JD Janda, President

JD (John David) Janda is currently the director of bands and Fine Arts Department Chair at James E. Taylor HS in Katy ISD. He previously served as Director of Bands at Columbus HS, Boling HS and Katy JH.

At Taylor HS, Janda directs the 300 member JET Marching Band, the Wind Ensemble, Jazz Band, the Junior Varsity Band, teaches AP Music Theory and serves as Associate Conductor of the Taylor HS Symphony Orchestra. Bands under Janda’s direction have made numerous appearances at UIL State Marching Contest, ranked high in the TMEA Honor Band Competition and have been consistent UIL Sweepstakes Awards recipients. His concert bands and jazz bands at Taylor HS have won many best in class awards at festivals across America. Janda was recognized for his outstanding contributions to students lives in 2001 when he was named recipient of the “Southwestern Bell - UIL Sponsor Excellence Award” for the State of Texas.

Janda has served as Region 23 Band Chair, the TMEA Area E Tryout Chair, the TMEA 5A All-State Tryout Chair and is a member of the UIL State Music Advisory Committee.

A native of Bellville, Janda earned his Bachelor of Music Education at Southwestern Univ in Georgetown, Texas with a minor in Trombone Performance. Janda has completed graduate work at West Texas State Univ, East Texas State Univ and the Univ of Houston and will complete a Masters degree in Educational Management in May 2006 from the Univ of Houston/Clear Lake.

Janda’s professional affiliations include Phi Beta Mu, TMEA, TMAA, TBA and IAJE.

Janda and his wife Nancy live in Katy where she teaches sixth grade math for Katy ISD. They have two children, Janie and Gordon.

Contact Information:

James E. Taylor HS
20611 Cranfield Dr .
Katy, TX,  77450-2701
Phone: (281) 237-9266
Fax: (281) 644-1766
Email- johnjanda@katyisd.org

Denise Eaton, President-Elect

Denise R. Eaton has taught secondary choral music for 27 years. A native Texan, she graduated from the University of Texas at Austin where she received the Bachelor of Music degree in education with emphasis in piano and voice.

Eaton is currently in her fifteenth year as the head choral director at Spring High School in the Spring ISD. Prior to accepting her current position in 1994, she was the associate choral director at Sam Rayburn High School in the Pasadena ISD for 12 years. Choirs under her direction have performed at TMEA conventions in 1994, 1997, 2003, 2004, and 2007 and at the 1998 Southwest ACDA convention.Chamber Choirs under her direction have won the prestigious American Classic Madrigal and Chamber Choir festival in San Antonio five times.

Eaton has served TMEA as Area and Region Vocal Chairman, All-State Treble Choir Organizer, All-State Section Leader and as a convention facilities team member. She has also served on both the UIL Sight-reading and PML committees. An active clinician, she has conducted numerous Texas All-Region choirs, the 2001 Arkansas All-State Treble choir and the 2006 Louisiana ACDA All-State Treble choir. She was the 1998 recipient of the Southwestern Bell UIL Sponsor’s Excellence Award and was named the 2004 Spring High School Teacher of the Year.

Known for her innovative teaching styles, Eaton has presented numerous workshops and clinics for TMEA regions and school districts throughout Texas and Georgia, for TCDA and TMEA conventions and is a founding member of the CEDFA cadre. She authored SMART Volume I (Sight Singing Made Accessible Readable and Teachable), a sight-reading book published in July of 2006. She is a member of ACDA, TMEA, TMAA and TCDA.

Contact Information:
Spring HS
20423 Cannaberry Way
Spring, Tx 77388
Phone: (281) 891-7061
Fax: (832) 764-7001
denisee@springisd.org

Shawn Bell, Past-President

Shawn Bell is Director of Choirs at Permian High School in Odessa, Texas. Currently in his sixteenth year of teaching, Shawn has spent almost his entire career at Permian High School, except for two years where he served as Director of Choirs at Judson High School in Converse, Texas (1994-1996). 

Under his direction, the Permian and Judson choirs have received consistent UIL first division and sweepstakes awards. Bell's choirs have also earned consistent first divisions, as well as “Best in Class” and “Best in Festival” honors in spring festivals throughout Texas, Colorado, and Missouri. Under his direction, the Permian Kantorei performed at the 2000 TMEA convention as well as the 2003 national American Choral Directors Association convention in New York City. Furthermore, he conducted Kantorei on a national broadcast from the Crystal Cathedral in June of 2002..  

