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Christina TourinInternationally renowned harp educator Christina Tourin is one of the most accomplished harpists of her generation, delighting audiences with her performances worldwide, since the age of eight. Christina Tourin is praised for bringing thousands of people to the harp through her workshop organizational skills; for introducing the modes into harp education/performance in the early 1970’s; and instrumental in developing the small interactive small therapy harp into the harp building world with Harold Westover. As one of the foremost leading educators of the harp, she excels in her ability to combine harp history, culture, science and spirituality into her teaching and has educated multitudes of harp students through her signature programs, Creative Harping©, Rainbow of Sound™ and Color My World© plus private teaching for the past 50 years!
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Professor Barbara CroweRecently retired as Director of Music Therapy at Arizona State University, having held a similar position at Indiana University-Purdue University at Fort Wayne from 1977-1981. She holds a Bachelor’s degree (1973) and Master¹s degree (1977) in music therapy from Michigan State University and completed her clinical internship at Ypsilanti State Hospital in Michigan. Professor Crowe’s research interests include the historical antecedents of modern music therapy and the theoretical foundations of music therapy practice. She is a past Vice President and President of the National Association for Music. She is the author of four books including “Music and Soul Making” and “A Transpersonal Model of Music Therapy” and numerous articles and book chapters. She is a treasured Core Instructor of the IHTP since 1999.
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Sunita StaneslowSunita Staneslow is a native of Minnesota but has made Israel her home since the year 2000. For the past decade, Sunita has been working at a children’s hospital as a therapeutic harpist where she puts to practice the art of playing with a gentle flow. A graduate of the Manhattan School of Music she has become widely known for her accessible arrangements and performing in various genres. Sunita is a frequent performer and instructor at major folk harp festivals, was featured in the Virtual Harp Summit and is an instructor for the on-line Harp Column Academy. You can find Sunita on Spotify or in person, walking her dog by the sea in Jaffa or even playing in a local Irish pub. She even spent six months with her husband cycling across Europe with her harp! They now run boutique harp tours of Scotland and Israel. Their next project is to renovate an old stone house in Shetland. https://hamars.uk/
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Jocelyn Obermeyer, Program DirectorJocelyn Obermeyer, Harpist, CTHP, CCM, B. Mus. is the Program Director for the Therapeutic Harp Foundation (THF) and Community Liaison of the Phoenix Chapter-American Harp Society. Ms. Obermeyer has served as a therapeutic harp practitioner for the past 10 years. She began her music career at six and quickly earned a spot as her church organist by age 12. She went on to Northern Illinois University, where she won a full scholarship as a classical clarinetist at the prestigious music school and went on to a degree in music, where she toured nationally and internationally as the baritone saxophonist for Mode Show, headed by Ron Modell. Later in life, after a personal experience where she saw first-hand its therapeutic effects, Ms. Obermeyer chose to learn how to play the harp, studying with some of the finest classical, jazz and therapeutic harpists in the country such as Suzanne Balderston, Lisa Lynne Franco, Dr. Heidi Hernandez, Alla Yashneva, Diana Rowan, and Mariano Gonzalez.
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Marie GillespieA recent retiree from a 33 year career as a teacher/director/performer, Marie is shaping her next chapter with varied creative pursuits and service opportunities. During her career, Marie taught voice, communication, theater, and English in varying capacities to all ages, including at Lyons Township High School, Columbia College Chicago, College of DuPage, Northeastern Illinois University, Montclair State College, Iona College and Seton Hall University. Marie directed 33 theater productions, including at Lyons Township High School, Columbia College Chicago, College of DuPage, and Downers Grove North High School. Marie acted in 45 plays, in school, community theater, semi-professional, and self-produced. Other past highlights include operating her own business, Theatre Connection (voice and acting classes/lessons for all ages) and founding and serving as Artistic Director for No Name Players. Marie has a BA Degree in Speech/Theater Education from St. Olaf College and her MFA in Acting from the University of Southern California.
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Ted AsfawThe Rev. Dr. Thewodros [Ted] Asfaw, CE-ACPE, is an ordained Seventh - day Adventist minister. He is a native of Ethiopia and a naturalized American Citizen who arrived in the United States in 1985. He holds a BA and M.Div. degree from Andrews University, Michigan and a D. Min. degree from United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio. He was trained in the South Central Region and has worked in four different regions as an ACPE Supervisor. In 2007 Rev. Dr. Asfaw is one of the recipients of ACPE’s Helen Flanders Dunbar Award for the pioneering team work in conducting the first official ACPE Unit at Africa University, in Mutare, Zimbabwe.
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Rachel Christensen, Harp Instructor, NSBTM Board member and IHTP AdvisorRachel Christensen, Harpist, CTHP, BIS describes herself as a lifelong musician, but after several years study as a music major at the University of Minnesota, she changed course to a business focus. Her professional career was spent in banking and business management. After selling her business in 2014, she refocused her involvement in music and harp. She enrolled in the IHTP in 2007 and was certified in 2010. Since that time she has remained active as a mentor of the program and an occasional workshop teacher. Rachel is a private lesson and Skype instructor, performs with several symphony orchestras and choral groups, and solo harp performance. She has been an active volunteer with numerous organizations, and currently serves as the Secretary of the NSBTM board. In addition to playing for people, Rachel enjoys playing therapeutically for animals. She lives in Minnesota and Florida with her husband, and three cats and a dog.
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