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Melissa A. Gustafson-Hinds (O’Fallon, IL) Melissa Gustafson-Hinds is in her 17th year as Director of Bands at O’Fallon Township High School in O’Fallon, Illinois. In addition to her teaching duties at O’Fallon Township High School, Dr. Gustafson-Hinds serves as Performing Arts Department Chair at OTHS, the Illinois Music Educators Association Band Division President, and a High School Representative on the 2024-2026 National Band Association Board of Directors. She is also a recent inductee into the American Bandmasters Association. The OTHS Band Program has recently earned the honors of the John Philip Sousa Sudler Flag of Honor (2022) and the Sudler Shield (2023). Under her direction, the OTHS Marching Panthers have been consistent Bands of America Regional and Super Regional finalists, Grand National Semi-Finalists, and a Grand National Finalist in 2018. In 2015 and 2022, the band marched in the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, California. The Marching Panthers recently performed in the 2023 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. The concert ensembles have performed at Carnegie Hall, the Illinois SuperState Concert Band Festival, the Music for All National Festival, the ILMEA State Convention, and the Midwest Clinic. The O’Fallon Township Band Program has been honored with the NBA Program of Excellence Blue Ribbon Award (2019) and numerous Music for All Advocacy in Action Awards. Dr. Gustafson-Hinds is originally from Monmouth, Illinois. She holds degrees from Illinois State University, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and the University of Missouri-St. Louis. She has been teaching in Illinois public schools for 31 years. Dr. Gustafson-Hinds is married to Evan Hinds; they have a daughter named Evelyn, who is 9.