Staff

Judith Pinkerton, MT-BC

jpinkerton@ccta.us
Executive Director/Internship Director
A Board-Certified Music Therapist

Founder of CCTA, Judith assembled teams of local, statewide, and national supporters that resulted in unprecedented grants from the Nevada State Legislature and Nevada Department of Health and Human Services in recent years. Her vision and commitment of over 8,000 volunteer hours from 1990- 2000 was acknowledged by the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce with the 2001 Community Achievement Award in Arts & Entertainment. For a more comprehensive bio, visit www.music4life.us. 

Originator of the USE MEE Model, Ms. Pinkerton is a popular speaker at conferences, addressing emotional well-being with the use of healing music for people of all ages and lifestyles. A classically trained violinist, Judith has studied and performed in symphonies from Alaska to Switzerland, including show orchestras for stars such as Elton John, Metallica, Natalie Cole and Andrea Bocelli.  Primary responsibilities of administration and public relations allow limited time for her focus on Music 4 LifeTM workshops and individualized client programs for mental health and wellness.

Judith currently serves a two-year term as 1st Vice-President for the Western Region Chapter of the American Music Therapy Association, producing regional conferences in Las Vegas April 7-10, 2010, and California in 2011. She recently co-founded the International Foundation for the Healing Arts, organized to access multi-state funding and to support the success of global nonprofit agencies focusing on the healing arts.

Christina Hanschke, MT-BC

chris_h@ccta.us
Program Director
A Board Certified Music Therapist

Christina Hanschke, a Wisconsin native, earned her board certification in 2005 as a graduate of the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire. Specializing in Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD), Christina participated in a grant developing music therapy techniques for people with RAD and has presented findings at the Great Lakes Regional Music Therapy Conference. Her internship was completed at a children's home in Womelsdorf, Pennsylvania where she developed a process of creating a music video to target motivation in teenagers. This process has been duplicated and presented at the National Music Therapy Conference.

Christina also worked in New Mexico at a treatment center for children diagnosed with Attachment disorders and received training in neurofeedback. Supervising CCTA’s music therapists, music therapy interns, and SOULifters who work with diverse populations throughout Clark County, Christina, who also plays the flute, can be seen at CCTA’s central office/clinic or at any off-site providing or supervising music therapy sessions for infants to seniors.

Emily Wiggins, NMT, MT-BC

emilyw@ccta.us
A Board Certified Music Therapist

Emily Wiggins arrived at CCTA from Portland, Oregon, where she graduated from Marylhurst University a Bachelor of Music Therapy degree. Upon completion of her internship at CCTA, she attended a training to become a neurologic music therapist. Her clientele at CCTA consists of children and adults of all ages with various disabilities and neurologic impairments.

At a young age, Emily began playing the piano and as a teenager, percussion. Having a strong familial music background, Emily became an astute musician, despite having a congenital hearing impairment and other physical disabilities. She feels her musicianship and her character are enhanced from overcoming trials stemmed from having disabilities and it is these qualities that have guided her to the field of music therapy. Emily feels a special kinship with individuals who have disabilities and enjoys working with them.

Through her personal experiences of living with disabilities, Emily recognizes how much it impacts the family. During her internship at CCTA, she completed a special project that included offering expanded services to the families of clients. CCTA continues to expand services to meet the needs of families and caregivers as well as their clients. There is little that can provide greater joy to Emily than to see how music therapy provides such positive growing experiences for others.

Katherine Turner, MT-BC

katie.turner@ccta.us A Board Certified Music Therapist Katie recently graduated from the University of Louisville, KY, with her Bachelor in Music Therapy Degree after completing her internship at the STAR Center in Jackson, TN. She moved with her Air Force husband to Las Vegas, where she was immediately hired by CCTA to provide music therapy services for children and adults to reduce our growing waiting list.

Daniel Smith, MT

daniels@ccta.us Music Therapist (board certification pending) Daniel completed his internship with CCTA in August 2009, and immediately transitioned to employment at CCTA. His ability to connect with our Hispanic populations is essential with his bi-lingual capability, born in Mexico. A graduate of Loyola University with a Bachelor of Music Therapy Degree, Daniel enjoys singing and working with children and seniors, in addition to leading choir sessions and performances with clients at Mojave Adult, Child and Family Services’ eastside location.

Jeffrey Trower

soulifter@ccta.us SOULifter Jeffrey’s skill as drum facilitator is supervised by CCTA’s music therapists, enabling him to provide music enrichment programs for our diverse clientele, thereby significantly increasing the amount of sessions CCTA can offer to southern Nevada. His skill at engaging teens to seniors is remarkable, as evidenced by programs he also provides for Cirque du Soleil. CCTA’s demand for his services continues to increase, which is taking precedence over his vocation as massage therapist.

Erika Comparoni

soulifter@ccta.us SOULifter Erika’s enthusiasm for music therapy led to her completion of UNLV’s new course “Introduction to Music Therapy” and Music 4 Life’s accredited workshop “Music as Medicine: Rx that Heal” as well as completing supervised training to provide client music enrichment programs. Erika manages CCTA’s presence on Facebook with “Come Fly with MEE Las Vegas!” (become a fan) and presents the free monthly First Sundays “Come Fly with MEE Las Vegas!” which educates teens and adults about music therapy and Music 4 LifeTM and provides a drum and chant circle.

Maggie Linebarger

maggie@ccta.us
Office Manager

Maggie Linebarger is originally from Atlanta, GA and has lived in Las Vegas since 1980, graduating from the original Las Vegas High School in 1991. As Office Manager, Maggie comes to CCTA with 15 years experience in Customer Service with a large part of that in the banking industry.

An outgoing free spirit, Maggie thrives on traveling the world on her snowboard in the winter and in the summertime using her feet to “section hike” the Pacific Crest Trail with her husband of sixteen years, and their hiking partner (trail names: Slip’ry Rock, Socks, and Gimp ). Maggie’s motto in life “just go out and live it” is exactly what she helps people do at CCTA, living life to its fullest as she oversees administrative and marketing procedures, scheduling, and builds strong relationships with clients and their referral sources.

Meghan Howe

meghan@ccta.us Administrative Assistant Meghan has worked for CCTA as needed over the last eight years, with a direct connection into CCTA’s growth as Judith Pinkerton’s daughter. Relocating back to Nevada with her Army husband and young son, her experience in a local casino’s audit department prepared her for the growing needs of scheduling, accounting and filing at CCTA.

Doug Van Gilder

dougvg@ccta.us Comptroller Doug comes to CCTA with vast experience as a nonprofit finance manager for the Las Vegas Philharmonic and Nevada School of the Arts, as well as serving on the board for Las Vegas Youth Orchestras. Having moved from Minneapolis to Las Vegas in 2001, Doug held positions of property manager for HUD housing units with people who were elderly, and/or had special needs with disabilities or mental illness, or renovating a 24-story high-rise building project with 504 units for people speaking 26 different languages.