Katie Black (formerly Vercek)

Orchestra Director, Butler Senior High & Intermediate High School, Butler Area School District

Katie Black is an orchestra educator and violinist who believes music has the power to create community, build confidence, and give students a place to belong. She has taught in the Butler Area School District since 2015, working with students in grades 6–12. She is the founder and director of Butler Rock Orchestra, an audition-based group that takes classical strings and combines rock elements. Under her direction, the ensemble has performed throughout the region, including at the PMEA State Conference in 2020 and 2024, various elementary tours, and last December performed a sold out show in collaboration with Cello Fury at the historic Penn Theater in Butler.

Katie is passionate about creating meaningful opportunities for students to perform, lead, and find their own voice through music. She also performs throughout the region as a professional violinist and fiddler with The Jive Daisy and other musical projects. She holds a Bachelor of Music Education from Seton Hill University. Above all, Katie believes music brings people together and creates meaningful memories and experiences that can shape students for years to come.

Karen Bottegal

Music Teacher, Pittsburgh Montessori PreK-5, Pittsburgh Public Schools

I am an elementary general music teacher with Pittsburgh Public Schools, currently teaching at Pittsburgh Montessori PreK-5. I believe music education is about so much more than learning to sing, play an instrument, or read music. Music can help students discover who they are and find a place where they belong. It gives them opportunities to express themselves, connect with others, build confidence, and experience the joy of creating something together.

I also believe music brings joy to education. For some students, music class is the place where they feel most successful, most comfortable being themselves, or simply most excited to come to school. I love watching students discover something in music that becomes theirs, whether that is singing, playing an instrument, composing, moving, performing, or just realizing that they are a musician.

One of the most important parts of my work is making sure those experiences are available to every child. I want my students to leave elementary school knowing that music is something they can participate in, enjoy, and carry with them, wherever their lives take them.

Eryn Carranza

Band Director, South Fayette High School and Intermediate School, South Fayette Twp. School District

Eryn Carranza began her tenure with the South Fayette Township School District in 2007 and has served as Director of Bands at South Fayette High School since 2011. In this role, she conducts the marching band, concert bands, pep band, pit orchestra, percussion ensemble, and, most recently, the jazz ensemble. She also teaches at South Fayette Intermediate School, where she directs the Beginning Band and 5th Grade Band, giving her the unique opportunity to work with students from their very first experiences as instrumental musicians through their high school years.

From 2019 through 2025, Eryn had the honor of serving the members of District 1 of the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association (PMEA), including as District President from 2021 to 2023. During a period marked by the challenges of the pandemic, she helped reestablish in-person PMEA events, establish a mini-grant program to support music education throughout the district, and strengthen connections among music educators across the region.

Eryn continues to perform on her primary instrument, tuba, with community ensembles including the Allegheny Brass Band and West Hills Symphonic Band. She is also a proud two-time member of the Saluting America’s Band Directors Marching Band, performing in both the Rose Parade and Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Eryn believes music is at the core of who we are as human beings. It is an essential part of our culture and our humanity, with a remarkable power to unite people across generations, cultures, and differences. Music can make us rejoice, make us weep, and help us express what words alone cannot. In a world that continues to yearn for peace, music and the arts offer hope for greater unity, acceptance, and understanding.

So many of the people who have shaped Eryn’s life are in it because of music education. Her hope is to provide that same gift to her students—not only by teaching them to become musicians, but by creating a place where they feel safe, where they belong, where they are valued and loved, and where they are free to become the truest versions of themselves.

Jason Cheskawich

Music Educator, Mellon Middle School, Mt. Lebanon School District

Jason Cheskawich has been teaching in the Mt. Lebanon School District since 2010, spending most of his time at the high school directing concert, jazz, and marching ensembles. He currently teaches bands at Mellon Middle School.

Throughout his career, Jason has been fortunate to prepare students to perform on remarkable stages, including PMEA Annual In-Service Conferences, the PMEA/NAfME Eastern Division Conference, and the Music for All National Festival. He earned his Bachelor of Music degree from Duquesne University in 1998, where he studied trumpet with George Vosburgh and conducting with Dr. Robert Cameron.

