Since the launch of programming in 2019, Karissa has been on the ETM-CO team. Karissa is thrilled for the daily opportunity to promote equity in music education and to empower music teachers. Karissa joined ETM-CO after a career of teaching elementary general music in various Denver metro schools and Morocco, but her heart is in the Title 1 music classroom. Karissa’s work in training and coaching ETM-CO music teachers is a natural progression after mentoring student teachers from multiple universities and serving as a teacher-leader in multiple schools/districts. A classically trained pianist and singer, Karissa lately enjoys songwriting and playing folk and rock music on her cello, guitar, and banjo. Karissa holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Vocal Music Education (St. Olaf College) and a Masters’s Degree in Curriculum, Assessment, and
Instruction (Walden University). She holds her Orff-Schulwerk Certification (San Francisco International Orff Course) and has completed training in Cognitive Coaching (PEBC). Karissa loves international travel, running, road trips in her VW Campervan, books and podcasts, and writing.