Christina Baird is an accomplished music educator, choral director, and flutist with more than 20 years of experience in Austin ISD and the greater Austin music community. She currently serves as Choir Director at Clint Small Middle School and as Youth Choir Director at the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, where she has led choral programs since 2015. Ms. Baird holds a Bachelor of Music in Music Education from The University of Texas at Austin, is certified in All-Level Music (PK–12) and English as a Second Language (EC–6), and has completed Kodály Levels I–III. Throughout her career, she has taught general music, choir, and band at multiple Austin ISD campuses, including Blazier, Becker, and Odom Elementary Schools, and has maintained an active private flute studio since 1999. Her leadership roles include conductor of the Austin ISD All-City Elementary Honor Choir, co-chair of the AISD All-City Choral Festival Committee, mentor teacher for university student teachers, and curriculum writer for AISD. Her work also includes international teaching with Recorders Without Borders in Kenya and contributions to Macmillan/McGraw-Hill and Music Memory curriculum. Ms. Baird has been recognized as Blazier Elementary Teacher of the Year and an Austin ISD Teacher of Promise. An active performer, she serves as Principal Flute of the Waterloo Wind Band and performs regularly with the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, with past engagements including the Austin Philharmonic Orchestra and Austin Opera.

Dawn “Roxie” Garza has 17 years of experience in elementary music education, and holds a bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Hardin-Simmons University. Roxie is also the Children’s Choir Director at First United Methodist Church in Austin,TX. As an experienced educator, Roxie is dedicated to fostering inclusive, compassionate, and innovative learning environments that cater to the diverse needs of all students. She demonstrates a steadfast commitment to building a sense of community among fellow teachers, actively seeking to facilitate opportunities for professional development and growth. Through her leadership and advocacy, Roxie endeavors to enrich the educational landscape, ensuring that both students and educators alike thrive in their learning and teaching experiences. Roxie finds immense fulfillment in both teaching and learning, seeing them not just as professional endeavors but as intertwined passions that enrich her life. Her eagerness to impart knowledge to others is matched only by her enthusiasm for acquiring new skills and insights herself. With each opportunity to educate, Roxie embraces the chance to expand her own understanding and share the love of music with others. 

Will Jurgens was born and raised in Austin, Texas, and is a proud product of AISD. A bass trombonist, he holds an MEd with Kodály Music Emphasis from Anna Maria College and concurrent undergraduate degrees in Music Education and Instrumental Performance from Texas Lutheran University. His most notable performance experience includes the 2010 International Trombone Festival and as a featured baritone soloist with the 2012 Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corps at the DCI World Championship Finals. He was named Brass Crossmen of the Year and taught on the brass instructional staffs of the Crossmen and Genesis for four seasons. Mr. Jurgens teaches at Gullett Elementary School in Austin ISD and has been in the classroom since 2013. He spent his first eight years as a middle and high school band director, leading ensembles to UIL 6A Area Marching Band Finals and earning consistent UIL Sweepstakes. His K-12 teaching experience includes beginning, concert, marching, and jazz band, music theory, and elementary general music. He also serves as the Musicianship I-III instructor for the Austin ISD Kodály Certification Program, an AISD Fine Arts Facilitator, and a mentor teacher with UT Austin Music Ed. Outside of teaching, Mr. Jurgens enjoys spending time with his wife, daughter, and extended family and training for long-distance running events. He has completed half to double marathons and has a long-term goal of participating in 100-mile trail races. 

Ileana Napoles holds a Bachelors in Music Education from The Catholic University of America in Washington D.C. and is a National Board Certified Educator in Austin. Ileana is a native Spanish speaker and proud Latina who is actively involved in conversations and action in advocacy and equity within the district. She is passionate about inclusive and strength-based teaching practices and giving voice to underserved communities. Most of her teaching career was spent at Harris Elementary in North East Austin and she is currently teaching at Highland Park Elementary in AISD.  She is most proud of her children, Cecilia and Roberto, who attend AISD schools and play orchestral instruments. When she isn’t teaching and learning she loves spending time with her husband, Bob, attending UT sporting events, playing Pokémon Go, and hosting friends and family in her very full multi-generational home.  

Meredith Riggs holds a degree in music education from Southwestern University, and is a National Board Certified Teacher. She has been teaching in east Austin schools since 2007. Driven by her commitment to continuous growth and learning, Meredith holds certifications in both Kodaly and Orff methodologies, and she has completed training in the Dalcroze approach. These diverse pedagogical perspectives have enriched her teaching style and enabled her to tailor her instruction to the unique needs and learning styles of her students. Through mentorship, leadership roles, and providing professional development, she actively works to expand access to joyful music education for all students, regardless of their background or socioeconomic status. In addition to her contributions to Austin ISD, Meredith has shared her knowledge and experience with educators from neighboring districts, including Round Rock ISD, Hays CISD, and Pflugerville ISD. Meredith has presented on topics of diversity and equity at the Organization of American Kodaly Educators (OAKE) National Conference, as well as workshops hosted by the Kodaly Educators of Texas and the Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA). She has shared her expertise and insights on best practices for teaching music in diverse settings through articles in the Southern Musician and the Texas Association of School Administrators. Meredith believes that by continuously evolving and expanding her knowledge and skills, she can contribute to creating a joyful future for her students. 

Maria Satterwhite teaches elementary music in Austin, Texas, at Highland Park Elementary, where she was honored as the campus Teacher of the Year in 2015. She began her musical life singing “My Boyfriend’s Back” into her dad’s reel-to-reel recorder. In 3rd grade, she joined her church’s children’s choir and has been singing in a choir ever since! Maria earned a Bachelor’s of Music in Music Education from Sam Houston State University and a Master’s of Music in Kodály Pedagogy from Texas State University. After 27 years in the classroom, she still enjoys playing “Doggie, Doggie” and nurturing a love of music in her students. She has written music curriculum for Austin Symphony, Austin Independent School District, Austin Opera, and Mighty Music Memory and for the last decade mentored novice teachers. Outside of the classroom, Maria is a marathon inline skater, the director of her church’s praise music group, and a baseball fan. She enjoys spending time with her husband (and Film Music Composer), Brian Satterwhite, and their two sons, Holden and Maxwell. Maria is looking forward to collaborating with educators during the Austin ISD Kodály Teacher Training this summer!

Loren Tarnow is a National Board certified teacher who has been teaching elementary music in the Austin area since 2005. She graduated from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in 2005 with a Bachelor of Music Education and from Texas State University in 2009 with a Master of Music Education with an Emphasis in Kodály Pedagogy. She went on to earn her Level IV Certification from the Austin ISD Kodály Certification Program in 2015. She has taught Levels I and II Materials, Solfège, and Pedagogy at the Austin ISD Kodály Certification Program and has taught Materials I and Pedagogy I at the Fort Bend ISD Kodály Institute. Loren is serving as the President-Elect for the Kodály Educators of Texas. She has been training and serving in leadership roles in the Austin ISD SEL department since 2017. Loren has presented at Conferences, Professional Development, and meetings including OAKE, TMEA, and TMAC. She has written articles for the KET Encounter, Southwestern Musician, and Activate! Magazine with a focus on teaching in diverse communities, Social Emotional Learning for students and adults, and Responsive Classroom in Essential Areas. Loren’s book, Sprouting Joy: Cultivating Social Emotional Learning in the Music Classroom, was released by Heritage Music Press in 2022.