We had another successful year at the 2026 AMEA Professional Development Conference at the BJCC in Birmingham, AL! During this conference, we had many opportunities to network and attend educational sessions. On Friday, we hosted our annual collegiate luncheon and business meeting, which had an incredible turnout and allowed collegiates to meet their colleagues. During this session, we were joined by AMEA President Dr. Phil Wilson and Past President Dr. Rob Lyda, who each shared words of advice and wisdom. Later, Collegiate Past-President JP Aufdemorte addressed the attendees and presided over the election for the 2026 cNAfME Executive Board.
We are pleased to announce our new officers, each with a short bio and a statement of their plans for the state executive board.
President: Sarah Beth Black (The University of Alabama)
“Hello! My name is Sarah Beth Black, and I have the pleasure of serving as the 2026 President for the Alabama cNAfME state chapter. I grew up in Pelham, Alabama, and am currently a junior music education major at the University of Alabama. During my time at UA, I have been involved in many activities and ensembles around campus. For my first two years, I played tuba in the Million Dollar Band, and this past year I served as drum major. During my tenure as Vice President, I had many opportunities to deepen my understanding of music education. A subject that stood out to me the most was advocacy in the arts. In the fall 2025 semester, with the help of the Alabama KKPSI chapter, I organized an advocacy event at UA to raise funds for a local band program. At this event, we had a live band, a thrift sale, board games, and a table with information on how school funding works. The informational table provided opportunities to learn more about title funding and included a QR code that linked to a website where students could write letters directly to members of Congress. As President of the state board, I want to host more advocacy events and utilize communication throughout cNAfME to encourage more of this throughout our state!”
Vice-President: Mary Cole Kinney (The University of Alabama)
“Hello! My name is Mary Cole Kinney, and I serve as the Vice President/President-Elect of the Alabama cNAfME state chapter. I am a Muscle Shoals native and currently attend The University of Alabama (UA), majoring in instrumental music education. I also serve as president of our UA chapter of cNAfME. At UA, I am involved in the oboe studio, the Symphonic Band, the Million Dollar Band clarinet section, and Kappa Kappa Psi. Throughout my time at UA, I have observed the importance of meaningful connections and collaboration among collegiate music educators. I believe that by fostering opportunities for communication, shared resources, and collective learning, we can better support one another’s growth both as musicians and future educators. Serving as Vice President, I am excited to work with my fellow executive board members to learn, grow, and connect with peers across the state.”
Secretary: Hannah Herring (Auburn University)
“Hello! My name is Hannah Herring, and I serve as Secretary for the Alabama cNAfME state chapter. I am from Auburn, Alabama, and I am currently a junior music education major at Auburn University (AU). I serve as the president of the AU cNAfME Chapter, the Vice President of Service for the Pi Chapter of Kappa Kappa Psi, and the Treasurer for the Kappa Phi Chapter of Sigma Alpha Iota. At Auburn, I am involved in the tuba/euphonium studio, the Auburn University Marching Band and Pep Band, concert band, and the tuba/euphonium ensemble. Through my involvement in these organizations and ensembles, I have developed a strong appreciation for leadership, organization, and collaboration within music education. I believe clear communication and thorough documentation are essential to supporting collegiate music educators and strengthening our statewide community. As Secretary, I am excited to work alongside the executive board to help facilitate communication, preserve important information, and support meaningful connections among cNAfME members across Alabama.”
Treasurer: William Clay (University of Alabama at Birmingham)
“Hello, my name is William Clay, and I currently serve as your Treasurer for the Alabama cNAfME state chapter. I am from Homewood, Alabama, and I am a student in instrumental music education at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), where I serve as the cNAfME chapter president. At UAB, I play horn in the Symphony Band and Horn Studio, and serve as an officer in Tau Beta Sigma. Before attending UAB, I attended UNA, where I was a member of the marching and concert ensembles and TBS. I am currently on the band staff at Homewood HS, where I have had many opportunities, including the chance to meet and learn from outstanding music educators in my community and across the country. One of my very favorite parts of entering music education is the community that has been built around it, and the ample opportunities to make meaningful connections with peers and professionals, learn from one another, and build each other up. I am so excited to have this opportunity to join our state cNAfME board in serving, representing, and advocating for music education and music educators in Alabama!”
Past-President JP Aufdemorte’s parting message:
My fellow collegiates,
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to serve as your president the past two years. I also want to thank everyone who served with me on the collegiate board, it wouldn’t have been possible without you. I hope everyone that attended an event hosted by the collegiate board left feeling more inspired and driven to make a difference on the lives of others.
Sincerely,
JP Aufdemorte
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