Chris R. Millett, MM, MT-BC (he/him/his)

Assistant Professor - Practicum Coordinator

School of Music, Music Therapy

Chris is a board-certified music therapist (MT-BC), clinician, educator, and researcher who brings a dynamic and community-centered approach to his work. A Kentucky-native and proud UofL alumnus, he earned his B.M. with an emphasis in Music Therapy before completing his Master's of Music Therapy as the graduate assistant at the University of Kentucky. He is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and Organizational Development with a focus on postsecondary administration at UofL. His clinical experience spans a wide range of populations and settings including significant experience in pediatric and adult medical music therapy, foster care group homes, incarcerated or transition communities, and neurodiverse populations. Chris has held advanced trainings in Neurologic Music Therapy (NMT) and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Music Therapy (NICU-MT). Prior to serving as assistant professor, Chris returned to Louisville to coordinate the UofL Music Therapy Clinic from 2019-2022.

Chris' theoretical and pedagogical orientation is grounded in the Community Music Therapy (CoMT) movement and is reflected in his eclectic practice. His teach and research emphasize equity-focused, musically robust, and technology-integrated clinical training relevant for modern music therapy practitioners. He currently teaches across the undergraduate music therapy curriculum including improvisation, methods and techniques, theory, and a four-course clinical applications sequence that integrates piano, guitar, voice, percussion, electric guitar, synthesizers, drum machines, and digital audio workstations (DAWs). As practicum coordinator, Chris oversees all undergraduate fieldwork placements and collaborates closely with local community music therapists to ensure robust clinical education and service-learning opportunities.

His research interests include the use of electric guitar in clinical practice, music technology literacy in music therapy education, participatory and arts-based research with youth in foster care, and multiple collaborations with international music therapy community. He is lead or co-investigator on multiple ongoing studies, and has published several clinical education guides to accompany his professional development clinical musicianship "bootcamp" courses. As a researcher and mentor for the UofL MTC, Chris has secured over $150,000 in grants to support clinical services, research, and music therapy education since 2019. Chris has had the opportunity to partner with many supportive organizations including the WHAS Crusade for Children, Gibson Gives, Chase Bliss, Yamaha, JHS Pedals, Jamstik and more.  

Outside of UofL, Chris serves on the Board of Directors and as the Public Information Officer for the national accrediting body, the Certification Board for Music Therapists (CBMT). He is also an inaugural member and frequent contributor the Technook, a music therapy educational collaborative focusing on technology applications for music therapy education and practice. Additionally, Chris has served as entertainment chair for the Southeast Region of the American Music Therapy Association (SER-AMTA).