Board of Directors

2021-2022

OFFICERS

Sean Jones, President • Lonnie Davis, President Elect
Ashley Shabankareh, Vice President • Todd Stoll, Immediate Past President
Dustin Rohrer, Treasurer • David Kauffman, Secretary

_____________________

DIRECTORS

Robert Breithaupt • Roxy Coss • José Diaz • Doug DuBoff • Tim Fellow • Tia Fuller • Laura Gentry • Ayn Inserto • Johnaye Kendrick • Mary Jo Papich • Trineice Robinson-Martin • Pharez Whitted

Daniel Flores, Legal Counsel

NOMINATIONS OPEN
February 15 - March 31

CLICK TO NOMINATE

Board Minutes

2021-2022 Board Minutes of Meetings

2020-2021 Board Minutes of Meetings

2020-08-10 JEN Board Meeting Minutes
2020-08-11 JEN Board Meeting Minutes
2021-01-04 JEN Board Meeting Minutes (Will be added in 2021)
2021-01-05 JEN Board Meeting Minutes (Will be added in 2021)

2019-2020 Board Minutes of Meetings

2018-2019 Board Minutes of Meetings

2017-2018 Board Minutes of Meetings

2016-2017 Board Minutes of Meetings

2015 – 2016 Board Minutes of Meetings

2014 – 2015 Board Minutes of Meetings

2013 – 2014 Board Minutes of Meetings

2012 – 2013 Board Minutes of Meetings

2011 – 2012 Board Minutes of Meeting

2010 – 2011 Board Minutes of Meetings

2009 – 2010 Board Minutes of Meetings

May 20, 2010 JEN Board of Director’s Meeting Minutes
January 23-24,2010
August 3 – 6, 2009 Board of Director’s Meeting Minutes

2008 – 2009 Board Minutes of Meeting

December 19, 2008
August 7th Board Meeting Minutes

Board Decision-Making Process

All initial proposals are brought to the Full Board of Directors for JEN. Once the Board has weighed in on the subject, there are multiple ways in which final decisions may be made under the current governance policies, including:

1. A decision requiring a vote by the full board after board discussion.

2. A decision after board discussion that requires a recommendation by the Finance Committee in accordance with the Financial Procedures document, and/or Executive Committee in accordance with the Bylaws, plus an eventual vote by the full board.

3. A decision where there is a board directive, which requires a recommendation by the Finance Committee and/or the Executive Committee, and the final decision is made by a committee. It is critical in the directive to indicate the committee empowered to make the final decision.

4. After board discussion, the Executive Committee is empowered to make the final decision.

5. After board discussion, the Finance Committee is empowered to make the final decision.

6. After board discussion, the President is empowered to make the final decision.

7. After board discussion, the Treasurer is empowered to make the final decision.

8. After Board discussion, a committee is empowered to make decisions pertaining to specific subjects.

9. After committee discussion, a committee member or person assigned to a specific task is empowered to make the decision.

Board of Directors Service Goals

Members of the JEN Board of Directors assume several responsibilities when elected, including:

Knowing the Jazz Education Network mission, services, policies, and programs.
Participating in all Board meetings and conference.
Reviewing Board agendas, minutes and supporting materials (including financial statements) prior to Board meetings. Visiting the website and reading the JEN newsletters regularly.
Communicating in a timely fashion on all JEN business. Submitting reports and requests for action on or before stated deadlines.
Being an advocate for JEN and engaging and informing others about JEN and representing the organization to the general public through my professional, personal, and social networks. This includes adding my status as a member of the JEN Board of Directors to my bio, website and promo materials.
Lending special skills and expertise to enhance the Board and be actively engaged in strategic planning and development.
Being available to serve on at least one committee annually (i.e. Finance Committee, Fundraising & Development Committee, Marketing & Communications Committee, etc.)
Being willing and able to be nominated for a JEN office and willing to serve if selected.
Taking on special assignments as volunteer service as they relate to the advancement of JEN’s mission and services, policies and programs.
Assisting in participant, volunteer, and Board member recruitment efforts, and engaging others who can make significant contributions to JEN – financially as individual contributors or corporate sponsors, and those who may lend their expertise to advancing our organization.
Allowing JEN to use my image for promotional purposes. (This will include a short statement from you about JEN and keeping JEN informed of professional activities so that these events may be published online or in print publications).
Following conflict of interest and confidentiality policies as they are established by JEN.
As a strong personal commitment to the mission and values of JEN, it is required that all Board members maintain membership.
It is expected that all BOD members will cover transportation costs over $750 per event, and meal expenses related to Board meetings until such time JEN is able to afford to budget all expenses in that regard.
Board members are expected to financially contribute to the organization annually.
In turn, the JEN Executive committee will be available to answer any questions about the organization and all will work in good faith towards achievement of our mission and goals.
Board Service Terms are 3 years in length and re-election should not be considered automatic. The reality is there are only so many slots on the Board to be filled and if everyone serving was automatically reinstated for 3-year terms back to back, new energy would or could not be infused into the Board. Decisions are not to be assumed of a personal nature.
Board members not returning should be recognized in perpetuity as a former Board member, and asked to continue on committees as part of the JEN governance structure. Further, an individual should be commended for their expected service while on the Board, but should not expect an explanation as to why he or she may not be selected again to serve.

