Our Mission

(Executive Director) Ruth is very active as both a performer and teacher throughout South Florida.
She has performed with The Florida Philharmonic, the New World Symphony, the Palm Beach Opera Orchestra,

The Charlotte Symphony, Opera Naples and the Southwest Florida Symphony. She has also performed with Johnny Mathis,

Bebe Newirth, Bernadette Peters, Indina Menzel, James Taylor, Olivia Newton John, Clay Aiken and Michael Bolton.

As a teacher, she maintains a private studio of students and is an adjunct faculty member of Florida Southwestern State College.

She is also very active with The Music Foundation of Southwest Florida, of which she is the Executive Director. In 2010 she

was awarded the Angel of the Arts - Arts Organization Leader of the Year.

Ruth earned her Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Concordia University and her Master’s degree in Oboe Performance

from Northwestern University. She also has a Professional Studies degree in Oboe Performance from The Harid Conservatory in

Boca Raton, Florida,  now currently Lynn University.  Prior to moving to Florida, Ruth was also active as a teacher and performer in

the Chicago area -  where she was born and raised. She has performed all throughout the United States as well as in Germany,
Austria, Taiwan, and Japan.

(Secretary/Treasurer) Katherine Light has a Bachelor of Music in Music Education from Iowa State University and a Master of Music in Trombone Performance from the University of Michigan.  She taught general and instrumental music in several school districts in central Iowa and was an adjunct professor of low brass
instruments at Drake University in Des Moines. 

She played trombone professionally in a variety of venues, including playing 2nd trombone in the Des Moines Symphony for 25 years.  

Since moving to the Fort Myers area in 2002,Katherine taught general music in the Lee County Schools for 6 years.  She has continued to play the trombone professionally in Southwest Florida.

 Education: 

BM in Music Education, Eastman School of Music, University of Rochester 

Vocal and Instrumental

MM in Performance and Literature, Eastman School of Music, University of Rochester

Received Permanent Certification to Teach K-12, Vocal and Instrumental Music

Received 2 Performer’s Certificates Opera and Voice - (The Highest Award from The Eastman School of Music)

Awards:

Fulbright Awarded to study Opera in Germany

Prize Winner - Munich International Voice Competition

Prize Winner - Paris International Voice Competition

Teaching Experience: 

Public School in Highland Falls School District, New York 5th -12th Grade  Instrumental Music/Band

Faculty at Florida SouthWestern State College, Fort Myers, FL from 2005 - 2017 Applied Voice/Chorus

Private Music Studio in Indianapolis, IN from 1992-2002

Private Music Studio In Fort Myers, FL from 2002 to Present  - 40+ Private Students

Harns Marsh Middle School - Part Time- 6-8 grade Orchestra-2017-2018 

                                               Full Time -6-8 grade Orchestra, Chorus, and Keyboard 2018 - 

Co- founded The Lehigh Children’s Choir: 2008-2018

Directed The Lehigh Choralaires 2006-2019

President of South West Florida Music Teacher’s Association 2016-2019

President of District 7 - Florida Music Teacher’s Association 2010-2016

Member of Florida State Music Teacher’s Association since 2002

Member Music Teacher’s National Association since 2002

Member National Association of Teacher’s of Voice since 2002

Member of FMEA since 2018 

Member of FOA since 2018

Member of FVA since 2018

Member and Elder, Buckingham Presbyterian Church, Fort Myers, FL since 2008

October 2020 

Congratulations to Dr. Jason Thomashefsky on becoming the Fine & Performing Arts Coordinator for Lee County Schools. 

On our board since 2017, you may know him from his involvement in our traveling instrument program, coordinator of our professional development program and 2020 summer camp, and/or from our benefit dinners.

Jason received his undergraduate degrees in music education and jazz studies from Rowan University in Glassboro, New Jersey. In addition, he received an M.S. in neuroscience and psychology and an Ed.D. in educational leadership from Nova Southeastern University.

In 2014 the Fort Myers News Press wrote an article titled: “Young Educator Leaves Mark”. The event was Jason Thomashefsky being awarded the Lee County Teacher of the Year. In 2016, he became a Golden Apple Teacher awarded by the Foundation for the Lee County Public Schools. Jason was teaching at Rayma C. Page Elementary at that time. His enthusiasm/passion comes through with this comment.

“I tell everyone that I meet that I have the greatest job in the world, and many of them don’t even ask,” he said. “But it is true, I have the privilege to teach the joy and passion of music to over 800 students in Lee County.” (Fort Myers News Press, April 11, 2016)

That attitude now resides in the Fine & Performing Arts Coordinator chair as of October  2020 when Dr. Thomashefsky assumed that position in October 2020.

“I have the opportunity to help the arts thrive in Lee County.”

(Dr. Thomashefsky, Oct 12, 2020)

We wish Dr. Thomashefsky all the best!

Dorothy has always had music as part of her life.  Her mother was a musician and instilled the love of music into her life.  Dorothy and her mother sang silly songs all of the time.  She attended Southeastern University where she received a degree in Music.  Upon graduating, she traveled and sang extensively across the United States and Canada.  During her travels, Dorothy recorded 4 projects in Nashville, Tennessee.  When Dorothy’s youngest son entered Kindergarten she began the journey into elementary music education.  She taught in private schools for 8 years. In 2009, she began teaching at Patriot Elementary in the Lee County School District in Florida. She had the opportunity to work and teach at Edison Park Creative and Expressive Arts School for 3 years.  Dorothy returned to Patriot Elementary and is looking forward to using all her creativity combining virtual and live elementary music teaching.  Dorothy has completed Orff Level 1 & 2 as well as Conversational Solfege Level 1 & 2.  She has been the co-chair for the Lee County Elementary Honor Choir for 6 years.  She served as the Treasurer and is now President of the Southwest Florida Orff Chapter.  In January 2019, she was voted to represent District 2 for FEMEA.  She has been an integral part of developing the curriculum for the elementary music teachers in Lee County.  Dorothy feels that it is a privilege to teach the amazing students at Patriot Elementary and to serve the elementary music teachers of Southwest Florida in such a rich and varied way.