For Jason, the most meaningful part of music education is helping students grow—not only as musicians, but as people. He believes music has a unique ability to bring people together and create experiences that stay with them their entire lives. Jason lives in Mt. Lebanon with his wife, Amanda, a fellow Mt. Lebanon music educator, and their three children, Lilly, Carson, and Emma.

Mairi Cooper

Orchestra Director, Fox Chapel Area High School, Fox Chapel Area School District

Mairi Cooper has been a music teacher and orchestra director at Fox Chapel Area High School for the past 25 years. Under Mairi’s leadership, the Fox Chapel Area High School music program was the first public school recognized as an “Exemplary Program” by the Middle States Accreditation Committee. In 2015-16, Mairi was honored to have served as the Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year.

Mairi is an ardent advocate of public education, believing that it is an imperative to offer quality education to every child. She is passionate about the importance of educating the whole child and believes that all children should receive an education that both interests and challenges them. She believes strongly that creativity in children must be nurtured and developed. A quality education always includes the arts.

Mairi has received numerous awards for her teaching including Pennsylvania/Delaware String Teachers Association Outstanding New Orchestra Teacher Award, the Yale University Distinguished Music Educator Award, and the Carson Scholar “Power of Excellence.” Mairi’s proudest moments have occurred when her students have used music as a change agent within the Pittsburgh community, sharing their talents to better other’s lives.

Sean Desguin

Elementary Band Director; Central, Poff, and Wyland Elementary Schools, Hampton Middle School; Hampton Township School District

I am in my 25th year teaching, having spent the past 20 years as Elementary Band Director in the Hampton Township School District. I also serve as Assistant Director of the Hampton Middle School and Hampton High School Marching Bands. Since 2006, I have been Associate Conductor of the North Pittsburgh Symphonic Band, a community ensemble based in the north hills of Pittsburgh. I believe in the power of music education to build creativity, teamwork, and perseverance!

Becky Dougan

General Music and Chorus Teacher, Pittsburgh Dilworth PreK-5, Pittsburgh Public Schools

I’m grateful to have been a music teacher for 33 years, the last 23 in Pittsburgh Public Schools. I believe that music education provides children with opportunities to grow in artistic skill and creativity, but also connect with their humanity and that of their school, city, and world communities.

Mariann Fox

Elementary Vocal Music Teacher, Markham & Foster Elementary Schools, Mt. Lebanon

Mariann is beginning her 35th year as a music educator, with the past 14 years spent teaching elementary music in the Mt. Lebanon School District outside of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. During her time in Mt. Lebanon, she has also had the opportunity to serve as the Supervisor of Fine Arts and Health and Physical Education.

Mariann began her teaching career in her alma mater, the Aliquippa School District, before continuing her work in the Quaker Valley School District and ultimately joining the Mt. Lebanon School District. For the past two years, she has also served as an Ambassador for the QuaverEd Music program.

Music has always been an important part of Mariann’s life. It has provided her with a meaningful outlet for creativity and a lifelong passion for performance—one that naturally grew into a desire to share the joy and power of music with children. After 35 years in education, that passion continues to inspire her work and the students she serves.

Deanna Grandstaff

Band Director, Cecil Intermediate School, Canon-McMillan School District

Music has been a meaningful part of my life for as long as I can remember, and becoming a music educator has allowed me to share that passion with others. I have been fortunate to serve the children of the Canon-McMillan School District since 2007. I teach 5th and 6th grade band at Cecil Intermediate School and 4th grade band at Muse Elementary School.

I earned a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Penn State University and a Master of Education in Teaching and Leadership from Point Park University. I am the second music educator to earn a Pennsylvania Endorsement in Social, Emotional, and Behavioral Management of PK-12 Students.

