Lora Coggins (she/her and he/him) is a passionate singer, educator, and music maker. She was surrounded by music in her childhood, from radio shows to an extensive collection of CDs to her father showing her music videos in the early days of YouTube. This fostered her desire to sing, and it became one of her favorite things to do on a daily basis.

As the internet grew, her love for music grew, and she became fixated on music from Japan, particularly those using vocal synthesizers known as Vocaloids. The Vocaloid and other Japanese music she listened to inspired her to arrange covers and eventually create her own music using a free music notation software called Musescore.

At the same time, she was heavily involved in musical activities in her high school in Chelmsford, Massachusetts – competing in MICCA with the school’s mixed and treble choirs, being accepted into MMEA Senior District and All-State festivals, and participating in acapella competitions as a founding member of The Crescendos. She even co-directed an acapella group of her own called Feedback, which led to her desire to teach, and so she pursued a music degree from Bridgewater State University (BSU). There, she further enhanced her own skills as a performer and reflected on how her voice is intrinsically tied to her gender experience.

Lora also took education courses that framed how she wanted to teach her students – through empathy, compassion, and observation. She especially related to the neurodivergent students in the classes she was observing in, as she is autistic herself.