SDBA Board Members

Susan Karels
President

  • Susan Karels is in her 31st year as the 6-12 Band Director for the Milbank School District. She grew up in Claremont, SD and attended Langford High School. Mrs. Karels earned her BME in Instrumental and Vocal Music Education from Northern State University in 1992. She earned a Masters of Arts and Letters in 2000 from Southern Oregon University in Ashland, Oregon. Mrs. Karels is a member of the South Dakota Bandmasters Association, South Dakota Music Educators Association, the National Association for Music Education, Phi Beta Mu, and Sigma Alpha Iota. Currently she is serving as the Region 3 Music President.

    Mrs. Karels is active in the Milbank area serving as a church organist for St. Joseph’s Parish in Rosen, Minnesota. She also participates in the Ortonville Area Swing Band playing trombone and piano. Mrs. Karels operates a private music studio with instruction in piano and organ studies.

    Mrs. Karels feels fortunate to work in a very music supportive town. She and her husband, Jason, have two children, William and Hope. Jason is one of the CTE instructors at Milbank High School. William is currently attending SDSU as a Mechanical Engineer major with participation in Concert Choir, Concert Band, Pep Band, and Pride of the Dakotas. Hope is a junior at Milbank High School where she participates in Band, Choir, and Tennis. Mrs. Karels in her spare time serves as a Grant County 4-H Leader and a member of the Milbank Area Lions Swim Team board.

Ben Koch
Immediate Past President

  • Ben Koch has been Director of Bands at O’Gorman High School since 2014, where he conducts 2 concert bands, 2 jazz bands, jazz combo, pep band, marching band, brass choir, and the musical theatre pit orchestra. A native of Sioux Falls, Ben graduated from O’Gorman in 2004 and went on to receive undergraduate and masters degreesin music from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He is currently serving as a member of the Region II Music board and has previously served as the AA band representative on the SDHSAA Music Advisory Committee. Ben enjoys playing horn with the Sioux Falls Municipal Band and is a regular pianist/organist for Sunday Mass at his home parish.

Andrea Harstad
Young Bands Representative

  • Andrea Harstad has been a music educator in South Dakota since the fall of 1999 and has taught all grades. Currently, she is teaching in the Canton School District, grades 5th and 6th, and assisting the high school band. Her duties also include middle school jazz band, pep band, advising the Tri-M Music Honor Society, and the Educators Rising Chapter. She is working on her master’s degree in leadership from the University of Sioux Falls and will graduate in the spring of 2026.

    Mrs. Harstad received her undergraduate degree from South Dakota State University in 1999, earning a Bachelor of Arts and Science degree in K-12 Music Education. She is a member of the South Dakota Bandmasters Association, South Dakota Music Education Association, and the Phi Beta Mu chapter. She has adjudicated regional music contests in area districts and hosts a Young Band Bootcamp that energizes 5th and 6th grade band students and sets them up with many tips and tricks on their instruments. Mrs. Harstad is also in her 9th year of being a state mentor through the South Dakota Department of Education.

    Andrea and her husband, Mike, have two children. Lauren is attending South Dakota State University and graduating this May with a Music Education degree, with a minor in Psychology. She plans to attend grad school for Music Therapy. Mason is a junior at Tri-Valley and enjoys music, athletics, and anything outdoors. Mike and Andrea donate their time to the church praise band, the Tri-Valley archery program, the Crooks Fire Department, and attend as many live concerts as their schedule allows. In their free time, the family loves to travel and attend South Dakota State University events!

Elizabeth Bengs
Regions 5&6 Representative

  • Elizabeth Bengs is in her 12th year as the PK-12 music teacher for the Hoven School District where her duties include PK-6 general music, 5-12 instrumental music, and 7-12 vocal music.  She grew up in Hosmer, SD and attended Edmunds Central High School.  Mrs. Bengs earned her BME in Instrumental and Vocal Music Education from Northern State University in 2011.  She is a member of the South Dakota Bandmasters Association, South Dakota Music Educators Association, the National Association for Music Education, and Phi Beta Mu.

