Teachers

Frank M. Diaz, Ph.D., is the founder and lead teacher of the Mindfulness-Based Wellness and Pedagogy (MBWP) program, and currently serves as an Associate Professor of Music Education, Co-Director of the Music and Mind Lab, and Affiliate Member of the Cognitive Science Department at Indiana University. Frank has been a dedicated meditation practitioner for over 20 years, having studied with various teachers and in a number of meditative traditions. An ordained lay Zen teacher, Frank has been teaching meditation in both secular and religious settings for over a decade. His work as a meditation teacher and researcher has been featured in media outlets such as the Huffington Post and Science Daily, and in publications such as Oregon Quarterly, Psychology of Music, and the Journal of Research in Music Education.

Holly Brown is an elementary band teacher in Connecticut. She developed an interest in mindfulness in 2011. This eventually led to her participation in the 5-day Mindfulness Workshop at Indiana University in 2017, culminating in her completion of the MBWP Teacher Training Program in July of 2018. Holly uses mindfulness techniques with her 4th and 5th grade students in both small pull-out lesson and large ensemble settings.

Eric Dickson, D.M, serves on the music faculty at Truman State University, where he teaches applied trumpet and jazz appreciation, in addition to directing the Truman Brass Choir and the Truman Trumpet Ensemble. He was initially drawn to the practice of mindfulness after experiencing firsthand the positive impact it can have on music performance. Stemming from his work with the MBWP program over the past year, Dickson has incorporated mindfulness concepts into all aspects of his teaching, and leads bi-weekly mindfulness practice sessions for the students, faculty, and staff of Truman State University.

Dr. Lisa Martin is currently serving as Assistant Professor of Music Education at Bowling Green State University, where she teaches undergraduate and graduate music education courses. Lisa participated in the 5-day Mindfulness workshop at IU in summer of 2017 and completed MBWP Teacher Training in July of 2018. At BGSU, she teaches mindfulness to music students through the Mindfulness Club, and serves a consultant on MBWP approaches for studio professors and other colleagues at the University.