Meet Your Host
Bryson Tarbet, M.M.Ed
Bryson Tarbet, a passionate advocate for inclusive music education, transitioned from a career as a PreK-6th grade general music teacher to full-time instructional coach. With a Bachelor’s of Music in Music Education from Ohio Wesleyan University and a Master of Music in Music Education with a Kodály emphasis from Capital University, Bryson brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to his work.
During his tenure as an educator, Bryson spent a transformative year as part of an elementary school intervention team, where he discovered his passion for working with students with disabilities. Drawing from this experience and his personal journey as a neurodiverse individual, Bryson advocates strongly for creating sensory and emotionally-inclusive classrooms.
Now the founder of That Music Teacher, LLC, Bryson channels his dedication to music education into sharing diverse perspectives on issues relevant to educators nationwide. He hosts the popular That Music Podcast, catering specifically to elementary music teachers, and spearheads the Elementary Music Summit®, a platform for professional development and community-building.
Ashley Barajas-Galan
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Ashley Barajas-Galan (she/her) is a passionate music educator dedicated to fostering culturally sustaining learning environments for students in Chicago Public Schools. Born and raised on the South Side of Chicago, she understands the transformative power of representation in education. Ashley earned her Bachelor of Music Education from VanderCook College of Music in 2021 and her Master of Music Education from DePaul University in 2025.
Currently, she serves as the K-8 General Music Teacher at Hawthorne Scholastic Academy. She is committed to creating a culturally sustaining curriculum that reflects and honors the backgrounds of her students. As an All-City Orchestra Director, she works with middle and high school students across Chicago, creating a supportive space for young musicians of all backgrounds.
Beyond the classroom, Ashley is an Art Teacher Leader for CPS, facilitating professional development for arts educators and leading district-wide initiatives. She also performs as a vocalist and violinist with Mariachi Cuatro Vientos, which keeps her connected to her own culture. With a deep commitment to equity in education, Ashley blends music, culture, and advocacy to empower the next generation of musicians and creative thinkers.
Brittany Brandt
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Brittany Brandt (she/her) is the Lower School Music Teacher at Browne Academy in Alexandria, Virginia, where she teaches students from preschool through fourth grade and leads the middle school drama program. A passionate advocate for music for all, Brittany believes that joyful, hands-on music making helps children grow in confidence, empathy, and community.
She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from West Chester University and a Master’s in Music Education from Shenandoah University. Her professional interests include early childhood music development, musical aptitude, and using theater and movement to nurture creativity and problem-solving.
Brittany shares her love of teaching through her growing online community, where she offers practical, purposeful classroom resources designed to help educators cultivate lifelong musicians and a joy for music making.
Lauren Cecchini-Butler
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Lauren Cecchini-Butler (she/her) is a music educator, vocalist and teacher resource creator based in Boston, Ma. She earned her MFA in Music Composition from the Vermont College of Fine Arts and her BME from Edinboro University of PA. She also attended Berklee College of Music as a vocal major.
Lauren been teaching K-5 general music and middle school chorus in public schools since 2015. In addition to directing her home school chorus, Lauren also co-directs the district-wide chorus, Voices of Brookline.
Having developed a passionate, dedicated and enthusiastic leadership style, Lauren enjoys sharing her love of teaching music with other music educators around the world.
Chelsea Cook
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Chelsea L. Cook, a nationally recognized music educator and Orff specialist, has led award-winning ensembles to the White House, the Midwest Clinic, and EuroDisney. A Top 10 AJC Educator, she holds Orff Level 3 and Masterclass certification and was featured on The Kelly Clarkson Show. She was the 2020–2022 Teacher of the Year for Dunaire Elementary as well as the DeKalb County School District Region 2 Teacher of the Year. Her elite student ensemble, Dynamix, will perform as a featured ensemble at Carnegie Hall in June 2026.
Allison Croskey
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Allison Croskey (she/her) is a General Music Teacher in Cincinnati, OH. She teaches kindergarten to 5th grade music. She is a Recorder Teacher Educator and has shared many workshops and presentations throughout the country. She is the President of the Greater Cincinnati Chapter of AOSA. Allison, a true Cincinnati sports fan, loves to watch all her favorite games with her husband and daughter. Allison is probably rooting around in her garden when not rooting for her sports teams.
