Carnegie Hall
Joanna Massey is an educator, leader, and lifelong advocate for the power of music to bring people together. As Director of Learning & Engagement at Carnegie Hall, she develops and leads programs that connect students, teachers, and young artists with inspiring musical experiences—helping them explore their creativity and harness the power of their voice.
Joanna’s work spans a wide range of initiatives, from Musical Explorers and Link Up, which introduce children to musical traditions from around the world and the symphony orchestra, to PlayUSA, which supports free access for young people across the country to learn to play a musical instrument. A steadfast advocate for teachers and the importance of their work, she also founded Music Educators Workshop, a year-round and summer-intensive program that brings K-12 teachers together with top-tier artists and faculty to deepen their craft, connect with their musicianship, and amplify their impact in the classroom.
With a deep passion for jazz education, Joanna leads NYO Jazz, Carnegie Hall’s national youth jazz ensemble, where she helps the next generation of jazz musicians develop their artistry and leadership as both performers and cultural ambassadors. Before joining Carnegie Hall, she served as Associate Director of Education at Jazz at Lincoln Center, leading the country’s preeminent high school jazz band program and festival, an innovative academy for New York City middle school students, and professional training for jazz educators - advancing opportunities for people of all ages to experience the creativity, discipline, and joy of jazz.
Earlier in her career, Joanna guided research and planning for a national arts initiative at Boys & Girls Clubs of America, reaching more than one million young people through afterschool arts programs.
A proud graduate of Boston University (B.S. in Journalism) and Harvard University (Ed.M. in Arts in Education), Joanna has continued to give back through service on arts education boards and advisory councils, including the NAfME National Music Education Policy Roundtable, the New York City Arts in Education Roundtable, and Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s National Arts Advisory Council, always focused on one goal: making music learning accessible, inclusive, and transformative for all young people.
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Thursday, January 8, 2026
1:00 PM - 1:50 PM CST
