Pacific Crest Youth Arts Organization

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(As of 4/24/2026)

2026 Administrative Team

 

2026 Design Team

 

2026 Educational Leadership

 

2026 Brass Educators

 

2026 Percussion Educators

 

2026 Audio Team

More coming soon…

 

2026 Color Guard Educators

 

2026 Visual Educators

 

2026 Support Team

 

2026 Health Team

2025 Media Team (2026 coming soon…)

Stuart Pompel
Chief Executive Officer

STUART POMPEL was a founding instructor of Pacific Crest in 1993, served as its Executive Director from 1996 to 2018, and was appointed CEO in November 2018. During his tenure, he has led the growth of the organization from a small performing group to a nationally recognized performing arts education organization, and a member of the Drum Corps International World Class.

In addition to fundraising, donor relations, board cultivation, and program development, Stuart has nurtured relationships between Pacific Crest and community and corporate leaders, and has developed endorsement agreements and partnerships with leaders in the music industry. He is active in Drum Corps International governance, having served on the DCI-Pacific Advisory Board since 1999, as its president from 2005 – 2010, the DCI Finance Committee and Audit Committee, chair of the DCI Audit Committee, and DCI Voting Member Chair.

Stuart holds a BA in Social Sciences and a teaching credential from Chapman University in Orange, California. He lives in Placentia, California, with his wife Ann, and two daughters, Maya and Tahlia.

Chris Henderson
Drum Corps Director

CHRIS HENDERSON has an unyielding passion for working with youth arts education and nonprofits.

Chris is a Pacific Crest alumnus who performed with the corps from 2005-2008. After aging out, he took up roles in visual instruction, tour management, and administrative operations. He also facilitates with safety management, health and wellness, and set design and fabrication.

Outside of Pacific Crest, Chris has served as a music and visual performance educator at several high schools in the Southern California area, including as visual technician, visual caption head and program coordinator. Chris also serves as the Director of Programs at the WGI and SCPA World Class Ensembles, Pulse Percussion and POW Percussion.

For the past 15 years, Chris has worked for the Walt Disney Company in Anaheim as a research product developer in confections as well as with the Disney Performing Arts program.

He was born and raised in Southern California and currently lives in Downey, CA.

Sean Enright
Assistant Corps Director

SEAN ENRIGHT’S affiliation with Pacific Crest began in 2001, when he performed as a marching member in the (then) 2-valve G-baritone bugle section. He continued as a performer through 2004 and joined the brass staff for the 2007 and 2008 seasons.

After working in reality television, Sean’s pursuit of a legal career took him away from Pacific Crest and to Chicago. Directly after graduating law school and becoming a licensed attorney in Illinois, Sean was sworn in as an Assistant State’s Attorney for Cook County. During his career as a criminal prosecutor, he was a felony narcotics and firearms trial litigator and was assigned to the appeals, child protection, and domestic violence units.

After becoming an uncle and reaching any reasonable Southern Californian’s limit on Great Lakes winters, Sean returned to California in 2018 and immediately sought to reenter the PC fold. He joined the administrative staff in 2018 and has tried not to turn down any opportunity the organization has provided for him since. This includes obtaining his commercial driver’s license in 2019 and becoming an Assistant Drum Corps Director for the 2022 season.

In addition to his duties in as Assistant Corps Director and driving trucks on tour, Sean is in the process of building his own solo legal practice where lives in Vista.

Sean is a graduate of UCLA (BA ’06) where he was a member of the marching band and orientation staff, and Northwestern University (JD ’12).

Katie Takahashi
Education Programs Dir.

KATIE TAKAHASHI is a native of Walnut, CA. She graduated from Walnut High School in 2013, where she served as the Head Drum Major of the marching band. Katie received her Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education and her Teaching Credential from the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music, where she studied flute with Professor Sheridan Stokes and conducting with Professor Travis Cross. She was also a member of the Solid Gold Sound of the UCLA Marching Band. Katie received her Master’s Degree in Music Education from Central Washington University through the American Band College Master’s Program.

Katie is currently the Instrumental Music Director at Walnut High School. Katie feels extremely lucky to return to her alma mater and work alongside her former music teacher, Corey Wicks. At Walnut High School, Katie teaches Concert Orchestra, Marching Band, AP Music Theory, and Symphonic Band. She also advises the Tri-M Music Honors Society, Blue Thunder Band Buddies Club, and the Color Guard Team.

In addition to her work at Walnut High School, Katie spends her Sundays with the Santa Monica Youth Orchestra as the conductor for three different levels of orchestra.

Leianna Utick (Michalka)
Exec Asst to the CEO

Leianna’s connection to Pacific Crest began on the field as a performing member from 1998 to 2000, before concluding her drum corps career with the Troopers in Casper, Wyoming. Her passion for the activity continued long after aging out, including service on Pacific Crest’s Board of Directors from 2011 to 2013.

Leianna earned a Bachelor of Science in Geological Sciences from Cal Poly Pomona, reflecting her lifelong love of exploration and the outdoors. She spent several years working in the outdoor industry before dedicating herself to raising and homeschooling her two children. With a background that blends leadership, communication, logistics, and creative storytelling, Leianna brings both structure and heart to her work with the corps.

