Dr. Laura Moates Stanley

Dr. Laura Moates Stanley is currently Director of Bands and is in her seventeenth year at Brookwood High School in Snellville. A native of Blue Ridge, GA, she is a 2001 honor graduate of The University of Georgia where she received her BMUS in Music Education. She also graduated from the same institution in 2003 where she received an MM in Wind Conducting. Dr. Stanley graduated from Boston University with a DMA in Music Education in May 2015 after completing her Dissertation, Between the Hedges: Stories Music Cooperating Teachers Tell of Their Identities as Teacher Educators.

Dr. Stanley served as the Drum Major, Assistant Band Captain, and Band Captain of the UGA Redcoat Band from 1998-2001. Dr. Stanley was a member of the UGA Wind Ensemble from 1997-2003 where she performed as principal clarinetist during the ensembles appearance at CBDNA in Denton, TX. She is also a clarinetist with the Northwinds Community Band and teaches a studio of private clarinet and conducting students. Dr. Stanley has taught clarinet and conducting clinics for Joycliffe Summer Camp, the University of Georgia Marching Band Camp, the University of Georgia Summer Music Camp, ENCORE! Summer Music Camp, and JSU Spirit Camp. She has been honored to serve as guest clinician for the District I, District VII, District IX, District XI, and District XIII Clinic/Honor Bands.

Recently, under her leadership, the Brookwood High School Symphonic Winds was chosen to perform as a guest band at the 2005 University of Georgia January Festival, the 2007 Honor Bands of Georgia Clinic at Columbus State University, the 2008 University of Alabama Honor Band Festival, the 2008 Georgia Music Educators Association In-Service Conference, the 2010 University of Georgia January Festival, and the 2019 Georgia Music Educators Association In-Service Conference. Dr. Stanley received the 2004 Class Act Teacher award from Channel 11 Alive, was chosen as Brookwood High School’s STAR Teacher in 2007, was selected as the Region IIIA STAR Teacher, and as a Georgia State Finalist STAR Teacher in 2007. Dr. Stanley was chosen as the 2012-2013 Brookwood High School Teacher of the Year as well as one of 25 SemiFinalists for the Gwinnett County Teacher of the Year. She has also received the National Band Association Citation of Excellence on four separate occasions. Recently she was named as the Georgia Representative for the 50 Directors that Make A Difference in December 2018. Col. Arnald D. Gabriel presented Dr. Stanley with his fifth Commemorative Coin from the United States Air Force Band in recognition of her teachings, leadership and work with music education. In June 2019, Dr. Stanley was named as a QuarterFinalist for the Grammy Music Educator of the Year Award.

Dr. Stanley is a member of GMEA, MENC, NBA, PAGE, Golden Key International Honor Society, National Collegiate Scholars, Delta Epsilon Iota, Sigma Alpha Iota, and the International Clarinet Association. She was elected in 2009 to the Phi Beta Mu International Bandmaster’s Fraternity and is currently the Vice President of Membership. She has served as the GMEA District 13 Band Chair and is currently Past-President on the board of the University of Georgia Redcoat Band Alumni Association. Dr. Stanley served for three years as Associate Conductor of the Metropolitan Atlanta Youth Wind Symphony (MAYWE) who performed at the prestigious Carnegie Hall in 2009.

She is the daughter of Elden and Wanda Moates, retired band directors in Fannin County. She has one sister, Amy, who is a school psychologist in Dalton, GA and one brother, John, who is a percussionist and Public Relations Specialist in the Atlanta area. Dr. Stanley resides in Lilburn, GA with her husband, Darren, a freelance musician. They have two children, Chloe (4th Grade at Brookwood Elementary) and Sean (Kindergarten at Brookwood Elementary).