I serve on the Recording Academy’s national Music Education and Professional Development Committee. I am the only recipient of the Country Music Association Foundation’s Music Teachers of Excellence Award from Pennsylvania. I have been a Quarterfinalist for the Grammy Music Educator Award in 2027, 2026, 2024, and 2023.

I believe music education is about much more than learning to play an instrument or perform a piece of music. Music provides students with opportunities to develop confidence, creativity, perseverance, collaboration, and a sense of belonging. I am especially passionate about creating an inclusive environment where every student has the opportunity to experience the benefits of music, regardless of physical limitations, cognitive disabilities, or socioeconomic circumstances.

Music is important to me because it has the unique ability to connect people. It can communicate emotions and experiences when words are not enough, bring people from different backgrounds together, and create lasting memories. I have seen firsthand how music can help students discover strengths they did not know they possessed and find a place where they feel successful and valued.

I hope to continue helping students experience the joy, connection, and lifelong impact that music has brought to my own life.

Tom Koharchik

Choir Director, Freeport Area High School and Middle School, Freeport Area School District

I have been the choir director at Freeport Area Middle and High Schools since 2006. In that position, I direct the 6th grade chorus, 7/8th grade chorus, and high school concert choir. I also teach music technology and produce/direct two high school musicals and one middle school musical each year. I am also the PMEA District 3 Treasurer and Secretary, the Freeport High School Key Club Advisor, Jr. Class Sponsor, Tri-M Advisor, and Yearbook Business Manager. I earned my BS in Music Education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 2003 and my Masters in Music Education from Duquesne University in 2014.

I believe music education is extremely important in order to foster an outlet for self-expression and belonging in our schools. It allows students to process complex emotions and discover their own unique identities in ways that no other subject can. It teaches students self-discipline, resilience, and patience. Music education also helps to bridge cultural and social divides by uniting diverse groups of people through a language of creativity and shared human experience.

Len Lavelle

Band Director and Curriculum Leader, North Hills High School, North Hills School District

Len is in his 25th year of teaching and currently serves as the High School Band Director and Music Department Curriculum Leader at North Hills.

Not coming from a musical family, he remembers the impact of attending student outreach events through the PSO in high school. He went on to study with members of the orchestra and the PSO has remained an important part of his life.

Len still teaches music today because he has seen the power of a quality music education and ensemble music to change students' lives in ways that nothing else can.

He remains grateful for arts in Greater Pittsburgh, the North Hills music community, his administrators who value music education in our students' lives, the thousands of amazing students he has learned music with over the years, his inspiring and supportive colleagues, and, most importantly, his family Sarah (violin), Grace (clarinet/piano/voice), and Annie (horn/voice).

Thank you to the PSO for the honor of being here with you tonight and for choosing to make a difference through music.

Sarah Lavelle

Orchestra Teacher, North Allegheny Senior High School, North Allegheny School District

I started my career in the Beaver Area School District, and I've been teaching in the North Allegheny School District since 2006. I teach string orchestra classes at North Allegheny Intermediate and Senior High Schools.

I get to work with incredible students every day, and I love watching them grow as musicians over their high school years. I became a music teacher because of the incredible teachers I had growing up and because of the impact music had on my life; I strive to give my students the same experiences and hope music enriches their lives as well.

Marissa McFarren

Band Director, Brownsville Area Schools, Brownsville Area School District

I am now in my fifth year of building the music program at Brownsville, and it has been a true privilege to watch it grow. What began with just 13 students has developed into a thriving music department with multiple ensembles, awards, and meaningful opportunities for students of all abilities and backgrounds.

There is an indescribable joy in creating the same memorable, life-shaping experiences for our students that we once experienced ourselves—experiences that inspired us to become educators and ultimately led us here. Watching our students discover that same joy through music is one of the most rewarding parts of what we do!

Keegan McLean

Director of Bands, Redbank Valley Intermediate and High School, Redbank Valley School District

Sharing music is important with others because it is one of the few innate subjects that surrounds us our entire lives. I was lucky enough to have many inspirational music teachers at Plum Senior High and want to provide that experience for my students.

