Ashley Cuthbertson, M.Ed, NBCT (she/her) is the Founder & CEO of A. Cuthbertson Consulting, LLC, a national educational consulting firm committed to shifting the landscape of music education by helping music educators make culturally responsive & equitable music teaching and learning the norm, not the exception.
Ashley’s work as a professional learning facilitator, instructional coach, and curriculum writer helps K-12 music & arts educators develop the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to deliver instruction that is culturally responsive & relevant to the diverse and ever-changing needs of today’s learners so that all students have an equitable pathway to success in the arts.
A dedicated music educator with a track record of success working with students in a wide variety of diverse communities and contexts, as a PK-12 music educator in the public, private, and charter schools, Ashley consistently received highly effective teacher ratings and consistently demonstrated the ability to move students’ musicianship skills forward while creating culturally responsive, learner centered learning environments.
A skilled curriculum designer, Ashley has written curriculum for a variety of schools and organizations, as well as led curriculum teams for the Virginia Department of Education resulting in over 15 new general music units for the “Go Open VA” open educational resource database.
Described as an “engaging and charismatic” teacher educator, as a consultant, Ashley has over a decade of experience serving hundreds of music & arts educators across the U.S. and internationally, helping them to connect instruction to the cultural frames of reference of their students to more easily engage students in their programs. Music educators report that her professional learning programs are “engaging”, “safe”, and provide strategies that “will have a positive impact” on their students.
A Nationally Board Certified Teacher, Ashley holds a Master’s in Education, as well as certifications in the Kodály approach and Arts integration. Ashley has over fourteen years of experience in education as a general music & choral educator, a band educator, a K-12 musicianship instructor, a private lessons instructor, lead teacher, new teacher coach, adjunct professor, curriculum writer, speaker, and consultant.
A passionate advocate for music education, Ashley additionally serves the National Association for Music Education as a member of the Music Education Policy Roundtable & Equity Committee, and the Virginia Music Educators Association as chair of the DEI Council.
A regular consultant for schools, districts, and organizations across the U.S., and a sought after keynote & conference speaker, Ashley is dedicated to ensuring all learners have access to a highly qualified and skilled music educator providing equitable access to music education for all.