Founder and Executive Director of Music Teacher Guild, serving a worldwide community of music educators with professional development, mentorship, and community building. Over 10 years of nonprofit leadership, including roles with Colorado Brass Band, Grand Junction Centennial Band, and District 51 Foundation. Former conductor and K-12 music educator with 15+ years of teaching experience. Holds an MBA in Strategy & Management and an EdD in Instructional Design. Certified AI Consultant pioneering integration of emerging technologies in music education to enhance teacher effectiveness and student outcomes.

Colonel Thomas Palmatier culminated a distinguished military career spanning more than 37 years as the Leader and Commander of The United States Army Band “Pershing’s Own,” the largest military music unit in the United States and was the senior musician in the U.S. Armed Forces. He is currently Editor-in-Chief of School Band and Orchestra + magazine.

Board member and arts administrator with 5+ years leading educational programs and community initiatives. Cofounded SOCO Productions at Florida Southern College, serving as Vice President of External Affairs, managing event production, stakeholder engagement, and fundraising. Led as SAC Co-Chair and Treasurer at Liberty High School, overseeing budgets and policy compliance. Expert in program coordination, large-scale event management, and team leadership. Champions educator support and professional development, recognizing that empowering teachers strengthens music education.

Music education leader with 19 years of experience in elementary and secondary instruction. Served as President of the Mountain Laurel chapter of the American Orff-Schulwerk Association (2019-2024) and currently serves as Guild Mentor for Music Teacher Guild, mentoring educators nationwide. Certified Orff-Schulwerk teacher and published researcher in The Orff Echo. Presents at state and collegiate conferences on innovative music pedagogy. Former Army bandsman with the 249th Army National Guard Band. Active conductor throughout the Ohio Valley. Passionate advocate for accessible, high-quality music education and teacher professional development for all students.

Music education leader with 15+ years directing comprehensive band programs across all grade levels in Central Illinois. Currently oversees five elementary band programs, middle and high school jazz ensembles, and the Urbana High School Tiger Marching Band. Secured multiple grants including I.D.E.A. and SPLASH funding to expand program resources and established the Evelyn Burnett Scholarship to provide instruments to low-income students. Serves as Treasurer of Sigma Alpha Iota Urbana Alumnae Chapter. Holds Master's in Music Education from VanderCook College of Music. Dedicated to creating equitable access to quality music education for all students.

Music education innovator and founder of OwlEagle Studio, providing virtual piano instruction to students worldwide. Specializes in teaching gifted, twice-exceptional, and neurodiverse learners through adaptive, game-based pedagogy. Internationally recognized pianist with Piano Guild Diplomas, multiple first-place wins in MAC Open Competitions, and top honors from National Federation of Music Clubs and international competitions. Earned Bachelor's degree at age 16. Passionate advocate for accessible, creative music education that meets diverse learners where they are and accelerates their growth.

Lisa Dolcy was born in Jamaica, and her early musical influences range from the local sounds of the Caribbean to music sung by church choirs under her father’s direction. As she grew older and migrated to the United States, this love of music only grew now accompanied with a strong desire to share it with others. She graduated with a B.S. in Music (Vocal Concentration) from Southern Adventist University and a Masters in Music Education (Choral Conducting) from Florida State University.

Gracie Carrillo is a music educator, conductor, and arts advocate dedicated to empowering students and communities through music. She holds a Master of Arts in Music Business from Berklee College of Music and a Bachelor of Music in Composition from CSU Stanislaus. As Department Chair of Visual and Performing Arts and Music Director at Ceres High School, she leads award-winning programs in band, choir, mariachi, and more, earning national recognition from the NAMM Foundation with the Support Music Merit Award in 2025. Gracie has secured over $200K in grants to expand student opportunities, including a 2024 trip for 60+ students to experience music and theatre in New York. A passionate arts leader, she has represented the U.S. as one of 56 women internationally selected for the Besançon International Conducting Competition in France and will perform as a trumpeter in the 2026 Rose Parade. She also serves on the founding board of the Music Teacher Guild.

Director of Orchestra at Aynor Middle School in Horry County, South Carolina, where she leads award-winning music programs and mentors emerging educators. With over a decade of experience in K–12 music education, April has earned distinctions including Clemson University Graduate Student of Excellence in K–12 Teaching, Top 5 Finalist for Horry County Schools Teacher of the Year, and induction into the Newberry College Hall of Master Teachers. She is a five-time recipient of the South Carolina Department of Education Distinguished Arts Program Grant and has presented at local, state, and national conferences.

