Travis Coakley
Assistant Professor of Music
Chair, Instrumental Activities and Music Education
tcoakley@wmcarey.edu
Mr. Coakley is the Director of Fine Arts & Director of Bands for the Biloxi Public School District on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and beginning in 2020 he began teaching music education courses at William Carey University.
Mr. Coakley is currently serving on the Executive Board of the American School Band Director’s Association as National President-Elect, a High School Representative on the Board of Directors for the National Band Association, and as Past-President of the Gulf Coast Band Director's Association. Mr. Coakley is also the current President-Elect of the Mississippi Alliance for Arts Education which works to bring a quality arts education to all K-12 students in the State of Mississippi and serves on the Mississippi Teacher's Advisory Council to the Department of Education.
Mr. Coakley was named the "Thad Cochran Distinguished Arts Educator for Music" in the state of Mississippi (2013), the Biloxi Bay Chamber of Commerce Secondary Teacher of the Year (2013-2014), Biloxi Public School District Teacher of the Year (2013-2014), Biloxi High School Teacher of the Year (2013-2014) and (2019-2020), the Gulf Coast Band Director's Association High School Band Director of the Year (2013-2014), and one of SBO's 50 "Directors Who Make a Difference" in 2014.
Prior to coming to Biloxi, Mr. Coakley served as the Director of Bands at Irmo High School in Columbia, South Carolina (2008-2011), Associate Director of Bands at J.M. Tate High School in Cantonment, Florida (2003-2008), Assistant Director of Bands at Miami Coral Park High School in Miami, Florida (2002-2003), and Assistant Director of Bands at North Forrest High School in Hattiesburg, Mississippi (1999-2001).
Mr. Coakley is a graduate of Auburn University (Educational Specialist, 2019) and the University of Southern Mississippi (Bachelor of Music Education, 1999, Master of Music Education, 2002). His professional memberships include Phi Beta Mu (PBM), the American School Band Directors Association (ASBDA), National Band Association (NBA), National Association for Music Education (NAfME), Mississippi Bandmasters Association (MBA), Mississippi Music Educators Association (MMEA), Gulf Coast Band Director's Association (GCBDA) and the International Trombone Association (ITA).