Katie Miller

Music Teacher, Dickson Preparatory STEAM Academy, Woodland Hills School District

I have dedicated over 20 years to serving the Woodland Hills School District through music education and currently teach 6th grade Chorus and 7th & 8th grade General Music at Dickson Preparatory STEAM Academy. I’ve been part of the Woodland Hills Marching Band staff for 26 seasons and maintain a small private flute studio.

Throughout my career, I have been passionate about expanding access to meaningful arts experiences. From writing curriculum and directing ensembles to securing grants, hosting guest artists, and bringing organizations like the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra into our schools, I believe everyone deserves opportunities to experience the transformative power of the arts, regardless of their background or circumstances.

Michael Pagnotta

Director of Bands, Huston Middle School and Burrel Hill School, Burrell School District

Michael Pagnotta is a native of Edison, New Jersey, who relocated to Pittsburgh back in 2012. He enjoys all of what Pittsburgh has to offer with his wife and 3 wonderful children. Before moving to Pittsburgh, he was a musician and educator all around the country. As a lifelong fan of musical theater and a woodwind doubler, he has had the chance to perform as a pit musician in musical productions in Pittsburgh, New Hampshire, Phoenix, San Diego, and New York City, both on and off Broadway.

As an educator, Michael has founded 4 music programs in his career. 3 in Phoenix, AZ, and 1 in Pittsburgh. In Phoenix, founded a middle school choir program, a high school choir/theater program, and a 2-12 general music program. When he moved to Pittsburgh, he started another instrumental music program for students in grades K-3. Since 2014, Michael has been the director of bands for grades 5-12 in the Burrell School District. He is responsible for all levels of band and all types of bands within Burrell. The true highlight of his job is the opportunity to teach the same students for 8 years consecutively and collaborate with his fellow music educators, all of whom his job affords him the opportunity to spend quality alongside.

Music has always been a part of his life even though he does not come from a musical family. Michael knew at a very early age that he wanted to spend his life teaching music to others. He has always found that music and music classrooms were a place for self-expression, fun, and a collective weirdness that everyone seems to enjoy. Music tends to make everyone more equal since we all strive for the same goal: exceptional performance. Michael tries to bring that same fun energy and a safe space for all to his music classrooms now. It is his belief that music ties people together with an indescribable bond that everyone should experience within their lifetime. There is nothing quite like chasing the feeling of a round of applause for your hard work.

Finally, Michael would like to thank his parents for supporting his passion for music, his wife for her love and patience with all of his performing and the time that music education demands, his children for reminding him constantly that being fun and weird is the most important thing in life, his friends for their constant support and encouragement, and finally all of his colleagues and fellow performers. Those are the people who make what we do the most enjoyable part. Every pit musician and music educator he has met along the way has been someone worth spending time with, laughing with, and performing with. Thank you to everyone for recommending Michael for this recognition. He is flattered and honored beyond words.

Douglas Reichenfeld

Orchestra Director, Mt. Lebanon High School, Mt. Lebanon School District

Doug Reichenfeld proudly serves as the orchestra director at Mt. Lebanon High School, where he has taught music at all levels since 1998. As a third generation music educator, he seeks to instill a commitment to musical excellence in all of his students, as well as a lifelong love of the arts and music. Doug is grateful for the music education he recieved at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, and for his early experiences as a trumpeter in PMEA, PYSO, and at the Pennsylvania Governor's School for the Arts.

Caroline Russell

Orchestra Director, Dutch Ridge Elementary, Beaver Area Middle School, Beaver Area High School, Beaver Area School District

I teach grades 4-12 orchestra at Beaver Area School District. I graduated from Duquesne University in 2021 with my B.S. in Music Education, and I will graduate from IUP with my M.A. in Music Education in December of 2026. I am a native violinist.

