John K. Southall, PhD currently serves as the Chair of the Performing & Visual Arts Department, Director of Bands and Coordinator of Music Education at Indian River State College in Fort Pierce, Florida. Dr. Southall is the Conference Chair for the Florida Music Education Association and music director of the Port St. Lucie Community Band. He serves on the advisory board of the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Conference and is also the sponsor of the Treasure Coast Honor Band & Orchestra Festival (FL).

Dr. Southall has served as President of the Florida Music Education Association, Chairman of the FMEA Finance committee, an editorial board member for the Research Perspectives in Music Education Journal (FL) and is a contributing author for the Florida Music Director magazine. He has served as the Music Curriculum Specialist, K-12 for the Broward County School District (FL), and as President of the Broward County Music Educators Association (FL). He has also served as the director of bands at Western High School, Piper High School and Ely high School in Broward County Florida. He has served on the Southern Division Board of Directors for the National Association for Music Education. He has served as an editorial board member for the Missouri Journal of Research in Music Education. He has served as the Chairman of the Affective Response Research Interest Group for the National Association for Music Education. He has served as President of the Broward County Music Educators Association, and the Broward County Band Directors Association (FL). He has served as a board member, district chairman, and district secretary for the Florida Bandmasters Association. He has served on numerous committees for the Florida Bandmasters Association including the All-State Selections Committee, the FBA Ethics Committee, and the FBA Adjudication Committee. He has served as the Associate Director of the Florida State University Summer Music Camps and as conductor and coordinator of the FSU Honors Chamber Winds Camp.

Dr. Southall has been honored as a Medal of Honor recipient by the Midwest International Band and Orchestra Conference. He has been honored as a Music Education Legend by the Midwest Clinic. He was awarded the Conference Service Award by the Florida Music Education Association. He is a two-time recipient of the Indian River State College Endowed Teaching Chair in Fine Arts Award. He has received the Enshrinement Award for Outstanding Contributions to Education by Florida A & M University and was honored in the Gallery of Distinction at Florida A & M University. Dr. Southall was a recipient of the Florida College Music Educator of the Year award by the Florida Music Education Association. He has received the Citation of Excellence by the National Band Association. He has been selected as Teacher of the Month at Indian River State College. He was selected as the Broward County Arts Teacher of the Year (FL), the Western High School Teacher of the Year (FL), and as a finalist for the Broward County Teacher of the Year (FL). He was also the first recipient of the Broward County Band Director of the Year award (FL).

Dr. Southall has been an active music education advocate, conductor, clinician, performer, adjudicator, and presenter in the United States for over 39 years. He received the PhD and the MME from Florida State University and the BME from Florida A&M University. He has served on the faculties of Florida State University, the University of Missouri-St. Louis, Nova Southeastern University and Broward Community College.

Dr. Southall is a member of the American Bandmasters Association, the Florida Music Education Association, the Florida Bandmasters Association, the College Band Directors National Association, the National Band Association, the National Association for Music Education, the Florida College Music Education Association, Phi Beta Mu, Pi Kappa Lambda, Kappa Kappa Psi and Tau Beta Sigma. 

Dr. Southall is married to his soul mate, keeper, inspiration, and love of his life, Kelly Southall and has two wonderful daughters - Kathryn and Kimberly, two marvelous sons-in-law, Jacob and David, and six beautiful grandchildren – Neala, Oliver, Juliana, Evelyn, Harley, and David.