Bell has served as Vice-President and Vocal Chairman of TMEA Region VI. After completing two years as Vocal Division Vice-President of TMEA, he is currently the President of TMEA. Having also served on the UIL State Sightreading Committee, he continues to adjudicate, clinic, and conduct choirs throughout Texas. Bell holds degrees from Jefferson College in Hillsboro, Missouri, Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York, and Texas Tech University. Bell has studied with Richard Bell, Seth McCoy, Donald Neuen, Karl Dent, and Dr. Kenneth Davis. Shawn is a member of TMEA, TCDA, ACDA, TMAA, and TCTA.

Also employed as Director of Music at First Christian Church in Odessa, Shawn and his wife, Donna, have three beautiful children: Landon, Ashlyn, and Mason.

Contact Information:
Permian HS
2908 Dustin Dr .
Odessa, TX 78762
Phone: 432/366-3652 x 158
Fax: 432/368-2209
jeffery.bell@ectorcountyisd.org

Ross Boothman,
Vice-President and Band Division Chair

Ross Boothman is the director of bands and music department chair at Lumberton High School. Currently in his twenty-second year of teaching, he has taught in Lumberton for sixteen years and previously taught in the Deweyville and Hardin-Jefferson school districts.

Under his direction, the Lumberton High School band has become a consistent UIL sweepstakes award winner. In addition, the symphonic band has been named outstanding instrumental ensemble at festivals in Orlando and Atlanta.

He earned his Bachelors and Masters in Music Education from Lamar University. In May of 2006, he completed his Masters in Educational Administration, also from Lamar University.

He is a member of TMEA, ATSSB, TMAA, Phi Beta Mu, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia and an honorary member of Kappa Kappa Psi.
Ross and his daughter, Lauren, live in Lumberton.

Contact Information:
Lumberton High School
103 S. LHS Dr.
Lumberton, TX 77657
Phone – 409-923-7858
Fax – 409-923-7819
Email – rboothman@lumberton.k12.tx.us

Jeff Turner,
Vice-President and Orchestra Division Chair

Jeff Turner has been the Instrumental Music Coordinator for the Plano Independent School District since 2007. Prior to his administrative position, he taught orchestra for sixteen years. He served at the director of orchestras at Plano Senior High School for seven years and before that was the director of the Vines High School Orchestras and Williams High School Orchestra also in Plano. Mr. Turner earned a Bachelor of Music Education from New Mexico State University in 1991 and a Master of Secondary Education from the University of North Texas in 2002. Before moving to Texas, Mr. Turner taught orchestra for five years in Las Cruces, New Mexico where he taught grades 6-12.

Under his direction, his orchestras in NM and Texas have received numerous first division and sweepstakes awards at local and national festivals. The Plano Senior High Orchestra was a consistent finalist in honor orchestra competition (string and full) every year under his direction. The Plano Senior High Symphony Orchestra was invited to perform at the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic in 2003 and was named the 2007 Texas Music Educators Association Honor Full Orchestra.

Mr. Turner has served as secretary for the Southwest District of the New Mexico Music Educators Association, President Elect for the NM chapter of ASTA, and elected Vice President for Orchestra for the NMMEA. He is the past orchestra division chair for TMEA Region 24. Mr. Turner holds memberships in TMEA, TMAA, TMAC, TODA, and is listed in Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers. He has also taught at Texas Tech, Baylor, New Mexico State, and Hummingbird music camps as well as a chamber coach for The Institute for Strings at SMU.

Mr. Turner lives in Plano with his wife, who is also a music educator, and their two boys, Danny and Jack. He is an active all-region clinician and adjudicator in Texas and NM and will conduct the Concert Orchestra at New Mexico All-State in January 2009. Mr. Turner is also the concertmaster of the orchestra at First Baptist Church in Dallas and performs with various professional groups in the Dallas area.

Contact Information:
Plano ISD
3416 Hilltop Ln
Plano, TX 75023
Phone: (469) 752-5380
Fax: (469) 752-3081
Jeff.Turner@pisd.edu

Joe Weir began his teaching career in the Humble ISD at Atascocita Middle School in 1984. He transferred to Humble High School in 1991. At HHS, Joe served as the associate director for twelve years and as the department chairman for three years. While teaching at HHS, his Madrigal Singers were selected to perform at the Texas Music Educators Association Convention in 2001 and the Southwest American Choral Director's Association Convention in 2002.

In the Fall of 2006, Joe opened Atascocita High School as the Choir Department Chair where his program maintains a healthy enrollment of 260. At AHS, Joe teaches the A Cappella Choir, the Concert Men, and the Madrigal Singers. Over the years, his choirs have earned consistent sweepstakes awards and been named Best in Class at several festivals in Texas and Florida. Mr. Weir is very proud of the fact that he is nominated yearly by his colleagues for Teacher of the Year and by his students for Who's Who Among American High School Teachers. Joe has spent many summers teaching the All-State literature at camps around the state and stays active as an adjudicator and region clinician throughout the year.

