MEET THE RINGERS
Click on any ringer for a bio!
Shelley Abel
...began playing handbells in her youth at First UMC Gastonia, later joining handbell choirs at St. John's UMC in Rock Hill, SC, and Myers Park UMC. At Myers Park, she volunteers with the youth bell choir, where she delights in ringing bells with her own children and many bonus children. Shelley joined Charlotte Bronze in 2023. Shelley also practices law and enjoys fiber arts.
Regina Blackman
…has been a member of the Charlotte Bronze Handbell Ensemble since Fall 2019, bringing the component-level awareness of a Nuclear Chemist and over 20 years of handbell experience to the table. Since joining the ensemble, she has further refined her craft by attending Distinctly Bronze East multiple times starting in 2024. Beyond her performance roles, she has previously served CBHE as a member of the board and as the 2024 Chair of the Mid-Carolinas Handbell Festival, expertly balancing her career in science with her passion for the artistry and community of handbells.
Peg Broughton
...has been ringing handbells for over 10 years. She joined CBHE in January 2023 and has participated in other groups such as Distinctly Bronze East in the past few years. Peg is a trained musician mostly focusing on singing and has sung with Opera Carolina for over 20 years. By day she is the worship coordinator for Myers Park United Methodist Church in Charlotte and loves to spend the rare bit of free time she has with her husband, children, and grandchild.
Sally Cash
…Bio coming soon.
Debbie Dowling
…bio copy
Susan Goeldner
…joined Charlotte Bronze in Fall 2023 after ringing with Rocky Mountain Ringers in Denver, CO for 8 years. She started ringing handbells at her church when she was in 7th grade, and rang at various churches over the years until her 2 kids were in middle and high school. When not ringing bells, she is an IT Project Manager at Bank of America.
Sharon Griffith
…Bio coming soon.
Susan Corbett-Hopf
…has been ringing handbells since childhood. She is a Charlotte native and joyfully works for Levine Children’s Hospital. Susan enjoys an active life of running, traveling, and spending time with family.
Jackie Jircitano
…comes to CBHE with over three decades of experience playing piano and is shocked and delighted by how different and challenging playing handbells can be! In her career, Jackie specializes in nonprofit and research communication and graphic design. She is an enthusiastic cyclist and rarely passes up the opportunity for international adventures with her husband.
Susan Jones
…began her foray into music with piano lessons as a second grader. She soon added the flute, piccolo, and oboe. She began ringing handbells in her church choir as a young adult and joined Charlotte Bronze in 2022.
Jim Koerth
…is a retired Paramedic/Firefighter and former Seminarian. He have played handbells off and on for many years and has been a member of the CBHE for three years. His other musical interests include singing and ringing at his home church and playing Trombone in the Charlotte Concert Band and the Queen City Swing Band. When he is not involved with musical groups, he enjoy a night out under the stars as an amateur astronomer. He has been married to his wife Karen (who also plays in the CBHE) for 45 years and they are blessed with three grown children and three grandkids.
Karen Koerth
…is a retired IT Business Analyst, who has been ringing bells off and on for 30+ years. She enjoys spending time with family, singing, reading and is active at church. She and her husband, Jim, grew up in Western PA, moved to MA for 37 years and then settled in the Carolinas several years ago. Besides ringing and singing together, Karen and Jim have three grown children and three grandchildren.
Noel Lance
…is excited to join Charlotte Bronze for his first semester. Noel is a licensed beauty professional serving the Dilworth and Myers Park communities for the last 18 years. Noel is also the Minister of Music and Worship at St. John's Baptist Church in the Elizabeth Community.
Layne McGuire
…Bio coming soon.
Connie McQuinn
…loves connecting with people. She enjoys ringing with CBHE because it’s an opportunity for her to grow her skills, and it gives her a sense of purpose, especially when CBHE performs and makes a positive impact.
Carolyn Miller
…Bio coming soon.
Mary Alice Seals
…first played a handbell at music camp as a sixth grader and has played in or directed handbell groups for much of the time since. In August 2020, she retired after serving 20 years as minister of music for First Baptist Church of Raleigh, NC. She now lives in Charlotte where she enjoys walking, reading (mysteries and historical fiction), learning to play mahjong, and spending time with family.
