Director, Laurel Peterson

Riverport Chorus announces the appointment of Laurel Peterson as their new musical director as of July 1, 2019.

Laurel joined Sweet Adelines in 1994, and is a previous member of Riverport as well as two other Sweet Adelines choruses, the Heart of Michigan Chorus and Crosstown Harmony Chorus. She has also earned four regional quartet medals from Sweet Adelines. Her musical background also includes 10 years of piano lessons, studying music theory and vocal performance in college, as well as several church  and school choirs. She grew up in Dubuque, Iowa, where her dad was a Barbershopper for 49 years and her mother is also musically inclined.

In her Sweet Adelines choruses, Laurel has served in several capacities including section leader, music team member, show chair, membership chair, PR chair, bulletin editor, and webmaster. She has also volunteered on the regional level, serving several terms on the regional management team in Regions 22 and 3 as Membership Coordinator, Communication Coordinator and Marketing Coordinator.

Peterson is employed by Hal Leonard, the world's largest sheet music publisher, in Milwaukee. She has worked in advertising since 1999. Prior to that, she also worked in the PR, membership and fundraising departments at the Barbershop Harmony Society headquarters in Kenosha. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1997 at Alma College in Michigan.

Laurel currently lives in Waukesha with her fiancee, Theresa, and daughter Kendra.

Assistant Director, Sue Williams

Sue has been a member of Riverport Chorus for more than 25 years. Recently retired, Sue taught vocal and general music for 36 years in Wisconsin. Her passion for teaching and love of music have been helpful in her duties as a lead section leader and member of the Music Team. Sue loves to perform and invites all women who love to sing to "give barbershop a try".