Instructors & Leadership

Instructors

Dr. Wendy K. Matthews - Director, Kent State Youth Winds  
Wendy K. Matthews is the associate dean for undergraduate programs and assessment in the College of Arts and professor of music education at Kent State University. She holds degrees from George Mason University, University of Maryland-College Park and the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University, Conservatory of Music. Dr. Matthews is an active researcher focusing on group music-making in ensembles across the lifespan, teacher preparation and the oral histories of pioneer women brass players. She is also co-author of the textbook "Basic Conducting Techniques (8th edition)" published in January of 2023. Dr. Matthews is in demand worldwide as a guest conductor, clinician and adjudicator.

Dr. Joni Stoll - Faculty and Ensemble Administrator, Kent State Youth Winds 
Dr. Joni Stoll is beginning her 36th  year as a music educator. She held the position of director of bands at Holgate High School for 13 years where she was responsible for the instrumental program 5-12. She also taught at Southeast High School for 20 years directing the high school marching band, symphonic band and jazz band while assisting the band program in grades 5-8. Dr. Stoll received her music education (instrumental) and piano performance undergraduate degrees at the University of Akron, piano performance/pedagogy degree at Northwestern University and Doctor of Philosophy (music education)degree at Kent State University. She has been an adjunct professor at Kent State University since 2011 as part of the music education faculty. She is also active as an adjudicator for the Ohio Music Education Association.

Jacob Gibson - Faculty and Ensemble Administrator, Kent State Youth Winds 
Jacob Gibson is a western Pennsylvanian native. His education includes a Bachelor of Arts in Music Education with a concentration in Saxophone Performance from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania and a Master’s degree in Music Education from the State University of New York at Fredonia. Jacob's current research interests include social justice, music educator training, sociological music education and relationships between music stores and school music programs. He specializes in Concert Band/Wind Ensemble and Jazz Band instruction. Jacob taught in Erie, PA as a middle and high school band director prior to beginning full-time study at Kent State University in the Ph.D. program for Music Education where he is a Graduate Assistant.

Jami Bolton - Faculty and Ensemble Administrator, Kent State Youth Winds 
Jami Bolton is celebrating her 22nd year of being a music teacher during the 2023-24 school year. Ms. Bolton taught band and orchestra in Alexandria, Virginia and New Delhi, India. Ms. Bolton holds an Associate of Arts and Sciences in Music degree from Ricks College, a Bachelor of Music in Music Education from Brigham Young University and a Master of Music in French Horn Performance from The Catholic University of America. She is currently a full-time doctoral student at Kent State University. Her interests lie at the crossroads of music education and ethnomusicology.

Joseph Hamp - Faculty and Ensemble Administrator, Kent State Youth Winds 
Joseph Hamp received his Bachelor's degree in music education from the University of Maryland in 2009, where his focus was classical saxophone. At UMD, he also sang in the chamber choir. Joseph began teaching general music, orchestra and band in Montgomery Public County Schools in 2009. He also worked as an Assistant Conductor for the Northern Virginia Community College band ensembles. In 2011, he moved to Dayton, OH with his family and taught at the Montessori School of Dayton where he taught band and choir, and also founded the rock band program. In 2018, the Hamp family moved to Pittsburgh, where Joseph taught 6th-grade band and general music at Slippery Rock Middle School. He also served as the Assistant Band Director for the Slippery Rock High School "Rocket" Marching Band. In 2022 the Hamp family again moved, this time to Akron. Joseph is currently teaching choir and beginning band in the Hudson City Schools. He is very excited to assist with the Kent State Youth Winds and is looking forward to teaching these talented students

Board of Directors

• Dr. Joanna Hersey - Professor, Tuba, University of North Carolina-Pembroke, North Carolina
• Ms. Sarah Kois - Project Coordinator, Kent State Youth Winds, Kent, Ohio
• Mr. Anthony Maiello - Professor of Music, George Mason University, Virginia
• Dr. Wendy K. Matthews - Associate Dean of the College of the Arts, Kent, Ohio
• Dr. Kent McWilliams - Professor of Piano, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio
• Dr. John Roebke - Director of Bands, Roosevelt High School, Kent, Ohio