Thomas spent the first 20 years of his career teaching in schools and churches around the country before making the transition to professional work in TV production (shows on Nickelodeon, CBS, NBS and syndication). Most recently, he worked at Paramount Studios on Children’s programs such as “Marvin, Marvin” and “Figure It Out!”. Prior to this, he taught elementary music at the United Nations International School in New York City, NY (while concurrently directing seven Handbell choirs in the New York / New Jersey area including choirs at Princeton University) and at the Buckley School in Sherman Oaks, CA. He received his Bachelor of Music from Westminster Choir College and has done graduate work in both Kodaly and Orff methodologies. He is an accomplished composer and conductor of youth and children’s music and he continues to work as an orchestrator for various ensembles in the Los Angeles area. Thomas is the founding Artistic Director of Crown City Ringers, a Community Handbell Choir in Los Angeles, CA and keeps in touch with his roots by teaching several days a week in the San Marino public schools.

Scott Leggett is the current regional coordinator for L.A. Metro and has served in that role for the past two years. His handbell experience goes back to 1984 during his first Director of Music job in his senior year of college where he took over vocal and handbell choir and was hooked on bells ever since. He studied music history and pipe organ performance at Whittier College and is currently the Director of Handbell Music at the First United Methodist Church of Glendale where he directs three handbell choirs. Scott is also a performing member with LA Bronze and the Crown City Ringers. Scott is also a handbell music arranger with his first title published when he was 21 years old. Area 12 of the HMA is very important to Scott and he wants to see the membership grow by truly meeting the needs of the ringers and their groups by bringing them education and ringing opportunities that match up with their skills and future goals. Scott’s day job and main career is in healthcare where he is the Director of Patient Financial Services and Health Information Management at Huntington Hospital in Pasadena.

Originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, Area V, Lisa began ringing at age 13 with her church’s high school ensemble. While attending public high school, majoring in music and art, she sang four years with the auditioned a Capella choir and rang two years with their handbell ensemble. At age 17, she was mentored to take the director’s baton for the church high school handbell choir.

Soon after marrying, she and her husband moved with his job to Clovis, California, where she met and rang with Tahnia Gibbon’s Millbrook Chimes for two-three years and attended A12’s Festival in Visalia; seeing P.L. Grove and Kathy Fink via video do “The Flight of the Bumble Bee”; what an energizing spark plug! God sent Lisa and her husband back to Cincinnati for two years, where she returned to her home church, directing the adult handbell choir. She and childhood, family friend rang many duets, started a four-in-hand quartet and attended many Area V events till she and her husband moved back in 1990 to California; Modesto this time!

God was swift in opening doors placing Lisa in several church handbell choirs and into the path of Terri Halvorson and the Opus Handbell Ensemble, where she has played since 1992. Several bucket list checks have included singing at Carnegie Hall, ringing and singing at the International Church Music Festival in Coventry, England, and ringing and singing at the Modesto Gallo Center for the Arts. Continuing with Opus, they were featured at Pinnacle 2000 and Area 12 conference in Belmont, then, showcased at UC Davis and Modesto’s Handbell Hop. As a “handbell-holic” Lisa has also attended several national conferences and served as Area 12 Event Coordinator for 2016 conference. Two years ago, the opportunity to direct presented itself, so she said “yes” to waving her arms in front of the table once again!

God has blessed her in both fields of music and art as she worked in commercial printing, then served since 1999 as a Graphic Artist for Trinity United Presbyterian Church in Modesto, and as a singing member of the Modesto Symphony Chorus since 2001. She currently serves on the MSO Board as Chorus Representative and on the Opus Board as Booking Coordinator. In her spare time she has enjoyed traveling with her husband, bike riding, swimming, the classical art of dressage and antique carriage driving.

Sandy Haynes has been playing handbells since the 6th grade, and has performed at the White House, the Kennedy Center, Constitution Hall, for U.S. and international concert tours, and at various Guild events, among many others. Since moving to California she’s joined several handbell groups, including Bay Bells and Bell Appeal, and also gotten involved in the “organizational” side, serving as Secretary and interim President on the Handbell Ventures Board of Directors, and taking on roles in event planning and marketing.

Sandy has been working with nonprofit organizations for more than 15 years, and has also served on non-handbell Boards – as Secretary, Vice President, and on the Editorial Board for a national magazine.

Sandy is currently a member of Sonos Handbell Ensemble and plays with other Bay Area groups whenever possible, including occasional conducting. She also travels to various handbell events throughout the year.

In addition to handbells, Sandy is passionate about animal welfare, and loves reading, dance, good wine and good food (best enjoyed with good friends!) She has enjoyed serving Area 12 as Secretary for the past two years and is excited to be considered for another term.

Jenn was first introduced to handbells at the age of 12 by a touring bell choir visiting her church. Although no-one in the church had ever rung bells, a volunteer director went to a handbell conference, and came back to train the fledgling choir in the basics of “how to ring a handbell.” From the beginning, Jenn and her parents were hooked! Jenn enjoyed six years of making music at First Pres – Bishop with family and friends, before going off to college. For several years, occasional substituting and an annual week of ringing at the Zephyr Point Handbell Conference kept her from getting too rusty, but were never enough to satisfy. She now rings regularly with the San Diego Harmony Ringers and Good Samaritan Episcopal – La Jolla. Jenn spends her weekdays as a product development engineer, and devotes her free time (wait, free time?!?!) to the care and encouragement of people, plants, and animals.

Sunghee was first introduced to handbells in 1993 at her church in Los Angeles. Like most ringers, it was love at first sight but it was uneventful for the first 10 years, not realizing there was a whole world beyond the limits of her church. In early 2000’s, Sunghee auditioned for Campanile and was accepted. Campanile led to Sonos and then to Timbré.

Sunghee’s day job is as an Assistant Controller at a Five Star hotel in Kapalua Bay, Maui. She studied hotel management at Cal Poly Pomona thinking she’d go into operations but loved numbers and the “normal” schedule that a finance department will allow. She’s been in the field of hotel accounting for 16 years.