Dr. Votava is the graduate director of early childhood education at the University of North Dakota. She is a speech-language pathologist and early interventionist, specializing in work with birth to 5-year-olds. Dr. Votava has over 20 years’ experience in the field of early intervention. She is a master trainer of adverse childhood experiences (ACES), with training in Hanen, routines-based interview/family assessment, NEAR@home toolkit, focusing on implementation science and team collaboration. She has presented nationally and internationally.

Jay Broeker has taught general music to children for over 35 years and presents workshops nationally in the areas of music creativity, curriculum development, and effective teaching practice. Each summer, he teaches in the graduate teacher education programs at the University of St. Thomas and the University of Kentucky.  Jay’s commissioned choral works have been performed by numerous state and national honor choirs and are published by Boosey & Hawkes and Santa Barbara Music Publishing.

Dr. Wendy Valerio is Associate Professor of Music and Director of the Children's Music Development Center (CMDC) at the University of South Carolina where she teaches graduate and undergraduate music methods courses and conducts early childhood music development research which has been sponsored by The Texaco Foundation and The Presser Foundation. Her work is featured in Musical Experience in Our Lives: Things We Learn and Meanings We Make (Rowman & Littlefield), Listen to Their Voices (Canadian Music Educators Association), Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, Music Play: Bah Bah, Bebop, Beethoven (GIA), and she is co-author of Music Play (GIA), and Jump Right In: The Music Series (GIA).

After teaching elementary general music in the public schools of Lawrence, KS, Valerio received MM and PhD degrees from Temple University. She holds Kodaly Level 1 and Level III Orff Schulwerk certification, and is a member of the International Society for Music Education, Music Educators National Conference, Society for Music Teacher Education, Alliance for Active Music Making, Gordon Institute for Music Learning Mastership Certification Faculty, American Orff Schulwerk Association where teaches movement and special topics for Orff Schulwerk Teacher Training Levels I and II.

Dr. Votava is the graduate director of early childhood education at the University of North Dakota. She is a speech-language pathologist and early interventionist, specializing in work with birth to 5-year-olds. Dr. Votava has over 20 years’ experience in the field of early intervention. She is a master trainer of adverse childhood experiences (ACES), with training in Hanen, routines-based interview/family assessment, NEAR@home toolkit, focusing on implementation science and team collaboration. She has presented nationally and internationally.

Dr. Wendy Valerio is Associate Professor of Music and Director of the Children's Music Development Center (CMDC) at the University of South Carolina where she teaches graduate and undergraduate music methods courses and conducts early childhood music development research which has been sponsored by The Texaco Foundation and The Presser Foundation. Her work is featured in Musical Experience in Our Lives: Things We Learn and Meanings We Make (Rowman & Littlefield), Listen to Their Voices (Canadian Music Educators Association), Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, Music Play: Bah Bah, Bebop, Beethoven (GIA), and she is co-author of Music Play (GIA), and Jump Right In: The Music Series (GIA).

After teaching elementary general music in the public schools of Lawrence, KS, Valerio received MM and PhD degrees from Temple University. She holds Kodaly Level 1 and Level III Orff Schulwerk certification, and is a member of the International Society for Music Education, Music Educators National Conference, Society for Music Teacher Education, Alliance for Active Music Making, Gordon Institute for Music Learning Mastership Certification Faculty, American Orff Schulwerk Association where teaches movement and special topics for Orff Schulwerk Teacher Training Levels I and II.