fbpx

Choir Program

Directors and Staff

The Heritage Youth Choirs at American Heritage School is led by a staff of highly qualified professionals who work to provide a challenging but uplifting environment where choir members can refine their musical talents and grow spiritually. All our directors hold degrees in Music Education and have additional music-related endorsements for teaching.

YOUTH CHORUS (8th-12th Grades)

ROB SWENSON | Youth Chorus Director

Rob Swenson holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music education from Brigham Young University and Level III OAKE-endorsed Kodály certification. He has also completed a DMA in Choral Conducting at the University of Utah. He has taught choir at American Leadership Academy in Spanish Fork, Utah; at Timpanogos Academy in Lindon, Utah; and at Liahona High School in Liahona, Tonga, where he also served a two-year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In 2008, he joined the faculty at American Heritage School, where he directs the high school choirs. From 2004-2007, he served as an assistant director with the Utah Valley Children’s Choir, leaving in 2007 to start the Heritage Youth Chorus. Under his direction, this faith-centered choral program for children and youth has grown to include over 200 members who perform free, inspirational programs for audiences throughout the United States. Rob resides in Pleasant Grove, Utah, with his wife, Kristy, and their four children.

WILL HATCH | Youth Chorus Assistant Director

 Will Hatch loves music, teaching, and helping young people grow in their faith. He holds a degree in Music Education from BYU and a master’s in Instructional Technology from Utah State. For the past 15 years, Will has worked for Seminaries and Institutes of Religion. He currently teaches institute and conducts the institute choir at the University of Utah. He’s led choirs across the Salt Lake Valley and at major events on Temple Square. Will also teaches online religion classes for BYU–Idaho. He and his wife, Stefanie, live in West Jordan, Utah, with their five amazing kids. He’s passionate about the gospel of Jesus Christ, great music, and creating meaningful and uplifting experiences for youth. This is his fourth year working with the Heritage Youth Chorus. He loves being part of something so inspiring and impactful.

KELLY DEHAAN | Youth Chorus Accompanist

Kelly holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in choral education and conducting from the University of Utah. A dedicated educator, he taught choir at West Jordan High School from 1997 to 2019 and now teaches at Mountain Ridge High School in Herriman. His commitment to students has earned him numerous honors, including the Huntsman Award for Excellence in Education, the UMEA Music Educator of the Year, and Utah PTA’s Outstanding Educator of the Year (2023). In 2025, he was named Jordan District’s Teacher of the Year and was a Grammy Music Educator Award quarterfinalist.

An accomplished music director and performer, Kelly has worked with Hale Centre Theatre since 1997, where he earned Broadway World’s Music Director of the Year. He has musically directed numerous regional productions and served as associate director and accompanist for the Utah Symphony Chorus. From 1996 to 2016, he conducted the 380-voice Sterling Singers and has led Utah Voices since 2011.

Kelly is also a former member of the Tabernacle Choir and conducted the 16,000-voice Day of Celebration Choir in 2005. He is a respected clinician, accompanist, vocal coach, and studio musician. Above all, Kelly is a devoted husband, father of four, and proud grandfather of four.

KAREN ERICSON | Youth Chorus Secretary

TREBLE CHOIR (5th-7th Grades)

STEFANIE HATCH | Treble Choir Director

Stefanie Hatch graduated from BYU with a bachelors degree in elementary music education.   She was a full-time music specialist at Wasatch elementary and conducted their 100 voice 4-6 grade choir.  Stefanie participated in Kodaly certification at the InterMuse Academy and was later the choir director of a 2nd-6th grade choir in West Jordan.   She has taught voice, piano, and guitar lessons and is a singer-songwriter.  Stefanie served as a Spanish-speaking missionary in the Washington DC South mission and loves the gospel of Jesus Christ! She currently homeschools her 5 amazing children and loves to learn alongside them every day.  Stefanie is thrilled to be conducting the Treble Choir at the Salt Lake campus of AHS!

