Our Music Staff

Mark Hanson,
Music Director

Music Director Mark Hanson has been part of the music at Ladera Community Church since 1996. He has a Bachelor of Music in Performance from the University of Minnesota-Duluth and a Master of Music in Conducting from Arizona State University. Mark's work in church music has included Lutheran, Catholic, Methodist and United Church of Christ, giving him a wide range of music traditions to draw on when programming the service music. Mark works frequently with musical theatre companies in the Bay Area as a conductor and pianist. During the school year he teaches Music Fundamentals, Music Appreciation and Piano classes for the music department at College of San Mateo. He currently resides in San Carlos.

Poling Chen,
Pianist and Accompanist 

Poling Chen was born and educated in Taiwan. She gained her first degree in Music at Fu-Jen University and later received a master's degree in Music at Osaka Music College in Japan. For several years she taught music at the Yung-Da Technology College before emigrating to the USA. In 2000 she settled in the Bay Area with her daughter, Evaline. Poling joined Ladera Community Church in 2005 as pianist and choir accompanist. She lives and teaches piano in the Cupertino area.

Margaux Millman
Director of Children and Youth Music Ministry

Margaux, a native of Washington, D.C., is pursuing a doctorate in Music Education. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Music Education from the University of Illinois and a Masters of Music in Choral Music Education from Northwestern University. Margaux was a middle and high school chorus teacher for six years in the D.C. area and founded a private voice and piano studio for students ages 4 to adult. Her areas of expertise include choral music for adolescent voices and integrating music and movement experiences for young children. Margaux has directed youth choirs at several churches in Virginia, D.C., and Illinois.