Elected Officers

Stephanie Rhoades, Chair – contact Stephanie

Stephanie Rhoades is Worship and Music Coordinator and Handbell Director at Preston Hollow Presbyterian Church in Dallas, Texas. Over the past twenty-five years she has served as Minister of Music in several churches in the Dallas area, directing vocal and handbell choirs of all ages and starting several handbell choirs for children and adults.

She is the Conductor and Artistic Director of Concert Bells of Fort Worth, an auditioned community handbell ensemble known for its accurate and expressive performances. They have performed during several national events sponsored by Handbell Musicians of America, most recently in 2015, when they performed one of the featured concerts during Pinnacle.

With a reputation as an effective and engaging teacher, she has been a clinician and guest director for numerous workshops and festivals across the US. In the past few years, she conducted two events for Handbell Musicians of America: the All-Star choir at National Seminar in July 2018, and Distinctly Bronze East in February 2020. She recently conducted the intermediate and advanced divisions at the Area 1 Handbell Festival in Hartford, CT, and was one of two conductors to represent the US at the International Handbell Symposium in Nashville, TN, during the first week of August 2022.

In addition to her work as a conductor and clinician, she has served on numerous local and national boards, including the Greater Dallas Handbell Association, Area 9 of Handbell Musicians of America, Dallas Chapter of Choristers Guild, and Handbell Musicians of America. Before focusing on conducting, she spent many years behind the handbell tables, including ringing in the Dallas Handbell Ensemble under the direction of David R. Davidson.

Amy Epperson, Chair Elect– contact Amy

Amy Epperson started ringing as a teenager in her home church Lakewood UMC in North Little Rock, AR. She continued to play in college and served as Handbell Director at First UMC in Russellville, AR, while also playing at First UMC Hot Springs. She taught band and elementary music before completing her Bachelor and Master of Science in Nursing. She spent 5 years as a US Army Nurse, then 15 years as a Certified Nurse Midwife. During this time, she restarted a defunct handbell choir at Hibben UMC in Mt. Pleasant, SC. They quickly grew from a 3-octave choir to a 5-octave/7 octaves chime choir. She spent a season playing with the Palmetto Bronze Handbell Ensemble, a community group in the Charleston, SC area.

Amy became full time Director of Music at Hibben UMC and helped establish the Lowcountry Handbell Festival, partnering with the Palmetto Bronze Handbell Ensemble. In August 2022, she accepted the position as Director of Handbell Ministries at First UMC, Round Rock, Texas. She currently directs 3 adult bell ensembles, a youth bell ensemble and a children’s ensemble. The groups regularly participate in worship in addition to performing an annual Christmas concert, “Ring Noel,” and a Pops concert in early May. Both events raise money for a ministry or mission of the church and surrounding community.

Mark Arnold, Past Chair – contact Mark

Mark Arnold has been an active church musician for most of his life, currently serving as Director of Handbell Ministries at the First Baptist Church of Keller TX. He is a graduate of the University of Kansas, with Bachelor’s degrees in Music Education and Music Theory and advanced study in Computer Science. Mark’s professional experience includes many years of directing handbells, teaching school orchestras, leading adult and children’s choirs, playing horn in community ensembles, and an occasional gig playing bass in jazz or rock groups. In addition to leading workshops and clinics, he has published arrangements for both brass and handbell ensembles. In his “spare” time, he manages software development projects for a major North American transportation provider. Mark and his wife, Robin, have three grown children and reside in Fort Worth, Texas.

Stephen Wurst, Secretary– contact Stephen

Stephen Wurst serves as the Associate Director of Music Ministries at McFarlin Memorial United Methodist Church in Norman, Oklahoma. His duties include overseeing the handbell program which currently has six ensembles. He directs three of those ensembles. He began ringing handbells at Concordia University Wisconsin and enjoys directing and ringing with groups of all ages. He is currently a Doctor of Musical Arts candidate at the University of Oklahoma, pursuing a degree in Organ Performance. He enjoys arranging music in his spare time.

Jeanne Christopherson, Treasurer – contact Jeanne

Jeanne Christopherson grew up in Northern California and has been involved in music since the age of 12. In 1990, she registered for a college handbell course and was instantly hooked. In 1997, after moving to the Dallas area and substituting several times in rehearsal with the Dallas Handbell Ensemble, she was invited by Arnold Sherman to join East Texas Handbell Ensemble in Tyler and rang with them until the group disbanded in 2014. She served on the planning committee for the original Pinnacle (2000), an AGEHR event designed for the performing ringer. She subsequently co-chaired Pinnacle 2002 and was chair for Pinnacle 2004. She currently rings with Concert Bells of Fort Worth and the Preston Hollow Presbyterian Church Sanctuary Ringers in Dallas. She retired from her day job in 2022 after 22 years as an Executive Assistant for technology executives with Bank of America and now amuses herself with her home-based custom cookie decorating business. Jeanne and her husband, Brian, live in Plano with their two rambunctious pups. They are the proud parents of two grown children and enjoy spending time with their two wonderful grandchildren, ages 16 and 2, as often as possible.

Appointed Members

John Staton, Communications – contact John

John Staton has been directing handbell choirs for 25 years. He has spent a good many of those years analyzing the differences between his training and experiences as a band director and the correct way to rehearse a volunteer handbell choir. He was director at Linwood United Methodist Church in Oklahoma City for 6 years. For the last 19 years he has been the handbell choir director at Quail Springs United Methodist Church in Oklahoma City where he also serves as staff accompanist. For 25 years he was in charge of the choral/vocal/elementary departments at Pender’s Music Company in Oklahoma City. He considers his deskside chats with fellow church musicians as they shopped one of his greatest resources for professional development. Since retiring he has been privileged to have time to ring with the Oklahoma City Handbell Ensemble, another great learning experience. His favorite hobbies are flower gardening and crossword puzzles.

