SYC Staff

Lauren Campbell is the Vice President of Education & Community Engagement at Strathmore, where she has worked since April of 2010. She is a graduate of Leadership Montgomery, class of 2016. In addition to her administration of the Strathmore Youth Chorus, she runs Strathmore’s school partnerships, coordinates audience engagement and education for stage performances, runs a step outreach program, UkeFest, Summer Art Camp, Spring Break Camp @ Strathmore, and the Strathmore 5th-Grader Student Concerts, among other projects. She is a professional choral singer and recently held a staff alto position at St. John’s Episcopal Church, Lafayette Square in Washington, DC for 4 years. Ms. Campbell received her Bachelor’s in English from Oberlin College, and worked as an English teacher, leadership-program director, and non-profit manager at various terrific organizations before coming to Strathmore. 

Michael Wu is Artistic Director for Strathmore Youth Chorus. He conducts their Concert Chorus, Tenor Bass Chorus, and Chamber Ensemble. A full-time teacher at Landon School, Bethesda, his choirs have been to Carnegie Hall three times, and they have worked with notable musicians, including Maestro Leonard Slatkin and Charles Bruffy. He has been a clinician, adjudicator and presenter extensively in the Mid-Atlantic region. Michael also directs music at Faith United Methodist, Rockville. 

From 2006-2014, Wu led Bel Canto Chorus for the Children’s Chorus of Washington (CCW).  His CCW ensembles sang for John Rutter, toured the U.S., and have collaborated with many other choirs. He is published by Boosey & Hawkes; he holds Artist-Teacher Certification from the Choral Music Experience; he has completed OAKE Kodaly Music Education courses, and he holds degrees from Northwestern University and Peabody Conservatory. He earned his doctorate in choral conducting and served as a graduate music lecturer at George Mason University, and he is Past President of the Maryland/DC Chapter of the American Choral Directors Association.

Carrie brings a wealth of experience from her leadership roles with the Montgomery County Youth Chorus and various public school music programs, where she has inspired young singers through dynamic, inclusive, and high-achieving choral environments. 

Mrs. Carla Wardell teaches choral and general music at Sequoyah Elementary School and has taught in Montgomery County Public Schools since 2005. Previously, she taught middle and high school chorus where her choirs earned superior ratings at both the county and state level.

From 2011 to 2018, Mrs. Wardell served as Assistant Director of the Frederick Children’s Chorus where she developed their Kodály based-musicianship program and directed various ensembles of singers ranging in age from 5–18. She has served in MCPS as a member of the elementary music curriculum writing team and director of the Northwest County Elementary Honors Chorus from 2016–2022. Mrs. Wardell has an interest in teacher training and has presented workshops and reading sessions on elementary choirs for both the Maryland Music Educators Association and Maryland United Specialists in Kodály. She holds a bachelor’s degree in music education from the University of Maryland and a master’s degree in Kodály music education from Loyola University Maryland.

Dr. Yee Von Ng is a distinguished Malaysian pianist known for her versatility and artistry. She excels as a solo performer on both piano and harpsichord, and is also an accomplished collaborative pianist, performing with choirs, vocalists, instrumentalists, ballet studios, opera choruses, and musical theatre productions. She holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree from the University of Maryland and a Master’s degree in Collaborative Piano from Bowling Green State University in Ohio.

Throughout her career, Dr. Ng has toured extensively across the United States, collaborating with major university choirs and working with renowned conductor Helmuth Rilling at the Kennedy Center. She also participated in the prestigious Collaborative Artist Program at the Aspen Music Festival and School, studying under Professor Rita Sloan.

Dr. Ng’s performance highlights include joining Malaysia’s Dithyrambic Singers to present works by composer Eric Whitacre at Carnegie Hall. A vocalist, she has actively performed in college choirs and has won multiple competitions in Hong Kong and Singapore, both as a singer and accompanist.

With over 14 years of experience as the church pianist and summer music associate at Mount Vernon Unitarian Church in Alexandria, Virginia, Dr. Ng also maintains a private piano studio that has thrived for more than two decades. She is also the principal pianist for the Strathmore Youth Chorus in Bethesda. After more than ten years as a collaborative pianist at Holton-Arms School in Bethesda, Maryland, she now serves as the Director of Middle and Upper School Choirs and Handbells at this prestigious independent girls’ school.