CARRIE GILES | Treble Choir Accompanist

Carrie was born in Canada and grew up playing the piano and singing with her family. She worked with many musicians in Canada before moving to Utah in 2016. She began attending Salt Lake Community College, where she met her husband, got married, and started collaborating with various bands, solo musicians, theater companies, and choirs throughout the Valley. She has been blessed to work with the Salt Lake Community College Choirs, Taylorsville Institute Choir, Jordan Institute Choir, Olympus High School Choirs, Glee Girls youth choir, Salt Lake Valley Institute Choirs, and now the American Heritage Choirs at the Salt Lake campus. 
Carrie has 2 music Degrees from SLCC, and has been playing for the choirs there since 2017. She lives in Salt Lake City with her husband and 2 sons. 
 

LEAH MARKS | Treble Choir Secretary 

My name is Leah Marks and this will be my first year serving as Treble Choir Secretary at SLC campus. I look back fondly to my own time preforming with Chamber, Treble, and Concert choirs. I gained a testimony at an early age that music sounds the heartbeat in every home. 
 
I am number nine of twelve children blessed to grow up in Maine on a small farm with a big garden, hanging laundry up on the line to dry, and the fresh Atlantic air that comes with coast life living.
 
Deciding to move from my family’s multi-generational estate in Maine to Utah, with my husband Dave and our four children; James, Roy, Sarah, and Lillie, was one of the hardest decisions we’ve made to further our children’s education. My husband Dave and I homeschooled for 10 years but as the children grew, we found the need to change our approach.  After many prayers and a targeted search for a patriotic and Christian curriculum, the Lord led us to American Heritage. We moved specifically to place our children in AHS SLC school. I will be forever grateful for the Lord’s guiding hand and the many miracles that happened along the way.

CHILDREN’S CHOIR (2nd-4th Grades)

KATY STEELE | Children’s Choir Director

Katy Steele holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music from BYU and a Master of Music Education from the University of Northern Colorado.  She is a certified OAKE Level III Kodály instructor.  Currently in her fourth year of teaching music in a school setting – the first three in Colorado and now at AHS Salt Lake – she also has 25 years of experience teaching private music lessons.  Katy has been the director of several choirs and loves the connection good music creates between choir participants.  Katy has four grown children and a large extended family that make her life rich and fulfilling.

MARY GILMORE | Children’s Choir Accompanist

Mary Gilmore loves serving as an accompanist for Heritage Youth Choirs. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education with a Music minor from BYU and a master’s degree in Education from USU. Mary currently teaches 6th grade at American Heritage School’s Salt Lake Campus and has taught piano for more than 20 years. She and her children treasure their involvement in Heritage Youth Choirs and are grateful for the blessings that music brings to their lives.

JENNY BAER | Children’s Choir Secretary

Jenny holds a Bachelor in Business from BYU and is a homeschooling mom of seven children, ages 8-20.  She has been homeschooling since 2010 and loves using Family School. She grew up in Utah and has raised her family in Arizona, Washington, and Utah. Her family joined the choirs and Lyceum programs two years ago, with six school-aged children participating. Passionate about providing musical experiences for youth, she is excited to support the Heritage Youth Choirs.

JUNIOR CHOIR (Kindergarten-1st Grade)

SARA CLEGG | Junior Choir Director

Sara Thomas Clegg has enjoyed a varied career as a choral director, private voice teacher, editor and author, and professional singer. She was an assistant director with the Utah Valley Children’s Choir for over 10 years teaching all ages from 3 to 18 in five different choirs with over 400 children. She has also operated her own private studio, taught group voice lessons and sight singing courses at Brigham Young University, and worked as assistant vocal coach to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. She most recently appeared onstage as the role of Mother in The Savior of the World at the LDS Conference Center in Salt Lake City. Other roles include Despina in Mozart’s Cosi fan tutte in upstate New York, the Ghost of Christmas Past and Mrs. Cratchit in Seacoast Repertory’s sold-out production of A Christmas Carol in New Hampshire, and Lidka in Smetana’s Two Widows in New York City. Her performance as Mary in The Redeemer on the Mormon Tabernacle Choir’s Easter Concert was released nationally on DVD. She worked as Editor in Chief of Classical Singer magazine from 2005 to 2018 and co-authored the book, Singing with Mind, Body, and Soul, currently used as a textbook for vocal pedagogy classes at colleges and universities. Sara has BM and MM degrees in Vocal Performance from Brigham Young University. She lives in Bountiful with her husband and four children.

