Meet our 2024 Board

President

Thomas Kite holds a Doctorate in music education, Master's degrees in organ and theory (University of Houston, 1985, 1973), and a Master in Music Education degree (Kodaly Emphasis, HNU, 1977). His BA is in Music (Organ Performance, California State University, Northridge, 1973). Dr. Kite's experience in education includes pre-k, through graduate level and teacher supervision. Also, as a second career in the business community, he worked in IT development, systems support, and property management for the mortgage industry. Kite has taught summer courses and seminars (Texas, California, Wyoming, Calgary) in Kodaly principles throughout his teaching career and was awarded Teacher Educator of the Year in 1992. In addition to his professional engagements, Kite is also active in his community as a computer services volunteer at the local library. In retirement, Kite continues to be active by writing about, and collecting materials for the use of solfa as it relates to tunctional harmony, as well as canons and rounds for use in teaching functional harmony. As a lifelong student and supporter of Kodály's great works, Kite has incorporated Kodály's views into all facets of life, for the Kodály philosophy reaches beyond the music Kodály used as his vehicle. Singing has always beer close to Kite's heart, as expressed in the words of Ronald Blythe (set to music by Steven Sametz): "I have had pleasure enough. I have had singing!"

Vice President

Ildikó Thész Salgado was born and raised in Hungary, where she earned a diploma in Choral Conducting and Music Education from the Liszt Academy of Music in 1999. She was on the faculty of the Kodály Center at Holy Names University since 2001 until its closing, where she taught Musicianship and Choral Conducting. Her teaching experiences include working with the Grace Cathedral Men and Boys Choir, where she taught musicianship and vocal training to the boy singers.

She directed the Intermediate Chorus at the San Francisco Boys chorus from 2015 until 2021. Salgado has held choral and musicianship workshops for NCAKE, OAKE and other Kodály affiliated organizations in Utah, Washington, and throughout California.

Treasurer

Anne Laskey is Professor Emerita of Music of Holy Names University in Oakland, California. She retired in 2015 after directing the Kodály Center for Music Education for over 20 years. During that time, she also taught pedagogy, practicum and folk music and supervised student teaching in neighboring schools.

Anne holds an M.A. in Music from Claremont Graduate University and a Kodály Specialist Certificate from Holy Names. Her previous positions include fourteen years as Music Specialist at the Convent of the Sacred Heart in San Francisco and five years as Assistant Conductor of the San Francisco Boys Chorus. She is a frequent presenter at regional, national and international conferences, specializing on the connections between pedagogy and folk music. Together with colleague Gail Needleman, she is the co-creator of Holy Names University's online American Folk Song Collection. Anne served three terms on the Organization of American Kodály Educators (OAKE) board, most recently as Higher Education Representative, and was the national program chair for the 2004 OAKE Conference in San Francisco.

She received OAKE's Outstanding Educator Award in 2008, Holy Names University's Faculty Award in 2013 and OAKE's Lifetime Achievement Award in 2023.

Member at Large

Susie Bodnar was born and raised in Miskolc, Hungary and moved to the USA in 2005. She is a classically trained pianist who has performed in chamber orchestra settings in Italy, Germany and Finland. Her music education included the standard 6-year music education curriculum-music theory including the Kodály method, and piano. Susie holds a Bachelor's of Science in International Business from Avans University, Breda, the Netherlands, a Bachelor's of Science in Business from Budapest Business School, Hungary and a Master's degree in International Business and Economics from the Andrassy German University of Budapest, Hungary. In addition to her music activities, she is a Supply Chain Professional with over 18 years of business experience.

Susie was Adjunct Lecturer of Supply Chain Management at the California State University Fresno Executive MBA Program from 2014-2018. She is currently Senior Program Manager in Worldwide Logistics BPR at Apple, Inc. Most recently she served as Founder and Principal of Neowise, Inc. providing supply chain consulting services to Pfizer Inc, and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security during the 2020 pandemic. Susie is an active member of the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP) and has held various board positions. She is excited to serve on KFMEs board to preserve Hungary's heritage and musical values in the United States.

Member at Large

Sarah Cane earned a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from CSUEB, a Master of Music at Holy Names University, and was winner of the Sarolta Kodály Scholarship to study music education and choral conducting for a year at the Kodály Institute in Kecskemét, Hungary. She has taught music to every level, K-12, at one time or another in her 30 years of teaching, including Peninsula School in Menlo Park, Addison Elementary and Jordan Middle School in Palo Alto.  She has also been an English teacher at Menlo-Atherton and Carlmont High Schools.  She continues conducting the Repertoire level at Peninsula Girls Chorus. Now retired from public school, she resides in Point Reyes Station, CA, where she leads several vocal ensembles and teaches privately.  

Judit Fischer is a native Hungarian who grew up with the Kodály method taught in Hungarian schools. This background allowed her to participate in several school choirs and provided opportunities to perform in different musical settings, fostering her passion for music and stage performance.

Taking her music education to the next level, Judit took piano, solfeggio and classical singing lessons for 6 years. Since residing in California from 2014, Judit enjoys performing at cultural events by serving the local Hungarian community.  In her professional carrier, Judit spent several years working in the government sector in Hungary and Canada. She holds a Masters Degree in Human Resources Management. Combining her passion for human development and healthy living, she now works as a Functional Health Coach helping people to take charge of their health and find harmony in all aspects of their life. In her free time she also works for various cultural non-profit organizations in the Bay Area.

As the member of KFME, Judit is excited to help the work of the Kodály Center and feels honored to take part in Kodály’s worldwide mission: “Music is for everyone”.

Bio coming soon!

Member at Large

Nancy Linford comes to the KFME board with many years' experience teaching children Kodály-inspired classroom vocal music in Hayward, Piedmont, Oakland, San Francisco and Albany. Her life was transformed by the Master's Degree she earned from Holy Names University which gave her the tools to pursue her passion of working with children in a musical context. She continued her relationship with HNU for years by mentoring student teachers enrolled at the Kodály Center. While no longer teaching in schools, Nancy continues to work with the Piedmont East Bay Children's Choir where she conducts both a girls' and a boys' group in the training department. Nancy has served in various roles with the Northern California Association of Kodály Educators, including being President, and now serves on the Choir Committee of the Organization of American Kodály Educators and looks forward to supporting the singers in the select choirs at their National Conference in March 2024.

Member at Large

Lydia Mills has specialized in teaching music with the Kodály method for the last 20 years. She received her Master in Music Education with an emphasis in Kodály pedagogy from Holy Names University in 2002. Lydia has taught PreK-6th grade music in bilingual schools in the Bay Area as well as in Santiago, Chile. Besides teaching children, Lydia has led teacher training programs in the Kodály approach throughout Latin America, and started the Kodály institute training programs in both Puerto Rico and Chile. She has researched children's traditional singing games in Spanish in collaboration with other music teachers and folk musicians from Latin America.

Lydia is a teaching artist for Cantare Con Vivo, a non-profit organization dedicated to sharing the power and beauty of choral music through adult choirs, youth programs, and concert performances. Its innovative and nationally acclaimed inclusive in-school music education classes and after-school choirs reach thousands of children and youth who lack access to the musical arts.

As shared by a teacher at La Escuelita school: “The songs are so fun and unique and I love how students get the chance to lead and engage fully. The scaffolds and materials you bring are useful and thoughtful.”

A passionate educator, researcher and published author, Lydia is proud to join the board of the Kodály Foundation for Music Education.