Proudly rooted in Southern California, Leianna invests her time and energy into her children, travel, and photography, while continuing to serve Pacific Crest with the same passion that first brought her to the field decades ago.

Jenifer Guldner
Business Manager

JENIFER GULDNER received her Masters from USC, with a degree in Human Resource Management. She also holds a B.A from CSUF in Business Administration with an emphasis in Human Resource Management. She is a SHRM-Certified (Society of Human Resource Management) Professional. She has been part of the color guard activity since middle school, and performed with Esperanza Drum & Bugle Corps, Blue Devils Drum & Bugle Corps, Corona and Fantasia.

In addition to her role at Pacific Crest, Jen is Human Resource Specialist for Insperity. She is married to Tim Tintari, an alumnus of Pacific Crest. They have a son Nicholas, a daughter Amelia, and fur baby Emma.

Andy Shomph
Instrument Sales
ANDY SHOMPH has been a dedicated volunteer with Pacific Crest since 2022, helping with K-Crew, as a video producer, and driver. He is now our instrument sales manager, connecting schools and individuals with great deals on gently used Pacific Crest gear.

With over 30 years of experience in corporate communications, Andy has worn many hats—presentation specialist, media specialist, video producer, art director, and creative director. He’s served on the staff of three CEOs for a global professional services firm in a marketing and communications role, and successfully led large multi-national creative teams. Andy’s true passion lies in storytelling through video, where he loves bringing the visions and ideas of others to life in a way that’s both memorable and easy to understand.Growing up in Southern California, Andy’s journey in the marching arts began at just 7 years old. He’s performed with a variety of groups, from Drum & Bell Corps in the 70s and 80s to high school and youth bands, Riverside City College, and numerous educational and professional ensembles as a percussionist and timpanist.

Dave McGrath
Program Coordinator

DAVID J. McGRATH has directed high school bands the past thirty-five years in the states of Michigan, Georgia, and Texas. He holds a BA from DePauw University and an MA from Eastern Michigan University. He is currently the Director of Bands at Klein Cain High School in Klein, Texas. McGrath also served as Program Coordinator for The Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps from 2016-2019.

Concert ensembles under his direction have received numerous honors including: invitations and performances for numerous regional and national concert festivals and clinics (including the 2010 Midwest Clinic, the 2000, 2006 and 2023 National Concert Band Festival, and numerous state music association performances in both Michigan and Georgia). The Plymouth-Canton Educational Park Wind Ensemble had the honor of performing an hour-long concert for President Bill Clinton (1996). The Klein Cain Wind Ensemble has been a UIL Sweepstakes Award Recipient every year since opening in the fall of 2017 and will perform as a featured ensemble at the 2023 Music for All National Concert Band Festival.

Marching bands under his direction have also received many honors which include: eleven appearances at the Michigan state marching band championships (capturing nine state championships); being consistent finalists at Bands of America events (the Lakeland High School Marching Band was named the 1992 BOA Class AA Toledo Regional Champion, the Plymouth-Canton Educational Park Marching Band was named the 1999 BOA Class AAA and Grand National Champion, the Carlton J. Kell High School Marching Band was a ten-time BOA Regional and Super-Regional finalist, and was named the 2010 BOA Jacksonville Regional Champion and 2010 BOA Akron Regional Champion). The Kennesaw Mountain High School Marching Band was named the 2015 Jacksonville, Alabama Regional Champion, and the 2012 and 2014 BOA Class AAA National Champion (selected as a Grand National Championship Finalist Band both of those years). Most recently, the Klein Cain Marching Band has received Division 1 ratings every year (since opening) at the UIL Region 9 Marching Band Evaluation and was a top five finalist at the 2019 USSBA Conroe and Spring Regional Competitions. The Klein Cain Marching Band enjoyed a very successful fall in 2021, being named Grand Champion at the USSBA Houston Regional, and advancing to the UIL 6A State Marching Band Contest (the first time a Klein ISD school advanced to the State Contest in fifteen years).

Mr. McGrath is a six-time recipient of the National Band Association Citation of Excellence and has been named a Claes Nobel Educator of Distinction. He is active as a concert band, marching band, and drum-corps adjudicator and clinician, having judged finals at the Bands of America Grand National Championships, DCI World Championships (having served on the DCI Judge Liaison team during the 2013 season), and Japan Marching Band Championships. He is a member of Phi Beta Mu, the TMEA and the MENC.

Gabe Escobedo
Artistic Director

GABE ESCOBEDO’s color guard career began in 1999 at Palmdale High School. After graduating in 2003, Gabe became an active member of the Riverside Community Colleges Marching Arts Program. While there, he performed with The RCC Marching Tigers in 2003-2004, and the Independent World class winter guard, Fantasia, in 2005, 2006, 2008, and 2011. While marching Fantasia, he earned two WGI world championships titles and served as captain in 2011.

