NAfME-TX stands on the belief that music is a basic human need. We will strive to ensure that every child in every school in Texas will receive a well-rounded education which includes a comprehensive, sequential, high-quality program of music taught by a certified music teacher. We intend to accomplish this through the following:

Advocacy

Inform, engage, and activate the public, policy makers, and educational leaders to promote and support music as an integral and core component of a comprehensive and balanced education accessible to all students

Leading the Profession

Provide music educators and education leaders with engaging professional development opportunities and resources to support best practices and serve the needs of students

Research

Promote and disseminate sound data to advance music teaching and learning and influence educational policy

Capacity Building

Ensure data-driven fiscal practices and decision making to advance our association and the profession we serve

Executive Board

Tanya Allen, Ph.D.

President

Tanya Allen is the acting department chair and Associate Professor of Music Education at Texas Southern University (TSU) in Houston, Texas. She completed her graduate degrees in music education at Florida State University and her bachelor’s degree and teaching certification at the University of New Orleans. Tanya has over twenty years of experience teaching music to elementary through post-secondary students and enjoys teaching non-music majors as well as mentoring pre-service teachers in her current position at TSU. When not working, Tanya enjoys exercising and trying new brunch spots with her five-year old daughter.

Crystal Lynn Gerrard-Ramirez, Ph.D.

President-Elect

Crystal Lynn Gerrard-Ramirez is an Assistant Professor of Music Education at the University of North Texas, where she teaches both undergraduate and graduate courses in instrumental music education. Before joining the University of North Texas, Dr. Gerrard-Ramirez held public school teaching positions in Lewisville and Grand Prairie, Texas. She earned degrees from the University of Texas at Arlington (BM), Southern Methodist University (MM), and The Ohio State University (PhD).

Dr. Gerrard-Ramirez has presented at state, national, and international venues. She has published articles in the Journal of Research in Music Education, Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, Journal of Music Teacher Education, Update: Applications of Research in Music Education, Contributions to 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.

Dr. Gerrard-Ramirez currently serves on the Editorial Board for Contributions to Music Education and the Advisory Committee for Music Educators Journal.

Mark Montemayor, Ph.D.

Past President

Mark Montemayor is an associate professor in the music education division of the University of North Texas College of Music, where he teaches instrumental methods and graduate courses in research and curriculum. Previously, he was Professor of Music and head of music education at the University of Northern Colorado. His research work includes matters related to the cognitive psychology of music instruction, with particular focus on teacher evaluation, musical modeling, conductor expressivity, and music teacher education. His research is published the Journal of Research in Music Education, International Journal of Music Education, the Journal of Music Teacher Education, and Psychology of Music, and he is the lead author of World Music Pedagogy, Volume IV: Instrumental Music Education (Routledge, 2018). He has served on the Editorial Committee for JRME and the Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, and he was the chair of the Learning and Development Special Research Interest Group for NAfME.

Dr. Montemayor previously taught music at Gig Harbor High School in Gig Harbor, Washington. He holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Texas at Austin, where he studied saxophone and music education, and he earned Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy degrees at the University of Washington.

Travis Maslen

Member-at-Large

Liaison to Social Media Chair

Travis Maslen is the Band Director and Professor of Music at San Jacinto College in Houston, Texas. He oversees the music program administratively, educationally, and leadership-wise. Course instruction includes Sight Singing and Ear Training, American Popular Music, Music Appreciation, Composition, and Applied Music. Since his time at San Jacinto College, Travis formed the jazz band and the North Campus Society of Composers. He recently accepted the position of Wind Ensemble Co-Coordinator for the Texas Community College Band Directors Association (TCCBDA).

Previously, he was the Instrumental Music Director for nineteen years at Christian Brothers High School in Sacramento, California. Travis also served as Department Chair of the Media, Visual, and Performing Arts Department. As Director of Instrumental Music, he conducted and oversaw three levels of band: jazz band, drumline, string orchestra, and handbell ensemble. During his last year working at a high school, Travis served on the California All-State Golden State Honors Band committee.

Travis Maslen's creative aptitude extends beyond his role as a leader and educator. As a composer and arranger, he has created exciting works. His works, spanning the classical and jazz genres, have been performed by instrumental and choral ensembles, both large and small. Notable ensembles and events that have featured his compositions include the Liberty University Band; Festival of New American Music (FeNAM) annually held at California State University, Sacramento; Cosumnes River College Brass Choir; San Jacinto College Band; Sacramento Gay Men's Chorus; Princeton Singers; Trombone Christmas Los Angeles; Tuba Christmas Sacramento and Monterey; and Handbell Ensembles. His compositions are a testament to his creativity and versatility.

