Christopher Mena

Christopher Mena is currently an instructor in the music department at Seattle Central College and an elementary music educator in Seattle Public Schools. His doctoral research focused on the historical impact of education policy on Mexican American access to music education. Additionally, he is interested in the impact of colonization on the development of music education systems, and exploring social benefits of participating in community music spaces that emphasize participatory practices. Dr. Mena has also engaged in international work in music education with his most recent project being a four year summer residency to assist in developing a teaching artist program in the country of Myanmar. In addition to authoring several articles and chapters, he is also a co-author of the 2018 book World Music Pedagogy Vol. IV: Instrumental Music Education. In addition to these activities in music education, Dr. Mena also has extensive nonprofit management experience and serves on a variety of boards and committees including The Rhapsody Project, Smithsonian Folkways Recordings Education Committee, and the Balkan Night Northwest Planning Committee. Musically, Dr. Mena is a multi-instrumentalist and has learned a variety of musical traditions during his travels around the world including Afro-Peruvian cajón, Burmese hne, son jarocho from Veracruz, Mexico, and Ewe drumming from Ho, Ghana.