Area 1 Election for 2023
Every two years, elections are held in Area 1 to elect people to the following positions: Chairperson, Treasurer, and Secretary.
Chair-elect serves for 2 years and then moves to Chair for 2 years and ends as Past-Chair for another 2 years. This is a 6-year commitment.
Treasurer of Area 1 handles all financial transactions and reports to the board regularly.
The Secretary takes notes at board meetings and keeps all information filed and stored electronically.
Please read all biographies and mission statements below.
Chair Elect (will become chair at time of next election)
Below, you will find out more information about each chair elect candidate to inform your vote.
Greg Urban
My handbell obsession began in 4th grade. Starting with the church youth choir and then an afterschool club throughout high school, I was drawn to the team aspect of the instrument – you can do so much more when you do it together!
In college, there was no school ensemble. I missed the creative outlet so I created a group and campaigned for the school to fund the purchase of a 3 octave set of Malmark handbells. I started subbing in local church groups (partly so I could borrow the lower octaves come concert time). I started arranging music for that group, and haven’t stopped since!
I moved to Massachusetts in 2014, quickly joining the Back Bay Ringers and eventually becoming the Treble Section Leader. My love of handbells has only grown since then, expanding my arrangements catalog and participating in Distinctly Bronze and other national events.
In 2021, I joined Sonos Handbell Ensemble in Oakland, CA, flying across the country for weekend rehearsals for the spring in preparation for a National Seminar concert in Arizona in July 2021. Nothing quite compares to Area 1, though. I’m excited to settle in as a resident arranger and composer for community ensembles in the area.
In my professional life, I work as a trainer, outdoor educator and operations manager for a large, historic non profit, which has given me hands-on experience and insight into the workings and machinations of mission-driven organizations, like HMA.
Vision:
To me, handbells represent a community personified through music. My experiences in various handbell ensembles has galvanized my drive to build community through music. My professional experience as a team development facilitator and trainer has given me a unique perspective on how to build intentional communities focused on a shared goal. I see myself as a leader who can cultivate and grow communities like the ones that supported me on my handbell journey.
I am excited to bring my communication and organizational skills to the HMA Area 1 Board. I have served on event planning committees for other professional conferences similar to the size of Festival Conference. I look forward to helping advance the art of handbell ringing and advocating for handbell and handchime ringing in schools, churches, and community groups in the region. As a handbell arranger and ringer, I also aim to be a strong advocate for the local handbell community at the regional and national level.
The structure of Chair-Elect, Chair, then Past Chair aligns with my collaborative leadership style, bringing diverse backgrounds and perspectives together to cultivate growth in our Area. I am excited to offer my fresh perspective on events, marketing, and communication needs of our area, and to help facilitate the charting of the next six years of what is possible in Area 1. I love meeting new people, and look forward to meeting many new friends along the way!
My professional experience working with youth has shown how much we need the younger generation to see a future in bell ringing. Working with the current Area 1 Chair (Jenn Stack), I want to build strong networks of youth ensembles in the area, supporting more events for middle and high school aged ensembles, both to perform and to see what ringing as an adult can look like. This is in addition to connecting our many great church and community ensembles together through area events, as well as local workshops and community building.
I take great pride in being part of the first HMA Area, and often hear from folks nationally about the great events and conferences we put on here. I look forward to the opportunity to continue to serve Area 1 in whatever capacity is needed and with great joy and gratitude for all of the many friendships and excellent education I have received to this point.
Secretary
Below, you will find out more information about each candidate to inform your vote.
Harriet Forman
I am the director of the Village Bell Ringers, a 5 octave handbell choir at the Village Congregational Church in Whitinsville, MA. I have directed this group for over 35 years, and still love it! I am currently retired from teaching full time elementary music in the Worcester Public Schools, where I served for 22 years. My background includes a bachelor’s degree in music education from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, and a partial masters degree in music from UMass. I am still fully in love with handbells, and will continue to be!
Vision:
I have served Area 1 as secretary for the past two years, and have found it to be very fulfilling and exciting. I totally respect my co-board members, and enjoy working with them for the overall good of handbells in Area 1. I would like to continue working in this position, and hope to increase my involvement in Festival Conference and in working with the board to bring about an increase in members and events in Area 1.
I offer my time and skills to the board to uphold the values of HMA and the goals of Area 1. I hope you will cast your vote for me to continue my work here.
Treasurer
Below, you will find out more information about each treasurer candidate to inform your vote.
Lauren Larson
I’ve been ringing bells with the Shoreline Ringers since 2006 and served various roles on the board of that group including treasurer and vice president. My favorite part of ringing is the complex rhythms, which makes sense given my love of math and engineering degrees.
I stepped into the Area 1 Treasurer role last spring to fill an unexpected vacancy. The learning curve was steep during the leadup to Festival/Conference, our biggest financial project as an area, and we successfully pulled it off! I attribute that in part to the math, organizational, and management skills from my day job as an engineering and program manager.
Vision:
The treasurer is a steward of Area 1’s financial resources to responsibly allow the other board members to bring together our community today while remaining solvent for tomorrow. The treasurer honors the money that is placed in our hands through event registrations, donations, and sponsorships by ensuring every dollar is spent as designated and to fulfill our Area’s mission and vision. I plan to continue the financial stewardship my predecessors have established by looking for more opportunities to provide the most value to our members. My goal is to enable the rest of the Area 1 Board to focus on their jobs without being hindered or distracted by the finances. Their jobs include the events that Unite people and advance ringing through education and community. The diverse community includes financial diversity, and I will continue to ensure we can provide financial aid to those who need it to attend events and realize their full potential.
I am honored to have served Area 1’s members this past year and hope you offer me a chance to realize my potential in this role.