Barbie Senkow, Education Co-Chair – contact Barbie

Barbie Senkow fell in love with handbells when she arrived early for a choir rehearsal and was asked to fill in for an absentee bell ringer back in 1982 (thank you Laurel!). She began ringing bells with “Plangentes Dei” Handbell Choir at St. Andrew’s UMC where she also sang in the Sanctuary Choir. Barbie currently attends Coker Methodist Church, where she sings in the Chancel Choir and is a member of the Bells Jubilee. She joined River City Ringers of San Antonio in the Fall of 2005 and is proud to be a charter member of the Ensemble and has served in several board positions since its inception. She currently serves as Director of Scheduling & Publicity. Barbie worked for Joskes of Texas, Dillards, and Solo Serve as a retail buyer for 22 years. She recently retired from her second career where she was an Officer – Senior Registered Client Associate with Wells Fargo Advisors. She attended Trinity University as a theater major. In addition to ringing handbells, Barbie enjoys singing in choirs, reading, musical theater, old movies, entertaining, and holidays! Barbie is married to Ken – yes really! They reside in San Antonio & have 2 parakeets, Sunflower and Mickie.

Stacie Brown, Education Co-Chair – contact Stacie

Stacie Silvus-Brown has been a musician most of her life, currently serves as Worship Team Leader and director of Jubellee Ringers at Trinity United Methodist Church in San Antonio, TX. She is a graduate of UTSA with a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education with an emphasis in Music. Stacie was introduced to handbells in 1985 when the church she was attending started a ringing group and has been a bell enthusiast ever since. She recently retired after 36 years of teaching, 25 of those years as a Music Specialist in Northside ISD in San Antonio. Stacie was one of the founding members of River City Ringers of San Antonio and currently rings in the ensemble. She also serves on the RCR Board as Member Representative. Since retirement Stacie has been substitute teaching and getting involved with various activities in her community. Stacie has a grown son and resides in San Antonio, Texas.

Cylinda Areno, Membership – contact Cylinda

Cylinda Areno (she/her) is a native New Yorker who now lives in Round Rock, TX, and is a lifelong musician who took up ringing six years ago and quickly realized it was her passion. She currently rings with First United Methodist Church in Round Rock in the Council Oak Bells, as well as at First Presbyterian Church of Austin. Along with group ringing, Cylinda enjoys solo ringing (both bell tree and off-the-table) and duet/small groups.Her preferred table position is G3-B3, but she can and has rung every position. The 5s are another favorite octave. Always one to try to pay it forward, Cylinda hopes to serve enthusiastically and honorably for Area 9, and to make sure everyone has a voice. She has been married for 25 years and has five children between the ages of 13-24.

Vacant, Financial Advisor – Vacant

State Representatives

Sheryl ‘Bob’ Martin, Oklahoma Representative – contact Sheryl

Sheryl ‘Bob’ Martin has been the Traditional Worship Coordinator at Asbury Church in Tulsa since 2019. Prior to that she was Director of Music and Care Ministries at St. Stephen’s UMC for 11 years, and serving as Music Associate at Asbury for 9 years before that. Both churches have a long history of active handbell choirs, and she has been blessed to be able to ring as well as direct in both locations. She has been ringing handbells since high school but refuses to tell you how long ago that was. Sheryl has been a solo ringer and handbell director since the early 90’s and has taught handbells at the local, regional, and national levels. Sheryl ‘Bob’ has served on the Area 9 board in the past as Area Rep, Treasurer, and Chair; she recently wrapped up her tenure as Chair of Distinctly Bronze, a national event for advanced ringers, and is eager to continue to her involvement with Handbell Musicians of America as the Oklahoma Representative for Area 9. She lives in Tulsa with her dog, Sheldon, who is not musical at all.

Brittney Axton, Texas Representative (North) – contact Brittney

Brittney Axton is a graduate of Baylor University where she earned her Bachelor’s of Music degree while ringing for seven semesters with Baylor Bronze.  She began ringing bells at the age of 10 when she was handed a single bell to help fill in the melody line.  She continued to play handbells at First United Methodist Church Claremore, Oklahoma where her love of handbells grew and flourished.  While in college, she had the chance to attend College Ring-in, oversee three 12 bell ensembles at First Methodist Waco’s South Campus during COVID, and assist the full bell choir at First Methodist Waco’s South Campus.  She currently rings with Concert Bells of Fort Worth, Chancel Bells at First Methodist Mansfield, and subs with various choirs around the Fort Worth area. On top of her love of handbells, Brittney coaches gymnastics in Keller and serves as a substitute throughout Keller ISD.

Cyndi Erp-Long, Texas Representative (South) – contact Cyndi

Cyndi Erp-Long has been singing and ringing in her church for more than half her life. She is a graduate of Texas Lutheran College, earning a BA in Marketing.  She also holds an MBA from Our Lady of the Lake University in San Antonio.  Joining the River City Ringers of San Antonio in 2010, and currently President of the group, she enjoys being able to continue to grow as a handbell musician and educate and entertain our audiences on the art of handbell ringing.  She is the Tradeshow and Events Manager for 3M Healthcare, working remotely from her home in San Antonio.  A military ‘brat,’ she settled in San Antonio when she was in 6th grade.  She and her husband Dan enjoy traveling, going to the Texas Wine Country and baseball games, and watching Spurs basketball.