Abigail Russom has been the Director of Bands at Cass Middle School in Cartersville Georgia for eight years. Ms. Russom attended Reinhardt University where she received her bachelor’s degree in Music Education and a bachelor’s degree in Clarinet performance under Jeanne Heinz. 

Ms. Russom is a member of the Georgia Music Educators Association, The National Association for Music Education, and The National Band Director Association. She is currently serving as the secretary for GMEA district 7. She has served as a guest clinician and adjudicator throughout the state of Georgia. Ms. Russom is a multiple recipient of the Citation of Excellence awarded by the National Band Association. 

Under Ms. Russom’s direction, the CMS Honor Band was invited to perform at the Reinhardt University Honor Band Clinic and the University of Alabama Middle School Honor Band Festival in the fall of 2021. Notably, they were selected as guest performers at the University of Georgia's Middle School Honor Band in December 2022. The Cass Middle School band is set to receive national recognition as invited guest performers at the College Band National Association Conference in February and are scheduled to perform at the Music for All Southeastern Invitational in March 2024.

The remarkable journey of the Cass Middle School Band stands as a testament to the students' dedication to musical excellence, garnering immense pride from the community. Notably, their exceptional achievements were recognized with the GMEA exemplary performance award for the 2021-2022 school year.

Ms. Russom’s influence extends beyond her role at Cass Middle School as she serves as the conductor of the West Georgia Winds community ensemble middle school division, impacting middle school students throughout West Georgia.