Our Board
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Our Board Members
William Allen: Founder of TSMAC & Director of Bands at South Oak Cliff High School in Dallas, TX
William Allen, M.Ed. is a Grammy award-winning band director and mission-driven educator with over 11 years of experience in Title I schools. From his involvement as a non-profit founder to his influence as an educator and performing arts director, William is making a profound difference in the lives of youth in the Dallas area. Mr. Allen earned a Master of Education in Leadership from the University of Texas at Permian Basin and a Bachelor of Music from Southern A&M University. He is also certified by the state of Texas to serve as a Principal and Music Teacher for grades Pre-K through 12. The guiding principles that have sustained her through the years are leadership, accountability, communication, passion, and The Golden Rule. Mr. Allen serves as the CEO and Founder of TSMAC.
Derrick Walker: Director of Fine Arts at Cedar Hill HS in Cedar Hill, TX
Director of Fine Arts - Cedar Hill ISD Mr. Derrick Walker is currently in his 6th year at Cedar Hill High School and 21st year as an educator. He is the Director of the Longhorn Red Army Marching Band, Wind Symphony, Jazz Band and Pep band. He is an active music arranger, drill designer, and clinician for high schools across the country. In 2012, Walker was a Grammy Music Educator Semi-Finalist, Baton Rouge Symphony Orchestra’s Music Educator of the Year Finalist and 2015 Louisiana Teacher of the Year State Finalist. In 2021, Walker is currently a Grammy Music Educator Nominee. Prior to his teachings at Cedar Hill, Mr. Walker held positions as Director of Bands at Baker High School in Baker, LA, Christian Life Academy in Baton Rouge, LA, and Jackson High School, in Jackson, LA. In his 21 years of education his groups consistently received superior and excellent ratings at several local, state, and regional competitions in both areas of concert band and marching band. He earned his Bachelor of Arts in Music from Southern University in Baton Rouge, LA and Masters in Educational Leadership from National University. He is a member of the National Association for Music Education, Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Bandmasters Association, and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity of America Inc.
Kedric Taylor: Director of Bands at Southern University A&M in Baton Rouge, LA
Taylor, a Southern alumnus, participated in the Southern University Marching Band (“Human Jukebox”) for four years while he was a student, serving as Trumpet Section Leader in 2005. He has worked with the Southern University Band Department since 2014, most recently as the Associate Director of Bands. In his role as Associate Director of Bands, Taylor has been responsible for music arrangements, band rehearsals, as well as directing the saxophone and wind ensembles. A native of Mobile, Alabama, Taylor has previously served as Head Director of the Baker High School, Louisiana Leadership Institute, Louisiana Sounds of Dynamite All Star, and Jackson High School Bands. While in college, he served as Assistant Director of Bands for the Mobile All Star and Feliciana Community All Star Bands. Taylor also has served as an adjudicator for numerous “battle of the bands” competitions and as a guest clinician for districts in the southern region. Taylor, who is an Instructor in the College of Arts, Humanities and Interdisciplinary Studies at Southern, holds a Bachelor’s Degree from Southern and a Master’s Degree from North Central University. Taylor also has completed additional graduate studies at the Vandercook School of Music.
William Young: Asst. Band Director here at Langston University
William J. Young currently serves as . Mr. Young comes to Langston from Duncanville ISD where he serves as Director of Fine Arts. Before his tenure at Duncanville ISD, he was Director of Fine Arts and Director of Bands at Cedar Hill ISD, Department Chair and Director of Bands at Skyline Magnet Center where he was responsible for the administration of the more than 160-person band program. He conducted the Wind Ensemble and the Skyline Raider Marching Band while overseeing the Concert Band and two Jazz Bands. In 2010, he received a master’s degree in Educational Leadership from Concordia University in Austin, Tx. He is a member of National Association for Music Education, American Bandmasters Association, Texas Administration Association Conference, Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Bandmasters Association, Texas Black Music Educators and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
D'Tara Frank: Sr. Change Management Coordinator at Venture Global LNG in Houston, TX
Highly-perceptive and full-fledged Project Engineer and Project Manager leveraging 10 years of comprehensive experience in providing commendable planning, oversight, and review of high-valued construction projects across rigorous industrial and commercial environments. Goal driven leader with dynamic management skills. Motivated individual continuing to expand her professional development while delivering the highest quality of service in challenging environments, with safety always as the primary focus.
Willie Johnson: Head Principal at South Oak Cliff HighSchool in Dallas, TX
I have served as a public school educator for 26 years. During my tenure, I have been fortunate to assist with moving two schools, identified by the Texas Education Agency as low performing, to academically acceptable. Notably, at my former campus, we experienced double-digit gains across all content areas simultaneously reducing the racial achievement gap, as well, received 2 academic distinctions 2014-15 and one 2015-16 from the Texas Education Agency for academic performance. The aforementioned accomplishments illustrate my desire to make a difference in the quality of education afforded to students. Besides being a school principal, I provide support to future school leaders as an adjunct professor at Grand Canyon University as well, operate an educational consulting firm, IMPACT. My dissertation addresses the racial achievement gap.
Kanavis Egland: Associate Director of Bands at Sterling High School in Houston, TX
Mr. Kanavis Egland, born and raised in Houston, TX. I graduated from Ross Shaw Sterling Aviation High School on the southeast side of Houston. After completing high school in the year of 2007, I attended Southern University A&M College in Baton Rouge, Louisiana where he marched in the Human Jukebox Marching Band and played in the Wind Symphony Band for 4 years. Of those 4 years in the Human Jukebox Band He's a member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Music Fraternity. He became the band director at East Iberville HS in Iberville Parish from 2013-2017 and moved back to Houston in 2017 and became the band director at Woodson Middle School the 2017-2018 school year. He's currently the Head Choir Director and Assistant Band Director at Ross Shaw Sterling Aviation HS.
Gene Cambridge: Owner of A B.R.I.D.G.E. Group in Dallas, TX
Gene Cambridge is the founder and president of The B.R.I.D.G.E. Group, a personal development company that delivers professional training, counseling and mentoring to help broaden the effectiveness of those that work directly with people. He has been working with at-risk families and individuals for over 25 years. With a strong professional background in social services, Mr.Cambridge has assisted many families in crisis. He has also established a Development/Training program to support company missions/visions, strengthen departments and increase engagement within work groups. For over 15 years, Gene has educated individuals and businesses in a wide range of training fields. He is a Master Professional Level trainer for the Texas Early Childhood Professional Development Systems (TECPDS), and is a certified trainer/facilitator for LifeSkills, True Colors, Strengthening Families Program, and Anger Management programs. Mr. Cambridge is a dynamic and energetic speaker with the ability to motivate, and to make any training subject enjoyable and easy to understand. He is highly requested to train and to speak at companies, schools, churches, conferences and family programs.