Board of Directors Meeting Schedule

Members of the JEN Board of Directors assume several responsibilities when elected, including mandatory Board Meetings scheduled as listed below:

AUGUST 2022 – Board Meeting – Zoom

Wednesday, August 10 – 12pm-5pm EST

JANUARY 2023 – 14th Annual Conference – Orlando, FL

Monday, January 2nd: Travel day
Tuesday, January 3rd: Full Day
Wednesday, January 4th: 9am-1pm
Thursday, January 5th: Conference
Friday, January 6th: Conference
Saturday, January 7th: Conference
Sunday, January 8th: Half Day 9am-1pm/Travel Day

AUGUST 2023 – Board Meeting – Zoom

Wednesday, August 9 – 12pm-5pm EST

JANUARY 2024 – 15th Annual Conference – New Orleans, LA

Monday, January 1st: Travel day
Tuesday, January 2nd: Full Day
Wednesday, January 3rd: 9am-1pm
Thursday, January 4th: Conference
Friday, January 5th: Conference
Saturday, January 6th: Conference
Sunday, January 7th: Half Day 9am-1pm/Travel Day

AUGUST 2024 – Board Meetings – Online (Zoom)

Wednesday, August 7 – 12pm-5pm EST

JANUARY 2025 – 16th Annual Conference – Atlanta, GA

Monday, January 6th: Travel day
Tuesday, January 7th: Full Day
Wednesday, January 8th: 9am-1pm
Thursday, January 9th: Conference
Friday, January 10th: Conference
Saturday, January 11th: Conference
Sunday, January 12th: Half Day 9am-1pm/Travel Day

AUGUST 2025 – Board Meeting – Zoom

Wednesday, August 6 – 12pm-5pm EST

JANUARY 2026 – 17th Annual Conference – New Orleans, LA

Monday, January 5th: Travel day
Tuesday, January 6th: Full Day
Wednesday, January 7th: 9am-1pm
Thursday, January 8th: Conference
Friday, January 9th: Conference
Saturday, January 10th: Conference
Sunday, January 11th: Half Day 9am-1pm/Travel Day

Additional online Zoom meetings as needed throughout the year.

Past Board of Directors

2020 – 2021 Board of Directors

Sean Jones, President
Lonnie Davis, President Elect
Todd Stoll, Immediate Past President
Ashley Shabankareh, Vice President
David Kauffman, Secretary/NAfME Liaison
Dustin Rohrer, Treasurer

Bob Breithaupt, Director
Roxy Coss, Director
José Diaz, Director
Doug DuBoff, Director
Tim Fellow, Director
Tia Fuller, Director
Laura Gentry, Director
Ayn Inserto, Director
Johnaye Kendrick, Director
Mary Jo Papich, Director
Trineice Robinson Martin, Director
Pharez Whitted, Director
Dan Flores, Legal Counsel

2019 – 2020 Board of Directors

Todd Stoll, President
Sean Jones, President Elect
Caleb Chapman, Immediate Past President
Bob Breithaupt, Vice President
Lonnie Davis, Secretary
Dustin Rohrer, Treasurer