KACI UIPI | Junior Choir Accompanist

Kaci brings a lifelong love of music to the Heritage Youth Choirs. She began playing piano at just three years old and now serves as the accompanist for American Heritage School in Salt Lake City. Though she chose to study culinary arts after high school instead of pursuing a formal music degree, music has remained her creative anchor in her life. One of her favorite pastimes is arranging and composing music—many of her pieces are performed at ward and stake events throughout the year.

Originally born in California, Kaci grew up in Oregon and Arizona before eventually returning to California, where she met her husband of 17 years as he was finishing his active duty in the U.S. Navy. She also served a mission in Argentina and enjoys discovering new restaurants and spending quality time with her family. She is the proud mother of three boys, including her eldest son, who passed away in infancy from a rare genetic condition—a tender part of her story that continues to inspire her outlook on life.

Now in her third year accompanying the Junior Choir, Kaci finds deep joy in supporting the youngest voices and watching their love for music blossom.

TENI TAKA | Junior Choir Secretary

PROGRAM ADMINISTRATORS

ROB SWENSON | Heritage Youth Choirs Founder & Program Director

DEBORAH OTTESON | Preparatory Choirs Coordinator

LAURIE PATTERSON | Concert Attire Coordinator

Laurie has taught in many different capacities for over 30 years, including owning a preschool, working for Alpine school district, and substitute teacher for AHS. She is now teaching students around the globe with “Outschool”, emotional health classes, young reading classes, and cooking classes (her favorite). She has been a singer since she was little and has dabbled in theatre directing.  Her and her husband Jaye are originally from Seattle, Washington.  They have 5 married children and 13 grandchildren all in Utah!  Laurie has been with AHS youth chorus since the beginning. She just can’t seem to retire!

 
 

OGIE GANKHUYAG | Chorus Connection Specialist

TRESA HAYMOND | Photographer & Social Media Coordinator

Tresa graduated from Utah State University with a degree in Elementary Education and went on to teach and develop curriculum for multi-age classrooms in several charter schools. She has homeschooled her own children for 15 years.

A certified birth doula since 1998, Tresa has spent many years supporting families through some of life’s most meaningful moments. She has also been a professional photographer for 19 years, and her work with American Heritage School has been featured in their annual magazine, marketing materials, and events.

Now in her seventh year as Social Media Specialist for the Heritage Youth Choirs, Tresa loves sharing the choir’s music and message with the community. One of the highlights of her work has been documenting the choir’s annual summer tours, capturing their most memorable experiences through video and photography.

CHANDRA CHILDS | Heritage Youth Chorus Tour Director

KRISTEN JANSEN | Heritage Youth Chorus Tour Director

Kristen Jansen is a Utah transplant with deep Texas roots. She earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance and Marketing from Texas Tech University. Her professional background includes experience in the financial sector, communications, small business ownership, teaching, and school administration.

Coming from multiple generations of educators, Kristen developed a lifelong love of learning and a strong work ethic shaped by their example. She has been associated with American Heritage School since 2018 and continues to find purpose in supporting its mission and students. She and her husband are the parents of three daughters and one son, all of whom attend or have graduated from AHS.

Kristen’s interests include hiking, photography, travel, and spending time with her family and dogs. She finds great fulfillment in helping youth “learn to lead” and in providing opportunities for them to reach their potential. Kristen values her association with such an inspiring, faith-based institution as AHS and the Heritage Youth Chorus.