Professor Sims received her bachelor's and master's degrees in music education from Kent State University, and her doctoral degree in music education from Florida State University. She has been a member of the MU faculty since 1985.   A specialist in early childhood and elementary music education, she teaches a variety of undergraduate and graduate music education courses, advises bachelor and master's degree students, and supervises doctoral student programs and research. Previously she taught K-6 general music, and continues to volunteer weekly as the music teacher for two preschool classrooms in MU's Child Development Laboratory. She is the recipient of several prestigious teaching awards, including the Kemper Fellowship for Excellence in Teaching and the Missouri Governor's Award for Teaching Excellence.

Dr. Sims is an active researcher and writer, publishing articles regularly in national and international journals such as the Journal of Research in Music Education , Psychology of Music , International Journal of Music Education , and Music Educators Journal . She is editor of the book Strategies for Teaching: Prekindergarten Music , and co-editor of the book Music in Prekindergarten , both published by the National Association for Music Education. In July 2006 was appointed to a 6-year term as Editor of the Journal of Research in Music Education. She regularly presents research sessions and workshops at national and international conferences.

Dr. Sims has held national offices in MENC's Society for Research in Music Education, including Chair, and serves as the state Research Chair for the Missouri Music Educators Association. She also has been an active leader within the International Society for Music Education, having served as Chair of the ISME Early Childhood Commission, as a member of the Board of Directors, and currently as Chair of the Publications Committee.