Dariana Jimenez
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Dariana Jimenez is a K-5 music teacher at a large public school in South Florida, where she teaches 900 students each week. She loves singing with them, guiding them in playing fun and accessible instruments, and making beautiful music together. Her mission is to inspire young learners to discover their voices, build confidence through creativity, and experience the joy of musical expression.
Dana Rizzo-Kemp
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Dana Rizzo-Kemp (she/her) is in her 8th year of teaching at in Tenafly, NJ, where she teaches preschool through fifth grade general music and directs the choir. Her goal is to inspire students from a young age to develop a lifelong love and appreciation for music. Dana holds a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education and an MAT in Special Education from Montclair State University. Dana has presented at multiple workshops around New Jersey, including NJMEA, NJSMA events, and PD sessions within her district. Outside the classroom, Dana performs locally as a pianist for musicals, weddings, and church services, and enjoys spending her free time taking photos, hiking with her dog, and riding her horse.
Jessica Quinlan
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Jessica Quinlan is a K–5 elementary music teacher in Texas who is dedicated to fostering musical literacy, hands-on music making, and social-emotional development. A graduate of The Ohio State University, she integrates story-based learning, vocal exploration, movement, instruments and manipulatives to support whole-child growth. Jessica designs purposeful, developmentally aligned lessons that build musical skills over time while keeping engagement joyful and inclusive. She enjoys sharing ideas with colleagues and continuously refining her practice to support meaningful music-making for all students.
Christina Reardon
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Christina Reardon (she/her) currently teaches K-8 music and movement in Cincinnati, Ohio. For the last 18 years she has taught general music, choir, theater, and handbells in public, private, and parochial schools. She received her Bachelors of Music in Music Education and Masters of Music degrees from Miami University, her Orff Schulwerk certification from the University of Cincinnati, and also has multiple post-level III experiences. She is past- president and current program chair for the Greater Cincinnati AOSA chapter and an AOSA Movement Teacher Educator. Christina is an experienced clinician who has presented at MEA conferences and for AOSA chapters around the country as well as at various AOSA national conferences and loves helping educators find joy in their classrooms. In her spare time, Christina enjoys running, traveling, and spending time with her family.
Jon Torrence
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Jon Torrence (he/him) is a musician and educator based out of Michigan, USA. He has taught various facets of music spanning ages ranging from Pre-K to adult learners in the idioms of contemporary, pop, and folk music. His main instruments are guitar and trumpet, and as he is heavily influenced by jazz music, improvisation is integrated all throughout his craft, including his voice in education.
Dr. Erin Zaffini
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Dr. Erin Zaffini (she/her) is the Assistant Dean of Teacher Education for Longy School of Music’s online Master of Music Education degrees, online Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies, and online Teacher Continuing Education. She is also a faculty member for Carnegie Hall’s Music Educators Workshop and a workshop clinician for Music ConstructED. As a music education consultant and curriculum specialist in teaching music to students through the lens of Universal Design for Learning, and the areas of access, equity and inclusion in music education, Erin is an active clinician and educational consultant for school districts and fine and performing arts departments and organizations around the world.
She has served as the Eastern Division Representative for NAfME’s General Music Council and as the Collegiate Coordinator, General Music Chair and Mentor Program Coordinator for the New Hampshire Music Educators Association. In addition, she sits on the Advisory Committee for Music Educators Journal. Erin is a proud partner and collaborator with the United Nations through her role on Zero Project’s international Inclusive Arts Council. Erin is an instructional coach for music educators and administrators and is the project leader for instituting national music educator mentor training within the Society for Music Teacher Education and the National Association for Music Education. She has developed and enacted numerous music educator mentoring and induction programs and is currently the Director of the Massachusetts Music Educators Association music educator mentoring program. She is the recipient of the Keene State College Excellence in Teaching and Excellence in Performance Awards. She has published articles in General Music Today, Music Educators Journal, Qualitative Research in Music Education, and Update: Applications of Research in Music Education.
Hannah Zimmerman
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Hannah Zimmermann has been teaching K-5 music for eight years. She is certified in Kodaly Level I and II, and she truly loves teaching young students the joys of music! Her mission is to make music purposeful, magical, and joyful for all students.