Executive Board
Julie Derges, PhD
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Julie Derges, Ph.D. is an Associate Professor and the Division Head of Music Education at the University of Houston. At UH, she teaches undergraduate courses in elementary and secondary general music methods and graduate courses in music education research and pedagogy. She earned her Bachelor of Music Education degree from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and her master’s and doctoral degrees in music education at Michigan State University. Prior to entering higher education, she taught PreK-6 general music and choir in the Fairfax County Public Schools in Northern Virginia and early childhood music classes at the Levine School of Music in Washington, D.C. and the MSU Community Music School.
Dr. Derges’ research interests include informal and popular music learning and music teacher professional development. Her work has been published in several journals, including the International Journal of Music Education, Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, Research Studies in Music Education, and Music Educators Journal, and she has publications in three books: Oxford Handbook of Social Media and Music Learning, Oxford Online Handbook of Assessment in Music Education, and Learning from Young Children: Research in Early Childhood Music. Additionally, Dr. Derges has presented her both nationally and internationally and remains active as a clinician and music teacher. |
Jacqueline C. Henninger, PhD
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Dr. Jacqueline C. Henninger is the Associate Director for Performance, Education, and Applied Studies and an Associate Professor of Music Education in the School of Music at Texas Tech University. In addition to serving on the Executive Board for NAfME-Texas, she is also the Board Advisor for the Society for Music Teacher Education (SMTE). At Texas Tech University, Dr. Henninger fulfills a variety of administrative duties, teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in music education, and advises master and doctoral level examinations, projects, theses, and dissertations. Her research is focused on two academic areas, teacher preparation and multicultural music education, and has been presented at state, regional, national, and international conferences. Her publications have appeared in the following journals: Journal of Research in Music Education, International Journal of Music Education, Update: Applications of Research in Music Education, Journal of Music Teacher Education, Journal of Band Research, Texas Music Education Research, Global Music and Culture: Intersections and Inclusion, Texas Music Educators Conference (TMEC): Connections, and TRIAD. In addition to her activities as an educator and a scholar, Dr. Henninger continues to enjoy working with public school students, prospective music educators, and music practitioners as a guest adjudicator, clinician, conductor, lecturer, and panelist on local, national, and international levels.
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Crystal Lynn Gerrard, PhD
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Crystal Lynn Gerrard is Assistant Professor of Music Education at the University of North Texas where she teaches undergraduate and graduate courses in instrumental music education. Prior to her appointment at the University of North Texas, Dr. Gerrard held public school teaching positions in Lewisville and Grand Prairie, Texas. She holds degrees from the University of Texas at Arlington (BM), Southern Methodist University (MM), and The Ohio State University (PhD).
Dr. Gerrard is an active clinician and adjudicator. Additionally, she serves on the Texas Music Educators Association Collegiate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. Dr. Gerrard has presented at state, national, and international venues. She is invited to present research at the National Association for Music Education Research and Teacher Education Conference in February 2021. She has publications in the Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education and Equity and Excellence in Education. Her research interests include asset-based pedagogies (e.g., culturally responsive and culturally sustaining pedagogies), social justice in music education, and music teacher education. |
John Parsons, PhD
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Dr. John Parsons (PhD, MM Music & Human Learning and BM Music Studies, The University of Texas at Austin) joined the TTU School of Music faculty as an Assistant Professor of Music Education in August 2021. Prior to this appointment, he served as Assistant Professor of Music Education at Ithaca College from 2020–2021. Dr. Parsons is passionate about his work as a teacher trainer, leading undergraduate courses in woodwind and brass methods as well as ensemble pedagogy, and serving as a field supervisor for student teachers.
As a researcher, Dr. Parsons’ work is centered on the intersection of attentional focus and motor control in the context of music learning and performance. He has co-authored and presented work at the Clifford K. Madsen International Symposium for Research in Music Behavior, the International Symposium on Performance Science, the National Association for Music Education and the Texas Music Educators Association annual conferences, and recently published work in the Journal of Research in Music Education. Prior to his graduate work, Dr. Parsons served as a high school band director for 10 years (Westlake High School/Eanes ISD; Hendrickson High School/Pflugerville ISD), teaching a wide array of students and ensembles including wind bands, orchestras, marching band and jazz ensembles. Dr. Parsons is a member of the International Society for Music Education, the National Association for Music Education, the Texas Music Educators Association and the Texas Bandmasters Association. |
Lorelei Batislaong
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Lorelei Batislaong is a 14-year veteran of the elementary music classroom. She has served on the American Orff-Schulwerk Association National Board of Trustees as Region III Representative. Currently, she is the chair of the AOSA Diversity Subcommittee and serves as the Media and Marketing Director of the Trinity Orff Teacher Education Course in San Antonio. Along with presenting clinics at the local, state, and national levels, Lorelei is currently working on a Ph.D. in Music and Human Learning at the University of Texas at Austin. Her research interests include: exploring the characteristics of meaningful professional development experiences, encouraging inclusivity in the music classroom and the teaching profession, and generally wondering why everything is the way it is and how could it be better.
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Committee of Chairs
Michelle DeVall
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Michelle DeVall is currently an Assistant Band Director at Kealing Middle School in Austin, Texas. Under her direction, the Symphonic Band has earned top ratings at the University Interscholastic League (UIL) Concert and Sight-Reading Evaluations. Prior to moving to Texas, Mrs. DeVall was the Director of Bands and Guitar at Three Oaks Middle School in Fort Myers, Florida. She has served in various leadership positions including: the Executive Board for the Florida Music Educators Association, the Florida Bandmasters Association Solo and Ensemble Committee, and the Lee County School District (Florida) Advisory Council. Mrs. DeVall received a Master of Music and Human Learning Degree from the University of Texas at Austin and a Bachelor of Music Education degree from the Florida State University.
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Nyadia Thorpe
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Nyadia Thorpe is the Associate Professor of Music and Director of Choral Activities at Navarro College in Corsicana, TX. She conducts the College Chorale, Collegiate Chamber Singers, and the Sound Company Show Choir. She also teaches Sight-Singing & Ear Training, Music Appreciation, and maintains a voice studio for vocal music majors. She is active in her church as the Director of Music & Worship at the First Presbyterian Church, Duncanville where she also conducts the Duncanville Community Chorus. The DCC has been awarded the experience of performing in Carnegie Hall with Distinguished Choirs International New York in 2018.
Previously, Mrs. Thorpe served as the Choral Music Director at Howard Junior High in Waxahachie ISD and as Middle School Vocal Division Coordinator and Chairperson for the middle school choral events, including UIL and Solo and Ensemble contests for the Region 20 Middle School Vocal Division of the Texas Music Educators Association. Her undergraduate studies took place at the University of Texas at Arlington where she studied voice, opera workshop. After a few years of working in Dallas ISD, she began her studies for a Master’s Degree in Music Education at Southern Methodist University. |
Position Available
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Position available.
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De'Evin Johnson
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De’Evin Johnson is a first year teacher and Choir Director at Ridge Point High School in Fort Bend ISD where he is the Rookie Teacher of the Year. He served as President of the Texas State ACDA Student Chapter and presented at the 2017 National ACDA Conference. Mr. Johnson also served as the Production & Development Assistant for the Grammy®-winning internationally recognized choir, Conspirare. In addition to his leadership with NAfME-Texas he is a founding Board Member of YOUnity Playground, and serves on the TCDA Leadership Committee.
Mr. Johnson received a Master of Music- Choral Conducting from Texas Christian University and a Bachelor of Music- Music Studies from Texas State University. |
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Access Committee
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Adrian Rodriquez
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Position Available
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