Roxy Coss, Director
Tim Fellow, Director
José Diaz, Director
Doug DuBoff, Director
David Kauffman, Director
Johnaye Kendrick, Director
Mary Jo Papich, Director
Trineice Robinson Martin, Director
Julius Tolentino, Director
Pharez Whitted, Director
Dan Flores, Legal Counsel

2018 – 2019 Board of Directors

Todd Stoll, President
Sean Jones, President Elect
Caleb Chapman, Immediate Past President
Bob Breithaupt, Vice President
Tim Fellow, Treasurer
Lonnie Davis, Secretary
Diane Chandler-Marshall, Director
Roxy Coss, Director
Doug DuBoff, Director
Mary Jo Papich, Director, Co-Founder/Past President
Dustin Rohrer, Director
Ashley Shabankareh, Director
Julius Tolentino, Director
Francisco Torres, Director
Pharez Whitted, Director
Treb Winegar, Director
Greg Yasinitsky, Director
David Kauffman, NAfME Liaison
Dan Flores, Legal Counsel

2017 – 2018 Board of Directors

Caleb Chapman, President
Todd Stoll, President Elect
Bob Sinicrope, Immediate Past President
Bob Breithaupt, Vice President
Tim Fellow, Treasurer
Mary Jo Papich, Interim Secretary, Co-Founder/Past President
Diane Chandler-Marshall, Director
Lonnie Davis, Director
Rick Drumm, Director
Dan Flores, Director
Sean Jones, Director
Ashley Shabankareh, Director
Julius Tolentino, Director
Francisco Torres, Director
Treb Winegar, Director
Greg Yasinitsky, Director

2016 – 2017 Board of Directors

Caleb Chapman, President
Todd Stoll, President Elect
Bob Breithaupt, Vice President
Bob Sinicrope, Immediate Past President
Timothy Fellow, Treasurer
Sharon Burch, Secretary
Diane Chandler-Marshall, Director
Rick Drumm, Director
Dan Flores, Director
Daniel Gregerman, Director
Dr. Monika Herzig, Director
Mary Jo Papich, Director/Co-Founder/Past President
Francisco Torres, Director
Kirk Whalum, Director
Greg Yasinitsky, Director

2015 – 2016 Board of Directors

Bob Sinicrope, President
Caleb Chapman, President-Elect
Bob Breithaupt, Vice President
Andrew Surmani, Immediate Past President
Timothy Fellow, Treasurer
Dr. Monika Herzig, Secretary
Sharon Burch, Director
John Clayton, Director
Rick Drumm, Director
Dan Flores, Director
Daniel Gregerman, Director
Mary Jo Papich, Director/Co-Founder/Past President
Todd Stoll, Director
Tony White, Director

2014 – 2015 Board of Directors

Bob Sinicrope, President
Caleb Chapman, President-Elect
Bob Breithaupt, Vice President
Andrew Surmani, Immediate Past President
Rick Kessel, Treasurer
Dr. Monika Herzig, Secretary
Ruben P. Alvarez, Director
John Clayton, Director
José Diaz, Director
Timothy Fellow, Director
Daniel Gregerman, Director
Judy Humenick, Director
Mary Jo Papich, Director/Co-Founder/Past President
Cheryl Slay-Carr, Director
Tony White, Director

2013 – 2014 Board of Directors

Andrew Surmani, President
Bob Sinicrope, President-Elect
Caleb Chapman, Vice President
Dr. Lou Fischer, Co-Founder/Immediate Past President
Rick Kessel, Treasurer
Dr. Monika Herzig, Secretary
Ruben P. Alvarez, Director
Paul Bangser, Director
Bob Breithaupt, Director
John Clayton, Director
José Diaz, Director
Dr. Darla Hanley, Director
Judy Humenick, Director
Mary Jo Papich, Director/Co-Founder/Past President
Cheryl Slay-Carr, Director

2012 – 2013 Board of Directors

Andrew Surmani, President
Bob Sinicrope, President-Elect
John Clayton, Vice President
Dr. Lou Fischer, Co-Founder/Immediate Past President
Rick Kessel, Treasurer
Dr. Monika Herzig Secretary
Ruben P. Alvarez, Director
Paul Bangser, Director
Bob Breithaupt, Director
Caleb Chapman, Director
José Diaz, Director
Dr. Darla Hanley, Director
Judy Humenick, Director
Willard Jenkins, Director
Mary Jo Papich, Director/Co-Founder/Past President

