapidly growing children’s music program. She is currently serving her 15^th year at Christ Chapel Bible Church and finds great joy watching her students grow from a shy kindergartener to a confident high school worship leader. Having a background in business gives her a different approach to planning and unique strategies for leading and inspiring her team. Her other passion is claiming the culture of arts for God’s glory. Yana currently oversees all youth drama and musical programs and directs three youth choirs (grades K-8). She produces two to three musicals or showcase programs per year and co-directs a week-long MusiCamp outreach event for over 500 children each summer. When not busy with her own show, Yana and her husband love to support their daughters in their stage craft with careers in professional ballet and musical theater. Some of her favorite memories are shows they have participated in together as a family.

Carol Dickerson

Carol Dickerson is the Design Editor for Preschool for Growing in Grace, a position she has held since 2015. Prior to coming to Growing in Grace full-time, she contributed to preschool curriculum while teaching music to junior kindergarten through second grade students at St. Paul Christian Academy in Nashville, Tennessee. Carol has also previously served as the Music Director for the Woodmont Baptist Weekday Preschool, a role she performed for eleven years. Carol was the pianist, Children's Choir Coordinator, and Preschool Choir Director for Woodmont Baptist Church in Nashville, Tennessee, for twenty-two years. Carol has over three decades of experience in developing and teaching music curriculum for infants through age five.

Carol graduated from Union University in Jackson, Tennessee, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology with a minor in Music.

Carol currently serves as the First and Second Grade Choir Director at Brentwood United Methodist Church, and is also an accompanist for the Children's Freedom Choir of Nashville. Carol resides in Franklin, Tennessee with her husband, Richard. They have two adult children, Russell and Claire and a Maltipoo named Keegan. When she's not teaching or writing music, Carol enjoys hiking and cooking.

Teri Van Duyn

Teri Van Duyn has been the Children’s Worship Director at First Baptist Church Jacksonville, FL, for the past fourteen years. In children’s choir calculations, this would be 55 children’s musicals/concerts! Several of these programs she created and wrote, or collaborated in writing. What fun and exciting years these have been. Teri is passionate about planting truth into children’s hearts through the songs they sing and the programs they present. Each program is accompanied by a devotion book that teaches scripture and life application for each song.

Teri is also a certified Biblical counselor at her church and helps support Next-Gen Ministries. Prior to coming on staff, Teri served in children’s choirs and adult choirs, worked as an administrative assistant, MS/HS teacher, substitute teacher, ran a home-based business, and volunteered in several capacities in community, school, and church. Teri studied education, administration, and voice at Trinity Baptist College. Music and Drama have been a passion since Teri was in her teens.

Teri has been married to Brian for 32 years (this February). They enjoy traveling out west and seeing as much as they can see in one trip; and supporting the high school sports program were Brian coached baseball. They have one adult son, Ty, who is a graduate and is currently getting his master’s degree from the University of Florida.

Susan Eernisse

Susan Eernisse is currently the Children’s Music Editor for Jubilate Music Group. She also serves First Baptist Church, Gainesville, GA, as an Associate Music Minister. As part of her position, she directs the Young Musicians Choir and Handchime Ringers (grades 3-5). Susan has directed children’s choirs in a variety of churches for many years, and taught music in public and private schools for 20 years. Susan was previously the editor of The Chorister magazine and has written children’s music and curriculum for several publishers. She has presented at many conferences and workshops including CWU, Children’s Music Summit, and Alleluia at Baylor.

Karen Gosselin

Karen Gosselin has been employed by the Alabama State Board of Missions since 2007 and serves as coordinator of Worship Resources. She is responsible for serving the needs of the local church and associations through the ministries of worship and music. Equipping leaders in these ministry areas is her primary focus. Local church consultations, associational workshops, and statewide conferences help meet this goal. She regularly teaches at various children’s choir conferences across the country, and she directs the Alabama All State choir for 4^th – 6^th graders.

Karen received her Bachelor of Music Education at Southeastern Oklahoma State University and her Master of Music at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Karen and her husband, Greg, are members at Crossroads Community Church in Elmore, AL where Greg serves as the Children’s Pastor. They have three children.

Katheron Latham

Katheron Latham has been the Children’s Worship Arts Coordinator at Bayside Baptist Church in the Chattanooga, Tennessee area for 26 years. She is also the full time Choral/Piano Teacher at Chattanooga Central High School, where she is the Fine Arts Department Chair. Katheron has been teaching through her private piano/voice studio, local schools, and churches for 34 years. Katheron has a passion for teaching and has shared this passion through writing curriculum for Lifeway and leading various workshops throughout the Southeast. Katheron believes children’s worship arts are tools that lead children to have a personal relationship with Christ and to live for Him daily. Katheron received her Bachelor of Music degree in Piano Performance and her Master of Arts degree in Choral Music Education from the University of Alabama. She and her husband Chad, married 32 years, have 3 children: son Logan (28), married to Yahna, grandchild Elliott, son, Riley (25), and daughter, Sarah Katheron (18).

Andrew Pressley

Andrew Pressley is the creator and director of KidsCore Worship, a music and worship curriculum for children that emphasizes rich content and congregational involvement. He serves as an Associate Pastor at First Baptist Church in Lindale, TX. He also teaches music and worship at East Texas Baptist University. He is a Graduate of the Fine Arts Center of Greenville County (Jazz Guitar) and has a music degree (Classical Guitar) from Anderson University as well as a Master of Divinity in Church Music (Composition) from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Andrew married Meghan in 2016. They have one daughter, Eliza, and one son, Isaac.

Vicki Schmidt

Vicki Schmidt is currently the Music & Worship Ministry Coordinator at Texas Baptists, where she assists in coordinating and planning music and worship events for churches across the state of Texas. Prior to coming to Texas Baptists she served as the Children’s Worship Pastor at First Baptist Church in Richardson for 18 years. As the Children’s Worship Pastor, she coordinated the KidSing children’s choir ministry, led the children’s worship teams for Kids Worship, and worked closely with the Children’s Pastor on camps, retreats, VBS and other special events, as well as serving on the planning committee for Children’s Worship University. Vicki graduated from Oklahoma Baptist University with a degree in Accounting, but she has always loved music and she served as President of the Bisonette Glee Club while at OBU. She and her husband Jon live in Allen, TX and love to travel, stay active and spend time with their growing family.

Lynette Vincent

Dr. Lynette Vincent is Assistant Professor of Music Education and Coordinator of Music Education at East Texas Baptist University. She has experience teaching preschool and elementary music, children’s choirs, secondary choirs, private piano and voice, and undergraduate and graduate music education courses. She has taught in Texas public and private schools, in the National Music Conservatory in Amman, Jordan, and at the university level.

Lynette has presented professional development sessions for East Texas teachers as well as conference sessions at the Minnesota Music Educators Convention, the Texas Music Educators Association Convention, and the Texas Choral Directors Association Conference. She oversees and is on the faculty of the Kodály training at ETBU.

A committed Christian and pedagogue, Lynette is a member of First Baptist Church Lindale and has contributed to the KidsCore children’s choir curriculum and taught in KidsCore at FBC Lindale. She is excited to share her love of growing children as worshipers through music at Children’s Worship University.