Directors and Staff
The Heritage Youth Choirs at American Heritage School is led by a staff of highly qualified professionals who work to provide a challenging but uplifting environment where choir members can refine their musical talents and grow spiritually. All our directors hold degrees in Music Education and have additional music-related endorsements for teaching.
YOUTH CHORUS (8th-12th Grades)
ROB SWENSON | Youth Chorus Director
Rob Swenson holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in music education from Brigham Young University and Level III OAKE-endorsed Kodály certification. He has also completed a DMA in Choral Conducting at the University of Utah. He has taught choir at American Leadership Academy in Spanish Fork, Utah; at Timpanogos Academy in Lindon, Utah; and at Liahona High School in Liahona, Tonga, where he also served a two-year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In 2008, he joined the faculty at American Heritage School, where he currently directs the curricular high school choirs. From 2004-2007, he served as an assistant director with the Utah Valley Children’s Choir, leaving in 2007 to found the American Heritage Youth Chorus. Under his direction, this faith-centered choral program for children and youth has grown to include over 300 members who perform free, inspirational programs for audiences throughout the United States. Rob received the 2016 Indianapolis Symphonic Choir Christmas Carol Commission for his “Christmas Hosanna.” In Fall 2016, his original composition, “Go Forth From This House,” was recognized as a second-place winner and was performed at the state conference of the Utah ACDA. Rob resides in Pleasant Grove, Utah, with his wife, Kristy, and their four children.
MATT THORNTON | Youth Chorus Assistant Director
Matt Thornton graduated from Utah State University with a bachelors degree in music education. He also holds a masters degree in music education from BYU. As an undergraduate, Matt served as the Music Vice President of the Logan Latter-day Saint Institute as well as the Dance President. He was also president of the New Horizons Institute Choir. While in Cache Valley, he worked with the Cache Children’s Choir and taught in their summer music camp. He has also worked as a music and dance specialist for Opera by Children. Matt has been trained in Orff, is Kodály certified and is currently an instructor at the BYU InterMuse Academy. He is the fine arts department head at American Fork Jr. High where he has taught choir for eight years.
NEIL HARMON | Youth Chorus Accompanist
Dr. Neil Harmon lives in Provo, Utah, where he enjoys a career as a teacher, performer, composer, consultant, and accompanist. He teaches organ performance and organ-related classes at Brigham Young University, Utah State University, and Utah Valley University. Dr. Harmon is the accompanist for the Heritage Youth Chorus. He performs regularly on Temple Square in Salt Lake City as Guest Organist, a service he has rendered since 1991.
Dr. Harmon completed a Bachelor of Music degree at BYU, and Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees from the Eastman School of Music.
He served a two-year volunteer mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in São Paulo, Brazil. He and his wife, Anese, are the parents of five children.
JULIE ERWIN | Youth Chorus Secretary
Julie Erwin has been a dedicated member of the Heritage Youth Chorus admin team since 2017, serving as Youth Chorus Tour Director and Youth Chorus Secretary. She is passionate about working with youth, and finds joy in supporting their spiritual and musical growth, as well as in hearing the beautiful music they create.
In addition to her work with the choir, Julie is a professional interior designer. She collaborates with businesses and homeowners to guide them in creating floor plans that work well for their needs as well as selecting finishes, colors, and materials that bring their vision to life.
THALEA LONGHURST | Youth Chorus Assistant Secretary
ERIN MARTIN | Youth Chorus Assistant Secretary
TREBLE CHOIR (5th-7th Grades)
LIZ WASHBURN | Treble Choir Director
Liz Washburn holds both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in Music Education from Brigham Young University. While at BYU, she performed with all of the university’s choirs, including two years touring with the BYU Singers. She also served as an assistant director for two university choirs and later sang with the Tabernacle Choir.
She currently serves as one of the choir directors at American Heritage School, where she leads the Men’s Choir, Patriot Chorale, and Treble Choir. Her previous experience includes teaching choir at Oak Canyon Junior High and Valley View elementary, directing school musicals, and building a successful private voice studio.
Liz finds great joy in making music with others—especially when it is rooted in the gospel. Outside the classroom, she enjoys running, hiking, and playing ball with her kids.
Above all, she treasures her role as wife to her fun and supportive husband, and as mother to their three wonderful children.
