After graduating from Furman, Carlson pursued her Master’s in Instrumental Conducting, and Master’s in Percussion Performance at Butler University in Indianapolis, Indiana. At Butler, she studied percussion with Jon Crabiel, a former assistant principal with the National Symphony Orchestra, and conducting with Michael Colburn, former director of “The President’s Own” US Marine Band. While in Indianapolis, she worked for Music for All, Inc., and served as the Director of Instrumental Music at the Sycamore School. She has presented lectures based on music education curriculum and research at the Midwest Band & Orchestra Clinic, the South Carolina Music Educators Association, the Indiana Music Educators Association, and the Florida Music Educators Association. Carlson regularly performs as a percussionist with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra and Classical Music Indy and has performed in masterclasses with Dame Evelyn Glennie, Keith Aleo, and Leigh Howard Stevens. She has also participated in multiple recording projects, including Matthew Burtner’s “Six Eco-Acoustic Quintets” and the “John Psathas Percussion Project (JP3)” as part of a partnership between Omar Carmenates and the Shi Center for Sustainability.