A veteran of 36 years in public school music education, Marcia Neel has directed successful secondary music programs in Connecticut, Ohio, Massachusetts, and Nevada. She served as the Supervisor of the Secondary Music Education Program of the Clark County School District (CCSD), headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada, from 1994 through 2007 and during the course of those years, she led the Secondary Music Education Program to an enrollment of over 50,000 in 56 middle and 38 high schools. In conjunction with the National Association of School Boards, VH1 and NAMM awarded the National Distinguished Service to Music Education Award to the CCSD Board of School Trustees in 2007. The district employs over 500 elementary and secondary music educators.

Well-regarded for her commitment to program expansion and innovation, Marcia is known for her creative approaches to curriculum design and implementation. One of those programs for which the CCSD is most well known is the Secondary Mariachi Program which was instituted in 2002 and is now staffed by 15 full-time, licensed Mariachi educators. She takes great pride in knowing that all of the students in each of the district’s secondary schools are provided with an equal opportunity to study music. Marcia is the lead author of ¡Simplemente Mariachi! -- the only Standards-based Beginning Mariachi Methods Series -- published by Northeastern Music Publications, Inc.

Marcia maintains professional memberships in MENC, the National Association for Music Education; Nevada Music Educators Association (NMEA); American String Teachers Association (ASTA); American Choral Directors Association (ACDA); and the International Association for Jazz Education (IAJE) and is well known for her advocacy efforts in Music Education at the national, state, and local levels. She has presented at MENC National and State Conferences; MENC National Assembly Meetings; The Midwest Clinic; ASTA National Conferences; NAMM, The International Music Products Association Conferences; Regional ACDA Conferences; California Music Educators Association (CMEA); North Carolina Music Educators Association (NCMEA); Utah Music Educators Association (UMEA); Arizona Music Educators Association (AMEA); and the Hawaii Music Educators Association (HMEA). She is also sought after as a keynote and motivational speaker for organizations such as the American Institute of Architects (AIA).

Elected to represent her peers in a variety of leadership positions, Marcia has served as Western Division President of MENC; President of the Nevada Music Educators Association (two separate terms); and President of the Nevada Choral Directors Association. She was appointed by Nevada's Governor to sit on the Goals 2000 Panel and in the capacity, co-chaired the team responsible for the writing of Nevada's Content Standards in Arts Education. In 1993, The Disney Channel selected Marcia as their National Performing Arts Teacher of the Year and in 2007, she was awarded the Maytan Award for her service to Music Education in Nevada.

Currently, Marcia serves as the president of Music Education Consultants, Inc., a consortium of music education professionals who work with a variety of educational organizations, arts associations, and school districts to foster the growth and breadth of school-based music education programs for all children, grades PreK-12. Among others, specialty areas include curriculum development and expansion, professional development, teacher induction programs, advocacy, and the providing of conductors and adjudicators for honor ensembles and music festivals. She has taught graduate music courses at the Hartt School and is currently teaching graduate seminars at Duquesne University and Villanova University. She is also a member of the faculty of the Conn-Selmer Institute located at Notre Dame University.