Dr. Jennifer Whipple, MT-BC, is professor and director of music therapy at CSU where she teaches courses in music therapy and research methods and supervises students completing clinical experiences in early childhood education and neonatal intensive care settings. As a board-certified music therapist with additional certification in neonatal intensive care, Whipple is also a Fellow of the National Institute for Infant and Child Music Therapy housed within the Florida State University College of Music.

Prior to joining the CSU faculty in 2007, Whipple worked as a health and human services policy analyst for the Florida Legislature. She had previously begun and worked as Coordinator of the Medical Music Therapy and Arts in Medicine Programs at Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare.

Whipple has published in refereed music therapy and education journals regarding preterm infants, therapist and teacher training and education related to successful integration of students with special needs, music education for students with special needs, hospitalized children, and domestic violence, and has contributed chapters to and co-authored music therapy books. She presents papers at regional, national, and international conferences and provides workshops in public school districts throughout the Southeastern United States. With backgrounds in music education and music therapy in early intervention and medical settings, Whipple’s current research focuses on evidenced based practice related to interventions for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Whipple has been active in the profession of music therapy for 20 years, previously chairing the Certification Board for Music Therapists exam and practice analysis committees and serving on the editorial board of the peer-reviewed Music Therapy Perspectives journal, and serving on several national and regional American Music Therapy Association (AMTA) committees, including the Southeastern Region’s Executive Board. She is currently the Chair of the AMTA Autism Spectrum Disorder Task Force.

Whipple earned a Bachelor’s degree in music education from the University of Richmond and holds a Master’s degree in music therapy and a Doctor in music education/therapy from the Florida State University. She has also completed the Newborn Behavioral Observations and the Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale certification training through the Brazelton Institute of Harvard Medical School’s Children’s Hospital in Boston.

Most importantly, Whipple is wife to Patrick Morgan, an archaeologist, part-time anthropology professor, and full-time high school social studies teacher. She is also mother to Elliott Virginia “Elli,” Laura Jane “Lulu,” and Patrick Hallman III “Hall,” along with two cats, Garnet and Golden.