2011 – 2012 Board of Directors

Dr. Lou Fischer, Co-Founder/President
Andrew Surmani, President Elect
John Clayton, Vice President
Rick Kessel, Treasurer
José Diaz, Secretary
Ruben P. Alvarez, Director
Paul Bangser, Director
Caleb Chapman, Director
Dr. Darla Hanley, Director
Dr. Monika Herzig, Director
Willard Jenkins, Director
Mary Jo Papich, Co-Founder/Immediate Past President
Bob Sinicrope, Director
Terell Stafford, Director

2010 – 2011 Board of Directors

Dr. Lou Fischer, Co-Founder/President
Andrew Surmani, President Elect
John Clayton, Vice President
Rick Kessel, Treasurer
Jarrard Harris, Secretary
Ruben P. Alvarez, Director
Melody Balicki, Director
Paul Chiaravalle, Director
Steve Crissinger, Director
José Diaz, Director
Mary Jo Papich, Co-Founder/Immediate Past President
Paris Rutherford, Director
Bruce Silva, Director
Bob Sinicrope, Director
Terell Stafford, Director
Jim Widner, Director
John Wittmann, Director

2009 – 2010 Board of Directors

Mary Jo Papich, Co-Founder/President
Dr. Lou Fischer, Co-Founder/President-Elect
John Clayton, Vice President
Jackie Harris, Secretary
Andrew Surmani, Treasurer
Ruben P. Alvarez, Director
Melody Balicki, Director
Paul Chiaravalle, Director
Steve Crissinger, Director
José Diaz, Director
Rick Kessel, Director
Paris Rutherford, Director
Bruce Silva, Director
Bob Sinicrope, Director
Terell Stafford, Director
Andrew Surmani, Director
Jim Widner, Director
John Wittmann, Director

2008 – 2009 Board of Directors

Mary Jo Papich, Co-Founder/President
Dr. Lou Fischer, Co-Founder/Vice President
Bruce Silva, Treasurer
Julie Traenkenschuh, Secretary
Ruben P. Alvarez, Director
Bob Breithaupt, Director
Paul Chiaravalle, Director
Steve Crissinger, Director
Daniel Gregerman, Director
Jarrard Harris, Director
Michael Kenyon, Director
Rick Kessel, Director
Ellen Rowe, Director
Paris Rutherford, Director
Andrew Surmani, Director
Jim Widner, Director

Sean Jones
President

Music and spirituality have always been fully intertwined in the artistic vision of trumpeter, bandleader, composer, educator and activist Sean Jones. Singing and performing as a child with the church choir in his hometown of Warren, Ohio, Sean switched from the drums to the trumpet at the age of 10.

Sean is a musical chameleon and is comfortable in any musical setting no matter what the role or the genre. He is equally adept in being a member of an ensemble as he is at being a bandleader. Sean turned a 6-month stint with the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra into an offer from Wynton Marsalis for a permanent position as lead trumpeter, a post he held from 2004 until 2010. In 2015 Jones was tapped to become a member of the SFJAZZ Collective where he was a member until 2018. During this time, Sean has managed to keep a core group of talented musicians together under his leadership forming the foundation for his groups that have produced and released eight recordings on the Mack Avenue Records, the latest is his 2017 release Sean Jones: Live from the Jazz Bistro.

Sean has been prominently featured with a number of artists, recording and/or performing with many major figures in jazz, including Illinois Jacquet, Jimmy Heath, Frank Foster, Nancy Wilson, Dianne Reeves, Gerald Wilson and Marcus Miller. Sean was selected by Miller, Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter for their Tribute to Miles tour in 2011.

He has also performed with the Cleveland, Pittsburgh and Youngstown Symphony Orchestras as well as Soulful Symphony in Baltimore and in a chamber group at the Salt Bay Chamber Festival.

Sean is also an internationally recognized educator. He was recently named the Richard and Elizabeth Case Chair of Jazz at John Hopkins University’s Peabody Institute in Baltimore. Before coming to Peabody, Sean served as the Chair of the Brass Department at the Berklee College of Music in Boston.

