Page 196 - CJJanuary2026

2026 ACDA Western Region Conference

Honor Choir Conductors

4th-8th Grade Youth Unchanged Voices 9th-12th Grade SSAA

Liana Salinas is a dynamic music edu- Lynnel Joy Jenkins is artistic director of
cator and entrepreneur based in Miami, Westrick Music Academy, music direc-
Florida. She serves as the artistic direc- tor of Princeton Girlchoir, and a choral
tor of the Miami Children’s Chorus, an teacher in the Hopewell Valley Regional
organization she has been a part of for School District, New Jersey. Jenkins has
twenty-six years. Having grown up in the chorus, she varied conducting and teaching experience from ele-
knows firsthand the power of choral singing and the mentary to collegiate levels, including positions at the
beautiful community it fosters. In 2023 she proudly American Boychoir, Westminster Choir College, and
shared this message on national television during her the Haverford School. She has conducted choirs, lec-
interviews on The Kelly Clarkson Show. Under her lead- tured worldwide, and led several all-state choirs. She
ership, MCC has built upon its sixty-year legacy with conducted the eighth- through tenth-grade National
a fresh approach that embraces contemporary styles Treble Honor Choir at the 2025 ACDA National Con-
and skills such as jazz and songwriting. Salinas is also ference. She earned degrees from Westminster Choir
the CEO and founder of My Music Match, a company College (BA), Temple University (MM), and the Uni-
connecting students with private music teachers. versity of Arizona (DMA), and received the Elaine
Brown Conducting Award from both institutions.

7th-9th Grade SATB 10th-12th Grade SATB

Judith Herrington is the founder and Jason Max Ferdinand is an inspiration-
artistic director of Tacoma Youth Cho- al musician, leader, and teaching mentor
rus and conductor of the Treble Choir, whose gifts are sought after by choirs and
Chorale and Chamber Choir. Recently orchestras worldwide. Since 2022 he has
retired from forty-four years of teaching served as the director of choral activities
and conducting at Charles Wright Academy, she was at the University of Maryland, having spent the preced-
the recipient of the Inspirational Faculty Award and ing fourteen years as professor at Oakwood University,
Murray Foundation Chair for Teaching Excellence. conducting the renowned Aeolians of Oakwood Uni-
A graduate of the University of Oregon, Herrington versity. He is the founding artistic director of the Jason
earned her MME from Lewis and Clark College in Max Ferdinand Singers. In 2023 they performed at the
Portland, Oregon. Having served in several leadership ACDA National Conference in Cincinnati, which in-
positions for the WA-ACDA, she is the 2011 recipient cluded a surprise appearance from Jacob Collier. This
of its Leadership and Service Award, and was recent- followed their appearance on Saturday Night Live with
ly inducted into the Washington State MEA Hall of Coldplay and Jacob Collier. They made their debut at
Fame. A noted composer and arranger, she has pub- the BBC Proms at the Royal Albert Hall, London, in
lished through Pavane Publishing, Hal Leonard Pub- 2024. His GIA publications include Teaching with Heart:
lishing, and Colla Voce Publishing. She also edits two Tools for Addressing Societal Challenges Through Music, and
choral series for Pavane Publishing. the Jason Max Ferdinand Choral Series.

194 CHORAL JOURNAL January 2026 Volume 66 Number 5