Music teacher who values student voices and cultures. I am the Director of Bands and Guitar Ensembles at KIPP Austin Brave High School in Austin, TX. I teach 3 concert bands and 3 guitar ensembles. My main focus is this role has been to build a culture of excellence, wherein my students deliver compelling performances while feeling a deep sense of belonging and excitement about being in our music program. My approach to leading our program is student-centered: with my guidance, students select nearly every piece we perform and get the opportunity to be the "teacher for the day," even in their first year as a music student. I was honored as a quarterfinalist for the 2023 GRAMMY Music Educator Award for my success in this role, and identified as a "high-performing teacher," the highest designation I can earn in my district based on my service credit. As a Fine Arts SGA Fellow, I oversee student growth and achievement assessment data for all music teachers in KIPP Texas.I graduated summa cum laude from the University of Louisville with the Bachelor of Music in Music Education and the Bachelor of Music in Trumpet Performance, where I was identified as the most outstanding graduate from the School of Music that semester, and inducted into Pi Kappa Lambda. I held various student leadership roles in the University, such as in the Cardinal Marching Band, REACH tutoring program, and in the University's chapter of NAfME.