An accomplished and versatile instrumentalist, Ann Bartlow continually seeks opportunities to follow her passions and refine her craft. With an indelible work ethic, she has dedicated much of her life to building and expanding upon her skills in accompaniment. Her career as a pianist and organist spans more than 20 years, and she is proud to leverage that experience in her current role as a Collaborative Pianist with Strathmore Youth Chorus.

Ann has established a record of professional excellence by performing as the principal pianist and accompanist for weekly church congregations across Arizona and Maryland. She has cultivated a competitive repertoire with a wide selection of both classic and contemporary liturgical music. Since taking the initiative to learn the organ nearly 10 years ago, she has been certified by the American Guild of Organists (AGO) in Service Playing and practical mastery. 

While her evenings and weekends are devoted to her creative endeavors, Ann also manages a full-time job as an elementary school teacher. Her extensive background in education makes her uniquely qualified to support and engage young vocalists, and she finds immense joy in helping children gain confidence and reach their peak potential. This collaborative spirit shines through in her partnerships with artists of all ages, as she specializes in identifying the needs of each individual and adapting her accompaniment to complement their style.

Ann holds a Master of Arts in Education as well as undergraduate degrees in Piano Performance and Music Therapy. She has been an active member of the AGO since 2017, and she currently serves on the board for their Potomac Chapter. Ann shares her love for music with her 2 beautiful daughters and her husband, a member of The Washington Chorus. As a family, they spend much of their free time building connections with key organizations and thought leaders in the local music community.

Suzanne Bagheri has been a member of the Strathmore Youth Chorus team for the past 8 years. She manages all SYC administrative requirements, and is the main point of contact for parents and students. She also runs the Parent Volunteer Program within SYC. In addition to her work with the Strathmore Youth Chorus, Suzanne is a small business owner and artist who runs a website and e-commerce design business specializing in custom paint finishes, as well as managing her successful social media channels.

Prior to starting her business, Suzanne was the Special Events Coordinator at The Brookings Institute in Washington, DC. where she organized and ran the Institute's Board meetings. Suzanne lives with her husband in North Bethesda, MD, as well as their home on Maryland's Eastern Shore. 

Rachel Borczuch is Strathmore Youth Chorus's Production Manager and leads the new youth leadership extension of SYC, the Singing Ambassadors Program. With a strong foundation in music and theatre, she collaborates closely with the artistic team to bring their creative visions to life on stage. Rachel’s dedication to arts education was sparked during her studies at West Chester University of Pennsylvania, where she discovered the transformative power of the arts in young people’s lives. A passionate theatre artist, musician, and advocate for the arts, Rachel joined Strathmore in February 2023, bringing her experience from the vibrant DC theatre scene, where she worked as a freelance stage manager and sound designer. In addition to her work with SYC and local theatres, Rachel is a seasoned swim coach, currently in her 13th year with the Montgomery County Swim League, where she continues to mentor and inspire young athletes.

Christopher G. Guerra (1956-2024)

Mr. Guerra was the Founder Emeritus of the Strathmore Children’s (Youth) Chorus. In addition, in 2005 he was a founding member of the A. Mario Loiederman Middle School for the Creative and Performing Arts in Silver Spring, Maryland, where he built a choral program that achieved national recognition. 

Mr. Guerra was the recipient of the 2012 Maryland Music Educators Association’s (MMEA) Outstanding Teacher Award. He directed and managed honors choruses for the Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS), and his choral program consistently placed high numbers of students in honors chorus.

He was Music Director for the Chicago and DC Church of Christ and was the featured vocalist with the 566th Air Force Band. He attended the Chicago Music College and earned his Bachelor of Music Education degree from Ball State University, with graduate studies at the University of Maryland, Towson University and George Mason University. He was awarded the Level II certificate with the Choral Music Experience Institute, having studied with Doreen Rao, Lee Kesselman, Phillip Silvey and Michael Jothen. He was an active member of MMEA, NAfME, and ACDA.