Jared Cassedy

You Make a Difference! Leading from Every Chair! – Jared Cassedy (11 – 11:25 am)

Jared L. Cassedy is in his 21st year teaching and is the Performing Arts Department Head and High School Band Director for the Masconomet Regional School District in Boxford, MA. He spent the last six years as the K-12 Performing Arts Coordinator and LHS Wind Ensemble Conductor for Lexington Public Schools, MA and is in his ninth year directing the Junior Massachusetts Youth Wind Ensemble at the New England Conservatory Preparatory School. Jared also works as an adjunct professor for the Longy School of Music where he teaches conducting and is the Artistic Director for the Longy Side-by-Side Orchestra Program. Jared is the 2015 recipient of the prestigious GRAMMY Music Educator Award and was most recently named a 2022 National Music Teacher of Excellence by the Country Music Association (CMA) Foundation. Jared serves as President-Elect for the Massachusetts Music Educators Association and is the immediate Past Chairperson of the MMEA Northeastern District. Before coming to Massachusetts, Jared was the K-12 Fine and Performing Arts Director for the Windham, NH and Salem, NH School Districts and director of the Windham High School Band Program. He is a much sought after clinician and has conducted a myriad of regional honor bands across New England, given a variety of lectures on leadership and best practices in teaching, including the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic presenting a session titled “Fine Tuning Ensemble Culture and Why it Matters – Intentionally Creating a Positive Community Through Conversation and Collaboration,” and has participated in TEDx speaking about his journey and philosophies through his career in education. Additionally, Jared has served on the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) Equity Committee, Strategic Planning Committee, and Council of Music Program Leaders.

Stephen Cox

Creative Music Making Crash Course – Stephen Cox (10 – 10:25 am)

Songwriting Made Incredibly Simple – Stephen Cox (11 – 11:25 am)

Stephen T. Cox is the Director of Music Education for the Willis Wonderland Foundation, a 501(c)3 dedicated to the legacy of songwriter Allee Willis. He develops music education and creative music making programs. An award-winning educator and sought-after clinician, Mr. Cox has presented at major conventions including TMEA, TBA, and the Midwest Clinic. From 2022-2024, he led a student-centered band program at the oldest public school in San Antonio. Previously, he spent a decade directing bands at Eastland High School, known for its community focus and musical excellence. The 2022 Grammy Music Educator Award winner, he advocates for student ownership and community integration in music programs. He is married to Stephanie Cox, a visual art teacher, and they have three children.

Kris Gilbert

Yes Uke Can! (9:30 – 9:55 am)

Kris Gilbert received her Bachelor’s of Music Education from the Crane School of Music @ SUNY Potsdam and her Masters of Music in Composition from Binghamton University. She also received her CAS in College Teaching from SUNY Potsdam. She has been teaching for 28+ years in upstate NY, most recently for the Windsor Central School District. She currently teaches 6-12 Modern Band, Co-Teaches HS Band/Chorus, Sound Recording, 6-8 Chorus; and has taught high school band, marching band, jazz band, AP theory, junk percussion, modern band, music technology and 6th grade band. Kris is an active clinician and has presented at NAfME All-National, NAfME All-Eastern, Music Will Modern Band Summit in Colorado, NYSCATE, NYSSMA All-State, Texas All-State, Ohio All-State, Tennessee All-State and the Association for Popular Music Education International Conference in Edinburgh, Scotland and Murfreesboro, Tennessee. She is a certified Google Trainer, Soundtrap educator, Apple Educator, is the NYSSMA Technology Chairperson and also serves as the Music Will Lead Ambassador.

Dr. Jonathan Helmick

Greek Life In Music Panel: Finding Community (1 – 1:25 pm)

Dr. Jonathan Helmick serves as Director of Bands and Professor of Music at Slippery Rock University. Part of his responsibilities include directing the Slippery Rock University Symphonic Wind Ensemble, the “Marching Pride,” and the Concert Band. He also has taught assigned courses such as Fundamentals of Conducting, Advanced Conducting, Low Brass Methods, High Brass Methods, Marching Band Techniques, Instrumental Rehearsal Techniques, and Applied Euphonium. Under his direction, the Slippery Rock University Wind Ensemble has achieved national acclaim having been named a finalist for the prestigious American Prize in Wind Ensemble and Concert Band Performance (college/university division). In 2019, the two-hundred-member Slippery Rock University “Marching Pride” was invited to perform in Ireland at the Dublin St. Patrick’s Festival Parade and the Limerick International Band Championship. During these internationally televised performances the ensemble received the honor of being named Best Overall Band, Best Adult Band, and Best International Band. In 2024, the “Marching Pride” once again took to the international stage as part of London’s New Year’s Day Parade.

Dr. Helmick holds the Doctor of Musical Arts Degree in Conducting from The University of Southern Mississippi. He earned a Master of Music degree in Euphonium Performance from The University of Akron in Akron, Ohio. Both his Bachelor of Music in Music Education degree and Bachelor of Arts in Business and Organizational Communications degrees were received from the University of Akron with honors. Prior to his college teaching career, Dr. Helmick taught in the public schools of Ohio and Mississippi. He has also served as Assistant Conductor and member of the Board of Trustees for the Freedom Brass Band of Northeast Ohio and performed as a member of the Brass Band of the Western Reserve on both euphonium and baritone.