Music is important to me because of its ability to make us feel and push through. When you are teaching music to students, you aren't just teaching the technical aspects, you're teaching them how to express themselves. How to persevere. How to use critical thinking skills. How to problem solve. How to be independent. If I can help nurture one of those skills in a student and allow them to experience and express their emotions then I have done my job.

Rebecca Sensor

Choral Director/Music Instructor, DuBois Area Middle School, DuBois Area School District

Rebecca Sensor has taught music at DuBois Area Middle School since 2001. She teaches fifth-grade Rhythm and Movement, directs more than 300 students in the sixth- through eighth-grade choirs, leads the after-school theater program, and co-directs ukulele and modern band ensembles. Her previous roles include sixth-grade band director, middle school color guard instructor, and assistant high school marching band director. She currently chairs the DuBois Area School District Music and Performing Arts Department. The district has been recognized eight times as a NAMM Foundation Best Community for Music Education.

Rebecca earned a Bachelor of Arts in Music Education from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania and a Master of Education in Mid-Level Education and Curriculum from Walden University. An accomplished vocalist and flutist, she has performed at events across Pennsylvania. Her select choir performed in the Pennsylvania State Capitol Rotunda in 2009 and 2023. She has guest conducted numerous choral festivals, including PMEA District 3 Junior District Chorus, and will conduct the Rhode Island Music Education Association Elementary All-State Chorus in March.

Rebecca currently serves as President of the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association. Her previous PMEA leadership roles include District 3 President, Student Performance Events Council chair, and membership on several state committees and task forces. She has coordinated District 3 Chorus Fest since 2011, hosted numerous PMEA events, and co-hosted the 2019 All-State Chorus. She frequently presents professional development sessions at district, state, and national conferences and serves as a PMEA mentor, Model Curriculum Framework presenter, and modern band trainer.

A native of Somerset County, Rebecca credits her experiences in band, orchestra, and chorus at Somerset Area School District with inspiring her career in music education. She lives in Treasure Lake with her husband, Joe. Together, they raised their children, Max, Maddie, and Molly, and are now raising their nieces, Keti and Clara.

Christopher Snyder

Director of Bands, Deer Lakes High School, Deer Lakes School District

I have been the Director of Bands in the Deer Lakes School District since 2006. In that time, my responsibilities have included directing the 6th Grade Ensemble, the 7th & 8th Grade Concert Band, the High School Symphonic Band, the Deer Lakes Marching Band and the Deer Lakes Jazz Ensemble. In addition to my ensemble duties, I also teach a Fundamentals of Guitar class, Music Theory and Composition and a History of Rock & Roll class.

I am an active member of Pennsylvania Music Educators Association (PMEA), hold an executive position on the board of the Alle-Kiski Valley Band Directors Association (AKVBDA) and am the current President of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Marching Band Association (PIMBA).

Chad Toporski

Music Teacher, Quaker Valley Middle School, Quaker Valley School District

Chad Toporski has served as the choral director and general music teacher at Quaker Valley Middle School since January 2025. Beyond the classroom, he serves as the producer and vocal director for the middle school musical, producer and pit conductor for the high school musical, and director of QV Harmony, the middle school contemporary a cappella ensemble. Previously, Chad taught in a similar capacity for 14 years at Hopewell Memorial Jr. High School in Beaver County.

An active member of the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association (PMEA) and National Association for Music Education (NAfME), Chad served four years as President of PMEA District 5 and on the PMEA State Board, championing expanded support for music educators, students, and programs. He continues to volunteer in PMEA District 1, advocating for equitable, high-quality music education at all levels. Chad firmly believes music is fundamental to our humanity—moving us emotionally, building community, and enriching our culture.

Aaron Taylor

Marching Band Director, Perry Traditional Academy 9-12, Pittsburgh Public Schools

Aaron Taylor is the marching band director at Perry Traditional Academy located in the North Side of Pittsburgh, Pa. Aaron is passionate about creating safe spaces for students to find and discover who they are in the arts. For the last 5 years, Aaron has successfully rebuilt the Perry Traditional Academy Marching Band. The Marching Band currently has 25 students who are passionate about striving to be the best they can be for each other and the marching band. During the month of May 2026, Aaron Taylor teamed up with Obama Academy 6 - 12 to travel down to Washington D.C. to march in the National Memorial Day Parade for America's 250th celebration. Aaron believes that music can open doors for all students: “We build the doors with the foundation of music which then allows the students access to walk through to a world of opportunities! Music is the key to allow students to become who they aspire to be.”