Kate Seely
…was introduced to handbells as an accompaniment to her church youth choir when she was 8; she quickly decided that ringing was way better than singing. Her handbell career has encompassed performing at National Seminar, being selected for Zenith, and touring through Puerto Rico; she has been a member of Charlotte Bronze since moving to the South in 2018. When not ringing, she also enjoys reading, baking, and spending time with her husband (who also plays bells), her two kids (who don’t), and her dog (who howls whenever the bells come out).
Maggie Thomasson
…grew up singing in the choir and playing handbells at Unity Presbyterian in Fort Mill. She's thrilled to be a part of CBHE, to keep learning and advancing her ringing skills! When she's not singing or ringing, she can be found in cozy coffee shops, local theater audiences, or at home with a stack of books to read.
Joni Thompson
…is honored to be a member of CBHE. She began ringing in the youth handbell choir at her childhood church and now rings with the Bellissimo Handbell Choir at FUMC in Belmont, where she lives with her fiancée, Jessica, and their 10-year-old son, Benjamin. Joni enjoys traveling, exploring new places, and loves cooking at home with her family.
Cassidy Tucker
…has been ringing handbells for nearly two decades, where she began at The First Baptist Church in Henderson, North Carolina, and joined the Charlotte Bronze Handbell Ensemble in Fall 2022. By day, she trades melodies for malware, working in cybersecurity investigating incidents and threat actors with the same focus and attention to detail she brings to the bell table. Outside of music, she enjoys long walks, plotting her next DIY house project, and she’s always on the lookout for the next Stevie Nicks concert to attend.
Matthew VanDyke
…serves as the Middle and High School Choral Director at Union Academy Charter School in Monroe, NC and is new to CBHE this year! Matthew holds music degrees in Music Education (BM) from the University of Delaware and Choral Conducting (MM) from Westminster Choir College. Matthew lives in Charlotte with his wife, Kristen, and his two children, Noah and Clara. He looks forward to rehearsing and making music each week with the other members of CBHE!
Sylvia Wessinger
…joined Charlotte Bronze in 2026 after ringing handbells for 50+ years both as a member of a choir and a soloist. She is a retired Medical Technologist and is actively involved in her church's quilt ministry. She lives in Lexington, SC with her two cats and enjoys family time with her son, daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter.
Katie Wildeman
…first found a passion for handbells in middle school and since then has enjoyed being a part of various community ensembles. In 2020 she took a break to pursue a career in clinical microbiology and then joined CBHE in 2026. She enjoys reading, playing piano, and hiking.
Katie Wildeman
Katie Wildeman
…first found a passion for handbells in middle school and since then has enjoyed being a part of various community ensembles. In 2020 she took a break to pursue a career in clinical microbiology and then joined CBHE in 2026. She enjoys reading, playing piano, and hiking.
Sylvia Wessinger
…joined Charlotte Bronze in 2026 after ringing handbells for 50+ years both as a member of a choir and a soloist. She is a retired Medical Technologist and is actively involved in her church's quilt ministry. She lives in Lexington, SC with her two cats and enjoys family time with her son, daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter.
Justin Wooten
Despite his lumberjack exterior and gym-bro personality, Justin nerds out for bells and music as much as possible. He has been playing bells for over 30 years and hopes to get another 30 years in. By then, he may be able to tell the difference between a C# and a Db. When he isn’t lifting heavy things and teaching others to lift heavy things, he is lifting heavy bells just to make sure all that lifting doesn’t go to waste.
Amy Zelen
…was a founding member of Charlotte Bronze at its start in 2011, and has been ringing handbells for 28 years. She lives in Lake Park, North Carolina with her family and several pets. Her favorite hobby, besides bell ringing, is playing Mahjong with friends and family.
Joni Thompson
…is honored to be a member of CBHE. She began ringing in the youth handbell choir at her childhood church and now rings with the Bellissimo Handbell Choir at FUMC in Belmont, where she lives with her fiancée, Jessica, and their 10-year-old son, Benjamin. Joni enjoys traveling, exploring new places, and loves cooking at home with her family.
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