Dr. Kathy Melago is Professor of Music Education at Slippery Rock University and has served as Division Head of Music Education at SRU since she joined the faculty in August 2009. Kathy received her Bachelor of Science in Music Education from Slippery Rock University, Master of Music in flute performance from the University of Northern Iowa, Master of Arts in Ministry from Loras College, Master of Arts in Music Education from Eastern Illinois University, and her Doctor of Musical Arts from The Ohio State University.

Kathy has taught music in Pennsylvania, Iowa, and Ohio, both in schools and privately, and frequently presents at conferences. Prior teaching positions in higher education include adjunct instructor at the Community College of Allegheny County, adjunct instructor at Clarke College, and graduate teaching assistant at the University of Northern Iowa. Kathy served as graduate assistant for The Ohio State University P-12 Project, a university-wide initiative created to assist in improving Ohio's schools, with a special focus on the education of Ohio's underserved children and youth through the development of strong partnerships and the fostering of effective research and practice in P-12 education.

In 2019, Kathy authored an interactive e-text for music appreciation courses called Exploring Music with Top Hat. Her achievements in online teaching have been recognized with the 2020 Online Learning Consortium Effective Practices Award and as the award winner for the high school/higher education category of the 2021 Lowell Mason House Virtual Lesson Plan Competition.