    Mrs. Bengs is active in her church, serving as a member of the worship committee, Sunday school teacher, and pianist.  She has participated in Hoven’s Christmas on the Prairie concert, held in conjunction with the South Dakota Symphony Orchestra, since 2010.  For this annual event, she is honored to serve as choral repertoire planner and director of the All-Faiths Choir.

    Mrs. Bengs is thankful for the love and support of her family.  She and her husband, Eric, have two children, Jase and Mayla.  She enjoys spending time with her family, drinking coffee, and keeping up on all things Disney.

George Dragoo
Secretary/Treasurer

  • George Dragoo is the Director of Bands at Rapid City Stevens High School. He received his Bachelor of Science degree from Chadron State College in Nebraska, and a Masters of Arts and Letters from Southern Oregon University in Ashland, Oregon. Mr. Dragoo is also a graduate of the internationally renowned American Band College. Mr. Dragoo is an active member of the South Dakota Bandmasters Association and a proud member of Phi Beta Mu. He currently holds the position of President of Region 8 to the South Dakota High School Activities Association and Secretary/Treasurer for the South Dakota Bandmasters Association.

    Mr. Dragoo serves as the Head Director of the Stevens High School Band. His directing responsibilities include the Symphonic Band, Silver Jazz Band, Cadet Band, Blue Raider Marching Band, and the Stevens Pep Band.  Over the summer Mr. Dragoo directs the Rapid City Ranger Band, performs with the Rapid City Municipal Band, and teaches at the Rapid City Summer Band School.

    Mr. Dragoo’s family consists of his wife Jenni, and his children Simone and Ethan. He is active in the Fountain Springs Church and enjoys any pastime that allows him to spend time together with his family.   Finally, Mr. Dragoo is a Die-Hard Cubs Fan for life.

Wendy Thorson
Regions 3&4 Representative

  • Wendy Thorson grew up in Clear Lake, SD and graduated from Deuel High School. She then attended and graduated from Northern State University in 1997 with a BME in Instrumental and Vocal Music Education. Wendy started her teaching career in Conde teaching K-12 vocal and instrumental music for two years. She then taught at Northwestern in Mellette, South Dakota, which is where she is still currently teaching. For the first 15 years at Northwestern, Wendy taught K-5 general music, 5th grade band, and middle school band. Then in 2012, Wendy switched job assignments and now currently teaches grades 5-12 instrumental music. Wendy is a member of the South Dakota Bandmasters, South Dakota Music Educators Association, the National Association for Music Education, and Phi Beta Mu. She was a founder and is still the current chairperson of the Northwestern Middle School Music Festival and of the South Dakota Bandmasters Elementary Music Contest that is held in Aberdeen, SD. Wendy has also been an active adjudicator for area elementary instrumental contests.

    Wendy is active in the Mellette and Aberdeen area and serves as a board member of the Northwestern Community Foundation. She also serves as a pianist at the North Highland Methodist Church in Aberdeen. She enjoys playing trumpet in the Aberdeen City Band and also the Northern State University Concert Band. Wendy also enjoys giving private instruction on piano and other instruments. Besides her active involvement in music, Wendy also enjoys coaching middle school track in the spring.

    Wendy and her husband, Eric, are proud parents of two wonderful kids. Miranda is attending Northern State University as a studio art major with a digital media minor and entrepreneurship minor. Josh is a sophomore at Northwestern High School who enjoys music and athletics. Wendy enjoys spending time with her family and has been a die-hard Vikings fan since 2nd grade and will forever be hopeful that they will win a Super Bowl in her lifetime.

Kim Carda
President-Elect

  • Kimberly Carda graduated from Hoven High School and received her Bachelor of Music Education degree from Northern State University. After completing her student teaching at Aberdeen Roncalli, she was hired as the band director in the fall of 1997. She continues in that position today. In addition to teaching lessons, she directs all the school’s instrumental ensembles including the 5th Grade Band, Middle School Concert Band, High School Concert Band, High School Jazz Band, and 7th-12th Marching & Pep Band. She plays piano for weekly Masses and helps with music for the drama productions. One of her favorite moments as a music educator was the opportunity to direct the Aberdeen Roncalli Concert Band at the 2020 South Dakota Bandmaster’s Convention.