April serves as a clinician, adjudicator, and curriculum contributor for South Carolina Visual and Performing Arts standards, with a strong focus on cultural diversity and global music education. An active performer across the Grand Strand of South Carolina, she collaborates with community ensembles and higher education partners to advance music education and performance opportunities statewide.

Dr. Shane Colquhoun is a music educator, scholar, producer, and visionary leader redefining music education for the 21st century. As Assistant Professor of Music Technology & Contemporary Musical Styles at Alabama State University, he is nationally recognized for his innovative, student-centered approach that bridges contemporary music culture, technology, and inclusive pedagogy. A former band director with over a decade of experience, his ensembles consistently achieved superior ratings. Dr. Colquhoun chairs NAfME’s Council for Innovations, serves with AMEA, APME, and MTPAC, and is an editor for the Journal of Music Technology & Education. His book The Producers of Pop and published research advance culturally responsive and future-ready music teaching. Also an active producer, he mentors emerging artists in creative development and digital music entrepreneurship, positioning schools as incubators for innovation and sustainable careers.

Aimee Whyte is a Deaf educator with over twenty years of experience in higher education, mental health, and non-profit work. She holds a B.S. in Professional and Technical Communication from Rochester Institute of Technology/National Technical Institute for the Deaf (RIT/NTID) and an M.A. in Mental Health Counseling from Gallaudet University.

Whyte serves a Senior Lecturer at RIT/NTID and is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Rochester Warner School of Education. Her current research explores musicking and meaning-making in higher education from Deaf and DeafBlind student perspectives, emphasizing intersectionality and researcher positionality.

Whyte approaches advocacy, teaching, and scholarship through the lens of her experience as a White Deaf Sighted Queer Cis Disabled Womxn. Her favorite musicking activities are rooted in her Deaf family, education, and community experiences. She champions musicking as a meaningful bridge between education, culture, language, and community, and advocates for musicking wealth as a source of equity and belonging.

Mitch Hall serves as Fine Arts Supervisor for Davis School District in Davis County, Utah. He has 10 years of experience in Music Education at the high school and junior high school level. Mitch taught at Lehi Jr. High School in Lehi, Utah from 2016-2019, where he was the 2019 Teacher of the Year. He was then the Director of Bands at Cedar Valley High School from 2019-2025, where he was the 2024 CVHS and Alpine School District Teacher of the Year.

Mitch holds a bachelor’s degree in music education from the University of North Texas and a master’s degree in music education from Southern Utah University. He serves as the Advocacy Chair and Band Vice President-Elect for the Utah Music Educators Association and sits on the Utah Symphony Utah Opera Teacher Advisory Committee.

Tersia Harley is a Cape Town–based music teacher, accompanist, and choir conductor who works with children and adults across diverse musical settings. Her love for music began with childhood piano lessons that evolved into a lifelong pursuit, culminating in a Bachelor’s degree in Education. After teaching Arts and Culture and Subject Music in the Eastern Cape, she expanded into theatre—performing, coaching, and directing musical productions. Choral work remains her greatest passion, sparked by her early involvement in the Tirisano (now SASCE) Choir Competition. Tersia believes music is a universal language that connects people, and she strives to create inclusive spaces where all can express themselves and contribute to a shared musical experience

Lindy Campbell is the founder and owner of Music on the Hill, a full-line music store and lesson studio in Washington, D.C. A native of New York State, she studied classical percussion and music education at Mount Royal Conservatory in Calgary, Alberta, before moving to D.C. in 2006. In 2013, she opened Music on the Hill in Capitol Hill, where her education-focused mission has helped hundreds of children and adults discover the joy of making music. Lindy served on the NAMM Young Professionals Board from 2016–2019, co-creating its mentorship program and continuing as Mentorship Officer through 2023. A dedicated advocate for strong music education in D.C. Public Schools, she is also active in the Capitol Hill Chamber of Commerce, supporting local retailers and community growth. Outside of work, Lindy and her son Owen enjoy visiting museums, road trips, and discovering new ice cream flavors.

Mark J. Connor is a composer, conductor, educator, and podcaster whose career celebrates the power of band music. His works for wind band, orchestra, and chamber ensembles are published by Alry, Grand Mesa, and RWS, and have been performed across the U.S. and internationally, including at Carnegie Hall, the Eastern Music Festival, and the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. Mark has received commissions and awards from the Jacksonville Symphony, Composers and Schools in Concert, and others. With over 25 years of teaching experience, he currently serves as Head Band Director at The Principia School in St. Louis and has taught at multiple universities, including Webster, Western Carolina, and Florida State. As creator and host of the Everything Band podcast, Mark produced over 200 interviews with leaders across music education and performance. He lives in Glen Carbon, Illinois, with his wife, cellist Marta Simidtchieva, and their two children.