Jose (JC) Pineda is a 2023-2024 Teach Plus Senior Writing Fellow and is a band and color guard director at Riverside High School in El Paso, Texas. JC is also the band director for Thomas Manor Elementary School and Riverside Elementary School. He is a Teach Plus Texas Senior Policy Fellowship alumnus and has worked with both the Texas Education Agency and State Board for Educator Certification with regards to teacher preparation and continuing professional development. Within the El Paso community, he is an active member of the El Paso Winds, the city’s premier wind ensemble. JC is a proud graduate of the University of Texas at El Paso and holds a BM in Music Education and an MEd in Educational Administration. JC’s work has been published in What’s the Plus.