MEET THE MOO BOARD
RICK FITZGERALD - Chairman
Rick has served as the Gathering’s chair since its incorporation in 2012. He is a mostly self-taught guitar player/folksinger/songwriter with four CD recordings to his credit. He is the 2009 Mountain Laurel Autoharp Champion and has been a featured performer and autoharp instructor at festivals across the US. Rick is a mechanical engineer/project manager by profession, and has served on various volunteer boards and commissions for over 30 years. He and his wife Erina also enjoy raising Great Pyrenees dogs and spending time with their granddaughter. http://www.rootrivermusic.com/
TONY LINZ - Vice-Chair/Treasurer
Tony grew up in Maine but has lived in Wisconsin since 1990. He has attended the Gathering for the last dozen or so years and joined the board in 2013. An engineer by profession, Tony enjoys singing and attempts to play the guitar and autoharp, not usually at the same time.
DAN GEDDES - Secretary
Dan has a deep appreciation for the friends he has made through music including playing and recording with the band Laughing Whitefish. He first attended String Along in 1988 and has been a regular ever since, transitioning into the Gatherings. He tinkers with several instruments, but his favorite is the mountain dulcimer. In addition to serving on the MOO board, he is a board member of the Green Apple Folk Music Society and active in Trout Unlimited as an avid angler. He recently retired from a long career in R&D and relocated from Appleton to the Bay View neighborhood of Milwaukee with his wife Cindy.
Nancy Tikalsky
Although Nancy has been studying music since she was 8 (piano, flute and vocals), she didn’t pick up a guitar until 2015 and is self-taught. Born, raised and educated in Wisconsin, Nancy started attending Madison and Milwaukee Friday folk circles and drumming with friends in the 90’s and found the Kenosha Hootenanny after she moved to Illinois. At the Hoot she reconnected with her 2nd cousin Tom Zachek and his wife Amy Gavin, who encouraged her to attend the MOO weekends to provide another venue to enhance her skills on the guitar and sing (and dance!) folk music with others lovers of folk. Nancy has served on not-for-profit boards for more than 25 years and prosecutes polluters for the State of Illinois in her day job. She spends the rest of her time outdoors gardening, bird-watching, hiking, skiing and traveling her beloved self-guided adventures.
Don Starr
Don Starr grew up in the Milwaukee Area. He was exposed, at the age of 14, to the sound of live music by a man who would play guitar and sing cowboy songs to the kids in the neighborhood. Being hooked he bought his own guitar and hasn't put it down since.
He started teaching beginner guitar at LoDuca Brothers Music in Milwaukee at the age of 16 and subsequently did the same at Metropolitan and Beihoff Music.
Studied Classical Guitar in 1967 at the Conservatory of Music for one year until raising a family became a priority. Later studied American Finger Style Guitar under John Stropes .
Don was an Instructor of Carpentry and Building Construction at the Milwaukee Area Technical College from 1974-2011. He completed a Carpentry Apprenticeship in 1971 and a Bachelor and Masters degree in Education at UW-Stout. He Enjoys teaching guitar to whomever is interested
Ling Naiva
Ling's acoustic musical journey began unintentionally by borrowing instruments that belonged
to others in her family. While in college she first learned some chords on her brother's guitar
so she could play simple folk and worship songs. Years later Ling learned ukulele when one
was purchased for her daughter for her middle school uke club. Having had piano lessons in
her youth, she has also taken lessons and workshops in voice, guitar and ukulele and has
participated in church choirs and community theater. Ling studied art in college and worked as
a graphic designer in North Carolina before moving to Wisconsin in 1998. In addition to
dabbling in music a bit, she enjoys creating pottery, botanical watercolor painting, ice skating,
kayaking, biking and connecting with her church community. Ling and her husband Matt are
parents to two wonderful young adult children, and she is now very grateful to have the time
and opportunity to improve her musical skills through the MOO Gathering.
Eric Wright
As a kid, Eric felt drawn to his dad’s acoustic guitars and loved dancing to Peter, Paul & Mary records in the living room. Despite that early pull, he chose trumpet over guitar—a decision he jokingly regrets, though it taught him volumes about crafting melodies. After setting the trumpet down in college, he finally picked up the acoustic guitar, yet found his balance and clarity in writing poetry. One day, a friend challenged him to merge his two creative passions, sparking a lifelong journey in songwriting.
Folk music has remained foundational for Eric, shaped by influences both traditional and contemporary. He lives in Illinois with his family, works as a brand manager, and is launching Kindred Folks, a branding agency supporting nonprofits. For him, MOO gatherings are a chance to both fill his cup and pour out—an essential rhythm in his creative life.
BOARD MEMBER EMERITUS
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MOO would like to thank its currently retired (but hopefully to return someday) Founding Board Members, Joe Boxhorn and Sue Franke for their dedication to the Gathering. Joe & Sue were instrumental in incorporating MOO as a 501( c ) (3) organization and served on the board for many years.
Joe Boxhorn - Board Member Emeritus
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Sue Franke - Board Member Emeritus
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