Meet the DMI Team

Board of Directors

  • Michele Von Haugg, Founder, is a native of East Berne, New York. Michele completed her Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education at Ithaca College in 2001. Shortly after graduation, she enlisted as a clarinetist with the United States Air Force band in Massachusetts. After three years of active-duty service, she separated to pursue a Master’s Degree in performance at the New England Conservatory of Music. Following graduation in 2006, she spent the next 10 years freelancing, bartending, and nannying – all to support the ongoing work of DMI. In 2017, with a brand-new son in tow, Michele re-enlisted in the US Air Force band, where she remains today. She has studied clarinet with Brett Wery, Michael Galvan, Tom Martin, and Robert DiLutis. During her free time, She enjoys gardening, yoga, and is working toward a Master’s Degree in mental health counseling. Michele founded Daraja Music Initiative in 2010.

  • Dr. Ian Tyson, Executive Director, is a New York City clarinetist. He is a founding member of Trio 212, was previously a clarinetist with the United States Air Force bands, and a recent Orpheus Chamber Orchestra Fellow. He has performed with orchestras, chamber groups, and given solo recitals in such prestigious venues as The Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall, and Merkin Concert Hall. A dedicated pedagogue, Ian is on faculty at Vassar College, Bard College Conservatory of Music Preparatory Division, Special Music School, Lucy Moses School, and also maintains a substantial private clarinet studio. Ian received a DMA from Stony Brook University, MM from Michigan State University, and BM from Miami University (OH). He has been involved with DMI since 2014.

  • Madison Fleming is an accomplished music educator from Oklahoma, having earned her Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Oklahoma in 2021. Currently, she serves as a woodwind specialist and assistant band director in the Mustang Public School District, where she focuses on students in grades 6-12, particularly in beginning band and marching band. Madison is dedicated to advancing music education and community outreach through her involvement with the Daraja Music Initiative.

  • Alexys Bush, Assistant Director, is a clarinetist, music educator, and event planner based in Washington, DC. Originally from Mississippi, she has her Master’s of Music degree in Music Education and Clarinet Performance from the University of Florida, and she graduated summa cum laude with her Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education and Clarinet Performance from the University of South Alabama. A committed educator, Alexys has taught lessons and sectionals, instructed band camps, judged auditions, presented lectures, and given masterclasses in Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Virginia for over 10 years. She has performed internationally in Austria, Canada, France, Germany, and Tanzania, as well as all over the US. Additionally, in 2018, her undergraduate woodwind quintet won third place at the NOLA Chamber Festival and, in 2019, she won the UF Clarinet Studio Concerto Competition. Alexys has been involved with DMI since 2017 and is the creator of the culturally responsive clarinet curriculum and books.

  • Julia Georges is a middle school band teacher in Phoenix in the Osborn School District. She has been recognized as the Osborn Teacher of the Year and nominated for the Arizona Teacher of the Year award. Her programs were recently the recipients of the Mr. Holland’s Opus Grant which awarded her students with new instruments. She lives in Phoenix with her husband and two children, Nora and Benny. Julia has been a part of the DMI team since her first summer in Tanzania in 2014. Her primary duties have included volunteer and field trip coordinating, curriculum design and implementation, and teaching.

  • Roselyn Hobbs is a violist, music educator, and visual artist based in New England. As a dedicated performer of contemporary music, her work as a musician focuses on bringing communities together to make music relevant to today’s world. Roselyn was the first violist to graduate from Boston Conservatory with a Master’s degree in contemporary music performance and has the pleasure of regularly collaborating with living composers and engaging in world-premiere performances. In tandem with her performance practice, she is currently working towards a doctorate at the Hartt School, pursuing research interests in twentieth century viola repertoire. Roselyn is passionate about environmental conservation and has been involved with DMI since 2016.

  • Katherine Palmer enjoys a multifaceted career as a non-profit leader, museum professional, and arts educator. She is the senior director of education and community engagement at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, TN where she oversees the institution’s educational and community offerings, manages the Taylor Swift Education Center, and supports the museum’s education council. Prior to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, Katherine served as the curator of education at the Musical Instrument Museum in Phoenix (AZ), where she was instrumental in molding MIM’s educational approach and overseeing programming content for diverse audiences from early childhood to older adults. Katherine teaches as a Faculty Associate in the Herberger Institute of Design and the Arts at Arizona State University. Between 2016-2023, she served as the executive director for DMI. She holds degrees from the University of Miami (BM) and Arizona State University (MM, MA, DMA).

  • Gary Sperl is in his 46th season as the Principal Clarinetist in the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra and is a member of the Knoxville Symphony Woodwind Quintet. He was the Professor of Clarinet in the School of Music at The University of Tennessee for 36 years. During the summers, he was very active in music festivals including the Spoleto Festival USA, Festival dei due Mundi (Italy), Assisi Performing Arts Festival, and served as Principal Clarinetist with the Bear Valley (California) Music Festival. Gary has been a board member and teacher with Daraja Music Initiative since 2013.

Tanzanian Advisory Board

  • Goodluck Chanyika, In-country Operations Coordinator, graduated from the University of Dodoma in July 2013 with a Bachelor of Education in Policy, Planning, and Management. In 2016, Goodluck was awarded an opportunity to participate in the Young African Leaders Initiative Fellowship (YALI) in Nairobi, Kenya. YALI is a U.S. State Department program launched by President Obama to foster excellence among emerging professionals in Africa. In 2017, he was invited to participate in the ADA International Fellowship Program in the U.S. at the University of South Dakota, Center for Disabilities, Sanford School of Medicine, a program funded by the U.S. State Department to advance inclusive education in Tanzania. He also presented his innovation at the 2nd Innovating Education in Africa Expo in Botswana and the 6th Disability Rights Conference in South Africa. In 2023, he received a centennial award from Rehabilitation International. He has also worked with several NGOs in Tanzania including; Childreach Tanzania, PACT Tanzania, and Motivation Tanzania. Goodluck is instrumental in assisting DMI with educational agendas in Moshi. In his free time, he enjoys listening to music and watching international news channels.

  • Samweli Mochiwa, Director of Kiviwama Indigenous Tree Nursery in Moshi, Tanzania, is a key community partner in DMI’s conservation efforts.

  • Ambrose Macha is the Founder and Director of Materuni Tours. Born in the foothills of Kilimanjaro, Ambrose’s dream was to one day work as a guide on the mountain. After finishing school, he started off as a porter before progressing through training to become a guide, and he gained several years experience working for different companies and studying at Wildlife College before establishing Materuni Tours in 2011. Never forgetting his roots, Ambrose is passionate about development and conservation in his local area.

  • John Machibya is a clarinetist and educator, and has worked at the Tanzanian Police School since 2014. John holds a Diploma in Performing Art from the Bagamoyo Arts and Cultural Institute (TaSUBa), and he achieved the ABRSM Practical Grade 8 on clarinet in 2006. He also holds a Bachelor Of Arts in Sociology ((BASO) attained from the Open University of Tanzania (OUT) in 2020.

  • Jacqueline Tarimo is the Head Teacher at Jamuhuri Primary School and the former Head Teacher of Majengo Primary School in Moshi, Tanzania. Jacqueline has been instrumental in the establishment and success of DMI’s music classes at the primary school level.