ROCK HALL EDUCATION TEAM

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s Education team is dedicated to using music as a tool to connect with audiences and engage them in meaningful learning experiences.  Whether in person at the Museum or online via Rock Hall EDU, they use their passion for education and music, along with their expansive backgrounds and experiences, to design materials that spark excitement and draw in learning of all ages.

Jason Hanley, Ph.D. (he/him) | Vice President of Education and Visitor Engagement

Dr. Jason Hanley is the Vice President of Education and Visitor Engagement at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, OH.  It is his responsibility to make sure that every guest who engages with the Museum learns about the history of rock and roll, and leaves inspired by its stories.  He holds his Ph.D. in musicology from Stony Brook University, and his book Music Lab, We Rock! is available from Quarry Books.  Music has always been a central focus of his life, from seeing Elvis Presley when he was only five, performing live at CBGBs in the early 1990s, and his current work at the Rock Hall. Hanley has spent time at the lectern in several schools teaching classes in music history, electronic music, and popular music studies at Hofstra University, Stony Brook University, Cleveland State, Case Western, and Cuyahoga Community College.  In 2015 he was awarded the Long Island Sound Award by the Long Island Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame, and the Shirley Strum Kenny Student Arts Festival Alumni Award by Stony Brook University, and in 2025 he was inducted into the Sachem High School Hall of Fame. 

Kathryn Clusman (she/her) | Director of Education & Community Engagement

Kathryn Clusman spent her childhood visiting the museums in Washington D.C. with her grandparents, fostering her love of museums and her core belief that learning can, and should be, a joyful experience.  She earned her Bachelors in Psychology, Sociology and Childhood Studies from Case Western Reserve University. She found her path to museum education at the Cleveland Botanical Garden, and earned her Master’s Degree in Inquiry Based Learning from Miami University, with a focus in Museums as Community Education Resources.  In 2018 she was hired as the Manager of Community and Family Programs at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.  During her time in that role she was able to expand the community partnerships and programs, cementing impactful relationships with over 100 community organizations and their audiences. She also designed and managed the Artist in Residence Program, and the education and career development elements of the organization wide internship program.  In September 2024 Kathryn shifted into her current role as Director of Education and Community Engagement, a newly merged department, allowing the Rock Hall to engage in new initiatives to ensure we are reaching diverse audiences in meaningful and impactful ways.

Michael Abbadini (he/him) | Education Programs Supervisor

Michael Abbadini is the Education Programs Supervisor at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. He has a Bachelor of Music Education from Cleveland State University and has teaching experience from grades K-12 in public schools around Northeast Ohio. He worked as a long-term substitute and assistant director in multiple music programs, most notably middle school choir and high school marching bands, and has taught piano lessons privately. His passion for music started as a young boy listening to classic rock with his parents and often visiting the Rock Hall to see the next new exhibit. Proficient in multiple instruments, he was originally hired as a teaching musician in The Garage, an interactive exhibit where guests can play real rock instruments. His interest in teaching persisted as he would help teach education programs throughout the museum when needed, eventually leading to his hiring in the department. Leading a fantastic team of educators and a variety of exciting programming for school groups, he cannot express the joy felt teaching the next generation about the power and spirit of rock & roll.

Katie Mullins (She/Her) | Education Instructor

Katie Mullins is an Education Instructor at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Passionate about the power of arts-integrated learning to engage students, enhance rigor, and enliven classrooms, she has dedicated her career to creating meaningful educational experiences for both students and teachers. She earned her Bachelor’s degree and Master of Education from the University of Notre Dame and brings more than a decade of classroom experience in Arizona, Washington, D.C., and Ohio. Katie has also presented on national stages, sharing innovative strategies that help educators bring music, creativity, and joy into their teaching. She has also repurposed more than twenty popular songs for classroom use, resources that have been embraced by thousands of teachers nationwide. Growing up in a musical family filled with many impromptu jam sessions, Katie developed a love of music that continues to shape her life and work today.

Hannah Wise (She/Her) | Education Instructor

Hannah Wise is an experienced educator, lifelong music-lover, and Education Instructor at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. After graduating from Ashland University in 2018 with a Bachelors of Music in Music Education, Hannah spent seven years teaching elementary general music, early childhood education, and social studies classes in public and private settings in Ohio and Florida. During her tenure as a K-12 educator, Hannah also spent time choreographing and directing children’s musical theater productions and teaching, choreographing and designing programs for several color guard and marching band programs across Ohio. In addition to her K-12 experience, Hannah fostered a love of community arts programming through her work with the Bluecoats organization, where she is Program Coordinator for their all-age summer performing ensemble and three-time SoundSport International Music & Food Festival Best of Show recipient, Rhythm IN BLUE. Hannah‘s passions for music, history, education, and performing arts collided when she was hired as a member of the Education and Community Engagement department at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in the spring 2025.