mgarcia@u.northwestern.edu

Miguel Garcia is a professional musician, educator, and scholar. He is currently a Ph.D. Fellow at the Center for the Study of Education and the Musical Experience at the Bienen School of Music, Northwestern University. He has held teaching positions in Chicago, Illinois, and Evanston, Illinois, where he directed an urban school music program and taught undergraduate and graduate courses in string pedagogy, instrumental music, and music, psychology, and healing. He holds degrees from Boston College (B.A., Music) and Roosevelt University (M.M., Violin Performance) and will receive his Ph.D. from Northwestern University (Music Education) in the summer of 2024.

As an active clinician and researcher, Mr. Garcia has presented at state, national, and international conferences and festivals. His scholarship can be found in a number of book chapters and publications, including the upcoming Teaching Music Performance: A Guide for Evidence-Based Pedagogy and Gender Expansiveness in Music Education. Mr. Garcia’s research interests include musical identity, string pedagogy, gender and music education, and the relationships between music participation and identity development. A professional violinist and violist for over 20 years, Mr. Garcia has performed with orchestra and chamber ensembles including the Illinois Symphony, Peoria Symphony, Chicago Summer Opera, and the Apollo Orchestra.

alexandragilbert2029@u.northwestern.edu

Alexandra Gilbert Rudy is a first-year PhD student in Music Education from Davidsonville, Maryland. She holds a Bachelor of Music in Flute Performance and a Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Maryland where she was identified as a member of the Maryland Medallion Society, an organization which recognizes the top twenty graduating seniors at the university each academic year. She also holds a Master of Music in Music Education from Ithaca College in upstate New York. Prior to attending Northwestern University, Alexandra served as the Director of Bands at Annapolis High School, conducting the Concert Band, Marching Band, Pit Orchestra, and Pep Band while also teaching several general music courses. As a doctoral student, her academic interests include engagement and motivation in the ensemble setting, the accessibility of music education, multilingual learners, and the role of music administrations in public school systems.
 

StephanieGregoire2020@u.northwestern.edu

A native of Michigan’s upper peninsula, Stephanie Gregoire holds a BM in music education from Western Michigan University and a MM in music education from Northwestern University. Prior to her studies at Northwestern, Stephanie served five years as a conductor with the Chicago Children’s Choir (CCC), where she directed the Hyde Park neighborhood choir program and many CCC in-school choirs throughout the city. Her choirs have performed at the Art Institute of Chicago, the Network of Executive Women National Awards Ceremony, and the National Guild for Community Arts Education Conference. Stephanie’s academic interests include topics of gender and sexuality in music education, world music pedagogy, and context-specific music teacher preparation.

HuilinGuan2028@u.northwestern.edu

Huilin Guan graduated with honors from both Shandong Normal University with a Bachelor of Arts in Music Education and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a Master of Music Education. Her undergraduate research projects secured highly competitive government funding, one from Shandong Province for "A Report of Curriculum Offerings for General Music Courses in 114 National Key Universities in China" and another from the Ministry of Education for a project on restoring Han Dynasty music and dance. With six years of diverse teaching experience, Huilin has taught in various settings, spanning China and the United States, encompassing public and private schools, urban and rural contexts, formal learning, and informal learning. Her academic interests revolve around elementary general music education, music teacher education, world music pedagogy, culturally responsive teaching, and Asian American studies.
 

AaronHimes2023@u.northwestern.edu

Aaron Himes is a passionate educator, scholar, and performer.  Currently, he is a doctoral candidate in music education at Northwestern University.  Prior to beginning doctoral studies, Aaron served as a music teacher in several school districts in rural Pennsylvania where his experiences included teaching band, general music, and chorus at all levels.  He regularly worked as a consultant, clinician, guest conductor, and performer throughout the region.  Aaron holds the Bachelor of Music Degree in Music Education from Susquehanna University, Selinsgrove, PA and the Master of Music Degree in Music Performance from the University of North Texas, Denton, TX. His current research interests concern music curriculum in higher education, musical identity, and musical sophistication

carlye.mcgregor@u.northwestern.edu

Carlye Latas McGregor is a PhD student in Music Education from south Louisiana. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Southeastern Louisiana University and a Master’s degree in Music Education from Louisiana State University. Prior to her studies at Northwestern, she spent eight years teaching in K-12 instrumental classrooms, where she conducted multiple concert ensembles, taught beginner band students, and instructed marching bands. She has led ensembles to performances in Orlando, Philadelphia, and New York City. Carlye’s research interests include goal theory in music education, the impacts of competition on instruction, and student perspectives on music education experiences.

JeremyRowland2017@u.northwestern.edu

Jeremy Rowland holds a BM in Music Education from VanderCook College of Music, a MM in Music Education from Northwestern University, a MS in Teaching & Learning from the University of St. Francis, and obtained National Board Certification in Early Adolescent & Young Adulthood Music in 2020. Prior to students at Northwestern, he taught 7 years in both Chicago Public Schools and South Holland School District 150 as a general music, instrumental, and choral director. Most recently, he has served as the Curriculum Development Manager of The People's Music School in Chicago, IL responsible for developing and coaching teachers on a general music curriculum catered to students in underserved populations. His research interests include culturally responsive music teaching and the intersections of artistic intent, politics, and economy in popular music media.

myriahaseavello2023@u.northwestern.edu 

Myriaha Seavello is a PhD student in music education from rural Nooksack, Washington. Prior to attending Northwestern, she was the director of band and choirs at Nooksack Valley High School, where she doubled the program in size. During this time she also served as secretary of the San Juan Music Educators Association, chaired the regional choral festival, and co-chaired the first and only virtual Solo and Ensemble Festival, maximizing access and inclusivity during the COVID-19 pandemic. She holds a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education from Western Washington University and a Master of Music Education degree from Northwestern University. Her research focuses on gender and sexuality within the contexts of the wind ensemble, anti-fat bias, and intersectional pedagogy.

victoriasmith2026@u.northwestern.edu

Victoria Smith holds a Bachelor’s of Music in Instrumental Performance from California State University, Stanislaus and a Master’s of Music in Music Education from the University of the Pacific; her research focusing on the influences of mariachi on student attainment, achievement, and engagement in school and at home. During her time at UOP, she served as Dr. Ruth Brittin’s Graduate Research Assistant, where she received the “Women of Distinction” award for her work with at-risk students and in gender equality. Prior to moving to Chicago to attend Northwestern, Victoria taught music for sixteen years in California and Washington states. Throughout her teaching career, she taught band, strings, choir, general music, and most notably mariachi. She founded the first elementary/middle school mariachi programs in the Central Valley of California. Her research and academic interests are in culturally responsive practices in music, the development of the female band director, and in continuing to establish scholarship in the area of mariachi music education. 
 

MelanieStapleton2027@u.northwestern.edu

A native of Plano, Texas, Melanie Stapleton holds a Bachelor’s of Music Education from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, LA and a Master’s of Music Education from the University of North Texas in Denton, TX. She has seven years of teaching experience in all levels of K-12, spending the majority of her teaching career as a secondary choral teacher in and around Houston, Texas. Her website, Blurring the Binary, is one of the leading resources for K-12 music educators focusing on instructing transgender and non-binary students in the music classroom. She has presented sessions at many professional music conferences including National ACDA, TMEA, TCDA, and AzMEA, and guest lectured at numerous universities across the country. Her research interests include gender, sexuality, and social justice in music education, as well as topics of diversity, equity, inclusion, and access in the music classroom.