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Tooshar Swain
Director of Public Policy, Americans for the Arts
Before joining Americans for the Arts, Tooshar served as Director of Public Policy and Advocacy at the National Association for Music Education. There he oversaw federal and state policy initiatives while supporting music educators in their efforts to advocate for their music programs. During this time, he also served as a board member for both the Committee for Education Funding and the Title IV-A Coalition. Tooshar began his career on Capitol Hill working on tax policy, judiciary, and healthcare issues in the United States Senate. Tooshar has also worked as both a policy and communications consultant for presidential and congressional campaigns. As the husband of a teacher and the father of two daughters, Tooshar has seen firsthand the need for the arts in a child’s life. This drives his commitment to advocacy for the arts.
Olivia Tarpley
Public Policy Manager, Americans for the Arts
Originally from western North Carolina, Olivia is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. She received her Master of Education in Education Policy from American University and has been with Americans for the Arts since May 2022. Olivia manages government affairs and arts education webinars as well as virtual arts advocacy programs like the National Arts Advocacy Zoom-In week. In addition, Olivia supports the organization's Congressional Engagement, policy work, and State and District Captains programs. Olivia lives and works in Washington, D.C. and enjoys trying new restaurants with friends.
Jaime Kasper
Director at Arts Education Partnership
Jamie Kasper is a flutist, heavy metal fan, hiker, reader, gardener, and amateur photographer and chef. Her 25-year career started in an elementary music classroom, and she's worked in schools, state government, and arts education organizations. If you want more detail than you ever imagined, ask her about what was on NPR this morning or her penchant for singing high harmony parts when listening to 80s hair metal.
As director of the Arts Education Partnership, Jamie Kasper works with over 100 partner organizations to support arts learning across the United States. Prior to joining the Education Commission of the States, Jamie worked for the Arts Education Collaborative in Pittsburgh and was previously the state arts curriculum advisor at the Pennsylvania Department of Education. Jamie is an active musician who spends time on the weekends rehearsing or performing with various groups.
Karen Salvador
Associate Professor and Chair of Music Education, Michigan State University’s College of Music
Karen Salvador teaches undergraduate courses on early childhood and elementary general music and graduate seminars on a variety of music education topics. Previously, she coordinated the music teacher certification program at the University of Michigan-Flint. She has taught K–4 general music as well as early childhood music, drama, and choir in a variety of community settings.
Dr. Salvador earned a PhD in Music Education and a Master’s in Choral Conducting from Michigan State University, and a Bachelor’s in Vocal Performance from Western Michigan University. Her research focuses on inclusive praxis in music education, examining early childhood and elementary contexts as well as teacher education, most recently with a focus on divisive concept laws' impact on educators, students, and curricula. Her scholarship is widely published in journals and books, including the Journal of Research in Music Education and the forthcoming Toward Equity in School Music: Ideas for Practice in Music Teacher Education (Oxford, 2025).
Dr. Salvador directs the Early Childhood Music Play Laboratory at Michigan State’s Community Music Schools in East Lansing and Detroit and serves on editorial boards for the Journal of Research in Music Education, Journal of Music Teacher Education, and International Journal of Music in Early Childhood. A past president of the Michigan Music Education Association and NAfME’s North Central Division, Dr. Salvador presents frequently for practicing educators, teacher educators, and education organizations.