What's New > Announcing the 2024 Emerging Leaders Awards recipients
The National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS) is pleased to announce that seven early-career teachers of singing have been selected to receive 2024 Emerging Leaders Awards.
This biennial grant program is designed to recognize teachers of singing with no more than 10 years of teaching experience and who are active at the chapter and regional level of NATS. Winners receive a $750 grant to assist with their attendance at the NATS 58th national conference, which is taking place June 28 – July 2, 2024, in Knoxville, Tennessee.
The seven NATS Emerging Leaders for 2024 are:
- Felicia Betts (Eastern Region)
- Natalie Cummings (Texoma Region)
- Michaela Kelly (Cal-Western Region)
- Nicholas Klein (Great Lakes Region)
- Theodora Nestorova (Eastern Region)
- Christina Ray (Central Region)
- Georgeanne Yehling (West Central Region)
Felicia Betts - The Vocal Lab NYC, Felicia Betts Voice Studio
Natalie Cummings - Private Studio, Texas State University
Michaela Kelly - Scripps College, University of Southern California
Nicholas Klein - Cleveland State University
Theodora Nestorova - McGill University Schulich School of Music
Christina Ray - University of Missouri
Georgeanne Yehling - Yehling Voice Studio, Friends University
This year’s applicants were eligible from the Central, Eastern, Great Lakes, Intermountain, North Central, Northwestern, or West Central regions.
Applicants from other regions will be eligible for the 2026 awards. Learn more about the Emerging Leaders Awards.