Travis Maslen's academic journey has been marked by a relentless pursuit of musical knowledge and excellence. He holds a BA in music and an MM in music composition from California State University, Sacramento. His thirst for knowledge continues unabated as a music education doctoral student. His academic achievements are a testament to his commitment to his craft and desire to continually enhance his understanding of music.

Alec Scherer, Ph.D.

Member-at-Large

Liaison to Advocacy Chair

Alec D. Scherer (BM, Lawrence University; MM, Boise State University; PhD, University of Missouri-Columbia) is an Assistant Professor of Music Education at Texas State University (TXST). At TXST, he teaches undergraduate and graduate music education courses, oversees the Masters of Music in Music Education degree program, and advises student organization chapters of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia and Collegiate Texas Music Educators. Dr. Scherer has presented music education research at state, national, and international venues. Recent presentations have included the Symposium on Music Teacher Education, Indianapolis, IN (2025); Music Research & Teacher Education NAfME Biennial Conference, Atlanta, GA (2024); the International Society for Music Education Conference, Helsinki, Finland (2024); and the International Music Perception and Cognition Conference, Tokyo, Japan (2023).

His research is published in the Journal of Research in Music Education, International Journal of Research in Music Education, Journal of Music Teacher Education, Update: Applications of Research in Music Education, Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, Research Perspectives in Music Education, and the Missouri Journal of Research in Music Education. Dr. Scherer currently serves as a member of the editorial board for Contributions to Music Education, as co-facilitator of the Program Admission Assessment and Alignment Area for Strategic Planning and Action (ASPA) within the Society for Music Teacher Education (SMTE), and as a member of the research committee of the Texas Music Educators Association. His research interests include democratic music education, instrumental rehearsal techniques, conducting, music perception, and preservice music teacher preparation.

Zachary Edwards

State Director

Zachary Edwards teaches elementary music in Galena Park ISD in Houston, TX, and is a doctoral candidate in music education at the University of Houston, with a minor in applied percussion. He has served as both a teaching assistant and adjunct instructor in music education at the University of Houston, as well as an adjunct professor of music at San Jacinto College. Previously, he taught in KIPP Texas Public Schools, where he served as regional content lead for primary music and contributed to the development of student growth and achievement assessments. In addition to teaching, Zach is a freelance percussionist and the owner and mallet maker of Edwards Mallets.

Zach holds a bachelor’s degree in music education from Texas A&M University–Commerce (now East Texas A&M University), graduating cum laude with honors, and a master’s degree in music education from Tarleton State University, where he was recognized as the Fine Arts Department’s Outstanding Graduate Student. He currently serves as state executive director of NAfME-Texas, the Texas affiliate of the National Association for Music Education, and previously held roles as treasurer and member-at-large for the Texas Gulf Coast Orff Association. Zach has presented professional development sessions, workshops, and guest lectures on elementary music pedagogy and mallet-making, and his writing has been published by the American Orff-Schulwerk Association, the Percussive Arts Society, and Music ConstructED. He is certified in Kodály and Orff-Schulwerk methodologies and has completed Music Learning Theory Elementary General Level I.

Committee of Chairs

Shauna Satrom Pickens, Ph.D.

Collegiate Chair

Dr. Shauna Satrom Pickens is an Assistant Professor of Music Education at Texas Tech University, where she teaches courses in music education and serves as a field supervisor for student teachers. Previously, she was an Assistant Professor of Music Education at Concordia College in Moorhead, MN, where she served as Coordinator of Music Education and Director of the Master of Music in Music Education program. Prior to her higher education positions, she served as a middle school band director in Pflugerville, TX for almost 10 years.

As a researcher, Dr. Pickens’ work is focused on teaching music in low-SES urban and rural communities, music teacher preparation, and instrument preferences of children. She has presented her research at the National Association for Music Education conference, the Symposium for Music Teacher Education, and the TMEA conference. She has also co-authored articles published in Update: Applications for Research in Music Education and Texas Music Education Research. Dr. Pickens earned her Bachelor of Music in trombone performance from Texas Tech University, Master of Music in trombone performance from Southern Methodist University, and PhD in Music Education from Texas Tech University.

