Celebrity City Chorus Leadership

Celebrity City Chorus thrives because of the energy and style of the people who have stepped up to lead. Here are a few of the people that make our ensemble tick:

Jim Halvorson - Director

Jim  joined the Celebrity City Chorus ranks in the Spring of 2005 and served as co-director through Celebrity City's 8th place at International in Detroit. Since  then, Jim has taken the reins as our frontline Director and carries on the grand tradition of the Celebrity City Chorus. Jim is the Choral Director at Cheyenne High School in North Las Vegas, previously serving in the district as the Music Teacher at Edith Garehime Elementary School for 10 years. Jim holds a BA in Vocal Music Education from St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN, and is currently pursuing a Masters in Education from Western Governors University in Salt Lake City, UT.

Jim has been a barbershopper since the age of 10 and has directed choruses for the past 11 years. Raised in Minnesota, he began his career singing with the Minneapolis Commodores and sang with them for two years before becoming a charter member of the Great Northern Union Chorus at age 12. Jim earned three medals with the Great Northern Union, before taking the position of Musical Director of the Minneapolis Commodores in 1996. In 1998, Jim moved to Las Vegas and helped form the City of Lights Men's Chorus and served as their Director for five years. Since then Jim has served as a coach from time to time with Celebrity City until taking the Co-director position in the Spring of 2005. Jim is also a member of STARDUST, an internationally ranked men's quartet. Jim also serves as a coach and instructor and arranges music for both quartets and choruses. Jim has been married to his lovely wife, Lyn, for four years. When not embracing the joys of being a father to twins, Laura and Larry, born August 2007, or singing, directing, arranging or coaching, Jim enjoys playing disc golf and travelling with Lyn.

Co-Associate Director

Patti Goin

Originally from a small town in New York, Patti has lived in Missouri, France, Germany, Colorado, Idaho, and Nevada, with short stays in South Carolina and Indiana for military training. Her mother taught her to read music at age 4. She’s played flute, saxophone, guitar, and some piano, joining Sweet Adelines in 1986 and has sung in four choruses (Velvet Hills in Region #8, Pocatello Showcase in Region #24, and Valley of Fire and Celebrity City Chorus in Region #11) and three registered quartets, currently as the tenor in Wildfire. Patti’s been an assistant director since 1989, and is a Certified Director who was recently appointed as the Director Certification Program (DCP) Coordinator for Region #11. She has sung 3 of the 4 parts, serving as a section leader for basses, tenors, and baritones.  She and her husband Don share their home with two cats (King Tut and Princess), and several hundred hippos who don’t take all that much space, since they range from ¼ inch to approximately 1/3 life size (in the back yard).

Co-Associate Director

Risa Page

Risa began piano lessons at age 5, studying with maestro Mischa Kottler from age 9 - 18, then attended Oakland University in Rochester, MI on scholarship, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Music Education then continued on to earn a Masters' in Educational Administration.  Retiring in 2004 after completing 25 years as a suburban Detroit, MI high school teacher of Choral Music, English literature, and musical theatre, she moved to Las Vegas with her husband, Tom.  She is involved in the Las Vegas educational community as an anti-bias workshop trainer, UNLV-CCSD Site Facilitator, and desert conservation instructor. She joined Celebrity City in 2005, became a certified director in 2009, and has sung as the bass for Such Fun! quartet since 2007.  Risa is most proud to have been elected by her member peers as the 2009 CCC Sweet Adeline of the Year! 

Assistant Directors

Rose Hettinga  - Tenor Section Leader

Delia Price - Baritone Section Leader

Leah Rippetoe - Choreographer

Jan Sloan - Bass Section LeaderMary Jo Wheeler - Lead Section Leader

Assistant Section Leaders

JoAnne Hansen - Tenor

Donna Minninger - Bass

Amy Reichenbach - Lead 

Vicky Tomasino - Baritone