Karen Mellinger Poorman has been President of the South Jersey Area Wind Ensemble since its inception in 1997 and plays first clarinet with the band.  While at Council Rock High School in Newtown, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, she received the John Philip Sousa Band award and participated in County, District and State Bands.  Karen received a BS in Education from Lebanon Valley College where she studied under Dr. James M. Thurmond and Frank Stachow.  She attended Cornell University for graduate school,  taught in Middletown, Pennsylvania and the Pleasantville, New Jersey Schools as well as teaching gifted and talented students in the Somers Point Schools.  She coached the band front and assisted with the marching band at Southern Regional High School for 14 years and has been a color guard consultant for numerous local high schools as well as woodwind advisor for the Egg Harbor Township High School Marching Band.  Karen was on the staff for American Music Honor Bands European tours for ten years.  She has 20 years of experience as a Real Estate salesperson, Real Estate sales trainer and Real Estate manager. She is currently a Real Estate Broker/Salesperson with Prudential Fox and Roach Real Estate in Northfield, NJ and teaches woodwinds privately. She is married to Ronald Poorman and has two daughters, Melinda and Jennifer and two grandchildren, Justin and Jordan.

 

During her ten years as SJAWE President, the South Jersey Area Wind Ensemble has risen to prominence as a John Philip Sousa Foundation Sudler Silver Scroll Award winner.  In that time, the band has commissioned 8 new works and has played under many nationally known conductors as well as performing an annual side by side concert with outstanding area students.