Dustin Mallory is a music educator dividing his time between State College, PA, and the Philadelphia suburbs. He has previously taught at Valley City State University, Lincoln University, Rutgers University, and the Wissahickon School District, specializing in jazz, concert band, percussion, and music theory. Dustin has performed at the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association conference and led the VCSU Percussion Ensemble at the 2023 North Dakota Music Educators Association conference. He holds a BA in Music Education from Saginaw Valley State University, an MA in Jazz History & Research from Rutgers University, and is pursuing a Ph.D. in Music Education at Penn State, where he works as a research assistant and teaches jazz combo. Dustin has lectured internationally and published extensively in music and jazz journals. As a percussionist, he has performed with various ensembles including the Doylestown Symphonic Winds and Bucks County Symphony Orchestra. A native of Michigan, Dustin studied guitar with his father and notable jazz and blues guitarists. He endorses Black Swamp Percussion and is active in professional music education organizations.