Loneka Battiste, Ph.D.

Social Justice Chair

Loneka Wilkinson Battiste is an international scholar with over 20 years of experience teaching music in school and community settings. She received a Bachelor of Arts in Education (Music Concentration) from Dillard University, a Master of Music degree in Vocal Performance from the University of Oklahoma, and a Ph. D. in Music Education from Louisiana State University. Her scholarly interests include culturally responsive teaching and Black musical aesthetics. Her work has been published in the Choral Journal, Journal of Historical Research in Music Education, Journal of General Music Education, Proceedings of the International Society for Music Education, and General Music: Dimensions of Practice. She has presented several papers and sessions at local, national, and international conferences and symposia. She is also an active clinician who presents workshops on culturally responsive teaching and Black musical aesthetics. She has been a featured clinician for the Texas Music Educators Association conference in San Antonio, Texas, and was the featured mini-conference presenter for the Organization of American Kodály Educators national conference.

Before entering higher education, she was the Pre-K through 12 elementary general and choral instructor at Southern University Laboratory School in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She served as Assistant Minister of Music at Greater Mount Carmel Baptist Church for ten years and was music director for several community theater productions. In addition, she co-created and led a summer performing arts program for children in the Baton Rouge community. Loneka Wilkinson Battiste is committed to ensuring all students experience a sense of belonging at the center ofschool music programs.

Laura Bock

Pre-Service Teacher Education Chair

Laura Bock is currently a 3rd year PhD student in the Music and Human Learning department at The University of Texas at Austin. As a young musician, Bock grew up in central Maryland where she was an active member of her high school band and orchestra programs. She completed a double concentration in Music Education and Flute Performance at James Madison University and a master’s degree in Music and Human Learning at The University of Texas at Austin. From 2011-2015, Bock taught 5th and 6th grade band at Walker Upper Elementary School in Charlottesville City Schools and served as the District XIII representative to the Virginia Band and Orchestra Directors Association. Between 2017 and 2022, Bock was the Assistant Band Director at Blue Valley Southwest High School in Overland Park, Kansas as well as its associated elementary and middle school feeder schools where she worked with students in Grades 5-12. She was recognized as the 2020-2021 Outstanding Young Music Educator for eastern central Kansas. Bock enjoys working with a variety of students across different musical content areas and age levels.

AJ Marks

Advocacy Chair

AJ Marks serves as the Music Teacher at The University of Texas Elementary School in Austin, Texas, where he was recognized as New Teacher of the Year in 2023. There, he works with Pre-K through 5th grade students in Orchestra, Music Production, and Foundations in Music classes. He also serves as the Program Director for the Musical Lives orchestra program at UT Elementary, which supports the orchestra students at the school as well as undergraduate and graduate students from the Butler School of Music through a teacher development program. A native Austinite, Marks grew up active in his local band and orchestra programs as a trumpeter. He is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, holding a BM in Instrumental Music Studies and a minor in Educational Psychology. Marks is passionate about bringing quality music education to all students regardless of age, background, or circumstances. He has worked with musicians from infancy through adulthood, fostering strong musical skills, curiosity, passion, and joy in a variety of educational contexts.

Demi Edwards

Website & Social Media Chair

Demi Edwards brings 11 years of experience in education, with a background in both music and literacy instruction. She currently serves as the Assistant Principal of Instruction for K–2 STEM at KIPP CONNECT Primary School, where she previously taught kindergarten and first-grade English Language Arts.

Before transitioning into administration, Demi taught elementary music for six years in Spring Branch ISD and most recently taught fourth-grade ELA at Étoile Academy. During her time in Spring Branch ISD, she held several leadership roles, including grade-level chair, campus website publisher, and organizer of the district's elementary choir festival. As a general education and ELA teacher, she has supported test administration, led summer and weekend academies, and mentored new teachers.

Demi holds a bachelor’s degree in music education and a master’s degree in educational administration with principal certification. She is also a past president of the Texas Gulf Coast Orff Association, holds Kodály certification, and has completed Levels I and II of Orff-Schulwerk training. Her foundation in music continues to shape her approach to instruction and leadership, emphasizing community-building, creativity, and joyful student engagement.

Constitution and Bylaws

nafme-texas_handbook_approved_2021.pdf

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