Education & Community

2025/2026 Salem Music Educator of the Year

2025/2026 Winner

Aubrey Dunham

South Salem High School

Aubrey Dunham is the Choir Director at South Salem High School, where she directs six curricular ensembles. During her tenure, Aubrey has led South Salem’s 6A Symphonic Choir to an OSAA 3rd place win in 2022 and a Championship title in 2023. She also leads Southernaires, South Salem’s Vocal Jazz Ensemble. Aubrey is humbled to be part of such a prestigious program and is excited to continue the legacy of excellence established in the South Choral Program.

Prior to South Salem, Aubrey taught for 13 years in Illinois. She has served in multiple leadership roles with ACDA and currently serves as the Treble Choir Repertoire and Resources Chair for the Oregon Chapter. She is also an active member of the National Association for Music Education and will be serving as a staff member for the Oregon Ambassadors of Music summer 2026 European tour.

She holds degrees from Vandercook College of Music and Western Illinois University and is pursuing a second master’s degree at Western Oregon University in Educational Science with Principal Licensure. She lives and breathes the choral arts but also loves exploring the beautiful Pacific Northwest with her adorable pup, Fanny—yes, as in Mendelssohn.

2025/2026 Nominees

Scott Avzaradel

McKay High School

Scott Avzaradel is the Band Director at McKay High School, where he leads more than 180 students in Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, Concert Band, Symphony Orchestra, Jazz 1-2, Jazz Combo, Marching Band, Pep Band, and Pit Orchestra. Avzaradel is also the founder of the McKay Jazz Festival and a founder of Salem-Keizer All-City Jazz Band. In addition to his work at the high school level, Avzaradel teaches at Willamette University and Western Oregon University, and maintains a private studio of trumpet and low brass students.

Elizabeth Hering

McNary High School

Elizabeth Hering is the Director of Bands at McNary High School in Keizer, Oregon. Before that, she was the Director of Bands at Livonia Churchill High School in Michigan for 21 years. Elizabeth received a Master of Music from the Northwestern University School of Music and a Bachelor of Music from Willamette University. Elizabeth’s bands have consistently performed at a high level, earning distinctions at local and travel festivals and contests. Notably, under Elizabeth’s direction, the McNary Wind Ensemble won the League Championship for the first time in the school’s 60-year history. Elizabeth is a three-time National Finalist for the GRAMMY Music Educator Award, a four-time MSBOA Director of the Year, an EMU Exceptional Educator Nominee, and has received a Citation of Excellence from the National Band Association.

Mac Mayer

Whiteaker Middle School

Mac Mayer is Orchestra Director at Whiteaker Middle School and feeder elementary schools in Keizer, Oregon. He holds undergraduate degrees in Music Performance and Music Education from The Ohio State University and a Master’s of Music Education from the University of Kansas. Prior to teaching in the Salem-Keizer Public Schools, Mr. Mayer taught orchestra in Olathe, Kansas, as well as communities in Georgia and Ohio. Mr. Mayer is a certified orchestra adjudicator in the state of Oregon, and works frequently as an adjudicator, clinician, and conductor across the state and region. Mr. Mayer is conductor of Amadeus Players, a string preparatory orchestra with Salem Youth Symphony.