Lonnie Davis
President Elect

Lonnie Davis, President & CEO of Charlotte’s Jazz Arts Initiative, has a B.A. in Psychology with a minor in music and additional graduate work in Urban and Regional Planning. Lonnie is a graduate of Leadership Charlotte, Class XXXII, and is an accomplished jazz flutist who leads her own ensemble, the Lonnie Davis Quartet. She studied music at Louisiana’s prestigious Arts Conservatory, New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts (N.O.C.C.A.) where her passion for America’s classical music, jazz, was cultivated. She also writes as a contributing jazz education columnist.

Ashley Shabankareh
Vice President

Ashley Shabankareh (she/they) is a musician, music educator, and arts administrator. Ashley supports music education and nonprofits in New Orleans and currently works with Trombone Shorty Foundation, New Orleans Jazz Museum, Artist Corps New Orleans, and Upbeat Academy. She previously served as the Director of Programs for Preservation Hall Foundation for 13 years. Ashley is a proud board member of the Jazz Education Network, and also serves on the board for Folk Alliance International, Music and Culture Coalition of New Orleans.

Todd Stoll
Immediate Past President

Todd Stoll has spent nearly thirty years as an educator, performer and leading advocate for jazz. He currently serves as Vice President of Education for Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York City where he oversees programs that reach more than 200,000 people each year. His leadership at JALC has revived the institutions commitment to the underserved while embracing 21st century technology as a means for greater access to the music. Since his tenure began in 2011, the education department at JALC produced nearly 20,000 individual events both in its home at Fredrick P Rose Hall, throughout the US, and abroad.

Dustin Rohrer
Secretary

Dustin Rohrer’s diverse background in music, business and current position at Bain & Company, provides JEN with a wealth of skills and counsel to guide JEN to the next level. His journey began with a masters of music from the Manhattan School of Music as a drummer/musician, graduating to play live concert events all over world. Dustin returned to academia to earn a M.B.A., Finance and Strategy, while operating a recording studio in Nashville. He transitioned from the music industry to digital marketing, S.E.O., research and analytics, and then worked for a non-profit, managing the volunteer training, logistics and presentation training, achieving 5,300 new sponsorships, for a combined total of over $13 million in revenue. With his collective skills and expertise, Dustin currently works as a Bain & Company consultant. Bain & Company is one of the world’s leading business consulting firms.

David Kauffman
Secretary/NAfME Liaison

DAVID F. KAUFFMAN is currently the Senior Manager of the Performing and Visual Arts Magnet program in Anne Arundel County; Supervisor of Teacher Interns (Music) at the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC); and is the Director of the CYSO Jazz Orchestra in Annapolis.

Prior to moving to Anne Arundel County, he served as Fine Arts Coordinator and Assistant Principal in Allegany County; established Maryland high school band programs at Mountain Ridge (Allegany County) and Patuxent (Calvert County) High Schools. He also directed the bands at Fort Hill and Beall High Schools (Allegany County). In each of his teaching positions, his groups consistently achieved superior and excellent ratings locally, regionally, and in the State of Maryland.

Kauffman has served as an educator, clinician, adjudicator, guest conductor, performer, promoter, businessman, and elected official for over twenty years. As a saxophonist, he has performed with Aretha Franklin, Louie Bellson, The Dells, and currently performs with Tidewater Adams – a cover band based out of Havre de Grace, Maryland. He was the founder of the Mid-Atlantic Collegiate Jazz Orchestra, a collegiate honors band whose performance credits include Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola at Jazz at Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center, and the Jazz Education Network National Conference in New Orleans. For eight years, he hosted a weekly jazz radio program, “Searching for Birdland” on NPR Affiliate WFWM.

He is the Chair of the National Association for Music Education’s Council for Jazz Education and serves on the Board of Directors and Executive Committee for the Jazz Education Network.

He lives in Annapolis, Maryland with his wife, Jennifer and their dog Stella. They have two adult children, Kaitlyn and Sam.

2020-2021 Board of Directors

Our board of directors come from a variety of backgrounds in education, performance, law, music industry, and more. As a volunteer board, they guide the our activities and lead us to success.

Robert Breithaupt

Director

Robert is an educator, drummer, and industry leader. Currently a Professor of Music and Department Chair of Performance Studies at Capital University in Columbus, Ohio, he has performed for more than 30 years in a variety of settings. He served as Executive Director of the Jazz Arts Group of Columbus (JAG) from 2001-2012 and is the recipient of numerous honors and awards.

