Joel Poppen recently retired after thirty years of teaching in the Ankeny Community School System where he served as Lead Instrumental Music Instructor, Co-Director of the Ankeny Marching Hawks, Director of the 11-12 Concert Band, and Director of Jazz Lab. Joel graduated from Charles City High School and received his Bachelor of Music in Trumpet Performance and Jazz Studies from Coe College and received his teaching certification from University of Northern Iowa.

Joel is a past president of the South-Central District of the Iowa Bandmasters Association. He is also a past president of the now defunct Iowa Chapter of the International Association of Jazz Educators, is currently on the resource panel for the Jazz Educators of Iowa and in 2018 received an Award of Special Recognition from the Community Jazz Center of Greater Des Moines. Joel has been a beta tester for SmartMusic and a team member of the Iowa Comprehensive Musicianship Project. He is active as an adjudicator and clinician at festivals throughout Iowa, and performs regularly with the Turner Center Jazz Orchestra, the Des Moines Big Band, and the Karl King Band.

Joel spends free time following and listening to his sons Andy and Ben as they perform music in the Des Moines Metro area or following and watching his son Cole play or coach soccer. Joel’s wife, Josie, is an instructor of technical theater at Drake University specializing in costume design, costume construction, and stage makeup.