Elissa Johnson-Green

Elissa Johnson-Green is Associate Professor of Music and Coordinator of the Program in Music Education at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, where she leads the Department of Music's academic initiatives. She founded the EcoSonic Playground Project (ESPP), a community-engaged program implementing immersive-integrated learning in music, sustainability, STEM, and design thinking for children across 18 sites in the US, Canada, and Ireland since 2016.

Her research centers on music in human development, family music practices with young children, children's musical cognition, and innovative pedagogical approaches. With over 20 years of classroom experience teaching birth-to-age-8 populations, she bridges theoretical research with practical applications in early childhood music education, emphasizing accessibility and environmental consciousness.

Dr. Johnson-Green has secured significant funding including an International Society for Music Education Research Grant, University of Massachusetts Sustainability Grant, and support from the Massachusetts Cultural Council, Doug Flutie, Jr. Foundation for Autism, and Boston Mayor’s Office. She previously served on the International Journal of Music Education Editorial Board (2016-2022) and currently acts as ECME Commissioner for ISME, maintaining active involvement since 2002.