Active as a musician and educator, Dr. Helmick has served as a guest clinician, artist, and adjudicator in Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Mississippi, New Mexico, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, Austria, the Czech Republic, Ireland, Italy, and Sicily. At Slippery Rock University, he has earned the honor of being named recipient of the 2017-2018 President’s Award for Excellence in Teaching. In 2019, he was honored to receive the Citation of Excellence from the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association, representing District 5. At the national level, he has been named among the roster of the 2022 Yamaha “40 Under 40” – a national award celebrating excellence in music education. In 2024, he was named a quarterfinalist for the 2024 Music Educator Award presented by the Recording Academy and Grammy Museum. 

Allison Leemann

Greek Life In Music Panel: Finding Community (1 – 1:25 pm)

Allison is a Life Member of the Eta Gamma Chapter of Tau Beta Sigma at Boston University. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy with a minor in Public Health in 2012 and a Master of Public Health degree in Global Health in 2014 from the Boston University School of Public Health. While attending school Allison participated in the Concert, Pep, and Marching Bands playing bass clarinet and alto saxophone. She served as the Boston University Marching Band Drum Major her senior year.

As a student leader Allison served in several leadership positions at the Chapter level and as the Northeast District Vice President for Special Projects (2011-2012) and District President (2012-2013). As a Life Member Allison served as Northeast District Counselor (2015-2021) and currently sits on the Curriculum Development and Assessment Committees and the Health and Safety Task Force. She was elected to the Vice President for Communication & Recognition position in 2021.

In her professional life, Allison has focused on public health and healthcare management, overseeing medical scribes in the emergency department and hospital setting. In 2020, Allison completed a professional certification in Organization Development. She is an active member of the American Public Health Association and the Organization Development Network. In her free time Allison enjoys exploring new places, seeing live music performances, going to the beach, listening to audiobooks/podcasts, and spending time with family and friends.

CJ McCrory

Guard After Graduation! (9:30 – 9:55 am)

C.J. McCrory is a clinician, consultant, educator, and designer for the Marching Arts activity residing in Knoxville, TN. Locally, he is the Color Guard Coordinator for the University of Tennessee’s Pride of the Southland Marching Band, the Director of Color Guards for Hardin Valley Academy and Hardin Valley Middle School programs, as well as serving as Board President for the East Tennessee Performing Arts Association. Expanding out of Tennessee, C.J. is also currently involved with multiple groups across the Nation in various roles such as consultant, choreographer, and technician. His goals within the activity are to spread his love and passion for the Marching Arts, and assist in creating the next generation of educators!

C.J.’s past Color Guard marching experiences have included The Cavaliers Drum & Bugle Corps, Pride of Cincinnati (IW), and Eklipse Winterguard (IW), as well as marching mellophone with the Pride of the Southland Marching band. In his teaching experience, C.J. has been privileged with the opportunity to work with Carolina Crown Drum and Bugle Corps, The Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps, Artistry in Blue (IA), Beau Monde Independent (IA), Lexis Winterguard (IW), and Carmel HS (SW).

Bethany Moore

My Road to Broadway – Bethany Moore (9:30 – 9:55 am)

Bethany has been a part of the original Broadway casts of the Tony-Award winning revival of PIPPIN and SPIDER-MAN: TURN OFF THE DARK. Other New York City credits include the Public Theater’s INTO THE WOODS (starring Amy Adams and Donna Murphy) and City Center Encores’ CALL ME MADAM. She has performed nationally and internationally with the touring companies of A CHORUS LINE and CATS. She received her BFA in Musical Theater from the State University of New York in Buffalo and has a Master’s degree from NYU in Educational Theater. She has been on faculty at the American Musical Theater Academy, Kidz Theater, and Broadway Classroom in NYC and has been a guest lecturer at NYU, SUNY Buffalo, and Clarion University.
Bethany was a student of Clarion Area Jr./Sr. High School where she participated in PMEA district, regional and state choral festivals and is happy to return to PMEA through the Beyond the Classroom Project. She is currently the Assistant Artistic Director of the Madison Theatre at Molloy College where she directs, choreographs and is an educator.

John Oelrich

Conducting 101 – What Goes Into What You See (12:30 – 12:55 pm)

Dr. John Oelrich joined the faculty of the University of Tennessee at Martin (UTM) Department of Music in 2012 as Director of Bands where he conducts the Wind Ensemble, Marching Band, and Concert Band, and teaches courses in conducting and music education.

His recent engagements as a guest conductor include middle and high school All-District and All-Region Bands in Kentucky and Tennessee, the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association All-State Concert Band, and the Wisconsin State Honors Band.

In the summer of 2013, he founded the Martin Community Band which performs several concerts each summer. He also leads the jazz band for the After-School Arts Program, an arts-centered program for middle school students. 

