Our Staff
Founded in 2001, Children’s Choir of Chico has served over 1000 children, young people and women in the greater Chico area, performing for numerous organizations and community events each year. Bel Canto and Cantiamo have traveled to central and southern California, performed in Disneyland, and delighted audiences in Petaluma, Santa Rosa, and San Francisco; and Bel Canto members have sung on the historic stage at Carnegie Hall.
Our highly-trained staff leads choirs of many ages and is committed to the development and nurturing of our young voices.
Mary Jensen-Thackery
Artistic Director & Conductor, Canitamo
Mary Jensen-Thackery is a Northern California native who has lived in Chico for twelve years. She studied vocal music at Marylhurst College, near Portland, Oregon, and has been singing in choirs throughout her life.
Professionally, Mary has worked in a number of business capacities, including human resources for a large home builder and operating a Waldorf preschool. She has also taught a number of classes at the Children’s Choir, including leadership of the “Mommy and Me” musical class for infants and new moms.
When not leading our middle-grade choir, Mary can be found spending quality time with her husband and three daughters. She is also an avid baker and flower gardener.
Susan Tevis
Conductor, Bel Canto & Bella Voce
Founder and Immediate Past Artistic Director (2001-2019)
Susan Tevis is the Founder and Immediate Past Artistic Director of the Children’s Choir of Chico. Ms. Tevis holds B.A. and M.A. degrees in piano pedagogy and music education from California State University, Chico. She completed a Kodály Certificate at the Kodály Institute at McNeese State University (Lake Charles, Louisiana) and completed advanced studies both at the McNeese Institute and at the Kodály Pedagogical Institute in Kecskemét, Hungary.
Ms. Tevis has been an adjunct faculty member at McNeese State University, CSU Chico, Capital University Conservatory of Music (Columbus, Ohio), and the Kodály Pedagogical Institute in Kecskemét, Hungary. Susan has been on the faculty at the Kodály Institute at McNeese and the Kodály Institute at Capital University, teaching in summer courses for professional music educators.
As a choral specialist, Susan is active as a guest clinician and conductor for treble choirs, and is frequently invited to present music education workshops for various state and national music organizations and at regional, state & national music conferences. In addition to clinics and workshops, she also presented a scholarly paper, in conjunction with two colleagues, at the 1999 Symposium of the International Kodály Society. The Classroom Music Project, founded by Ms. Tevis at Citrus Elementary School in Chico, provided a field studies opportunity for music education majors at CSU, Chico for 5 years.
She is currently enjoying retirement with her husband Royce, but still finds time to enjoy the music created by this warm organization.
Patricia Kelley
Accompanist, Cantiamo, Bel Canto and Bella Voce
Patricia Kelley began accompanying the Children’s Choir of Chico in the spring of 2014. She started accompanying music students and choirs while attaining her Bachelor of Music Education degree at Central Michigan University. She has over 40 years experience teaching piano and accompanying choirs and soloists in churches, schools and community events, and directing church music ministries for close to 30 years. She retired in June 2021 from teaching/directing the Paradise High School Choir and is now a substitute teacher for the Paradise Unified School District.
She had the privilege to accompany the CCOC choirs in the summers of 2015 and 2019 for the choir tours in Eastern Europe. It has been her honor to be a part of the CCOC family. Currently, in addition to accompanying the CCOC choirs, Patricia is the accompanist for the Paradise Community Chorus, the annual CMEA Northern Section Junior High Honor Band and Select Choir Festival. She enjoys teaching piano lessons to children and adults in her home studio.
On a personal note, Patricia is a first-time grandma (“Grammy”) to her daughter Jessica’s firstborn adorable baby boy, Lucian.
Gina Mitchell
Rehearsal Assistant
Gina Mitchell has been part of CCOC since she was 8 years old and started in Prep Choir. She started taking voice lessons at 13 from the opera singer and supporter of the choir Gwen Curatilo. With the Children’s Choir Gina has been in youth honor choirs around the country and even gone to Europe twice. She has studied vocal performance at both Chico State and the University of the Pacific. She hopes to go back to school for music education. She loves music and choir is her favorite thing to do and place to be.
Samantha Nickel
Teacher, Preparatory Choir
Administrative Staff
Luci Farmer - Operations Manager
Luci grew up playing piano. She is a mom of two teenage boys who play guitar, drums, and violin. With her education in Early Childhood Development she finds it very fulfilling to see the whole child flourish through music. When she’s not working she enjoys cooking, hiking, and mountain biking.
Administrative Staff
Jennifer Davis - Marketing, Communication & Fundraising Coordinator
After graduating from Chico State with a degree in Communication Design - Graphic Design, Jennifer has made Chico her home for the last 20 years. Growing up she enjoyed the musical arts, learning classical guitar and performing in musical theater. She is passionate about photography, creating art, learning and exploring with her husband and two daughters.