About Diana

Dr. Diana Hawley has worked in education as a music teacher, curriculum coordinator, and instructional design strategist in public, international, and charter schools for over twenty years. Additionally, as a nationally recognized teacher educator of the Orff Schulwerk approach, she has guided the professional learning of hundreds of U.S. and international music educators to better serve their students and communities.

Diana began her teaching career in St. Paul, Minnesota, where she founded the music program at Achieve Language Academy, a Hmong and Spanish language-focused charter school on St. Paul's East Side. Following four years at Achieve, she accepted a position at International School Bangkok (ISB) in Thailand, where she expanded her perspective and developed her practice in an international education setting.

Since returning to the U.S. and settling in the vibrant arts community of Iowa City, Diana has continued her work as a music teacher and teacher leader. Currently, she serves in the Special Education department of the Iowa City Community School District (ICCSD) as an Access and Inclusion Lead Support Teacher. In this role, she builds bridges between teachers and teams to foster inclusion and future readiness for all students, with a focus on Music, Art, Physical Education, and Career & Technical Education. Prior to her current role, Diana served as the ICCSD K-12 Music Curriculum Coordinator and an Instructional Design Strategist of Innovation.

In addition to her district work, Diana teaches graduate-level music education courses in the Orff Schulwerk approach at several universities each summer, including the University of St. Thomas (MN), University of Kentucky, and George Mason University (VA). Course participants teach in a variety of settings, including public, independent, and charter schools, community music centers, and private studios.

To further support music teachers, Diana co-edited/authored Artful-Playful-Mindful in Action: Orff-Schulwerk Classroom Projects for a New Generation of Learners, a resource that offers lesson ideas using the APM framework along with reflections from teachers who have implemented Orff-inspired curriculum in their classrooms.

Diana serves on the Editorial Board of The Orff Echo, the Associate Editorial Board of The International Journal of Education & the Arts, and the Advisory Committee of Music Educators Journal.

Diana earned a BA in Music and Sociology/Anthropology from St. Olaf College, an MA in Education from the University of St. Thomas, and a Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) in Music Education from Boston University.