Prior to UT-Martin, John was the Doctoral Conducting Associate at The Ohio State University and taught at Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa for several years, including one year as Interim Director of Instrumental Music. Prior to Loras, Oelrich spent ten years teaching middle school and high school band in Iowa and Wisconsin. 

After growing up on a dairy farm near Spencer, Wisconsin, John earned his Bachelor of Science in Instrumental and Vocal Music Education from the University of Wisconsin – Platteville, a Master of Music from the University of Northern Iowa and a Doctor of Musical Arts in Conducting from The Ohio State University. When not involved in music or teaching related activities, John enjoys spending time with his family, hiking, motorcycling and amateur astronomy.

Dr. Nicholas Rorrer

Greek Life In Music Panel: Finding Community (1 – 1:25 pm)

Dr. Nicholas (Nic) Rorrer (he/him) is a Life Member of Kappa Kappa Psi from the Eta Beta chapter at Virginia Tech. Originally, Nic was initiated into the Eta Beta chapter at Virginia Tech on November 29, 2007. While at Virginia Tech, Nic was a member of the Baritone Section of the Marching Virginians and served as the Band’s Operations Officer from 2010 to 2011. Additionally, while Nic was an Active Member of the HB Chapter, he served as Chapter Secretary (2008), Chapter Vice President, (2009), and Chapter President (2010). He also served as the Northeast District Secretary-Treasurer from 2010-2011.

After graduating from Virginia Tech with his Bachelors of Science in Chemical Engineering, Nic went on to the Colorado School of Mines to pursue his PhD in Chemical Engineering with a specialty in polymer science. While there, Nic started to work with the Xi Chapter of the Fraternity and eventually becoming their Chapter Sponsor in 2013, and has served as their Chapter Sponsor since then. Additionally, during his PhD, Nic became involved with the Midwest District Alumni Association, serving on their council for three years with two years as their President.

Immediately after graduating from the Colorado School of Mines, professionally Nic started as a postdoctoral researcher at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory researching recycling and the synthesis of plastics from biomass. Nic has continued his employment at NREL ever since, eventually becoming a Senior Researcher (2020) at the lab. Fraternally, Nic began serving on the Fraternity’s Alumni Association Board of Directors from 2015 to 2021 and served as its Chair from 2019 to 2021. During Nic’s tenure as Chair of the AABOD, he, alongside the other directors, launched multiple programs and drafted the language for the 2021 National Constitution revision that officially recognizes the Kappa Kappa Psi Alumni Association.

Currently, Nic serves as a member of the Sponsor and Director of Bands task force, as a Midwest District Governor, and as a speaker for the Founders Circle program. In his free time, he can often be found wondering the Rocky Mountains either teaching yoga, snowboarding, or hanging out with his partner and dog. Further information on Nic can be found at narorrer.org

Kendra Ross

The Winding Road: How Music Guided My Journey from the Classroom to the Community, and Everything in Between (9 – 9:25 am)

Dr. Kendra Janelle Ross is a powerhouse in music, education, and community engagement. Currently the Head of Social Impact at Duolingo, she oversees philanthropic initiatives, community outreach, and employee engagement. Dr. Ross’ journey has been shaped by her dual career as a performer and music industry professional, having spent over 15 years at Universal Music Group while also recording and producing with renowned artists. A proud Pittsburgh native, Dr. Ross holds a PhD in Community Engagement and remains committed to supporting youth through initiatives like UniSound and her consulting firm, ACT3 Consulting Partners. Her talk, “The Winding Road: How Music Guided My Journey from the Classroom to the Community, and Everything in Between,” reflects her inspiring path from the stage to academia and beyond.

Shades of Blue

Performance and Q&A (11:30 am – 12:25 pm)

Chelsea Tanner

Navigating Performance Anxiety (10:30 – 10:55 am)

Dr. Chelsea Tanner maintains an active career as an enthusiastic performer, teacher, and mindset coach for musicians. She is currently Head of Flute and a teaching artist at tonebase.co as well as a Flute Faculty member at the Colburn Community School in Los Angeles. Chelsea has previously served on the faculties of SUNY Potsdam’s Crane School of Music and Penn State University. Her former teachers include Marianne Gedigian, Jeanne Baxtresser, and Katherine Borst-Jones. 

www.chelseatanner.com

Austin Wolford

Behind the Scenes of High School Musical Theatre (11 – 11:25 am)

Austin Wolford currently serves as the Director of Choirs at Quaker Valley High School in Leetsdale, PA. Austin holds a B.M. in Music Education with a focus in Voice from Slippery Rock University and a M.M. in Music Education from Kent State University. Austin previously served as Director of the Slippery Rock University Men’s Choir and has performed with groups such as the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Butler Symphony Orchestra, Erie Philharmonic, and continues to perform with men’s a cappella group Rock Bottom. At Quaker Valley, Austin directs 4 different choirs including the Quaker Valley Concert Choir, Treble Choir, Tenor-Bass Choir, and Vocal Ensemble. His Choirs have been selected to perform at numerous invitationals and events around Pennsylvania. Apart from the choirs, Austin also teaches Partners Music, Stage Lighting and Sound, and serves as the Director and Producer for their High School Musical program.