Top Hat Club Steering Committee

Director

Karen Breidert

Karen is a popular coach and teacher within Sweet Adelines Intl. She has achieved the level of "Master Faculty" (one of only four women in the organization to have achieved this goal) and "Master Director."

Karen has directed 3 choruses, ranking in the finals 6 times. She recently retired from directing Spirit of the Gulf, helping them win the coveted "Most Entertaining Chorus Award" three times. She has won 9 international quartet medals - including the championship with Jubilation in 1985 and with "the BUZZ" in 2005. Karen was International President of Sweet Adelines from 1998 - 1999. Karen has a Bachelor's Degree in Education and Foreign Language and a Master's Degree in Guidance and Counseling. She lives in Jacksonville FL on the beautiful St. John's River with her husband Bob - also a barbershop quartet finalist. Since she began singing at age four with her family's professonal singing group, The Drummond Family Singers, music has truly been in Karen's heart and soul for all of her life.

THC Coordinator

Jan Sobolewski

Jan hails from Jacksonville. She is a retired Elementary School Teacher and has been a member of Sweet Adelines since 1979 getting her start in Philadelphia, PA. Jan earned the honor of being a member of the Top Hat Club in 2001 singing bass with "Escapade". She has placed in the medals 10 times and currently is singing with the newly formed quartet "Classic Charm". She is married to fellow barbershopper Mike Sobolewski (whom she met at a S.A. music camp) and has 2 sons. One of whom is also a quartet bass.

Jan travels to Tampa every week to sing with the Toast of Tampa show chorus and is also a dual member with the newly formed chorus"Bridges of Harmony" in Jacksonville. When not singing she enjoys traveling and crafting.

Finance Coordinator

Gina Baker

Gina is the Finance Coordinator for our Top Hat Club! The buck stops here! Gina has been a member of Sweet Adelines International since 1993 and is the Lead of the three time Silver Medalist quartet Jackpot!, the 2013 International Champions Touche and recently formed Viva! quartet. She is a member of Toast of Tampa Show Chorus and serves as Assistant Director, Music Staff, Tenor Section Leader and dances on the Front Row. She also enjoys sharing her chorus life with her daughter, Lisa, and coaching several choruses and quartets around the Region. She and husband Jeff, live in Wesley Chapel, Florida and is a Registered Nurse at St. Joseph's Women's Hospital NICU.

Communications Coordinator

Cindy LeMasters

Cindy is excited to be acting as Communications Coordinator. Cindy earned her THC pin as the baritone of Showtime, Region 9’s 1987 Quartet Champs. Showtime went on to win the International Championship becoming the 1994 Queens of Harmony. She has also been a regional medalist as a baritone and lead most recently singing bari in Premier, the 2016 and 2017 Regional champions. She is an instructional designer by trade and creates classroom training and elearning modules, most recently at a nationwide pharmaceutical company. She calls Brandon, Florida her home.

When not singing with her quartet and sending out communications to the Top Hat Club, Cindy enjoys spending time with her Havanese puppy, Milo, reading and taking on new and exciting "home improvement" projects...Thanks to Pinterest and DIY videos!

Show Coordinator

Deanna Kastler

Deanna is an elementary music educator in the Broward County School District. She married fellow barbershopper, James Kastler, and they are the proud parents of son Caden and Jackson. She is the baritone of the 2015 International Champion Quartet, Bling! In the midst of teaching, family time and, of course, quartet time, Deanna travels to Ft. Myers every Tuesday night for rehearsal with Spirit of the Gulf. She is a Certified Director and serves as Spirit of the Gulf's Associate Director.