Members

Anna Arkblad is excited to begin her first year with The Raleigh Ringers, having moved to the Triangle area in late 2024 to escape the freezing Midwest. She started ringing handbells in 4th grade and continues to enjoy music, also playing jazz saxophone, classical piano, and flute. Anna studied genetics in college and briefly attended pharmacy school before realizing the front lines of healthcare weren’t the right path for her. She now works for Arrive Health and is passionate about their mission to improve healthcare through informed decision-making. In her free time, she loves cuddling her cats, taking her tripod pup on walks (or stroller rides), reading, doing arts and crafts, and learning Swedish to converse with her in-laws.

Kathy Baker started playing handbells at the age of 14, having been recruited into her church choir because she could read music, and hasn’t stopped playing since. She is excited to be returning to The Raleigh Ringers this year. Kathy also plays bells for a church near her home in Burlington and works in Institutional Research at UNCG. What little time remains is spent doing jigsaw puzzles, going thrifting at yard sales or antique malls, and hanging out with her daughter, Amanda, who is supportive of her ringing, though the cat, Amadeus, remains skeptical.

Ruth Brown holds a Bachelor of Music from the University of Texas at Dallas, with graduate studies in Flute Performance and Pedagogy at Meredith College. She began playing handbells in 1995 after seeing The Raleigh Ringers perform. Ruth teaches private music lessons and directs church handbell choirs when she is not crunching numbers as a bank analyst. She and her husband, David, have been blessed with two amazing daughters, their wonderful husbands, and seven beautiful grandchildren.
Keith Burt was born in New Jersey but grew up in Florida. He was drafted into handbells when a former piano teacher said “Just try it for one rehearsal!” and has been playing ever since. Keith studied piano at the University of Central Florida and enjoys transcribing and arranging music for handbells. He currently works at Lotspeich Company of Florida and fills his spare time with his great loves, movies and heavy metal.

Angie Chiatello comes to us from California where she began her handbell career in a two-octave choir, playing only the F and F#5 bells. via Purdue University, where she played their famous Shaker Chimes as a member of the university's Handbell Choir. Angie works in marketing for an engineering firm, does freelance graphic and web design work, and in her spare time, enjoys board games and baking.

Ellen B. Daniels began her love of music early. When she was two years old, she was caught picking out Für Elise on the piano. Her precociousness led to piano lessons and later, singing in school choruses and church choirs. When her church got a set of handbells and started a youth choir she was hooked. In her seventh year with the group, Ellen is living her dream. Retired, she spends her time volunteering and playing handbells. Ellen enjoys traveling, time with her family, and counting in 7/8 time.

Erin Glendening comes to us from Pella, Iowa, where she followed in her siblings’ footsteps and began ringing at the age of 12. The pursuit of a master’s degree took Erin to Pittsburgh, where she rang at Shadyside Presbyterian Church and Mt. Lebanon UMC. Erin rings with the Bells of Saint Andrews and directs the children’s chime choirs at Saint Andrews Presbyterian Church. When not ringing, Erin works as a computer geek and enjoys solo ringing, cross-stitching, knitting, crocheting, reading, quilting, and watching movies. She does not enjoy giving her cat, Hayley, a bath or picking up everything that her other cat, Hawkins, throws on the floor.

Wayne Hicks is excited to be in his sixth year with The Raleigh Ringers. He began ringing handbells in 2001 when he submitted to the Lord's calling and returned to church. His music background includes trumpet, mellophone, and French horn. Wayne has his pilot license and enjoys flying with his wife Mary and grandson Alexander in his spare (???) time. Wayne lives in Carrollton, Virginia.

Kelly Hodges is excited to join The Raleigh Ringers! She began playing handbells at the age of 10, ringing with various church choirs, and later joining and directing the Wake Forest University handbell choir. Kelly served as the handbell director at Soapstone UMC in Raleigh from 2000-2016 and currently leads the children’s handbells. She also she sings with the Soapstone Chancel Choir and is a member of Covenant, their a cappella ensemble. Otherwise, Kelly can be found in her lab at the Veterinary Division of the NC Department of Agriculture. She enjoys reading, jigsaw puzzles, and spending time with her husband, David, and children, Caitlin and Jacob.