    Kimberly was honored to receive the Phi Betu Mu South Dakota Bandmaster of the Year in 2022. She serves as President of Region IV and on the North Area Honor Band planning committee. She is also one of the original chairs of the SD Bandmasters Elementary Music Contest, held in Aberdeen annually. Professionally, she is a member of the South Dakota Bandmasters Association, South Dakota Music Educators Association, Phi Beta Mu, National Catholic Band Association, and National Federation of State High School Associations. She is an active pianist and vocalist for St. Mary’s Catholic Church and plays horn for the Aberdeen Municipal Band.

    Kimberly and her husband Joel have been married 28 years and have three daughters: McKayla, an elementary teacher in the Bishop O’Gorman Catholic School system; Erica, a Northern State University graduate and current nursing student at Lake Area Technical College; and Leah, a senior at Aberdeen Roncalli and future music education student at an undecided university.

Sam Anderson
Regions 1&2 Representative

  • Sam Anderson is a Band Director at Patrick Henry Middle School in Sioux Falls where he has taught since 2022.  He taught at Lincoln High School in Sioux Falls from 2013-2022 where he directed the Concert Band, Freshman Band, Jazz 2, and assisted with the Pep Band and Marching Band. He taught Band (grades 5-12) at Heritage Christian Academy in Maple Grove, MN from 2007-2013.

    In 2006, Mr. Anderson received his Bachelor of Music Education degree from the University of Northwestern (St. Paul, MN). In 2016 he completed a Master of Music Education Degree from Northern State University in Aberdeen, SD.

    As a performer, he was a member of the Madison Scouts Drum & Bugle Corps in 2001 and again in 2003 when he was a soloist in the field show and was Mellophone Champion at the DCI Individual & Ensemble Contest.  As an undergraduate student at Northwestern, he performed featured trumpet solos with the Symphonic Band, Jazz Band, and Orchestra while under the tutelage of Dr. Phil Norris.

    From 2009-2013 he was the Assistant Marching Band Director at Park Center Senior High School in Brooklyn Park, MN and in 2011 and 2012, the band was crowned State Champion at the Vikingland Band Festival in Alexandria, MN. In 2015, Mr. Anderson received the “Dennis Hegg Outstanding Young Director” Award from the South Dakota Bandmasters Association.   In 2017 he was the guest conductor for the CMBDA (Central Minnesota Band Directors Association) First-Year Honor Band in Zimmerman, MN.

    During his 9 years teaching at Lincoln High School, the band program experienced significant successes including a consistent 93% retention rate in the marching band, a state record number of All-State Band students, consistent competitive success with the marching band including BOA Super Regional Finalist 3 times, and consistent Superior ratings at Large-Group contests and Jazz Competitions.

    Mr. Anderson is a member of the South Dakota Bandmaster’s Association, and the South Dakota Music Education’s Association. He enjoys playing trumpet at church and has also played with the South Dakota Symphony Orchestra.

    He and his wife Marlea have four children.  When not teaching music, Mr. Anderson spends his time hiking, camping, backpacking, traveling, and exploring the National Parks.

Lloyd Potter
Regions 7&8 Representative

  • Lloyd Potter is currently in his 20 th year teaching instrumental music in the Rapid City Catholic School System where he runs the beginning band program, two middle school ensembles, and three high school ensembles.

    From 1994 to 2003, Mr. Potter was the Band Director for the Plankinton School District where he taught lessons and directed various ensembles for grades 5 through 12.

    In 2009 he was recognized as a Berman Music Foundation Fellow in Jazz Education at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and in 2014 he was elected to Phi Beta Mu Honor Society. Mr. Potter earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Music Education at the University South Dakota in May of 1994 and his Masters degree in Musicology in May of 2005 at the University of South Dakota.