LAURALYN EBERTING | Treble Choir Accompanist
LauraLyn Eberting loves music and is delighted to be a part of American Heritage School’s Children’s Choir. She grew up singing and making music with her family and then went to law school and became an attorney. While in college she taught piano lessons, played the violin with a BYU orchestra, sang with the Mormon Youth Chorus, and performed as an entertainer in Lagoon’s Music USA.
JULIE BABBITT | Treble Choir Secretary
CHILDREN’S CHOIR (2nd-4th Grades)
EMILY HALVERSON | Children’s Choir Director
Emily Halverson is so excited to be at American Heritage! She has spent the last sixteen years as a music curriculum specialist where she also taught music and choir at another private school. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Music from BYU and is Kodaly Level III certified. In 2003, she auditioned for the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square where she served for five years. She is the youngest of six very musical siblings and enjoys singing with them. She also enjoys singing duets with her husband with whom she has a combined family of eight awesome children. She absolutely loves teaching music to children and accompanying choirs, and is definitely looking forward to an incredible future at American Heritage!
CINDY SCHMIDT | Children’s Choir Accompanist
Cindy has been a private music instructor for over 20 years with award-winning students. She is an active member of the Northern Utah Valley Piano Teachers’ Association and received pedagogical training from piano performer/instructor David Glen Hatch. She began accompanying in her 8th-grade year of school and has continued to accompany and perform vocally throughout her life. She has taken multiple years of vocal training and actively leads singing time with the children in her local congregation at church. Cindy received an elementary education degree and a minor in music from BYU. She studied choral music, conducting, and organ with Mack Wilberg, Ronald Staheli, and Don Cook. She received further musical training at Boise State University and, most recently, at BYU Intermuse Academy. Her six children have all attended American Heritage, with many of them participating in the school’s phenomenal after-school choirs. She is thrilled to be involved with the incredible music program at American Heritage!
CHAEYLA SAUNDERS | Children’s Choir Secretary
JUNIOR CHOIR (Kindergarten-1st Grade)
SEPTEMBER HOWARD | Junior Choir Director
September was born and raised in Newport News, Virginia. She graduated from Brigham Young University in 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in music education (k-12 choral emphasis). September has been working at American Heritage school since 2021 as the middle school choir director; she also serves as the fine arts department chair. September is the mom to two children, Grayson, and Dawson. Going on walks, spending time with her family, watching movies, and being at the beach are all things she enjoys doing.
TYSON ZIMMERMAN | Junior Choir Accompanist
EMMA HUNSAKER | Junior Choir Secretary
Emma Hunsaker, from Lehi, Utah, has always felt that music is part of her heartbeat. She has sung in and directed choirs, written musical programs, and is an accomplished accompanist. Over the years, she has shared her talents at the LDS Institute, the MTC, and as a rehearsal pianist for choirs preparing to sing in General Conference. In addition to her piano and accompanying work, Emma finds deep joy in singing–both personally and with others, and studied voice under renowned coach Debra Bonner. She also teaches piano and voice and enjoys playing a variety of instruments, including piano, organ, violin, and ukulele. Emma studied Film and TV Production at Utah Valley University, where she developed a love for creativity and storytelling.
Family is at the center of Emma’s love for music. She and her husband are the proud parents of four children, all of whom have sung with Heritage Youth Choirs. Watching her children grow in confidence, faith, and joy through music has deepened her appreciation for HYC’s mission. For Emma, Heritage Youth Choirs is more than a program—it is a community that uplifts families, inspires children, and strengthens faith through song.
PROGRAM ADMINISTRATORS
ROB SWENSON | Heritage Youth Choirs Founder & Program Director
LAURIE PATTERSON | Concert Attire Coordinator
Laurie has taught in many different capacities for over 30 years, including owning a preschool, working for Alpine school district, and substitute teacher for AHS. She is now teaching students around the globe with “Outschool”, emotional health classes, young reading classes, and cooking classes (her favorite). She has been a singer since she was little and has dabbled in theatre directing. Her and her husband Jaye are originally from Seattle, Washington. They have 5 married children and 13 grandchildren all in Utah! Laurie has been with AHS youth chorus since the beginning. She just can’t seem to retire!
TRESA HAYMOND | Photographer & Social Media Coordinator
CHANDRA CHILDS | Youth Chorus Tour Director
