Author Biographies

Laura Black, Rocky Point Elementary School, Pender County Schools, Rocky Point, North Carolina Laura Black has taught in North Carolina for 15 years, teaching both middle school orchestra and elementary general music. She received her Bachelor’s degree in music education from UNC Greensboro and is currently pursuing her Master’s degree in music education. At Rocky Point Elementary, she has started a free afterschool strings program where students can learn violin, viola, or cello. As a member of the American Orff Schulwerk Association, she has completed Orff Schulwerk Levels 1 and 2, and hopes to receive Level 3 certification soon. She can be found playing violin in orchestras in both North Carolina and South Carolina. When she’s not performing or teaching, she enjoys spending time with her wonderful husband and four children...and their cat, Colonel Whiskers.

Melissa Coxe, Eastern Elementary School, Pitt County Schools, Greenville, North Carolina Melissa Coxe is currently in her 25th year of teaching K-5 general music, orchestra, and chorus—with 21 of those being at Eastern Elementary in Greenville. A National Board Certified teacher, Mrs. Coxe received her Bachelor’s degree in music from Wilkes University in Pennsylvania and a Master’s degree from East Carolina University. Mrs. Coxe held roles as both a Collaborating and Facilitating Teacher in the CoP “Using Music to Improve Phonemic Awareness,” and has presented the group’s findings to educators across the state. Mrs. Coxe worked on the team to create K-5 music pacing guides in Pitt County, and is a facilitating mentor working with beginning teachers of all content areas. Mrs. Coxe likes to spend her free time on the Tar River Ranch with her husband and two daughters working with goats and lambs.

Pamela Day, Wintergreen Intermediate School, Pitt County Schools, Greenville, North Carolina Pamela Day is the music teacher at Wintergreen Intermediate School. She received her Bachelor’s degree from East Carolina University and Master’s degree from Louisiana State University. She spent the beginning of her teaching career in Onslow County Schools before coming “back home” to Greenville and teaching in Pitt County Schools for the past 15 years. Most recently, she was recognized as Elementary Music Teacher of the Year by the North Carolina Music Educators Association, selected to be WITN’s Teacher of the Week, and presented with Pitt County’s “Excellence in the East” award. Mrs. Day currently resides in Ayden with her husband Kevin (also a music educator), their children Tommy, Mikey, and Joey, and pups Lucas and Oakley. Erin Fossa, Ferguson Easley Elementary School, Cumberland County Schools, Fayetteville, North Carolina Erin Fossa is currently teaching elementary music at Ferguson Easley Elementary School in Fayetteville. She has been teaching for four years and enjoying every moment! She is particularly passionate about musical theatre, art and music therapy, and the benefits of arts integration in schools. In her spare time, she can be found leading worship at Manna Church in all of their six locations in the Fayetteville/Fort Bragg area. On the worship team, she sings, plays the keyboard, and trains young musicians. She also is a faculty member at Manna University where she teaches Intro to Fine Arts. She lives in Fayetteville with her two sons and two fat cats!

Mary Elliott Michael, Turner Creek Elementary School, Wake County Public School System, Cary, North Carolina Mary Elliott Michael currently teaches K-5 general music and directs the Turner Creek Elementary Singing Treefrogs chorus. She has taught at Turner Creek Elementary for 16 years and was selected Teacher of the Year in 2010. Her choral groups have received superior ratings in choral festivals at Walt Disney World and Six Flags over Texas and in Nashville. Turner Creek Elementary’s Singing Treefrogs have also enjoyed performing at the Choral Celebration presented by the Raleigh Fine Arts Society for the past 12 years. Ms. Michael is a member of the American Choral Director Association, National and North Carolina Music Educators Association, and North Carolina Association for Educators. She and her husband love to explore the mountains and the beaches of North Carolina. She enjoys running, biking, hiking, swimming, and kayaking.

Jennifer Starkey, Creech Road Elementary School, Wake County Public School System, Garner, North Carolina Jennifer Starkey has been braving the world of teaching for almost 25 years. She just finished her first year back in the music classroom after spending eight years working in technology as an instructional technology facilitator and technology specialist. Over her career she has taught music, theatre, and technology—and enjoyed every moment of it. When she’s not in the classroom you will find her crafting, playing with her dog, and traveling to as many places as possible.

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