Roxy Coss

Director

Roxy Coss is the founder of Women In Jazz Organization, a multi-instrumentalist, composer, arranger, recording artist, bandleader, producer, educator and activist. Roxy has performed extensively around the world, headlining at the Newport Jazz Festival, Melbourne Big Band Festival, Earshot Jazz Festival, San Jose Jazz Summerfest, The Jazz Standard, and Jazz Showcase. Coss has performed as a side musician with Jazz greats including Clark Terry, Louis Hayes, Rufus Reid, Billy Kaye and Claudio Roditi. She has been a member of The Diva Jazz Orchestra since 2010.

Jose Diaz

Director

José Antonio Díaz, founder and artistic director of Díaz Music Institute (DMI), is a Grammy Nominated Top 10 Finalist for the Music Educator, winner of Berklee College of Music’s John LaPorta Jazz Educator of the Year Award and a recipient of the Mayor’s Hispanic Heritage Award. Recently Inducted into Down Beat Magazine’s Jazz Education Hall of Fame, Díaz’s has groups have performed with such Candido, Pete Escovedo, Jon Faddis, Eddie Palmieri, Danilo Perez, Poncho Sánchez, and Arturo Sandoval to name just a few.
Jose is also co-author of Middle School Music Expressions™ (Alfred Music Publication) and composed the music forFreddie the Frog and the Invisible Coquí(Mystic Publishing, Inc.), which was selected as Creative Child’s Magazine’s 2016 book of the year. Currently Diaz is developing a new jazz curriculum entitled “About That Jazz.”

Doug DuBoff

Director

Doug DuBoff, together with his brother, Rob, own and operate ejazzlines.com and Jazz Lines Publications. These businesses are both a music publisher for classic, historic jazz repertoire, as well as a retail outlet for many other music publishing companies. Doug deals with jazz educators ranging from grammar schools in Australia to high schools in Germany to colleges and universities all over the US and the world, as well as orchestras, private instructors, and bands everywhere, on a daily basis. In Doug's words, "Jazz education is THE nexus of jazz's popularity and its future." Doug has a passion for furthering jazz education, strengthening the future of jazz, building the available repertoire of historic jazz arrangements, and burnishing the profile of jazz in general.

Tim Fellow

Director

Tim is managing member and principal of Easton Walker, LLC, a financial consulting and wealth management firm he founded in 2012. He previously served as a financial advisor with Smith Barney, Wells Fargo Private Bank, Wells Fargo Advisors and Wells Fargo Investments. Tim has focused his career as a financial consultant on fulfilling the unique needs of arts and entertainment professionals. Artist clients advised by Timothy have collectively won ten Grammys, two Emmys and two Academy Awards.

Dan Flores

Director/Legal Counsel

Dan is an Executive Vice President and head of litigation at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., a leading entertainment company focused on the production and distribution of film and television content. Prior to joining MGM, he practiced law at Gibson Dunn where his clients included major record labels, motion picture studios, television networks, literary publishers, video game developers, and other intellectual property rights holders. Dan received his J.D. from Columbia Law School and a B.A. in Music from the University of Nevada–Las Vegas.

Tia Fuller

Director

Grammy-nominated artist, Tia Fuller works hard to balance both worlds of performance and education. She is a full-time professor at the Berklee College of Music, has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Music from Spelman College in Atlanta, GA, (Magna Cum Laude) and a Master’s degree in Jazz Pedagogy and Performance from the University of Colorado at Boulder (Summa Cum Laude). Tia was selected to be a member of the all-female band touring with R&B star, Beyoncé.

As a Professor at Berklee College of Music, she also shares her expertise teaching over 70 students per week; directing the Rainbow Big Band and All Stars, the Esperanza Ensemble, repertoire class, jazz improvisation, two jazz combos, and the Christian Mcbride Ensemble. In addition, she produces and directs large production ground-breaking ensembles such as the Beyonce, Bruno Mars and Ariana Grande Ensembles. Between balancing her teaching and tour life, Tia feels that she is fulfilling her purpose here on this earth, that is to “serve as a light for others.”

