Meet the CAKE Board
Vicki Long, President
Vicki Long is a K-4 elementary general music teacher and 5th grade beginning band director at Queen Bee School District 16. She also has experience teaching general and instrumental music at the middle and high school levels and was on faculty at Northern Illinois University teaching Double Reed Techniques. She holds a Bachelor of Music in Music Education and Master of Music in Bassoon Performance from Northern Illinois University. In addition, she is certified in the Kodály approach and is working towards completing her Orff Schulwerk approach through DePaul University and holds an ESL endorsement from St. Francis University. Outside of teaching, she is the principal bassoonist of Chicago’s Lakeview Orchestra during the regular season and performs with the Wheaton Municipal Band during the summer.
Erin Flynn, President Elect
Erin Flynn is excited to serve on the CAKE board - to support this joyful community of music educators and its enthusiastic commitment to inquiry, reflection and growth in the field of music education. Erin is a K-3 general music teacher in North Chicago, District 187. Erin is especially inspired by CAKE’s commitment to equity in the music classroom and its rigorous expectation that educators truly understand the history and origin of folk repertoire and the deep memory held within a folk tune. Erin graduated in theater arts from Northwestern University and holds a masters degree in early childhood education from Chestnut Hill College in Philadelphia. Erin completed three levels of Kodaly certification at DePaul University School of Music. She loves singing, playing piano, writing children’s songs about music in nature, mothering, playing fiddle, and teaching fiddle to young children.
Erin Flynn is excited to serve on the CAKE board - to support this joyful community of music educators and its enthusiastic commitment to inquiry, reflection and growth in the field of music education. Erin is a K-3 general music teacher in North Chicago, District 187. Erin is especially inspired by CAKE’s commitment to equity in the music classroom and its rigorous expectation that educators truly understand the history and origin of folk repertoire and the deep memory held within a folk tune. Erin graduated in theater arts from Northwestern University and holds a masters degree in early childhood education from Chestnut Hill College in Philadelphia. Erin completed three levels of Kodaly certification at DePaul University School of Music. She loves singing, playing piano, writing children’s songs about music in nature, mothering, playing fiddle, and teaching fiddle to young children.
Anna Ausmann, Recording Secretary
Anna Ausmann is an active musician and educator in the Chicago area. She currently teaches K-8 general music and band at Rondout School District 72 in the Lake Forest/Libertyville area. Previously she also taught K-8 general music and band at CICS West Belden, a charter school in the Belmont-Cragin neighborhood of Chicago. While at CICS West Belden, Anna was a recipient of the VH1 Foundation’s Save the Music Grant, which fully funded the start up of a beginning band program. Anna holds a Bachelor of Music in Music Performance (flute) from DePaul University and a Masters of Music in Music Education from Northern Illinois University. She completed her Kodaly Mastery Certificate from DePaul University, as well as her Orff Certification. Anna currently freelances in the Chicago area and is a member of Flutopia, an 8 piece flute choir.
Anna Ausmann is an active musician and educator in the Chicago area. She currently teaches K-8 general music and band at Rondout School District 72 in the Lake Forest/Libertyville area. Previously she also taught K-8 general music and band at CICS West Belden, a charter school in the Belmont-Cragin neighborhood of Chicago. While at CICS West Belden, Anna was a recipient of the VH1 Foundation’s Save the Music Grant, which fully funded the start up of a beginning band program. Anna holds a Bachelor of Music in Music Performance (flute) from DePaul University and a Masters of Music in Music Education from Northern Illinois University. She completed her Kodaly Mastery Certificate from DePaul University, as well as her Orff Certification. Anna currently freelances in the Chicago area and is a member of Flutopia, an 8 piece flute choir.
Felicity Cole, Treasurer
Felicity Cole is a second year K-5 general music and choir teacher at Longfellow Elementary in Wheeling District 21. Cole holds a degree in music education from DePaul University and is on her way to being Kodàly and Orff certified at Vandercook and DePaul. In 2022, she was invited to participate in Illinois Music Education Association’s Emerging Leaders conference in which she participated in strategic planning to improve and refine current ILMEA programs. In her free time, Cole teaches private saxophone lessons.
Felicity Cole is a second year K-5 general music and choir teacher at Longfellow Elementary in Wheeling District 21. Cole holds a degree in music education from DePaul University and is on her way to being Kodàly and Orff certified at Vandercook and DePaul. In 2022, she was invited to participate in Illinois Music Education Association’s Emerging Leaders conference in which she participated in strategic planning to improve and refine current ILMEA programs. In her free time, Cole teaches private saxophone lessons.
Jeremy Bartunek, Webmaster
Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Teaching winner Jeremy Bartunek has been an active musician and educator in the Minnesota and Chicago area since 2001. Currently, he is the K-5 General Music Specialist in Northbrook District 28. He is also the founder and director of the Northbrook 28 Children’s Choir, a choir for 1st through 5th grade students in Northbrook District 28. He holds two undergraduate degrees (BM Composition and BME), Master of Music degree from Western Illinois University, Orff Certification (I, II, and III) and Kodaly Mastery Certificate (I, II, and III) from DePaul University. Through the Golden Apple Foundation he was a visiting research fellow at Northwestern University (IL) in the spring and summer of 2021. He is also a D.M.A. candidate at the Boston University College of Fine Arts. He has served on the faculty of Lincoln Land Community College, Northbrook District 28, Community School of the Arts, and Triopia CUSD #27.
Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Teaching winner Jeremy Bartunek has been an active musician and educator in the Minnesota and Chicago area since 2001. Currently, he is the K-5 General Music Specialist in Northbrook District 28. He is also the founder and director of the Northbrook 28 Children’s Choir, a choir for 1st through 5th grade students in Northbrook District 28. He holds two undergraduate degrees (BM Composition and BME), Master of Music degree from Western Illinois University, Orff Certification (I, II, and III) and Kodaly Mastery Certificate (I, II, and III) from DePaul University. Through the Golden Apple Foundation he was a visiting research fellow at Northwestern University (IL) in the spring and summer of 2021. He is also a D.M.A. candidate at the Boston University College of Fine Arts. He has served on the faculty of Lincoln Land Community College, Northbrook District 28, Community School of the Arts, and Triopia CUSD #27.
Meg Rieger, Membership Secretary
Meg Rieger is in her 12th year of teaching in Chicago Public Schools. She teaches K-8 general music at Audubon School in Roscoe Village. She holds her bachelor’s degree in elementary education and in music from Illinois Wesleyan University (’11) and her master’s degrees in music education from Northwestern University (’18). She currently serves on her school’s Instructional Leadership Team and is an Arts Instructional Specialist with the Chicago Public School’s Arts Department. She has previously been on staff at the Old Town School of Folk Music teaching children’s music classes over the summer and on the weekend. She holds her Kodaly Level I from Depaul University.
Meg Rieger is in her 12th year of teaching in Chicago Public Schools. She teaches K-8 general music at Audubon School in Roscoe Village. She holds her bachelor’s degree in elementary education and in music from Illinois Wesleyan University (’11) and her master’s degrees in music education from Northwestern University (’18). She currently serves on her school’s Instructional Leadership Team and is an Arts Instructional Specialist with the Chicago Public School’s Arts Department. She has previously been on staff at the Old Town School of Folk Music teaching children’s music classes over the summer and on the weekend. She holds her Kodaly Level I from Depaul University.
Dana Plazak, Member-at-Large
Dana Plazak is a K-5 general music and choir teacher in Oak Park District 97. She has been teaching elementary music since 2018, after completing her undergraduate studies in music education and vocal performance from Roosevelt University. She has completed her first two levels of Kodàly training from DePaul University, and is looking forward to completing them soon. When she isn’t teaching, Dana sings with Chicago Choral Artists and loves to bake!
Dana Plazak is a K-5 general music and choir teacher in Oak Park District 97. She has been teaching elementary music since 2018, after completing her undergraduate studies in music education and vocal performance from Roosevelt University. She has completed her first two levels of Kodàly training from DePaul University, and is looking forward to completing them soon. When she isn’t teaching, Dana sings with Chicago Choral Artists and loves to bake!
Larena Code, Past President
Larena Code is an elementary music teacher at the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools and national recipient of the 2022 Organization of American Kodály Educators (OAKE) Outstanding Emerging Educator Award. She holds a Master’s in Music Education from the University of St. Thomas (2021) and Bachelor of Music Education from DePaul University (2015). Code completed her Kodály certification at DePaul University (2016) and again at University of St. Thomas (2021), and Orff certification at the University of Kentucky (2018). Taking her passions into the community, Larena is an active presenter at statewide, regional, and national music conferences, including the 2022 OAKE Conference. Her work is published in the Illinois, Minnesota, and Kentucky Music Educator Journals on topics such as race and equity in the music room, culturally responsive pedagogy, and elementary hip-hop curriculum.
Larena Code is an elementary music teacher at the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools and national recipient of the 2022 Organization of American Kodály Educators (OAKE) Outstanding Emerging Educator Award. She holds a Master’s in Music Education from the University of St. Thomas (2021) and Bachelor of Music Education from DePaul University (2015). Code completed her Kodály certification at DePaul University (2016) and again at University of St. Thomas (2021), and Orff certification at the University of Kentucky (2018). Taking her passions into the community, Larena is an active presenter at statewide, regional, and national music conferences, including the 2022 OAKE Conference. Her work is published in the Illinois, Minnesota, and Kentucky Music Educator Journals on topics such as race and equity in the music room, culturally responsive pedagogy, and elementary hip-hop curriculum.
Jana Martin, Past President
Jana Martin is in her 21st year of teaching music, with experiences in PK-12 vocal and general music. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Music Education from the University of Northern Colorado and Masters in Education in Curriculum and Instruction. She completed her Kodály Certification at New York University, and Orff certification at DePaul University. She also had the opportunity to participate in the 2017 Kodály Seminar at the Kodály Institute in Kecskemét, Hungary to learn more about the methodology in the birthplace of Kodály and to study with world-class musicians and continue her musical learning. Martin currently teaches general music at Highcrest Middle School in Wilmette Public Schools District 39, and directs the Wilmette High Five Junior Choir for students of all abilities. She is also a member of the faculty at the DePaul University Summer Kodály Institute, where she has taught musicianship classes since 2016.
Jana Martin is in her 21st year of teaching music, with experiences in PK-12 vocal and general music. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Music Education from the University of Northern Colorado and Masters in Education in Curriculum and Instruction. She completed her Kodály Certification at New York University, and Orff certification at DePaul University. She also had the opportunity to participate in the 2017 Kodály Seminar at the Kodály Institute in Kecskemét, Hungary to learn more about the methodology in the birthplace of Kodály and to study with world-class musicians and continue her musical learning. Martin currently teaches general music at Highcrest Middle School in Wilmette Public Schools District 39, and directs the Wilmette High Five Junior Choir for students of all abilities. She is also a member of the faculty at the DePaul University Summer Kodály Institute, where she has taught musicianship classes since 2016.