Biography
Dr. LaSaundra Belcher is an educator, arts entrepreneur, conductor, inventor, and nonprofit executive whose work focuses on building sustainable arts programs and expanding access to music education. She is the Founder and Executive Director of the Wake Forest Community Youth Orchestra, a nonprofit organization that has served more than 2,500 students through orchestral instruction, community partnerships, and instrument access programs across North Carolina.
A National Board Certified Teacher, Dr. Belcher is the immediate past Chair of the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) Council for Orchestral Education. She also served as Professional Development Leader and Content Manager for the Connected Arts Networks, a multi-year national initiative supporting arts educators across the United States. In this role, she supervised 17 teacher leaders, oversaw virtual professional learning communities, and led the development and delivery of professional learning experiences that impacted educators serving more than one million students nationwide. Her leadership development includes participation in the Sphinx LEAD Fellowship (Cohort 2), a two-year executive leadership program designed to prepare the next generation of arts leaders; selection as a Goldman Sachs One Million Black Women in Business Scholar; and earning a Certificate in Nonprofit Management from Duke University. She is also the holder of U.S. Patent #20140260902, reflecting her commitment to innovation and creative problem-solving.
Throughout her career, Dr. Belcher has combined artistic excellence with entrepreneurial leadership, securing grant funding, cultivating strategic partnerships, and developing programs that create lasting community impact. Her experience spans nonprofit management, fundraising, program development, marketing, strategic planning, and organizational leadership, providing a practical framework for helping artists and arts leaders transform ideas into sustainable ventures.
Dr. Belcher is a nationally recognized presenter, clinician, and conductor who has led honor orchestras, presented at state and national conferences, and mentored educators and arts leaders throughout the United States. Her work is grounded in the belief that artists must be equipped not only with artistic skills, but also with the entrepreneurial mindset and leadership capacity needed to thrive in today’s evolving arts landscape.
At Longy, Dr. Belcher brings real-world experience in launching, growing, and sustaining arts organizations, helping students develop the tools to lead with purpose, build meaningful careers, and create lasting impact through the arts.