At the 2024 national conference for the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS), attendees will have the privilege of hearing a keynote from Nicole Robinson, an accomplished educator, scholar, and author.

As founder of Cultural Connections by Design (CCBD), Robinson is on a mission to help organizations foster equity-centered processes and apply transformative practices to cultivate a culture of belonging. Robinson describes this as a culture that accepts, values, and leverages the strengths among differences.

Drawing upon her experiences and creativity as a music educator, Robinson will help attendees navigate the complexities of the cultural landscape using “out of the box” techniques that make her approach like no other.

Robinson will present four sessions:

• Conference Opening Session Keynote
• Matrix of Intersectionality: An Interactive Game
• IDEA (inclusion, diversity, equity and anti-racism) Panel Discussion
• Coffee + Conversation Session

We’re delighted you’ll be joining us for our national conference this summer! First, tell us a little about yourself. What sparked your passion for the work you do, and how has your journey led you to where you are today?

At my core, I am a teacher educator, and all the services and products I provide my clients have deep educational processes. Before founding Cultural Connections by Design (CCBD) in 2018, I held the role of Associate Vice President for Equity and Diversity at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City, Utah. With more than 25 years of academic experience, I served on the music education faculty at various institutions, including the University of Utah as the Beverley Taylor Sorenson Presidential Endowed Professor of Music Education, the University of Memphis, Syracuse University, and Virginia Commonwealth University. My passion for teaching and learning and my research in teacher preparation practices led me to create my teaching tool, "The Matrix of Intersectionality," which I began by doing sessions at various colleges, universities, and academic organizations. The demand for my sessions grew nationally, prompting the establishment of CCBD five years ago.

At the NATS national conference, you’ll also be sharing an interactive game — “The Matrix of Intersectionality” — with all of us. Sounds like a powerful tool. Can you tell us more about it?

Absolutely! "The Matrix of Intersectionality" is a tool I initially developed for my music education majors, aiming to equip them for teaching in the music classroom. As music teacher educators, we excel in preparing our music teachers to provide strong music instruction but often overlook preparing them with an ability to navigate the social-cultural contexts they may encounter in the classroom. I designed this tool to address this gap. The primary aim of the learning tool is to provide insight into various aspects of social identities and illustrate how students’ identities may "show up" and function in the music classroom. This tool guided my students to first understand their own personal identities and how to leverage their identities to serve as change agents on behalf of their students. "The Matrix of Intersectionality" was the catalyst for launching CCBD. I have now used it in all professional sectors, including education, healthcare organizations, and corporate and non-profit organizations. All in all, this tool helps people better understand both themselves and others.

NATS is made up of a variety of voice professionals, including both independent voice teachers and those with academic appointments. How will your lessons be applicable for both groups — studio and classroom?

The foundation of all my teaching revolves around creating a culture of belonging in any environment, whether in a private studio, or classroom. The four pillars or “pieces” that must fit together for belonging are people, place, process, and power. "People" is the first and most crucial aspect of this puzzle because people are always the most precious commodity. Therefore, the foundation of my teaching centers around a people-centric approach. Prioritizing and understanding ourselves and others enables us to better engage in supporting our students. By appreciating the unique qualities each person brings to a space, we can leverage these differences to uncover the strengths within all of us. Because this approach centers its foundation on people, it is universally applicable to all vocal professionals, including independent teachers, vocal educators, and those working in various educational settings.

As the founder of Cultural Connections by Design, do you have any great success stories from other groups or organizations that have transformed or improved their culture of belonging and inclusion?

Oh, I have numerous success stories! The teacher-educator in me always relishes progress, regardless of how big or small. So, for me, all progress is excellent. It's important to note that my success in being able to help organizations make large-scale cultural shifts isn't a magical formula; instead, it's rooted in primary teaching and learning practices. My ability to develop a curriculum-based approach and provide my clients with sequential, "small" step-by-step processes that collectively create shifts in the organizational culture is my unique factor. Often, this type of "people work" is emotionally driven, which can be increasingly challenging; but by implementing a specific process, it helps to navigate around some of the emotional components that sometimes get in the way of progress.

Anything else you’d like to share?

My initial encounter with NATS occurred over 25 years ago as a graduate student at Florida State University. Since then, I've observed the organization's impactful work from a distance, noting its effective leadership and contributions to vocal professionals in the U.S. and beyond. Serving this amazing organization at your upcoming National Conference is truly an honor and, I’m looking forward to seeing everyone soon!

Thank you so much! We look forward to seeing you in Knoxville.

The stage is set for you — and your students!

Expanded Networking ⬩ Curated Breakout Sessions ⬩ National Student Auditions ⬩ World-Renowned Talent

A terrific lineup of plenary sessions, featured performances and learning opportunities galore. Make plans today to join us in Knoxville for our 58th national conference. Browse our program pages to check out what’s in store.

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Early-bird registration deadline is April 1.