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Dustin Painter is the Coordinator of Music Production Technology at VSU, where he teaches audio production, electronic music, sound design, media composition, and immersive audio. He led the design and development of the program's four production spaces in Davis Hall, including its recording studio, 7.1.4 Dolby Atmos mix room, and electronic music labs. His teaching connects technical fluency with creative exploration and prepares students to work across music, film, and interactive media.

Painter remains active as a recording specialist, mix engineer, and composer, with credits across more than 80 film, television, game, and immersive-media projects. He holds bachelor's degrees in Music Education and Commercial and Electronic Music from Western Carolina University, a graduate certificate in Scoring for Motion Pictures and Television from the University of Southern California, and an MFA in Recording Arts and Technologies from Middle Tennessee State University.

He also serves on the MIDI in Music Education Editorial Board, helping design and implement an emerging professional certification for music educators. His industry engagement includes academic advisory and educator ambassador work with ADAM Audio, Eventide, PSPAudioware, oeksound, and Audiomovers.

Painter is currently pursuing a Doctor of Education (EdD) in Educational Administration and Supervision at Virginia State University. His research explores how undergraduate music technology programs can develop foundational musicianship through DAWs, studios, recording, synthesis, and other production practices. Using VSU as an improvement setting, he is examining how an applied music production pathway might broaden access for production-centered and nontraditional musicians while preserving shared standards of rigor and creating a model that other collegiate music technology programs can adapt.

Corey Brown is an Instructor of Music Production Technology and a VSU alumnus whose work brings musicianship, recording, live production, and education into the classroom. A multi-instrumentalist and longtime music and arts director, he has built extensive experience guiding performers in both studio and live settings. He is also the owner of CT Studios, a boutique recording facility serving artists in Gospel, Soul, Jazz, and related styles.

Brown earned a BIS with an emphasis in Music from VSU and an MM in Music Technology from Southern Utah University. Before returning to VSU, he developed and taught audio engineering and music production courses for the Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice for six years and served as Assistant Production Manager for the Modlin Center for the Arts at the University of Richmond. A member of the Audio Engineering Society and an Avid Certified Pro Tools Instructor, he brings both professional production practice and industry-standard technical training to his students.

His front-of-house and production work has supported artists including J.J. Hairston, Tramaine Hawkins, Byron Cage, Israel Houghton, Esperanza Spalding, Joshua Redman, and Christian McBride. He has also worked as a Pro Tools operator and assistant to Leslie Ann Jones of Skywalker Sound and recorded the Grammy-winning Kronos Quartet.

William F. “Bill” McGee is an Adjunct Instructor of Music at VSU who brings decades of experience as an educator, performer, trumpeter, arranger, recording engineer, and mastering engineer. A VSU alumnus and fourth-generation HBCU graduate, he began working professionally at seventeen and co-founded the band Trussel while a student. The group’s “Love Injection” became a national hit.

McGee later recorded lead trumpet with Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five and the Sugarhill Gang, earning two gold records for his pioneering work in hip-hop. His recording credits also include the O’Jays, Patti LaBelle, and the Stylistics. His own charting releases include the Top 20 Billboard hit “Watermelon and Cantaloupe: A Tribute to Herbie Hancock.”

He holds a Bachelor of Music from VSU and a Master of Education from Norfolk State University, with additional study at William & Mary and the University of Richmond. His background also includes school administration in Petersburg and Richmond and community leadership as president of the Richmond chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.

Kevin “Black Pearl” McCloskey is an adjunct instructor in Music Production Technology at VSU, where he teaches courses including Introduction to the Music Industry, Critical Listening, and Advanced Mixing. A Grammy-nominated, multi-platinum mix and mastering engineer, he connects close listening, advanced production technique, and music-business realities with current professional practice.

Based in Charlotte, North Carolina, McCloskey is co-owner of Safe and Sounds Studios and works with major labels and independent artists across genres and international markets. Projects throughout his career have accumulated more than five billion streams and more than 30 RIAA gold and platinum certifications. His selected credits include DaBaby, Future, Giveon, Shenseea, Lil Baby, Rauw Alejandro, Joji, Juice WRLD, and Buddy, along with DaBaby’s Billboard No. 1 album Kirk and the Grammy-nominated Dreamville album Revenge of the Dreamers III.