Men To Watch 2025 honoree Adrian Davis

Dr. Adrian Davis is a native of Memphis, TN, and he currently resides in

Minneapolis, Minnesota. He is a skilled and experienced educator whose

contribution to the profession is developing programs that intentionally center the student voice, community uplift, sociocultural relevance, and critical consciousness.

His diverse talents and experiences as an educator, scholar, multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, producer, and songwriter provide a strong base of inspiration for his current leadership position as the Performing Arts Coordinator of Saint Paul Public Schools. In this role, he works at the district leadership level in designing arts curriculum, and creating professional arts learning opportunities for teachers. His role also includes providing access and educational justice for all students in and through arts programs and services. He is spanning the boundaries of arts education by partnering with many local arts organizations and community artists.

Dr. Davis is an Assistant Professor of Music Education and Director of the

Gospel Choir at the University of Minnesota. His passion for diversity and equity is amplified in his published dissertation: “Underrepresentation of African Americans in Music Positions at Predominantly White Institutions: A Multi-Narrative Case Study.” His current research continues to launch deeper into diversity and equity, with an emphasis in critical pedagogies, amplifying marginalized and racially minoritized voices, and democratizing K-12 and post-secondary pathways in music education.

He is an actively engaged member of the National Executive Board for the

National Association of Music Education (NAfME), serving on the Equity Committee. He is also an active member of the other professional arts organizations, such as the College Music Society (CMS), the American Choral Directors Association (ACDA), the Percussive Arts Society (PAS), and the Association for Popular Music Education (APME).