Anders, Cardenas, Stapleton and Waigwa to join the National Diversity Initiatives Standing Committee

Verena Anders, Ramon Cardenas, Melanie Stapleton, and Kimberly Waigwa have been appointed to serve two-year terms as new members to the National Diversity Initiatives Standing Committee.

Verena Lucía Anders is a performing musician, conductor, composer and music educator born in Berlin, Germany to Chilean and Peruvian parents. She studied music and dance at the Peabody Institute and Baltimore School for the Arts. Verena holds degrees from the University of Maryland (B.M.) and the Catholic University of America (M.M.) in piano performance, voice and conducting. She also attended the Alvin Ailey School for Dance while maintaining an active music career.

Verena has served as Director of Music at churches across the country and has worked with The Atlanta Music Project, an El Sistema-based program, and the Fugees Academy for refugees. She also co-founded Voices Found, a community choir raising awareness and funds for social justice. Currently, she is a performing artist, conductor, and curator with Challenge the Stats, a non-profit in Atlanta promoting under-represented musicians in classical music. Her programming focuses on BIPOC musicians and composers.

Dr. Ramon Cardenas serves as the Assistant Professor of Choral Music Education at San Diego State University where he teaches Choral Practicum, Choral Literature, and conducts University Chorus. Dr. Cardenas holds a PhD in Music Education from Florida State University. He is a passionate conductor-educator and researcher. Dr. Cardenas’ research interests relate to DEI initiatives, preservice teacher preparation, and blending music with fitness. He has presented his research nationally at music education professional conferences and has been published in Florida Music Educator and Update: Applications of Research in Music Education. Prior to his graduate studies, Dr. Cardenas taught high school choral music and was the music director at several churches in Southern California. In addition, Dr. Cardenas is an active conductor, pianist, and certified personal trainer.

A native of Plano, Texas, Melanie E. Stapleton (she/her) holds a Bachelor of Music Education from LSU and a Master of Music Education from the University of North Texas. Stapleton is currently a doctoral student at Northwestern University, pursuing a Ph.D. in Music Studies with a specialization in Music Education and holds an interdisciplinary certificate in Gender and Sexuality Studies. Ms. Stapleton has taught K-12 music at all levels, with the majority of her career spent as a secondary choral director around Houston, Texas. Stapleton is a published author and highly sought-after clinician, having presented at universities and conferences across the country including, National ACDA (2021), TMEA, AzMEA, TCDA, and many more. She is the founder of Blurring the Binary (www.blurringthebinary.com) one of the leading resources for K-12 music educators who work with transgender, non-binary, and gender expansive (TGE) students, a co-founder of (Trans)position–a professional organization for TGE music educators.

Kimberly Waigwa is a thinker of thoughts, meower of tunes, and educator dedicated to intentional music making at the intersections of racial justice and queer advocacy. Waigwa serves as the artistic director of One Voice Mixed Chorus in St. Paul, Minnesota. Waigwa received their Master of Music in Choral Conducting from Temple University and has served as a facilitator for Temple University and the Choir School of Delaware, and led GALA Chorus ensembles like the Phoenix Women’s Chorus and Desert Voices Mixed Chorus. Waigwa has presented nationally, recently sharing insights at the Florence Price Festival, Chorus America, and Bent But Not Broken Conference. Their programming integrates BIPOC and LGBTQ+ voices and perspectives – Waigwa’s dedication to community building through music aims to inspire social change, blending diverse identities and histories in powerful, intentional performances.

The Diversity Initiatives Committee welcomes the membership to get more involved with the committee and with our organization as a whole. Members can reach the committee by emailing . Be sure to join the thriving Facebook community, “ACDA Diversity Initiatives.” The committee also welcomes submissions to the DIC’s Choral Journal column, “Lift Every Voice.” You can read the column submission requirements, here. The committee is always looking for members to share lived experiences and promising practices related to ADEI.

The new members to the DIC will join current committee members Ahmed Anzaldua, Noël Archambeault, Arreon A. Harley-Emerson, Joshua Palkki and Mari Isabel Valverde in their service to ACDA.