Meet Our Team
PDX Vox team is deeply committed to supporting individual singers with their musical goals as well as building a strong team spirit within each group and across the program. Our instructors are all skilled singers, creative arrangers, versatile musicians, and patient teachers who have a passion for bringing the a cappella experience to all types of singers. Our program administrator provides attentive organizational support and responsive service to the Vox community.
instructors
Aaron Elliott
Musical Director and Head Instructor
Aaron has been singing and participating in music since the age of 5. While in college at Drake University, he performed in many of Drake’s choral and instrumental ensembles and co-founded their a cappella group. In Portland, he has performed in many groups, both as a vocalist and a bassist, including in his own band, Andrew’s Ave. In 2015, Aaron joined forces with fellow PDX Vox instructor Steven Patton to form Flyover States, now a harmony-rich folk trio with Jessica Rose Patton. He began teaching with PDX Vox in fall 2012. aaron@pdxvox.com
Steven Patton
Lead Instructor
Steven has been singing in choral, a cappella and other performing groups since he was in middle school, and is now a music therapist. He earned his music therapy degree from Marylhurst University, and a vocal music degree from Drake University, where he co-directed, performed in and arranged for the men’s a cappella quintet, Captain Geech and the Shrimp Shack Shooters. He was also part of Drake’s concert and chamber choir, and he has sung with the Heartsong Carolers in Portland. He currently sings and plays piano in his band, Andrew’s Ave. and performs often as part of Flyover States. Steven also released a solo EP early in 2016. He has been teaching with PDX Vox since fall 2011. steven@pdxvox.com
Hannah Hazelwood
Lead Instructor
Hannah has been teaching with PDX Vox since 2020. She has a Vocal Music degree in Contemporary Music from Western Oregon University, where she directed and arranged for the college’s a cappella group. Hannah also sings with various choirs at Portland’s First Unitarian Church. In addition to music, Hannah has a background working with children and as a medical administrator. She loves spending her evenings working with PDX Vox and singing in choirs. hannah@pdxvox.com
Katy Ohsiek
Lead Instructor
Katy is a vocalist and songwriter with a long history of vocal ensemble experience. She graduated from OSU in 2022 with an MS in Mathematics and began teaching with PDX Vox in the fall of 2022. She has been writing music and playing guitar since 2012, and has participated in various jazz, fusion, and R&B projects throughout the years. Katy is the lyricist and lead singer of Portland pop-disco band Foamboy. katy@pdxvox.com
Rachel Evered
Lead Instructor
Rachel is a long-time a cappella enthusiast, singing with PDX Vox since 2012. She returned to PDX Vox as an instructor in 2023 having earned her Master of Arts in music therapy at University of Limerick in Ireland. As an undergrad at Whitman College, Rachel arranged music for her mixed a cappella group, Schwa. She also founded the Ramophones while a student at Central Catholic High School. Rachel is currently interning at Earthtones Northwest Music Therapy. She also teaches duet singing annually at Cazadero Performing Arts Family Camp, and enjoys making music with her friends and family whenever she can. Rachel@pdxvox.com
leadership
Molly Mickley
Managing Director
Molly Mickley was born and raised in Portland and loves the Pacific Northwest. She is a dedicated member of the tenor section in two of the weekly Vox groups, and she has sung with Vox since 2011. Molly is a former lawyer who has also worked in the business sector, but her most important role to date is that of a mom. She took over the role of Managing Director from our beloved founder Marie Schumacher in August 2023. She is ecstatic to work with this community she so treasures, celebrating our 20th anniversary next year and the many years to come. molly@pdxvox.com
Alison Crawford Jakel
Program Administrator
Alison manages logistics, registration, outreach, instructor support, and student relations for PDX Vox. She currently sings in two choirs at Portland's downtown Unitarian Church as well as singing with PDX Vox. Alison took a lead role in organizing the Oregon Home Education Network's statewide conventions and homeschool Proms for several years, and has enjoyed volunteering for the Willamette Writers conference as well. Alison loves getting outside (hiking, camping, staring at the waves), and spending time with her family and pets. alison@pdxvox.com
About our founder, Marie Schumacher
Marie founded PDX Vox in 2004 as a way of integrating her backgrounds in a cappella singing, vocal performance, psychology, and education. As an undergraduate, she directed, managed, and arranged for the Harvard-Radcliffe Opportunes, a mixed a cappella group. Marie is a songwriter, recording artist and performer who has released five albums of original music. She is also the former director of Caz Northwest, a performing arts family camp. Having retired from PDX Vox in 2023, she provides music lessons and creativity coaching to adults and teens.
Are you interested in teaching with us?
check out our Instructor-in-training oppoRTUNITy!
We sometimes offer training opportunities for skilled musicians who are interested in co-leading with one of our instructors for a semester. Completion of this semester of paid training can lead to an invitation to continue on with the program to lead or co-lead a PDX Vox group if an opening is available.
If you have experience in a cappella singing and an interest in teaching a cappella to a variety of experience levels and ages, this is an excellent opportunity to develop your skills in a cappella song leading and group vocal class instruction, as well as leadership and community-building.
If you’re interested in exploring this opportunity, you can email our musical director at Aaron@pdxvox.com for more information.
“This music is so fun to learn with our patient teachers, and you make a lot of new friends in the process.”
— Jim, Tuesday Group