Dr. James Hurd was a professional musician and distinguished professor. He has a degree in music from Washburn University, a Master's degree from the American Conservatory of Music and a Doctorate of Musical Arts from USC. He became a respected music teacher at El Camino College, where he taught piano, organ, and music appreciation while also advising CARP. He currently serves as Organist/Director of Music for St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church and First Baptist Church. Hurd's cultural contributions to the community have been recognized with the Alumni Fellow award from Washburn University in 2013 and the Excellence in Arts Award from the city of Torrance, CA Cultural Arts Commission in 2018.