Nina Unitas

Senior Program Officer, Arts Education, Office of Curriculum & Instruction, Pittsburgh Public Schools

Music has always been a powerful force in my life, both personally and professionally. As an educator and arts advocate, I have seen firsthand how music can inspire, heal, and connect people across. Throughout my career in public education, I have supported music programs and worked alongside talented music educators who create transformative learning experiences for young people every day.

Music is important to me because it provides opportunities for creativity, emotional expression, and community building. Whether through performance, listening, or composition, music allows individuals to share their stories and deepen their understanding of others.

Shawn van Mastrigt

General Music/Musical Theater Director, Turner Intermediate School, Wilkinsburg School District

Shawn van Mastrigt is in his 32nd year teaching music in the Wilkinsburg School District. He began his career teaching high school choir and band, and now teaches at Turner Intermediate School, where his program is built on hands-on music making — African drumming, ukulele, choir, singing, and movement. A longtime participant in Carnegie Mellon University's Urban Music Education Program, he also founded and directs Turner's After-School Musical Theater program, now in its sixth year.

Shawn believes music belongs to everyone, not just the talented few, and he builds his program so that every student gets to perform. Stepping onto a stage asks something of them that little else does — courage, preparation, and trust in the people beside them. Students walk off changed by it. What he hopes they carry longest is simpler: a love of music and theater, woven into ordinary life.

Lucas Beaver

Band Director, North Hills School District

Lucas Beaver is a passionate educator dedicated to supporting and uplifting his students within and beyond the music classroom at North Hills High School. He firmly believes in establishing a culture of learning, responsibility, and both musical and personal growth in the band program and works closely with his orchestra and chorus colleagues along with the counselors, administrators, and faculty for the benefit of all involved. In addition to his position at North Hills, Lucas is the President of District 1 of the Pennsylvania Music Educators’ Association, advocating for quality music education and organizing inspirational music experiences for students across five counties.

Jesse Bush

Music Teacher, Serra Catholic High School

Jesse Bush is the high school music teacher at Serra Catholic High School. There, he directs the band, marching band, and the spring musical. Jesse takes on the challenge of giving every student in his music program — particularly the marching band program — a fantastic experience. He takes the marching band to perform at competitions and makes sure they are able to travel and have similar experiences as students in other, larger, marching bands. It’s clear to anyone who watches his students perform that they are enjoying their time in Jesse’s ensembles.

Marylou Monich Bushyager

Music Specialist, Pittsburgh Allegheny PreK-5, Pittsburgh King PreK-8, Pittsburgh Langley PreK-8, Pittsburgh Westwood PreK-5, Pittsburgh Public Schools

Marylou has been working as a music educator in the Pittsburgh Public Schools since January of 2004. She is a graduate of Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania and holds a Bachelor of Science in Music Education (Saxophone) and a Master of Education in Special Education from Carlow University. She has taught high school choir, jazz ensemble, marching band, Middle School and Elementary instrumental music, modern band, and special music education. Her students have collaborated with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Manchester Craftsman’s Guild, Pittsburgh Opera, Carnegie Mellon University, Urban Impact Foundation, PMEA, and performed at many community events throughout Pittsburgh. Her instrument group received a Superior rating at the High Note Music Festival at Duquesne University and recorded a music video with the Urban Music Education Project. Her philosophy is that music helps us grow in kindness, compassion, love, education, and helps us learn to thrive together in peace and harmony.

