Don Priest
Founding Board Member and Chair
Don Priest is a professor emeritus from the Department of Media Communication & Journalism at Fresno State, where he taught audio and video production for 25 years and was recently inducted to the MCJ Department’s Hall of Fame.
He also devoted a good portion of those years to the campus radio station, 90.7 KFSR, serving in every prominent role from on-air host, to Blues Music Director, to General Manager. It was under his leadership that the station made the successful transition from a campus only operation to a 24×7, community-supported, non-profit that offers a wide range of music and community affairs.
In addition, Don was a key player in the creation of CMAC (Community Media Access Collaborative) the non-profit organization the provides training and production equipment to community members seeking to tell their own stories.
Since his retirement in 2011, Don has resumed the pursuit of his life-long ambition of playing music. He currently works as a percussionist in the Irish Band, Celtic Alchemy, and has a weekly volunteer gig as a drummer in a County band that performs at a local Senior Center.
Don is also an accomplished writer/photographer whose work has appeared in both local and national publications.
Ray Settle
Founding Board Member and Treasurer
Ray is known around this area as the ‘go to” sound engineer and has lent his talents to events like the Rogue Festival, Sudz in the City, and The Fresno Blues Festival, in addition to providing sound assistance to many local clubs and the Tower Theater.
Since 1998 Ray has been in charge of the day to day operations of Maximus Media, one of the largest audio and video production facilities between Los Angeles and San Francisco. Through Maximus, he has had the honor to work for the President of Mexico, two U.S. Presidents and two poet laureates of the United States.
Debi Ruud
Founding Board Member and Secretary
Debi Ruud earned her degree in music from Fresno State in 1998. Not only has Debi been teaching privately for 25 years, she has also been singing professionally in top 40, rock, jazz and R & B bands, numerous churches, recording projects, jingles, commercials and special events in the Central Valley for over 35 years.
She has been involved with the Good Company players and several other theater companies in Fresno. She has recorded four albums and is getting ready to release her fifth. She is known for her 5-year run of being one of the Valleys American Idol “vocal coach’s” on FOX 26.
Now serving two locations, Debi is the founder, owner of the Valleys largest privately owned music school of its’ kind, Fresno Music Academy & Arts. She also is the founder and director of Fresno’s only Rock-n-Roll Choir, Hearts in Fire, which has over 50 members and is in its 8th year of celebrating the joy of music!
Debi has many other creative endeavors including a weekly podcast called “Dancing with Skeletons” with her partner in crime, Liz Stoeckel, writing a book, practicing yoga, running and even a little tap dancing.
She is also an active member of the Cultural Arts Rotary club and sits on the board of the Valley Music Hall of Fame.
Fred Martinez
Board Member
The retired fire fighter with a burning passion for music, Fred has been involved in the local music scene since the 1980’s when he performed with various bands in classic local venues like The Wild Blue Yonder, The Star Palace and The Olympic Tavern.
After a brief stint in managing, Fred decided to take the plunge and open his own music venue. “Club Fred” opened on December 25, 1989 and was a successful music venue that prided itself in hosting an eclectic mix of talent, ranging from blues, reggae, folk, ethnic, rock, punk, psychobilly, and more.
John Alden
Board Member
John Alden has been a resident of Fresno for most of his life, having lived for a short stint in Los Angeles, he has been back to the central valley since 2001. His work as a photographer and graphic artist for his company, JA Photography, has carried him extensively throughout California. John has been a board member of several local creative groups, most recently with Fresno Film Works. He became a part of Fresno Music Academy & Arts in 2014 (formerly The Voice Shop) and has been the managing director since, overseeing its growth and community outreach. He is also a musician and an artist.
Elizabeth Stoeckel
Board Member
Elizabeth Stoeckel has lived in the Fresno/Clovis area for most of her life. She is a theatre performer, director, and teacher. She has performed in shows for several theatre companies in The Valley, including Good Company Players, Theatre J’Nerique, and Center Stage, Clovis. Some of her favorite roles include M’Lynn in “Steel Magnolias” (Center Stage), Truvy in “Steel Magnolias” for Good Company Players (GCP), Margot in “Dial M For Murder” (GCP), Chris Gorman in “Rumors” (GCP), Mrs. Parker in “A Christmas Story” (GCP), Mother in “Best Christmas Pageant Ever” and Ruth Condomine in “Blithe Spirit” (GCP). She’s also directed shows at GCP, Children’s Musical Theatre Works, and the Junior Company (GCP). Elizabeth works with kids with special needs and teaches Theatre in public schools around The Valley. The most important roles Elizabeth has had is being “Mom” to her kids, “Wife” to husband Tom, and “Nonna” to the light of her life; her grandson, Wilder.