2026 VMEA Professional Development Conference
11/18/2026 - 11/21/2026
In-Person Event
Greater Richmond Convention Center
403 N. 3rd St.
Richmond, VA
Clinician Details
Dr. Annamarie Bollino
Dr. Annamarie Bollino is a nationally respected leader and fierce advocate for arts education, with over 15 years of administrative experience as a district arts coordinator and school leader. She currently serves as the Supervisor of the Arts for Prince William County Schools (VA), she supports over 400 arts educators through instructional coaching, professional development, student events, mentorship, and curriculum development.
Annie Ray
Annie Ray is the Orchestra Director and Performing Arts Department Chair at Annandale High School in Fairfax County Public Schools. A strong advocate for universal music education access, she founded creative programs like the Fairfax Arts Coalition for Education Parent Orchestra and the Crescendo Orchestra for students with disabilities. Ray is a highly sought-after speaker, giving the TEDx talk, The Sounds of Success. Her many honors include the 2024 GRAMMY Music Educator Award and being named the 2023 FCPS Outstanding Secondary Teacher of the Year. She is also an active professional harpist and lives in Arlington, Virginia.
Rachel Allen
Rachel Allen is a dedicated music educator and the Band Director at Charles Town Middle School. Since 2008, her ensembles have consistently earned superior ratings, notably being named West Virginia’s 2026 state Honor Jazz Band. A Shepherd University alumna, Rachel serves as the WV Bandmaster President (Region 9) and Secretary for Phi Beta Mu. Beyond the classroom, she is a respected clinician and social media influencer with over 650,000 followers. While she enjoys teaching a global audience online, her primary passion remains mentoring the next generation of band directors and supporting her students in West Virginia.
Adam Chitta
Mr. Adam Chitta (key-ta) is a music educator and PhD student in Music Education at the University of Missouri, following a 14-year career as a middle school band director in San Antonio, Texas. At Mizzou, he teaches instrumental methods, assists with bands, supervises student teachers, and co-directs Sound Explorers, an adaptive concert band for students with developmental disabilities. He founded The Chitta Sound, LLC, to expand music access for deaf and hard-of-hearing learners. His research focuses on inclusive music education, special education policy, accessibility, and music technology for neurodiverse learners.