The Music Teachers National Association Foundation Fellow program offers a meaningful method for honoring deserving individuals while supporting the efforts of the MTNA Foundation Fund through a donation to the Foundation Fund in an individual’s name.
2026 MTNA Foundation Fellows
Photo: David Hollenback
In 2026, the 150th anniversary of the founding of MTNA, WSMTA is proud to honor not one but two foundation fellows. The two wonderful individuals, chosen by the board of directors for this honor, are Karen Hollenback, NCTM and Kathy Mortensen.
Each of these nominees is a former president of WSMTA. We are fortunate that they served their presidency at just the right time, when their skills were perfectly fitted for the task.
When Covid hit, we needed a sure and levelheaded leader to guide us. Karen Hollenback, NCTM was that steady hand. She kept us on the right path at this most difficult time. However, because of pandemic restrictions, she missed out on many of the most fun aspects of the presidency, the social interaction that circumstances denied us. We hope this award will in part make up for that.
Kathy Mortensen provided perfect, wise leadership during her time as president. However, she is also an incredible repository of knowledge – someone most familiar with the past history of WSMTA. Her invaluable awareness of what has gone before has, on many times, prevented us from having to reinvent the wheel. This award is to recognize her for the glorious resource that she continues to be.
Karen Hollenback, NCTM
Karen Hollenback NCTM, is an active member of MTNA at the national, state and local levels. Her local association was named Washington State Chapter of the Year in 2011 during her term as chapter president.
Following six years as Washington State’s Certification Chair Karen served on the MTNA National Certification Commission in 2015. She was elected to the WSMTA Board of Directors in 2015 as Vice President, and was President-Elect in 2017. As WSMTA’s president in 2019-2021, Karen led WSMTA in successfully navigating the Covid pandemic.
Karen is currently completing her final year on the WSMTA Education Board.
Kathy Mortensen
Kathryn (Kathy) Mortensen started teaching piano when she was 15, with guidance from her teacher, Donald Denegar, NCTM.
She joined the Eastside Chapter, then moved to the Seattle Chapter. She served on various committees and projects, started out as the newsletter editor and became President of Seattle in 2012 and Washington State MTA President in 2021.
The best part of those experiences for her has always been working with and supporting colleagues and making friends.
Kathy has reliably fulfilled the usual musician roles: playing for weddings, recording sessions, rehearsing musicals, restaurant and club background music, etc., but a highlight and turning point was performing for children of all ages with the musical group Tickle Tune Typhoon.
Teaching continues to be Kathy’s dream job. She enjoys helping people from 5 years old to 80 years old learn to express themselves through music. She feels that she learns as much as she teaches.
Kathy has consistently supported and participated in the arts. Her degree was in painting. The first non-profit board she joined was the City Cantabile Choir and she was later President of the Board of the Creative Dance Center. She organized the WSMTA Representation and Advocacy committee. In 2025 she was elected Chair of the WSMTA Education Board.
WA State MTNA Foundation Fellows Since 2001
| FELLOW | YEAR |
| Karen Hollenback, NCTM Kathy Mortensen | 2026 |
| Cinda Redman | 2025 |
| Cherie Felts | 2024 |
| John Pickett | 2023 |
| Jody Graves, MTNA | 2022 |
| Laurie Eash, NCTM | 2021 |
| Connie Hungate | 2020 |
| Marilyn Brossard, NCTM | 2020 |
| Lois Jacobson | 2019 |
| David Rostkoski | 2019 |
| Mary Kaye Owen, NCTM | 2018 |
| Bonnie Blanchard, NCTM | 2018 |
| Marilyn Linde | 2017 |
| Jani Stoehr, NCTM | 2017 |
| Margaret Pressley | 2016 |
| Bela Siki | 2016 |
| Dianne Johnston, WSCTM | 2016 |
| Gerard Berthauime | 2015 |
| Peter Mack, NCTM | 2015 |
| Robin Chadwick, NCTM | 2015 |
| Margee Webster, NCTM | 2014 |
| Patti Robertson, NCTM | 2014 |
| Judith Schoepflin, NCTM | 2013 |
| Michiko Miyamoto | 2013 |
| Ford Hill, WSCTM | 2012 |
| Debra Florian, NCTM | 2011 |
| Linda Burger, NCTM | 2010 |
| Kent Coleman | 2008 |
| Carolyn Malnes, NCTM | 2008 |
| Marcile Mack, NCTM | 2007 |
| Judith Price, NCTM | 2006 |
| Phyllis Pieffer, NCTM | 2005 |
| James Edmonds, NCTM | 2002 |
| Loran Olsen, NCTM | 2001 |
2026
2026
2025
and Cherie Felts, 2024
and Peter Mack, NCTM, 2015