Sandra Hopson was born in Illinois and grew up in the Washington, D.C., area. She began ringing at the age of ten and performed with the Carol and Wesleyan Ringers of St. Matthews UMC, Annandale, Virginia, directed by Nancy Cappel. Sandy and her husband James are the parents of two daughters, Emily and Megan. Charter Member

Allison Keisler, a native of Hickory, North Carolina, teaches chorus and handbells at Bandys High School in Catawba County. Her passion for handbells began at age nine in her church bell choir, which she later directed for 15 years. She has performed with and served as an assistant conductor for several professional handbell ensembles in the Hickory and Charlotte areas. Allison is a proud mother of four wonderful children, ages 15 to 20, who have a variety of interests, including sports, music, reading, and video games. She and her wife, Kristin—a fellow ringer—currently reside in the Winston area, where they enjoy supporting local businesses, embarking on weekend adventures, and staying engaged in their children’s many activities.

Blake Long comes to us originally from Farmville, North Carolina, where his early years were a mix of piano, voice lessons, and euphonium performances. He took his music to UNC-Chapel Hill where he performed in various groups while earning a Chemistry degree. After a stint in pharmaceutical R&D, he now is a consultant advising pharma companies. Blake joined the group a year after learning how to play handbells after college and has been with the group for a total of 9 years. He and his wife Melissa of 25 years have raised three boys, Spencer, Tyler, and Barrett in the town of Clayton.

Cindy Massey (when much younger) wondered: “What could be more fun than learning to ring by joining/chaperoning her church’s youth handbell choir?” Answer: Subbing in David Harris’s church choir and being in the right place at the right time to help form The Raleigh Ringers! Thirty-five years later, combine that with daily caretaking of two young grandchildren, sewing costumes and table covers, crafting entries to the NC State Fair, or maybe taking up pickle ball at the Y, and you pretty much have her life. Hubby Phil would love help with the family pecan orchard, and he’d like her to finally unbox her golf clubs. But she's too busy for that! Charter Member

Katie Melton first became fascinated by handbells as a young child watching her mom direct their church’s chancel choir. She began playing at age 8 and as a high schooler performed with Charlotte Bronze Handbell Ensemble, followed by Queen City Ringers. When she started attending area and national bell events with her mom, she knew her fate was sealed. From Charlotte to Paris to Los Angeles, Katie has rung and sung with a variety of wonderful church and community ensembles. Outside of bells, Katie enjoys taking cat pictures, playing video games with friends, and working on her Japanese lessons.

Kristin Murphy, a native of Virginia Beach, relocated to North Carolina to continue ringing with The Raleigh Ringers. Kristin started ringing as a child with Virginia Beach UMC and continued ringing through college and pharmacy school with Williamsburg United Methodist Church, Virginia Handbell Consort, James River Ringers, and Virginia Bronze. When she is not ringing, Kristin works as a pharmacist who leads the medication safety team for Novant Health. She and her wife (and fellow ringer) Allison can often be found at Starbucks, a local craft brewery, or chatting it up with daughters Elizabeth and Meredith over Skype to hear all about their adventures in Dublin, Ireland.

Andy Punch began ringing at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Hickory, North Carolina, at the age of 12. An alumnus of Raleigh’s Tintinnabulators and Charlotte’s Queen City Ringers, he directs The King’s Ringers handbell choir at Christ the King Lutheran Church in Cary, North Carolina. Andy’s solo ringing includes performing during a service at the American Church in Paris, concerts, and a wedding recessional performance of the theme to the Japanese cooking show “Iron Chef.” His other hobby, making audio recordings of music/sound effects, explains why he was once considered imaginary; who, after all, would drive for three hours just to record a handbell choir? Andy also enjoys playing piano when not working at a local fiber optic cable company.

Jennifer Stearns is thrilled to begin her fifth year with the group. She started ringing at summer camp in middle school and has been ringing ever since. In addition to bells, Jennifer has played French horn and sung in various choirs in the past. She is a native of New Hampshire but has made North Carolina home since moving here for work with laboratory software in 2011. Some of her other pastimes include cooking, knitting, playing European-style board games, and watching British panel shows with her husband Brian. Jennifer and Brian live in Holly Springs with their two cats and two dogs.