Brian is the Director of Music and Worship at St. Michael Church in Sharonville, Ohio, where he has served for twelve years. He particularly enjoys teaching and working with young musicians and is very excited to be on the staff of Laudate! Brian serves on the National Council of NPM and for various other projects in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. He teaches piano and voice and composes liturgical music for the church. He’s been involved in community theater both onstage and as music director for several shows. Brian loves to travel and has been to more than 10 countries in recent years.

Jeremy Helmes currently serves as Pastoral Associate for Liturgy & Music for St. Bartholomew Parish in Cincinnati.  In addition to his studies in theory and conducting at the College Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati, he was also privileged to study orchestration and conducting with Maestro Erich Kunzel. He also holds a BS in Economics.

Jeremy serves on the archdiocesan Music Committee and serves as chair of the archdiocesan Worship Commission.  He works frequently with the Worship Office on a variety of projects in the Archdiocese.  He serves on the board of directors of the National Association of Pastoral Musicians Director of Music Ministries Division. Having conducted over 50 musicals for local and regional professional theatres, his credits also include orchestration and composition. Jeremy is married to Karen, and has a son, Nathan.

Karen Kane has been the Director of the Worship Office for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati since June of 2003, when she became the first lay person to head the office.  Karen previously served as the Assoc. Director for several years.  She holds a Master’s in Liturgical Studies from the University of Notre Dame and a B.A. in Church Music from the College of St. Teresa, Winona, MN.  Karen is a local and national speaker on liturgy and the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults.

Before arriving in Cincinnati, Karen lived in Albuquerque, NM where she was a parish musician and liturgist.   After several years of serving in parish music ministry, she became a high school teacher.  She taught sacramental theology and directed the high school choir.  Karen is the proud mom of two teenage girls who are very involved in theatrical productions in their high school/middle school in Cincinnati.

Fr. Geoff Drew, ordained for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati in 2004, is the pastor at St. Rita in Dayton, Ohio.  Prior to seminary, he was Director of Music and Liturgy at St. Jude Parish in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he directed choirs of all ages.  Primarily a trombonist, Fr. Geoff was also a high school band director after college graduation.