TEAM BIOS
Rachel McGrain,
Executive Director
Rachel (she/her) is a life-long Marylander, educator, and musician. Her commitment to educational equity and social justice has inspired her career in education and nonprofit leadership.
Rachel began her career as a Teach for America Baltimore corps member in 2013 after graduating Magna Cum Laude from the University of Maryland, College Park with Bachelor of Arts degrees in Music/Trumpet Performance and History. In addition to teaching 7th and 8th grade math at KASA in West Baltimore, she served as the middle school track coach and 8th grade team leader while earning her Master of Science in Educational Studies from Johns Hopkins University in 2015.
In response to the lack of consistent arts programming available to her students, Rachel started an instrumental music program in 2016 at Green Street Academy where she taught 7th grade music as well as several after-school programs including bucket band, wind band, and drumline. She then transitioned to the nonprofit sector as the Development Director of Arts Education in Maryland Schools (AEMS), where she also served as a member of the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future coalition and the Baltimore Arts Education Initiative Instrumental Working Group led by Arts Every Day.
Most recently, Rachel served as the Baltimore City Director of Repair the World where she continued strengthening her leadership and community mobilization skills with a focus on direct service while engaging with an expanded network of social justice advocates throughout Baltimore City. Rachel is thrilled and honored to be returning to AEMS as Executive Director to continue advocating for all students in Maryland to have the robust access to high quality arts education they deserve.
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Peter Dayton,
Interim Executive Director
Composer and pianist Peter Dayton has been a member of the AEMS team since November, 2018. An Ohioan happily transplanted to Maryland, Peter earned a Bachelor’s Degree (Summa Cum Laude, Pi Kappa Lambda Honor Society) from Vanderbilt University majoring in Composition/Theory and minoring in English. He received his Master’s in Composition from The Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University and has lived in Baltimore ever since.
In addition to his academic pursuits, Peter has been active in LGBT+ charity fundraising and has organized and promoted events devoted to identity-based inclusivity and social justice. Peter’s compositional exploits have taken him all over the United States, to Europe, Hong Kong, and Perú. He has composed works for orchestra, chorus, chamber ensembles, and a short chamber opera about Gertrude Stein. Peter actively produces concerts of modern and contemporary music for the general public.
Peter is honored to contribute his organizational, promotional, and artistic abilities to AEMS’s efforts to make Maryland a world-class example of well-funded and supported arts education programs. Peter also enjoys playing jazz standards in his spare time. Learn more about his music through his website.
Jessika Williams,
Development Manager
Jessika Willams has joined the AEMS team as the Development Manager. Jessika comes to AEMS with a wealth of development experience, having worked for the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation and various smaller organizations in the nonprofit sector.
She attended Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland majoring in Music Vocal Performance. While at Morgan State University, Jessika had the opportunity to travel the world and perform in premier concert halls all over North America, South America, Africa, Australia, and Europe.
Jessika spent 3 years as a Pre- K – 8th grade music teacher in Baltimore City Schools, teaching General Music, Choir, Theater and Movement. She is a member of Sigma Alpha Iota International Music Fraternity Inc. and currently serves at the President of the Baltimore Alumnae Chapter. Jessika is also an active member of the Harford County branch of the NAACP and a member of Cecil Solidarity; a collaborative, community-based group formed to promote racial and social justice in Cecil County. Maryland and beyond.
In her spare time Jessika performs with the Carter Legacy Singers, Washington Opera Society, and various ensembles in the Baltimore Metropolitan Area along with participating in pageants. Her greatest accomplishment to date is being a mother and a wife.
Born in New Jersey, Alissa Gittens attended Morgan State University where she received flute instruction with Dr. Anita Thesen and performed with various ensembles before receiving her Bachelor of Arts Degree of Music. As an active advocate for arts accessibility and youth development, Alissa was previously the Director of Programs for The MusicianShip, but now serves as an ambassador for Nuvo Flutes and is a board member with the Montgomery Philharmonic of Montgomery County, MD. In 2020, she created the Flutists of Color group on Facebook and launched The Urban Flautistas Fest in celebration of flutists of color around the world.
Alissa provides social media and marketing consulting while coordinating recruitment initiatives as a Recruiting Consultant for the Fine and Performing Arts Department at her alma mater. Alissa also enjoys teaching flute and piano to private students throughout the mid-Atlantic region and the Caribbean.
Alissa Gittens,
Communications & Community Mobilization Manager
Patrick is new to the nonprofit world and is excited to develop a career in the field. He originally joined AEMS as a Public Ally with Baltimore Corps which endeavors to give professional opportunities and education to young people to put the power of leadership into the hands of members of the community. He is now the Policy and Research Assistant at AEMS.
Patrick attended McDaniel college and obtained bachelor’s degrees in psychology and political science. As an advocate for justice and peace for all he hopes to do what he can to make other’s lives just a bit better.