Sound Recording & Technology Faculty | Media Studies & Production Faculty
Sound Recording & Technology Faculty
David Ivory
Director of Sound Recording and Music Technology
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David Ivory is a Grammy-nominated, multi-Platinum recording engineer, producer, studio owner, and music business entrepreneur. His credits span some of the most influential R&B, soul, and rock albums of the past three decades, including The Roots (Do You Want More?!?, Illadelph Halflife, Things Fall Apart), Erykah Badu’s Baduizm, and Kindred the Family Soul’s Rhythm of Life. He has also collaborated with soul legends Patti LaBelle (Gems, The Gospel According to Patti LaBelle), Bunny Sigler, and John Ellison (writer of “Some Kind of Wonderful”).
In the rock world, Ivory produced Philadelphia’s own Silvertide (J Records), co-writing and arranging tracks for their debut American Excess. He also discovered and developed Pennsylvania natives Halestorm, helping guide the band to their 2006 signing with Atlantic Records and later Grammy-winning success.
His creative work extends into film as well—he wrote and supervised the score for the documentary Camden Love/Hate, capturing the raw and powerful stories of high school seniors navigating life in one of America’s toughest cities. Ivory also runs Flexitone Records, releasing music from regional, national, and international artists while promoting those artists on a TV show called "David Ivory Presents".
Beyond the studio, Ivory is deeply involved in education and the music industry. He has been a member of the Recording Academy’s Philadelphia Chapter for more than 30 years, serving as Chapter President and completing two terms as a national trustee, as well as being the co-chair of the national membership committee. He co-developed Drexel University's highly successful Music Industry program. From 2015 to 2022, Ivory chaired Philadelphia’s “Music Industry Task Force” and now sits on a newly established Music Task Force to foster the music economy. This is a blue-ribbon committee formed by the Philadelphia City Council to cultivate and support the city’s music economy.
Currently, Ivory is Director of Sound Recording and Music Technology program at Montgomery County Community College, where he teaches production and oversees the program. He helped design the college’s state-of-the-art two-million-dollar facility, featuring two Dolby Atmos mixing suites as well as a 56-channel SSL mix room. The Sound Recording and Music Technology Program is also a "Dolby Creator Lab" Partner.
Michael Kelly
Sound Recording and Music Technology Coordinator
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Michael Kelly, Professor of Music and Sound Recording and Music Technology Program
Coordinator, began his musical career in 1985 in New York City, where he spent 25
years writing, recording, performing, and touring across North America and Europe.
Howie Gordon
Sound Recording & Music Technology Assistant Professor
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Howie Gordon has been a vibrant force in the Philadelphia music scene for over 35
years, recognized as a seasoned studio musician at prestigious recording studios like
Sigma Sound and Philadelphia International Records.
Louis Rieger
Sound Recording & Music Technology Regular Lecturer
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Louis Rieger, founder of The High Street Music Company, has over 30 years of experience
in music education and audio production.
Michael Lightkep
Sound Recording & Music Technology Probationary Lecturer
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Since the early 1970s, Michael Lightkep has been involved in playing bass guitar and
brass instruments. His fascination with live sound equipment led him to become an
audio ‘tech geek.’
Colin Foley
Sound Recording & Music Technology Probationary Lecturer
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Colin Foley is an adjunct professor and department tutor in the Sound Recording and
Music Technology program at Montco. A proud graduate of the SRT program, he holds
a bachelor’s degree from Berklee College of Music and is pursuing a master’s degree.
Ron DiSilvestro
Sound Recording & Music Technology Probationary Lecturer
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Ron DiSilvestro is a Billboard charting, award-winning producer, engineer, clinician
and session musician with over 1000 studio releases, placements on national radio,
MTV, movies and television.
Ron served as the lead engineer and producer at Forge Recording, the Philadelphia
area’s premier source for audio and video production, podcasts, audio engineering
and lessons from 2008 to 2020. He now has a permanent residency at the legendary Studio
4 Recording based out of Conshohocken, PA.In 2016, Ron launched RDS Music and Media,
a music production and recording program designed to give enthusiasts and students
the tools and business background needed to be sustainable in the industry. Due to
overwhelming demand, Ron opened a second location of RDS Music and Media in August
of 2020. He has also designed, taught and lectured courses for high schools, colleges
and clinics and is currently an adjunct Professor at Montgomery Community College,
and Cab Calloway School of the Arts.
Additionally, Ron is one of the hosts of the Musicians Guide to the Music Industry
Podcast, discussing all topics related to the industry for aspiring and working music
professionals. The podcast was named one of the top 52 music industry podcasts by
https://olitunes.com. Ron is also an in demand drummer, touring nationally and internationally
with acts Superunknown, a Chris Cornell tribute (signed to Blue Raven Artist Management).
He has played on hundreds of credited sessions, and currently gigs with top working
bands in the Philadelphia area. He has been endorsed by www.kitplugins.com TAMA Drums
and Bucks County Drums.
Media Studies & Production Faculty
Yaniv Aronson
Mass Media & Sound Production Coordinator
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Yaniv Aronson, a Montgomery County local from Blue Bell and Wissahickon High School
graduate, holds a BA in Film and Video from Penn State, an MFA in Film from Boston
University, a Doctorate in Education from Immaculata University, and is a Stanford
University Hollyhock Fellow.
Chera Watson
Mass Media & Sound Production Assistant Professor
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Chera Watson, Assistant Professor of Mass Media Studies and Production, joined the
college in 2018 as a Faculty Diversity Fellow in Communication and became a Mass Media
Studies and Production Instructor in August 2019.
Jeff Asch
Mass Media & Sound Production Senior Lecturer
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Jeff Asch, Mass Media and Sound Production Lecturer, has been in Philadelphia media
for 45 years, serving as a Sports Anchor, Sports Reporter, and News Anchor for 24
years at KYW Newsradio Philadelphia.
Stan Finegold
Mass Media & Sound Production Senior Lecturer
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Stan Finegold, Mass Media and Sound Production Lecturer, brings over three decades
of experience in the media production industry. For more than 25 years, he was president
and owner of a video and television production company, serving as creator and Executive
Producer of the PBS Foodways series, The Presidential Palate.
Lindsay Levin
Mass Media & Sound Production Regular Lecturer
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Lindsay Levin has been an instructor at the College since 2014. She teaches numerous
classes and workshops and enjoys every minute. Levin is a co-advisor for the school’s
radio station, “Montco Radio.” Before becoming a professor at the College, Levin worked
at Yellowbook in King of Prussia as an Interactive Marketing Manager.
Cherry Kivumbi
Communication Studies Probationary Lecturer
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Cherry Kivumbi is a West Chester University graduate and multifaceted producer with
years of experience in radio and news broadcasting, podcast production, video production,
journalism, social media management and music production.
Jeff Vernitsky
Communication Studies Probationary Lecturer
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Jeff, an alumnus of Montgomery County Community College, holds a bachelor’s degree
in Digital Journalism from Penn State University. Throughout Jeff's 24-year career,
he has freelanced as a camera and Steadicam operator with Comcast CN8, PHL-17, and
various independent filmmakers in the Tri-state market.