John Stafford II is professor of music, director of choral activities, and music department coordinator at Kansas City Kansas Community College (KCKCC). A recipient of the John & Suanne Roueche Excellence Award (2015) and the Henry Louis Award for Teaching Excellence/Faculty of the Year (2020), Stafford has earned additional awards for recruitment and teaching at KCKCC. He previously taught at Millikin University, Eastern Illinois University, and Danville Area Community College. He holds degrees from Millikin University (music business) and Bowling Green State University (composition), with doctoral study in choral conducting at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He serves ACDA as the National Repertoire & Resources Chair for Vocal Jazz and is an active clinician, presenter, and published arranger and author. Stafford directs The Standard, the award-winning contemporary vocal jazz ensemble from Kansas City Kansas Community College.