Natalie Fernandez, Music Education Director

Natalie Fernandez has 16 years of teaching experience, with the most recent decade spent as a 6th grade beginning band director at Ruth Barker Middle School and Bright Field Middle School in Bentonville, Arkansas. Her teaching career began in her home state of Oklahoma, where she was an assistant director and percussion director in the Sand Springs and Skiatook Public School districts. Her percussion ensembles and student solos consistently earned Superior ratings at both the district and state levels. Natalie’s passions as an educator focused on giving students the tools and the confidence needed to experience success on an instrument, and fostering an environment where students feel they can belong. She brings her classroom experience, authenticity, love for details, and a core value of creativity to this new role with SoNA, as she hopes to continue to grow and advocate for equity and access to music education for students of all backgrounds across the Northwest Arkansas region. Natalie has a degree in Music Education from Oklahoma State University. 

Since moving to Bentonville in 2012, Natalie and her husband Nick have carved out a beautiful life for themselves and their three dog children: Libby, Lucy, and Snoop. They’ve recently added a feathered friend to the family, Chet Beaker, a green parakeet. Natalie’s hobbies include running her stained-glass business Glass Soul Creations, tap dancing, kickboxing, and visiting National Parks.