OkMEA Election Information

Sarah Chan graduated with a bachelor’s in instrumental music education from the University of Oklahoma in May 2001. She received a master’s in education administration from the University of Central Oklahoma in 2008. During her nineteen-year career she has worked for Oklahoma City Public Schools, Mid-Del Public Schools, Putnam City Public Schools, owned/operated a private studio, and is currently teaching in Norman Public Schools at Ivrving Middle School and Washington Elementary. While employed with OKCPS, she was orchestra department chair, fine arts team leader, and Taft Middle School 2008-2009 Teacher of the Year. Chan was recognized as the 2020-2021 Irving Teacher of the Year, and the Irving Middle School 8th Grade Orchestra was selected to be an honor group at the 2018 OkMEA Winter Conference. In addition to her teaching duties, she facilitates a partnership between the Irving Middle School Orchestra and the OU School of Music that provides a learning lab for music education majors. Chan is an active member of ASTA, and is currently serving a two-year term as the OkASTA Treasurer. Chan is a member of NAfME/OkMEA and the Oklahoma Music Adjudicators Association. She served as the 2017 OkMEA All-State Orchestra Chair and the 2019-2022 OkMEA Orchestra Vice President. Outside of teaching, Chan enjoys spending time with family, hiking, gardening, swimming, and traveling. She resides in her hometown of Norman with her husband and son.

If I am elected to be the next President of the Oklahoma Music Educators Association, I will commit to uphold our most valued traditions and purpose, find opportunities to improve the governance of the Association, and expand programs that benefit our membership. OkMEA’s purpose is the “promotion and advancement of music education in the State of Oklahoma” As an Association we meet this goal through our advocacy efforts, providing professional development opportunities, and promoting excellence through our student All-State ensembles. I do believe that we can do more for music educators and students in our state, and the following is my vision for how we can advance our purpose as an organization.

The Association will be going through a transition next year when Executive Director Jerry Huffer retires. I am thankful for Jerry’s 50 years of service to OkMEA. During my previous OkMEA Board service, I assisted with the revision of our Bylaws. In our Bylaws, the Board is designated as the government while the employees are to oversee the administration of the organization. If elected President, I want to maintain this healthy balance of power between the Board and the employees while continuing to strive for transparency with the membership of the organization. Transparency builds trust and our membership has to have confidence in the Association’s ability to be a good steward.

I would also like to grow the sponsorship program by introducing a scholarship program for ensembles at Title 1 schools that are selected to be honor groups at the Winter Conference. With these funds, more schools might be able to participate as an honor group. I also want to start a scholarship fund for OkMEA members to travel to the NAfME National Conference giving them an opportunity to represent Oklahoma at a national level. A third addition I would propose would be the creation of an Intercollegiate Chamber Orchestra to complement the Intercollegiate Band and Intercollegiate Choir that are already established.

Advocacy is another area that I believe we can increase our efforts. We need to strengthen our connection with our elected officials both at the state and national level. NAfME has many resources that we are currently underutilizing. Our voices need to be heard because our work enriches our students, our schools and our communities.

I believe that my vision for OkMEA will build a stronger organization that is better able to meet the needs of the membership. I believe our work is important because we are stronger together than we are alone. As your OkMEA President, I would work to promote our Association’s purpose and continue to build an organization in which everyone feels valued, supported and able to pursue their passion. I believe that my education and experience have prepared me to step into this role. It would be my honor to serve OkMEA in this capacity.

Tara Light is entering her fifteenth year of teaching music for Norman Public Schools where she is a proud Adams Elementary All-Star! She earned her MME and Kodály certification at the University of Oklahoma. She also has an open-door policy when it comes to sharing her classroom with student teachers and colleagues. Light serves as a Choir Director and Kid’s Choir Director at Victory Family Church, has won an Emmy for songwriting, and sings in a family a cappella group called Wild and Sweet with her husband and siblings. She spends each summer serving as an evaluator for the IPHC National Fine Arts Festival where she also directs the Collaborative youth choir. When Light isn’t teaching or singing along with her favorite musicians, she can be found outside swimming, biking, running, hiking, kayaking, and playing with her weenie dogs!

Melissa Marks is currently in her twenty-eighth year as a music educator. She is the Head Band Director at Carl Albert High School. She received a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Central Michigan University and a Master of Music degree from Northwestern University. Prior to coming to Carl Albert High School, Marks taught in Michigan (Oxford Community Schools, Morenci Area Schools, and Onsted Community Schools) and Oklahoma (Crooked Oak Public Schools and Oakdale School) where her bands consistently earned superior ratings. She has served as a solo and ensemble adjudicator, and she has been active at both the district and state level of the Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association (MSBOA). She is a member of the National Association for Music Education, the Oklahoma Music Educators Association, the Central Oklahoma Band Directors Association, the Oklahoma Bandmasters Association, and the American School Band Directors Association. Marks was the 2019 MSBOA District 8 Teacher of the Year, the 2020 runner-up for the MSBOA State Band Director of the Year, and she was recognized in 2021 as a Michiana Outstanding Music Educator. Marks lives in Moore with her husband, Marty, and her three children, Paul, Bellamy, and Isaac.