Senja is an Axtell native who graduated from Axtell High School in 1986. Her love and passion for music and performing led her to the University of Nebraska at Kearney, where she earned a B.A. in Music Education. During that time, she performed in Hansel and Gretel, Die Fliedermaus and The Pirates of Penzance. After college, Senja taught K-12 vocal music at Genoa Public Schools. From there, she moved to teach K-12 vocal music at Arapahoe Public, and has taught there for 18 years. Senja directs several choirs of various age levels and directs a full-scale musical each year. She has directed musicals such as Into the Woods, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Guys and Dolls, Oklahoma, Cinderella, West Side Story, All Shook Up, Footloose, Beauty and the Beast, and most recently, Hairspray. Senja’s program is highly successful and she maintains a 65-voice high school choir in a Class D-1 school. She also has a private voice studio in which she teaches as many as 15 students. In 2002, Senja earned her M.A. in Music Education from the University of Nebraska at Kearney. For the past 25 years, she has been a principle soloist for Handel’s Messiah, which is performed every year in Kearney. Senja is also an adjudicator across the state and has directed numerous honor choirs and festivals. Outside of her career, she enjoys singing, dancing, running, and drinking coffee. She wishes to thank her husband, Kip, and two amazing daughters, Halle and Gabrielle, for encouraging her to follow her passion.