Bob Avant, Director
- Bob has served as Director of the Austin Handbell Ensemble since its inception in 1995. He holds Bachelor's
and Master's degrees in Music as well as a Master's degree in Instructional Technology all from the University of Texas,
Austin. He has previously directed the handbell choirs at First Methodist of Austin, Central Presbyterian of Austin,
and is currently the director at First Baptist of Austin. In his other life, Bob is a Technology Consultant at the
Education Service Center, Region XIII, where he specializes in distance learning. Bob's family includes his wife,
Louise, the kids, Elizabeth and Scott, the two cats, and the dog, Annie.
Linda Rutherford, Assistant Director
- Linda is a full time agent with Keller Williams Realty. She has been ringing bells for twenty five years and,
prior to moving to Austin in 1994, was a member of the Indianapolis Handbell Ensemble. In addition, Linda directs
three handbell choirs at Covenant Presbyterian Church. For the past several years, she has taught handbells at the
Heart of Texas Suziki Workshop at Texas State University in San Marcos. She has a Bachelors of Music Education degree
from Eastern Kentucky University and a Master of Music Education degree from the University of Texas. In her free
time she likes to read, garden, and travel.
Amy Berg
- Amy is a teacher with the perfect class: her daughter Elizabeth and her son Alexander.
When Amy is not at home teaching academics or piano, she can usually be found at Holy Word Lutheran Church playing organ,
teaching piano, or directing choir. This is Amy's fifth season with the Austin Handbell Ensemble; however, she has
rung bells for seventeen years and directed for seven. She grew up in Michigan, attended college in Minnesota, and has
lived in Wisconsin, Austin, and Pflugerville. Amy's favorite hobby is making music with her husband Stephen.
Teresa Coll
- Prior to joining the Austin Handbell Ensemble in 1999, Teresa played handbells for five years with Oak Hill
United Methodist Church and played flute for five years with the Austin Symphonic Band. She is a Registered
Nurse in the Mother/Baby Unit at Seton Medical Center. Teresa has two teenage boys, Van and Lance, two rather
odd cats, a crazy dog, and two horses. Teresa's hobbies include gardening, shopping, and riding her horses.
Becky Diffen
- Becky joined AHE in the spring of 2006. She started ringing bells at St. Stephen’s School in Austin in 8th grade where she
also learned solo ringing and founded and directed the middle school choir chime group. During her time at Carleton College
in Northfield, MN, she rang and directed in the college's handbell choir as well as ringing at St. Dominic's Catholic Church.
Becky is married to Daniel and currently attending law school at UT. When not studying, she enjoys knitting, playing softball,
football, and golf, and cheering on the Longhorns.
Mark Dykstra
- Mark returned to the AHE last year after a two year hiatus spent earning a Masters in Electrical and Computer Engineering in Illinois.
When he is not canvassing the Austin area for a job, he spends his time on projects ranging from tinkering with BEAM
robotics to building a dictionary analyzing the structure of Japanese characters. Mark is also learning Mahjong,
teaching Go, and doing his best to remember how to play piano.
Lisa Filemyr
- Lisa grew up in Philadelphia, PA and started ringing handbells in the 5th grade. After graduating from the University
of Virginia in 2002, she moved to Austin and started working at Dell. By day, she is a manufacturing process engineer,
and outside of work she fills her time participating in many activities, including volunteering for community theatre
organizations and curling with the Lone Star Curling Club.
Susan Finnigan
- Susan has been Director of Handbell Ministries at Westlake United Methodist Church in Austin for over
thirteen years. She directs four handbell choirs and also rings in a bell quartet which performs in and around
the city of Austin. She has been ringing handbells for about 16 years. Prior to moving to Austin, she served at
several churches in the Houston area and also taught classroom music. She was a private piano instructor in Houston,
as well as in Austin. Susan received her Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance from the University of Houston and
is very active as a pianist in the Austin area. She is married to Patrick, a Pediatric Cardiologist, and is very
proud to be the mother of four sons.
Rob Gearhart
- Rob started ringing bells in 1983 with St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Beaumont, Texas. He spent ten
years with the UPC Handbell choir in Austin, and has rung with AHE since 1997, where he is considered one of the resident
Bass Bell addicts. Rob graduated in with a degree in Astronomy from the University of Texas at Austin, and currently
works in the Software Group at IBM as a senior software engineer. In his spare time, Rob enjoys traveling, photography,
model building, and playing with his dog Cody.
Chuck Hesse
- Chuck has been ringing bells off and on for the past thirty plus years, and has been a member of the Ensemble since 1996.
He is the Financial Manager for New Hope Health Care, a realtor for Keller Williams Realty, and a House Manager for
the UT Performing Arts Center. In his spare time he enjoys gardening, cooking, and playing with his three very spoiled dogs.
Karen McRae
- Karen rang for twelve years at Great Hills Baptist Church before joining the AHE in 2003. She has a BS from
Texas A&M University and is currently employed by TxDOT in the Motor Carrier Division. Music is a very important part
of her life; when not ringing she entertains herself with a 30-something baritone ukulele and her piano. Karen has
a particular fondness for the old standards. Her other favorite pastimes are taking road trips and watching old black
and white movies with her husband John and their two Yorkies Molly and Max.
Becky Nelson
- Becky was born in Tyler, Texas but has lived in Austin most of her life. She has played handbells for
twenty four years at Hyde Park Baptist Church and is a charter member of the AHE. She was an X-ray technician
for thirteen years and worked for the family business as a bookkeeper for seventeen years. Her hobbies include
bowling, collecting soundtracks of movies, and playing with her dog Little Bit.
Patti Oehring
- Patti is a pediatric doctor in the PICU at Children’s Hospital. She began ringing in junior
high at her church and has rung on and off since that time. She is a member of AGEHR which has
taken her to places including Korea and Canada for handbell festivals. She also rings in her
church bell choir. Patti enjoys piano, flute, singing in her church choir, traveling, scuba diving,
and sailing. She and Mike are the proud parents of two-year-old Isaac and baby Grace.
Alexis Palmer
- Originally from northern Michigan (almost the Upper Peninsula), Alexis moved to Austin in 1998 and has been
ringing with the AHE since the fall of 2000. She also plays French horn with the Austin Symphonic Band. Alexis
is pursuing a doctoral degree in computational linguistics at UT Austin.
Mike Rich
- Mike has been ringing handbells for eleven years. He began ringing at Pollard UMC, then with the East Texas
Handbell Ensemble for two years. He met Bob Avant at Pinnacle 2000 in Las Vegas. After he moved to Austin, he
substituted with AHE for a year and then joined as a member. Mike lives with his cat Mogwai and enjoys music,
traveling, and friends.
Leslie Smith
- Leslie has been ringing bells for a total of 17 years. Currently, she is a member of the Westlake UMC
adult bell choir. She has been fortunate to travel to Germany and England to perform with
vocal and handbell groups. She is a registered nurse, but is taking a break from actual patient care
and works for an ER Physicians staffing service. Her teenage sons are also ringers and she admits to being
an internet/computer game addict.
Dee Susong
- Dee joined AHE in the fall of 2005 after experience ringing at Northwest Hills United
Methodist Church, including trips to Germany, England, California, and Tennessee. A veteran special
education teacher, Dee works with 1st – 6th graders at Bryker Woods Elementary. Her students continue to inspire
and teach her each and every day. In addition to teaching and ringing, she enjoys reading, gardening, riding bikes,
traveling, facilitating technology workshops, and spending time with friends.