Roger Averbeck, President (2023) – Although not a musician, Roger has been a music lover since college days in the late 70’s in the midwest. Although large and loud rock and roll concerts were common in those days, seeing and hearing Pete Seeger live at the Great River Folk Fest in 1978 made Roger a believer in folk and traditional music. Roger has lived, worked and raised a family in Wallowa County off and on since 1988 and has experience with serving on nonprofit and citizen advisory boards as well as owning a small business for 14 years. Roger is an accomplished photographer and videographer who enjoys capturing local community events and music performances.

Robyn Burns, Vice President (2023)
Robyn (Freatman) Burns was born and raised in the Wallowa Valley. She has played both fiddle and classical music from the age of 5. Robyn holds a BA in Music from Linfield College and has taught in a variety of venues, including Suzuki programs, fiddle camps, and private lessons across North America. She also regularly performs in fiddle contests and orchestras. Together she and her husband, Mike, run a small business, Burns Violins. www.burnsviolins.com

Amy Fairchild, Secretary (2023)
Amy Fairchild is a composer, pianist, vocalist, and music teacher.  She and her husband and their two little boys moved to Joseph from Beaverton, OR, in 2022 to be closer to family and this beautiful country where her husband grew up. Amy has released two professionally recorded albums of her piano compositions and traveled to the UK in 2022 to perform at the International Composers Festival.  Amy looks forward to her 2nd year teaching at Wallowa Fiddle Tunes Camp this summer and looks forward to starting a Wallowa County children’s performance group in Fall 2023. Learn more at www.amyfairchildmusic.com and stream Amy’s music on Spotify, AmazonMusic, Apple Music, Pandora, Napster, YouTube, and other streaming platforms.

Brian Oliver, Treasurer (2023)
Brian Oliver is a native Kansan who adopted Oregon as his newfound home State in 1972. He moved to Wallowa County in 1976, met his soon to be wife, and never left…at least not permanently. He is a recently retired cabinetmaker who is putting his woodworking skills to use trying to learn how to build guitars. Brian’s musical influences are rock, folk, and country.  John Prine, Steve Earle, and John Hiatt are favorites. He loves to fish, hike, and ski when not in the shop or jamming with friends.

Terri Hall (2024) has studied piano, voice, saxophone, guitar, and weapons of mass percussion. A recent transplant to Wallowa County, it was during her 26 years in New York where, after years of singing with every choir that would have her, she got up out of the alto section and co-founded the Americana band, He-Bird, She-Bird. She has participated in many other musical projects; writing, performing, directing, and recording with/for various artists in New York and California. She has held membership in the Folk Music Alliance, IBMA, Bluegrass Club of Long Island, California Bluegrass Association and now, Oregon Bluegrass Association; she has a thing for Bluegrass. Living in small communities from Germany, to New York, to California and now Oregon, Terri has always been hands-on when it comes to building a better community, particularly when there is music involved.

Dr. Elizabeth Powers (2023)
When she was four years old, Liz’s parents decided to start her playing the violin and hold off on kindergarten for another year.  This was a pivotal moment, for though Liz has continued with both music and schooling, music remains one of her great passions.  She was trained in the Suzuki tradition, and played in multiple orchestras throughout high school and college.  Liz took a temporary break from music during medical school and specialty training but was eager to dive in again when she and her husband Nic moved to Wallowa County in 2006.  Here she encountered fiddling for the first time, and the great genres of Irish, Old Time, and Bluegrass.  Liz is an eager supporter of Music Alliance activities and is committed to engaging more Wallowa County residents in making and listening to music!  Because music activates almost all brain regions and networks, it can help to keep a myriad of brain pathways strong, including those involved in well-being, learning, cognitive function, quality of life, and happiness.

Sierra Newby-Smith (2026)
As a child Sierra took piano lessons, but found she was better suited to dancing and listening to music.  While not a musician herself, Sierra’s appreciation for musical exploration runs the gamut from local singer songwriters and Americana to French hip-hop and Latin rock.  Since her move to the county in 2022, this appreciation has grown with the access to live music that is a part of county culture. She regularly attends and volunteers at music, dance, and other community events. She has experience working for non-profits and educational institutions, as well as a strong writing and editing background. In her free time she enjoys leisurely hikes, cooking, dancing, and curating an extensive earring collection.

Tom Koehler (2026)
Tom Koehler cites his biggest musical influence as growing up with a multiple-family clan gathering every summer on the shores of Spirit Lake, where music was found every night at the campfire or in the cabins.  A life long Oregon resident Tom loves the mountains rivers and music of Wallowa County. Tom is retired from the renewable fuels business and has experience on nonprofit boards and in elected community office. 

The Wallowa Valley Music Alliance thanks our recent past board members/officers, Bob Webb, Michael Robers, Mike Straw, Carolyn Lochert, Dan Davidson, and Nick Porter for their service and dedication to our organization.
These are volunteer positions, and if you or someone you know would be a good fit to serve on our board of directors, please contact us!