Chad Coughlin was born in Springfield, MO, but spent most of his life living
in Kansas between Manhattan from age 3-12 and Olathe after age 12. He
graduated from Olathe South High School in 1990 and then attended
Wichita State University where he received his Bachelor in Music Education
in 1994 and was the recipient of the James Kerr Outstanding Bandsman and
the Duerksen Outstanding Graduate in Music awards. His Master's in Music
Education was completed at the University of Kansas in 2008. Professional
memberships include the National Associate for Music Education, Kansas
Music Educators Association, National Education Association, Kansas
Bandmasters Association, and the Iota Chapter of Phi Beta Mu.
After his first year of teaching as the Assistant Director of Bands at Blue
Valley Northwest High School and several elementary schools in the Blue
Valley School District, the remaining 31 years of Mr. Coughlin's teaching
career were at Olathe South High School, with 9 years as the Assistant
Director and 22 as the Director of Bands. All three of his daughters (Alaina,
Janae, and Larissa) were students in the OSHS Band program and his wife,
Jennifer, is also an alumna of Olathe South. Under his leadership, several
ensembles from Olathe South have been selected to perform at the KMEA
In-Service Workshop: the Olathe South Wind Ensemble (2014, 2020), the
Olathe South Falcon Jazz Ensemble (2005, 2017, 2022), and the Olathe South
Horn Choir (2017). Mr. Coughlin served as the Band Facilitator of the
Olathe School District USD 233 for 21 years. He also started the first
chapter of United Sound in the state of Kansas. United Sound is a peer-
mentor based program that gives students with special needs the
opportunity to learn to play an instrument and get involved in other aspects
of the band program.
Mr. Coughlin was a past President and High School Band Chair of the original
Northeast District of KMEA, and served as the Jazz Chair for the East
Central District. He was the chair of the KMEA Northeast District Split
Committee that was responsible for setting the parameters for the creation
of the East Central and Northeast districts of KMEA from the
original Northeast District. Mr. Coughlin was recognized as the Outstanding
High School Band Director of the Northeast District in 2012. He was
selected as the 2017-18 Outstanding Music Educator for the state of Kansas
by the National Federation of State High School Associations for his
contributions to interscholastic high school music activities.