Laura Gentry

Director

Since 1999, Laura's production company LAG Productions, LLC has produced and promoted jazz events at venues in the greater Cincinnati, Ohio, northern Kentucky, and southeast Indiana area.

As president of the non-profit organization Jazz Alive, Inc., Laura has coordinated educational outreach focused on the preservation and advancement of jazz with non-profit arts organizations and educational institutions.

Laura is a board member serving in various roles on several arts organizations, such as the Jazz Initiative for Cincinnati /Nancy, France Sister City Association, We Create Jazz (a 4-week women-in-jazz festival with University of Cincinnati-College Conservatory of Music Jazz Studies department), the UC-CCM Power board, and the Cincinnati Memorial Hall Society.
She founded Sistahs Who Swing™, a concept focusing on African-American women in jazz.

Johnaye Kendrick

Director

Grammy®-nominated vocalist Johnaye Kendrick is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, arranger and professor. She received a Bachelor of Music from Western Michigan University, a Master of Music from Loyola University and an Artist Diploma from the prestigious Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz. After graduating from the Monk Institute, Johnaye was immediately hired by trumpeter Nicholas Payton, who raves that “Johnaye has the potential to be a vocalist of the highest order; the likes of which we have seen seldom since the grande dames of the golden era of jazz roamed about the earth. She’s got IT!” Johnaye has also been a featured vocalist with the Ellis Marsalis Quartet and the New Orleans Jazz Orchestra. She has released two albums, HEREand FLYINGon her johnygirl record label.

Mary Jo Papich

Director, Co-Founder/Past President

Mary Jo Papich, the first president of JEN, is known for her avid support and leadership in arts education that led to the co-founding of the Jazz Education Network. After serving public school education for 35+ years, she continues her work in JEN and serves as the artistic director for Jazz Festivals for students in New Orleans and Puerto Vallarta. Mary Jo’s recent honors include receiving a Lifetime Jazz Education Achievement Award from DownBeat magazine, the Arts Inspiration Award from The Art Center, Superintendent’s Recognition Award, Character Counts Award, Huespid Distinguido from the Mayor in Puerto Vallarta and the Prestigious Women in Jazz Award from the Chicago Jazz Ensemble, and most recently the 2021 Chicago Jazz Philharmonic Jazz Education Award.

Mary Jo's efforts have reached people all around the world. As a former student stated, "Mary Jo Papich continues to inspire those around her to pursue the arts and arts education with passion, making a positive difference today and in the generations beyond."

Trineice Robinson-Martin

Director

Dr. Trineice Robinson-Martin has dedicated her career to performing and developing resources for teaching jazz, gospel/Christian, R&B, rock, country, and pop singing styles in an applied/private voice lesson setting. In addition to releasing her debut album, All Or Nothing, she maintains a busy schedule as a singer in a variety of styles while holding a faculty position at Princeton University as the jazz voice instructor, lecturer, and director of the
Jazz Vocal Collective Ensemble. She serves on the National Faculty in the academic division of Gospel Music Workshop of America, serves as the Executive Director of the African American Jazz Caucus, Inc., serves as a Board of Director for the Jazz Education Network, serves on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Singing, and is a member of the distinguished American Academy of Teachers of Singing. Dr. Trineice created Soul Ingredients®, a teaching methodology for developing a singer’s musical style/interpretation in African American folk-based music styles (i.e., jazz, gospel, R&B, blues, etc.). This methodology shows students how to take their personal experiences, musical influences and models, and execute the different components in a manner that is personal to the singer/performer’s own personal expression.

Pharez Whitted

Director

Pharez Whitted is a performer, educator, composer, producer, clinician and was nominated for Independent Jazz Artist of the year in 2011. Pharez was named Chicagoan of the Year in Jazz for 2016 and inducted into the Shortridge High School Hall of Fame 2017. He is the coordinator of the Chicago division of the JALC Jazz in Schools program. He has taught at prestigious colleges and universities such as Wabash College, The Ohio State University and most recently Chicago State University. He is currently the Director of the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestras (CYSO)Jazz Orchestra. Whitted has performed with such notable musicians such as Branford Marsalis, George Duke, Elvin Jones, Kirk Whalum, John Mellencamp, Nancy Wilson, Meshell Ndegeocello, Chaka Khan and Slide Hampton.