The work of the Music Teacher Profession Initiative (MTPI), begun in January 2021, brought attention to the importance of music teacher education as a primary responsibility of the National Association for Music Education. While the initial task was to illuminate specific issues concerning equity along with music teacher recruitment and retention at this moment in time, it became clear that the work should be a continuing and systematic focus for NAfME, perpetuated in an advisory committee.

Policy Statement

The Music Teacher Profession (MTP) Advisory Committee shall serve in furtherance of the mitigation objectives laid out in the MTPI Blueprint for Strengthening the Music Teacher Profession and in furtherance of the mission, vision, belief, and goals of the NAfME Strategic Plan.

Rob Lyda & Wendy Sims, Co-Chairs

Committee Members

Rob Lyda, Co-Chair
General Music Teacher
Auburn City Schools
Auburn, Alabama
Wendy Sims, Co-Chair
Curators’ Distinguished Teaching Professor and Director of Music Education
University of Missouri
Columbia, Missouri
Laura Arthur
Public Policy Chair
Oregon Music Education Association
Portland, Oregon
Erin N. Bailey
Assistant Professor of Music Education
Brigham Young University
Provo, Utah
Christopher Baumgartner
Professor of Music Education
University of Oklahoma
Norman, Oklahoma
Cat Bennett
Assistant Professor of Music Education
Oakland University
Rochester, Michigan
Paul Budde
Associate Professor of Music
University of Wisconsin-River Falls
Farmington, Minnesota
Kierstin Carter-Jackson
Collegiate Representative
Virginia State University (VA)
Petersburg, Virginia
Latasha Casterlow-Lalla
Supervisor of Visual & Performing Arts
Passaic Public Schools
Passaic, New Jersey
Shawn Chastain
Executive Coordinator of Fine Arts
Wichita Public Schools
Wichita, Kansas
Bo Chenoweth
Collegiate Representative
University of Michigan
Northville, Michigan
Shane Colquhoun
Assistant Professor of Music Technology and Contemporary Music Styles
Alabama State University
Montgomery, Alabama
Rosetta Dingle
Professor of Music Education
South Carolina State University
Orangeburg, South Carolina
Ed Doyle
Director of Fine Arts 
Manchester School District
Manchester, New Hampshire
Sommer Forrester
Associate Professor of Music Education
University of Toronto
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Jennifer Greene
Director of Bands
Binghamton University (NY)
Fayetteville, New York
Brian Hartman
Choral Music Educator
Liberty North High School
Liberty Missouri
Cameron W. Jenkins
Full Potential Leadership - CEO
William Carey University - Doctoral Student
Gulfport, Mississippi
Melissa Jmaeff
Amir Jones
Instrumental Music Teacher 
Thomas W. Harvey High School
Painesville, Ohio
Lance Jones
Director of Bands
West Branch Area School District
Morrisdale, Pennsylvania
Erika J. Knapp
Assistant Professor
Texas Woman’s University
Denton, Texas
Jeff Leager
Band Director
Louis L. Redding Middle School (DE)
Middletown, Delaware
Whitney Mayo
Assistant Professor of Music Education
University of North Dakota
Grand Forks, North Dakota
Stephanie Nantell
Chief Programs and Partnerships Officer
Education Through Music
Brooklyn, New York
Jeananne Nichols
Professor of Music Education
Western Carolina University
Cullowhee, North Carolina
Kelly A. Parkes
College of Music, Music Education Department
University of Colorado, Boulder
Boulder, Colorado
Bryan Powell
Associate Professor of Music Education and Music Technology
Montclair State University
Montclair, New Jersey
Jared Rawlings
Director
University of Maryland School of Music
College Park, Maryland
Tiger Robison
Associate Professor, Music Education
University of Wyoming
Laramie, Wyoming
Alicia Romero-Sardiñas
Director of Education and Artistic Programming
Vocal Youth Miami
Miami, Florida
Isabella Ross
Collegiate Representative
University of Idaho
Moscow, Idaho
Nadja Ryan
Collegiate Representative
San Jose Sate University (CA)
San Jose, California
Ajori Spencer
PK-12 Performing Arts Specialist
Pinellas County Schools (FL)
Largo, Florida
Richard Tengowski
Instrumental & General Music Teacher (Retired)
Kohler Public Schools
Kohler, Wisconsin
Abigail Van Klompenberg
Assistant Professor of Music Education
Concordia College (MN)
Moorhead, Minnesota
Martina Vasil
Associate Professor, Music Education
University of Kentucky School of Music
Lexington, Kentucky
Kenna Veronee
Assistant Professor and Coordinator of Music Education
Georgia Southern University
Statesboro, Georgia
Aaron Wacker
Assistant Professor and Coordinator of Music Education
Washington State University
Pullman, Washington
Chad Zullinger
Assistant Professor of Music Education
California State University, Sacramento
Roseville, California
Amanda Karhuse, Staff Liaison
Assistant Executive Director, Advocacy and Public Policy
NAfME
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