Chapter Leadership
In a smaller chorus the members tend to wear many hats. In fact this is part of the fun of being a Sweet Adeline. New friendships are formed and in addition to developing our singing skills, we develop as team members and leaders.
We have members that are on multiple committees and in various leadership positions, and truth be told, we could list the entire chorus here if we listed everyone that contributed to the chorus in a “non-singing” way.
Our chorus has a 6-person Board. These dedicated ladies help run the inner workings of the chorus. We also have various committees that work as teams to plan various events and perform other functions. It takes teamwork to get the work done.
Our Current Board:
Amy Greenlief (President)
Deb Unger (Vice President)
Wendy Foster (Treasurer)
Nancy McLaughlin (Assistant Treasurer)
Joyce DeVries (Recording Secretary)
Debbie Bourquin (Corresponding Secretary)
Connie Alward – Director
Connie started singing with Grand Olympics chorus at the age of 14 and is the only original charter member (1981) still active with the chorus. She excelled in Port Angeles school bands, where she played both woodwind and brass instruments. She’s held many positions in the chorus, including President, Assistant Director, Lead and Bass Section Leaders and Recording Secretary. She became a Sweet Adelines International Certified Director in 2019 and is the Regional Director Certification Program Coordinator. Connie sings with her current Region 13 champion quartet, Rhapsody and has competed on the International stage. She has two grown sons, (no grand kids yet) a husband of 30+ years, and is the Construction Administrator for Sound Community Bank.
April Rubino – Assistant Director, Lead Section Leader
Born into a family of musicians and entertainers, April studied voice, piano and dance from age 5. She soon picked up ukulele and guitar, then viola, playing in orchestra and string quartet while continuing to study voice and sing, dance, and perform in choruses and theater shows throughout her school years, ultimately earning a bachelor’s degree in Music Theory and Composition from the University of Miami. Her first career as a singer/dancer/actress lasted a decade, where she worked in clubs, theaters, conventions, churches and recording studios. She subsequently left the arts to pursue a career in investment finance for a decade, then got a masters degree and worked in private practice as a professional counselor and mind/body therapist. After moving to Port Angeles, April was introduced to the Grand Olympics Chorus in 2022 and promptly started organizing quartets to sing in and writing arrangements for her new song-sister family.
Stephanie Buehler – Bass Section Leader
With no previous formal training, Stephanie has found her barbershop voice with Grand Olympics Chorus. She sang as a child in Sunday School choir and then for a year in middle school when she also played violin. Following that, her only singing was very casual with friends and family on limited occasions. When she met her husband, Ted, she found and fell in love with sea shanties. They’ve spent the past 42 years on sailboats (now a small tugboat) where they’ve entertained themselves, friends, family and passersby with shanties and a variety of folk music, Ted accompanying them on a baritone ukelele. When they retired and moved from San Diego to Port Ludlow, Steph began singing with the Port Ludlow Singers and performing in musical skits with The Adorables (where she discovered her love of musical comedy). She and Ted also spent 5 years leading sing-a-longs for an Assisted Living facility in Port Townsend. When she saw an ad on NextDoor for Guest Night at Grand Olympics which said ability to read music NOT required, she went.
After spending an evening on the risers singing bass and hearing those barbershop chords “ring,” she was hooked. That was 7 years ago and she’s still going strong.
Wendy Foster – Baritone Section Leader
Wendy Foster, currently baritone section leader and chorus Treasurer, celebrated her 15th Sweet Adelines anniversary at last year’s convention and contest. She also serves on the board. She started singing when she was very little, entertaining soldiers and sailors at the USO where her mother volunteered while her father was serving in WWII. She joined Grand Olympics Chorus in 2008 after retiring from a career that included social work, teaching, managing Clallam County Family Planning and several businesses in Human Resources. All these fields have come together and help her in her chorus participation. Wendy has enjoyed 2 grown daughters, 2 grown grandchildren and is now enjoying 2 teen age great grandchildren. She hopes to continue singing as long as she can.
Vi Strobridge – Tenor Section Leader
Vi’s love for music started early. She was just 3 years old when she sang her first solo “Away in a Manger” at her church’s Christmas program. In grade school her mom started her on the piano, igniting another lifelong passion that continues to this day. In fifth grade she started playing in band. By junior high she was singing in a trio with two of her siblings. Vi played the French horn all the way through college and received a Kodai certification for elementary music at Hamlin University in Minnesota. Vi plays multiple instruments and has played and sung with many groups over the years including the Port Angeles Symphony and the Port Townsend Community Chorus. She enjoys playing in a ukelele group and is currently the pianist/organist at her church and has several years of experience directing her church choir.