Mike Packer

Mike Packer is a drummer, educator, and arts-education leader whose career spans more than 28 years in higher education, music instruction, and program development. He is the Founder and President of Inspire EDU, where he leads innovative curriculum design, workforce development programs, and professional development initiatives that empower students and educators in the arts and entertainment sector. In addition to his entrepreneurial leadership, Mike has held senior administrative positions at leading higher education institutions. He served as Vice President of Education at 1500 Sound Academy, where he oversaw curriculum development, accreditation, and strategic partnerships. He also held leadership roles at the Los Angeles College of Music and MI College of Contemporary Music, where he spearheaded new academic programs, expanded international outreach, and advanced online learning initiatives. Across these posts, Mike successfully launched and managed higher education programs that bridged academic rigor with industry relevance, creating sustainable pathways for students into professional music and entertainment careers. Mike holds a Bachelor of Arts in Percussion Performance from the University of Northern Colorado and a Master’s in Education, Leadership, and Policy from Boston University. As a performer, Mike’s drumming has taken him around the world. His credits include performances with Free Flight, Wilson Phillips, Lorna Luft, Diane Reeves, and the Los Angeles Philharmonic, among many others. Alongside his performance career, he has dedicated over three decades to teaching, offering private lessons, classroom instruction, and clinics across the United States, Europe, and Asia. Mike is also an accomplished author, with works including Feet Don’t Fail Me Now (Hal Leonard Publications), The Bass Drum Owner’s Manual (Modern Drummer Publications), The Drum Channel Method E-Books (Hudson Music), and editorial/production work on Ralph Humphrey and Joe Porcaro’s Playing Techniques book series (Hudson Music). An inventor as well as an educator, Mike created the Heel Less bass drum pedal, a groundbreaking design licensed to DW Drums and produced as the DW5000 ADH.