Robert Carr

Band Director, Woodland Hills High School

“In addition to serving as the daytime Band Director at Woodland Hills, I also direct our Marching Band, our Junior Musical, Assistant Direct our Spring Musical, and serve as a Performing Arts Workshop Instructor. I am extremely proud to teach at my alma mater and am thrilled to be able to help my wonderful students gain meaningful music experiences! They amaze me every day!”

Tina L. Esu

Music Specialist, Pittsburgh Faison, Pittsburgh Public Schools

Tina Esu is a Music Specialist at Pittsburgh Faison who has been working at Pittsburgh Public Schools since 1998. She goes above and beyond to help her students learn music in ways that truly resonate with them — using rhythm, the music they listen to at home, and connections with community partners to inspire learning and performance. Her collaborations with ChaRon Don have gone viral, showcasing original works that amplify student voices and celebrate their creativity. Whether her students are composing, performing, or diving into music literacy, Tina creates a space where they are engaged, confident, and thriving.

Sarah Giliberto

Music Educator, Pittsburgh Brookline PreK-8, Pittsburgh Public Schools

Sarah Giliberto has been teaching in the Pittsburgh Public Schools since February 2005. After spending 16 years teaching instrumental and vocal music at Carrick High School, she made a big career shift and moved to Brookline PreK-8 to instill a love of music in younger students. One of her favorite things to do is take her students to the Schooltime concerts at the PSO, especially when it’s their first trip to Heinz Hall. “I love how their little faces light up when they see the elegance of the hall and hear the beauty of the music. It makes everything worthwhile.” She is also only one of two music educators in her district with a National Board of Professional Teaching Standards Certification.

Stephanie Glover

Orchestra Director, Bethel Park High School, Bethel Park School District

Stephanie Glover is the orchestra director at Bethel Park High School. A tireless advocate for music education, she believes in nurturing lifelong musicians, and her students share her passion for playing and for the art form. Outside of her work at Bethel Park, where she has grown the orchestral program to a high level, she works extensively with students through TRYPO and PMEA, ensuring that young musicians can participate in high-quality and engaging ensembles.

Brian Lee

Music Director, Allderdice High School, Pittsburgh Public Schools

Brian Lee is the Music Director at Allderdice High School, where he leads vibrant ensembles who perform at marching festivals, PMEA events, and in the community. Beyond his instrumental work, Brian teaches one of the few AP Music Theory courses in the area along with choir and general music. He also regularly leads the pit orchestra in school musicals and accompanies his studies in cabaret performances. He is a powerful, witty, skilled musician and leader — we are lucky to have him work with our young people!

Dr. Kim Prentice

Coordinator, Performing Arts at the Pittsburgh Public Schools Office of Curriculum & Instruction

Dr. Kim Prentice serves as the Coordinator of Performing Arts for Pittsburgh Public Schools, supporting joyful, child-centered music learning across the city and advocating for equitable access to quality music education. Outside of the classroom, Kim enjoys competing in triathlon and traveling with family.

Jeanne Tupper

Orchestra Director & Music Teacher Grades 6–8, South Fayette Middle School, South Fayette Township School District

Jeanne Tupper is the Orchestra Director and Music Teacher at South Fayette Middle School. Since she started at South Fayette, she has grown their strings program by leaps and bounds. She teaches with sound pedagogical strategies and her students demonstrate consistent growth and improvement. She also volunteers her time to be the orchestra content representative to ensure consistency within the PMEA Orchestra festival system. In this role, she also sits on the statewide Student Performance Events Council.

Ronnie Ziccardi

Band Director, Avonworth School District

Ronnie’s teaching responsibilities at Avonworth include 3rd Grade General Music, 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th/8th Grade Bands, Marching Band Assistant Director and Percussion Instructor, Middle School Jazz Band Director, and Director of the Musical Pit Orchestra. During his current 9-year tenure, the Avonworth elementary band program has expanded by about 6 times the number of involved students. The 6th-grade band participated in the PMEA Music Performance Assessment in 2023, 2024, and 2025 and has been awarded Superior Ratings (the highest rating possible) in all 3 performances.