OUR TEAM

Founder, Recorders Without Borders

Lynn is an entrepreneur and Founder of Recorders without Borders. Though she has no musical talents, she saw the opportunity to share the unwanted recorder rolling around in her son’s closet with the children the family planned to visit in Tanzania, and the rest as they say, is history!

In October 2018, Lynn traveled to Kiserian and Laikipia, Kenya accompanied by music professional, Nina Revering to implement a “Tune-Up” Workshop, visit existing Recorders without Borders schools and identify new schools.  She then returned in 2019 as program administrator.

Since September of 2017, Lynn has served as the Boy Scouts of America Capitol Area Council’s International Representative. In this capacity she connects U.S. Scouts with Scouts from around the world. Her role with Recorders without Borders has provided an entree to Kenyan Scouting that continues to flourish. 

A longtime resident of Austin, Lynn’s education includes BA from the University of Virginia, 1980 and MBA, from the University of Texas, 1985. Her work experience focused on entrepreneurship and small business development.

Lynn serves on the Board of the Alturas Institute in Idaho Falls, ID. She is also actively involved in the University of Virginia Alumni Association.

Skye Sanford is the Creative Arts Department Coordinator at the International School of Kenya, as well as the Musical Theatre teacher in the middle school . Over her 24 years of teaching, she has taught K-12 Band, Choir, General Music, and Musical Theatre in the United States, India, China, and Kenya. She has a passion for facilitating active, hands-on musical experiences that spark creativity and joy. While teaching at the American Embassy School in New Delhi, India (2006-2016), she was able to take a year-long sabbatical to study and collect folk dances from various states and regions of India.

Skye earned a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance and Music Education (K-12 Choral/ General) from Lawrence University (WI) and a Master of Arts in Music Education with a concentration in Choral Studies and in Orff Schulwerk from the University of St. Thomas (MN). For most of her career, she has taught elementary general music, directed children's choirs, and has always brought the whimsy when teaching recorder. She is certified in Orff Schulwerk and has levels completed in Kodaly and Dalcroze. She also completed the Smithsonian Folkways World Music Pedagogy course and loves learning about local folk dance and music traditions wherever she lives.

Board of Directors

Nicole Stevens was one of our first adventurous music teachers to travel to Kenya to pilot our program!  Nicole’s first hand experience provides valuable expertise in her role as a member of our Board of Directors.

In March, 2017 Nicole made another pilot trip for Recorders without Borders, this time to Haiti. While there were some successes in teaching local teachers and working with an after school program, we determined this program is not feasible at this time.

In the summer of 2017, Nicole returned to Kenya and expanded the program to include two schools associated with Moja Tu and provided intermediate training for Second Year teachers. She returned again in 2019 to oversee the program in Kiserian.

Nicole received a degree in Music Education from The University of Texas at Austin. She also received a certification in Special Education. She joined the Board of Directors of Recorders without Borders in 2015. She has been heavily involved in developing our curriculum and instructional materials. 

Nicole is the head music teacher at Casis Elementary School, in Austin, Texas. Each year, Nicole and her Casis Elementary Fifth grade students donate recorders and instructional materials to Recorders without Borders as their year-end service project.