Josanne Francis, Ph.D

Josanne Francis–community leader, educator, and musician– serves as the Lead Community Engagement Program Coordinator for the Office of Community Engagement. With research interests in the intersections of community, culture, arts, and education; Francis’ work highlights the importance of reciprocal Community/School partnerships in cultural identity development and youth experiences in music education.

Francis shines as a community leader, having served as the Artistic and Executive Director at the Cultural Academy for Excellence (2014-2022), an arts-in-education program based in Prince George’s county. She has served on numerous committees and panels with the Prince George’s Arts and Humanities Council, the Maryland State Arts Council, the Maryland State Department of Education’s Center for Creative Classrooms, and many more. Francis has served youth in Prince George’s County and beyond as a classroom teacher and a teaching artist at P-12 schools, colleges, and community programs.

During her time as a UMD student, Josanne served as a lead teacher for the inaugural Music Explorers class, an early childhood program as part of the Terrapin Community Music School. She was the 2024 recipient of the Mabel S Spencer fellowship for excellence in graduate achievement. The Trinidad and Tobago native has headlined several festivals both nationally and internationally, and has made appearances at prestigious venues including the Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall, Strathmore, and Lincoln Center. She has delivered a TEDx presentation, co-created the thriving performance outfit Elite Pan Consortium, and founded Steel on Wheels, an educational program that makes steelpan and percussion education more accessible. 

Josanne holds a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from the University of Southern Mississippi, a Master’s degree in steelpan performance from Northern Illinois University, and a Doctor of Philosophy in Music Education form the University of Maryland.