Susana Diaz-Lopez is a graduate of Washburn University, where she pursued a Bachelor of Music with an emphasis in Education. Susana has been a part of many ensembles and performances like the Washburn University Wind Ensemble & Orchestra Principal French Horn Player, the Women of Music Concert (premier of Kristina Avila’s Guitar Work), a French Horn Performer for 12 years, a Classical Guitar Performer for seven years, the Washburn University Classical Guitar Studio and Topeka Community Guitar Ensemble and many more. She is a part of the Sigma Alpha Iota Music Fraternity and a Kansas Music Educators Association Member. She has received awards and acknowledgments from the Charlie Chaplin 100th Anniversary Composition Competition and the Kansas Cathedral Church Brass Quintet Performance.
Background Experience
Before receiving the Classical Guitar and Mariachi Director position at Akins High School, Susana has been working with Austin Classical Guitar as a private instructor and teacher. She has had the opportunity to work with the Education team of ACG with the Juvenile Justice Programs. Susana recently moved back to Texas in January 2021; however, she gained much experience in Topeka, Kansas, by working with many different programs and completing her student teaching at Topeka High School and Robinson Middle School. In Kansas, Susana has worked with the University of Child Development as a pre-school assistant teacher, as a Private Instructor, as the Topeka Community Guitar Assistant Director, with AmeriCorps as a mentor for Ross Elementary, and at the YMCA as a teacher assistant. Through these experiences, Susana has evolved as a person and as a teacher.