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.

                                                                    left to right:

                                                  Rose Hettinga, Assistant Director                    

                                                  Patti Goin, Associate Director

                                                  Leah Rippetoe, Assistant Director

Associate Director/Assistant Section Leader, Tenor

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).

Assistant Director/Visual Coordinator

Leah Rippetoe

Assistant Director/Tenor Section Leader

Rose Hettinga

Section Leaders/Assistant Directors

Rose Hettinga  - Tenor Section Leader/Assistant Director

Amy Jo Reichenbach- Lead Section Leader

Vicky Tomasino - Baritone Section Leader

Donna Minninger  - Bass Section Leader

Leah Rippetoe - Assistant Director/Choreographer

Assistant Section Leaders

Patti Goin - Tenor

Leah Rippetoe - Lead

Delia Price - Baritone

Sandy McClendon - Bass

top row (left to right):  Anita Treichel, Delia Price

middle:  Ronda Gibbs, Rose Hettinga, Vicky Tomasino

bottom row: Donna Mininger, Leah Rippetoe, Sandy McClendon, Amy Jo Reichenbach