ACDA Election for National Treasurer/Secretary: Robert Natter, candidate

This Thursday, May 15, we will open the election for National Treasurer. Eligible voting members (Active, Life, Paying Life, and Retired) will receive an email on the morning the election opens with instructions on how to access and submit your eBallot. This is a single candidate slate and your options will be to select Robert Natter’s name indicating a YES vote, abstain (casting neither a yes or no vote), or No. For questions or help with your ballot, contact us at

Meet the Candidate

Dr. Robert Natter (he/him) is Associate Professor of Music and Director of Choral Activities at Gettysburg College, where he has been a faculty member since 1998. He conducts the Gettysburg College Choir, Concert Choir, Audeamus (upper-voice choir) and Camerata (vocal chamber ensemble), and teaches conducting. The Gettysburg College Choir and Camerata have toured widely in the eastern United States, and internationally to Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, Nicaragua, Brazil, and Canada. They have toured to Nicaragua on four occasions, using a model that integrates performance with immersive cultural engagement. The College Choir has also performed for state conferences of the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association and the American Choral Directors Association, and is featured in a world premiere recording of Letters from Gettysburg, by Avner Dorman, on the Canary Classics label.

Dr. Natter’s research focuses on music technology. He create ChoralWorks, a free software platform that helps singers learn music (choralworks.sites.gettysburg.edu). Widely adopted by educators and singers, ChoralWorks was used for the ACDA National Honor Choirs in Dallas in 2025, and the Eastern Region Honor Choirs in 2024. He has presented on ChoralWorks at conferences for the ACDA Eastern Region, the NafME Eastern Division, and at state conferences for ACDA-PA and the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association.

Natter has served as the Treasurer for the ACDA Eastern Region since 2016, and for ACDA-PA from 2013-16. As region treasurer he enhanced budgetary strategic planning, and developed technology tools to facilitate payments, contracting procedures, and secure collection of tax forms. He has also developed a new application portal for honor choirs. Many of these innovations have been adopted by other regions and by the national organization.

Dr. Natter holds B.A. and M.A. degrees in music from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and a D.M.A. in choral conducting from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.

Candidate Statement

I first got involved in ACDA leadership in 2013 as treasurer for ACDA-PA. It was – and still is – a dynamic chapter, and we worked hard to ensure that every dollar had maximum impact. We also struggled with outdated procedures. Basic tasks like reimbursements required printing and filling out forms by hand, then emailing them to the treasurer, who wrote and mailed a check in return. It was clunky and inefficient, and I was determined to improve it.

In 2017, I was appointed Treasurer for the Eastern Region. I was told, “It won’t be more work.” Hah! The stakes at the regional level are even higher—a poorly planned conference could put the entire organization at financial risk, so strategic stewardship was essential. And then there were those old-fashioned procedures! I worked closely with the national office to create a new digital payment and workflow platform that is now used across all regions. We followed that with a secure W-9 submission process. Later, I worked with Jared Berry (Honor Choir Coordinator) to build a new application and assessment platform, first used for four regional choirs in 2024, and expanded nationally in 2025. One innovation made the application easier for teachers by allowing them to send online payment links directly to parents. These systems are both more efficient AND more cost-effective, and are now being adopted for broader national use.

I’ve been honored to participate in more strategic initiatives. In 2024, I joined in a retreat to strategize about ACDA’s financial future with Robyn Hilger, Tom Merrill (Treasurer), Adriana Garcia-Brown (Director of Finances), and Charles Shaw (Regional and State Accountant). We developed a framework for long-term sustainability designed to serve the membership and our mission into the future, and this plan was adopted by the National Board.

I view the role of National Treasurer and Secretary as both strategic and operational: to safeguard and grow our financial resources; to support our chapters, regions, and national office; to ensure clear, accurate reporting and communications; and to streamline processes so members can focus on their artistry and community impact. Our efforts must serve our core mission: “to inspire excellence and nurture lifelong involvement in choral music through education, performance, composition, and advocacy.”

What inspires me most about this role is our extraordinary ACDA community. At every level—state, regional, and national—dedicated volunteers invest their time, talent, and passion to accomplish remarkable work. From conference chairs to honor choir coordinators, diversity chairs to communications directors, their commitment drives our organization forward. Their example fuels my dedication to ensuring ACDA remains financially robust, mission-centered, and thriving for generations to come.

The election will be held May 15-June 2. Didn’t receive a ballot? Have questions or need support? Email us at .