Joe Lareau graduated from Berklee College of Music, after which he received an MPhil in Ethnomusicology from the University of Ghana and an MBA from the University of Phoenix. Currently he is at the Fessenden School in West Newton, Massachusetts, where he teaches percussion, music, and West African rhythms. He is an innovation coach and works as an enrichment program designer in the after-school program. A strong advocate for diversity and cultural awareness, he involves his students in learning about the ethnic groups and the cultural context of the music he teaches. In addition, he offers group tours to Ghana for educators and is a consulting teacher for Center for Responsive Schools. He lives in Maynard, Massachusetts, with his wife and their four children.