Meet the 2025 Board Candidates

June 20, 2025

For the Strummers Board elections this year, there are two board members who have one more year in their term and three board members whose term is ending now. This opens up three positions for this year’s election:

Marci Villa – term ending
Katie Mac Donald – term ending
Dick Donohue – term ending
Carla Hansen – one more year
Fargo Olsen – one more year

We have four candidates that have expressed an interest in serving on the board.

Stephanie Duer
Dick Donohue
Lisa Bednarz
Lee Ann Coleman

Voting is only for Paid Members. You will be asked to vote for no more than three positions. If you vote for less, that’s ok. But if you vote for all four, your ballot will not be counted. If you are not a Paid Member, you can always Become a Member!

If you will not be available to vote in person, please fill out this Proxy form so that somebody else can vote in your place and your voice can be heard.

Candidate Info

Here is what each candidate had to say when expressing their interest in being on the board. These are listed in the order that the applications were received.

Note: In the interests of the candidates’ personal privacy (and security), you must be a paid member and you must be logged in to see the details written by each candidate.

Stephanie Duer

Dick Donohue

Lisa Bednarz

Lee Ann Coleman

The makers of Kala Brand ukuleles have recently fallen victim to fraudulent websites impersonating Kala.

Here are some important tips they shared to help us identify and avoid fraudulent websites

Always check the website address: Before you click on any links or enter information, look closely at the web address. Scammers often use addresses that are slightly different (e.g., kalabrand-shop.com or kalabrandmusic.net). Kala’s official site is simply www.kalabrand.com.
Look for the padlock icon: A secure website will have a padlock icon in the browser’s address bar, indicating an HTTPS connection. While this doesn’t guarantee legitimacy, its absence is a red flag.
Check for suspicious discounts: We love offering special deals, but if a price seems too good to be true—like an extremely deep discount on a new, popular item—it could be a red flag. Always verify the site to be sure you’re on our official page.
Check for poor grammar or spelling: Scam sites often contain numerous typos or grammatical errors.
Verify contact information: Legitimate businesses will have clear contact information. If you can’t find a phone number, email, or physical address, be cautious.