Jessica C. Vaughan-Marra

Dr. Jessica Vaughan-Marra is an Associate Professor and Coordinator of Music Education at Seton Hill University (Greensburg, PA). She completed her Ph.D. in Music Education with an emphasis in string pedagogy at the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, MI). Though her work spans general music (PreK-12) to instrumental music teacher education, Jessica has extensive experience teaching instrumental band and orchestra at the middle school level.

Prior to beginning her Ph.D. coursework in 2015, she taught instrumental band and orchestra for nine years in the Cupertino Union School District (Cupertino, CA) where her ensembles received Superior Ratings at the local large ensemble festivals. Jessica completed her B.S. in Music Education in 2006 at Duquesne University (Pittsburgh, PA) and received her M.M. Music Education in 2010 from Northwestern University (Evanston, IL).

Through her career, she has been an active member and presenter with the following organizations: The National Association for Music Educators (NAfME); Society for Music Teacher Educators (SMTE); American String Teachers Association (ASTA); Pennsylvania Music Educators Association (PMEA); Michigan Music Educators Association (MMEA); California Music Educators Association (CMEA); California Band Directors Association (CBDA); as well as the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic since 2007.

Dr. Vaughan-Marra has co-authored published materials in the Journal of Research in Music Education (JRME), the Journal of Music Teacher Education (JMTE) as well as contributed to The Oxford Handbook of Preservice Music Teacher Education and Critical Issues in Music Education: Contemporary Theory and Practice and was featured as one of Yamaha Music’s ’40 Under 40′ Music Educators of 2024. Her research interests include: new music teacher digital mentoring and self-study approaches in music education.

Along with an active research, presentation, and conducting agenda, Dr. Vaughan-Marra is a proud mother of three children (Everett, Connor, and Amelia) and thankful to work alongside her husband, Dr. Chris Marra (Director of Instrumental Activities) at Seton Hill University.