Joe has proudly served TMEA in almost every capacity and is now honored to serve as the Vocal Division Vice-President. His previous TMEA offices/positions include: Region XIX Vocal Vice-Chairman, Region XIX Vocal Chair, Area F Chair, Region XIX audition host & UIL Solo & Ensemble host, 2000 All-State Mixed Choir Section Leader, 2002, 2003 All-State Mixed Choir Organizer, 2004, 2005 TMEA Vocal Division Clinic Coordinator/Facilities Team, 2006 TMEA Convention Assist. Equipment Manager, 2007, 2008 TMEA Convention Equipment Manager.

Joe earned his Bachelor of Music from North Texas State University, now the University of North Texas and his Master of Music in conducting from the University of Houston. Outside of school, Joe serves as the Director of Music at Atascocita Presbyterian Church. His professional affiliations include membership in the American Choral Directors Association, the Texas Choral Directors Association, the Texas Music Educators Association, the Texas Music Adjudicators Association and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia.

Contact Information:
Atascocita HS
19627 Firesign Dr
Humble, Tx 77346
Phone: (281) 641-7606
Fax:281-641-7517
Joseph.Weir@humble.k12.tx.us

John Gillian,
Vice-President and Elementary Division Chair

John Gillian is Elementary Music Curriculum Specialist for Ector County ISD in Odessa and a half-day teacher at Barbara Jordan Elementary. He completed coursework in Educational Leadership at the University of Texas of the Permian Basin in Odessa earning a Texas Principal certificate; completed a Master of Music in Kodály Pedagogy from Texas State University and a Bachelor of Music from Sul Ross State University in Alpine.

Gillian has taught elementary music for 14 years, plus an additional five years as an assistant band director. During the band years, Gillian's groups earned UIL Sweepstakes Awards, competed in the UIL State Marching Contest, and performed at the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic.

TMEA has always been an important part of Gillian's professional life. Having first joined TMEA as a college student, Gillian has served in numerous roles including Region 6 Elementary Chair, Elementary and Band Division convention office volunteer, and he is a member of the TMEA/TMAC Curriculum Assessment Committee. Gillian received a TMEA Graduate Study Scholarship in 2002.

Gillian is a member of TMEA, TMAC, TCDA, OAKE, KET, and ATPE.

Married to Leslie, also a teacher in Ector County ISD, the Gillians have a young elementary-aged son, Jerry.

Contact Information:
Ector County ISD
3624 Loma Dr
Odessa, TX 79762
Phone: (432) 334-7112 x 7288
Fax: (432) 334-7174
Email – john.gillian@ectorcountyisd.org

Caia McCullar is the Program Director of Music Education and Professor of Voice at Dallas Baptist University. She received her Ph.D. in Fine Arts from Texas Tech University with an emphasis in Music Education and Voice, a Master of Music Education and Performer’s Certificate in Voice from the University of Texas at Austin, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from Baylor University. She holds teaching certifications in all-level music, generic special education, and elementary education, as well as certification levels in Kodaly and Orff methodologies.

McCullar has taught at all levels, including elementary music, fifth grade Language Arts and Social Studies, middle school choir, middle school special education, and high school private voice. At the university level, she teaches elementary and secondary music education methods, music for classroom teachers, the Music TExES Review course, private voice, and supervises music student teachers. McCullar taught graduate courses in church music education and music history, as well as directed the Children’s Choir Lab at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. She has served as music education professor at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor and Wayland Baptist University.

McCullar has taught twenty-two years at the university level and fourteen years in public and private schools in Texas. As a high school private voice teacher, she had numerous students who were named members of the TMEA All-State Choirs. Her students also received gold and silver medals, as well as being named Outstanding Performers at the UIL Texas State Solo and Ensemble Contest. She is a member of TMEA, TCDA, ACDA, OAKE, AOSA, NATS, and MENC.

McCullar and her husband, David, who is Director of Fine Arts in Denton ISD, are co-authors of the study manual Pass the TExES Music EC-12. She has twice been named in Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers and is also recognized by the American Norwegian Historical Association as an Outstanding Young Woman in America.

Contact Information:

Dallas Baptist University
3000 Mountain Creek Parkway
Dallas, TX 75211
Phone- (214) 333-5708
Fax- (214) 333-6804
E-mail- caia@dbu.edu