Gabe’s DCI experience as a performer includes: Yamato Drum and Bugle corps from Osaka, Japan in 2004, and Santa Clara Vanguard, 2006.

Gabe began his teaching career at a young age with his alma mater, Palmdale High School, 2003-2011. Here he gained experience in instruction, choreography, and design. This continued on with Ayala High School, Fountain Valley High School, RCC Marching Tigers, and Pacific Crest Drum and Bugle Corps, as well as at various programs throughout Southern California, Arizona, and Utah. He spent eight years with The Academy Drum and Bugle Corps, 2011-2018 and served as Color Guard Caption Head from 2015-2018 where his love of teaching continued to grow.

Gabe currently teaches at Rancho Cucamonga High School and Nogales High School, and serves as a consultant to numerous programs throughout Southern California.

Drew Dickey
Music Coor & Brass Arranger/Composer

Music Coordinator and Brass Arranger & Composer

CHRISTOPHER DREW DICKEY is in his fourth season with Pacific Crest Drum and Bugle Corps, serving in the role of Music Coordinator and Brass Curriculum Coordinator. He also serves on the conducting faculty of the Butler School of Music at The University of Texas at Austin, where he is Associate Director of the Longhorn Band and will complete his Doctor of Musical Arts Degree in Wind Conducting in the spring of 2023.

Prior to his current appointment, Mr. Dickey held positions at The Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps, The South Carolina School of the Arts at Anderson University, the Anderson School District 5 District Office, and Southwood Academy of the Arts. He also served as a Graduate Conducting Associate with the Louisiana State University Department of Bands and spent many years as an educator and administrator in the South Carolina public schools.

Mr. Dickey holds the degrees of Master of Music in Music Education from the Ithaca College School of Music, Master of Music in Wind Conducting from Louisiana State University, and Bachelor of Music in Music Education from the University of South Carolina. He currently resides in Austin, Texas with his wife, Shelby, his son, Maddox, and their dogs Pongo and Stella.

Eric Shriver
Perc Composer/Arranger

Battery Percussion Arranger and Composer

ERIC SHRIVER is a Percussion Educator and Designer based in Southern California. He performed with the Bluecoats, Pulse Percussion, Black Knights, Pacific Crest, and RCC Marching Band. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music (Industry Studies) from California Polytechnic University (Pomona, CA).

Currently, he serves as the Percussion Director and Battery Designer at a number of local high schools, including Etiwanda, Rancho Cucamonga, and South Torrance — as well as the Ensemble Coordinator and Battery Arranger for POW Percussion.

His work with drum corps is extensive: he has served as snare tech at Bluecoats and Cavaliers, Percussion Caption Head and Battery Arranger at Blue Stars, and recently was the Percussion Caption Head and Battery Arranger at Gold. Some of his WGI teaching experiences include Snare Tech/Ensemble Coordinator at Pulse Percussion, Battery Arranger for Élan Percussion, and Battery Arranger at Gold Indoor Percussion.

Eric serves on the Southern California Percussion Alliance (SCPA) Classification Committee. He is a co-owner and designer at Front2Back Music (front2backmusic.com), a company that creates shows for marching bands and indoor ensembles. He is also the Owner/Creator of the “The Build-Up Method,” which is a set of rudimental percussion practice methods using logical skill building exercises and audio tracks.

Eric lives in Rancho Cucamonga, California, with his wife Amanda, daughter Charlotte, dog Sammy, and cat Luna.

Frankie Rice
Perc Composer/Arranger & Sound Designer

Front Ensemble Percussion Arranger/Composer & Sound Designer

FRANKIE RICE is a music educator and designer based out of Rancho Cucamonga, California. Frankie graduated with an Associate’s Degree in Percussion Performance at Riverside City College, and a Bachelor’s Degree in Percussion Performance at Cal State University Long Beach.

He currently works with Etiwanda High School, Pulse Percussion, is an Operations Assistant at Box Six, and is a member of the Vic Firth & Zildjian Educational Team. Frankie was also the Front Ensemble Composer/Arranger & Sound Designer for Gold Drum & Bugle Corps for 2023 & 2024.

His performance experience in the marching activity includes Gold, Mandarins, Blue Stars, Elan Percussion, POW Percussion, and Pulse Percussion.

Lindsey Schueller
Visual Designer

Visual Designer and Visual Caption Manager

LINDSEY SCHUELLER was born and raised in Michigan where she began her pageantry arts career. She went on to perform with Genesis Percussion, Rhythm X, Blue Stars, Bluecoats, and Carolina Crown.

She received her undergraduate education from Central Michigan University and her Doctor of Audiology from Rush University. Lindsey worked for several years as an Educational Audiologist in southwest Michigan before moving to Atlanta to pursue visual design full time.

For over a decade Lindsey has been an active visual designer and instructor with scholastic and independent programs all over the country, including BOA regional finalists, champions, grand national semi-finalists, DCI and WGI finalists and champions.

Chadd Hartman
Visual Coordinator & Choreographer

Visual Coordinator & Choreographer

CHADD HARTMAN was born and raised in Las Vegas, NV, where he attended Las Vegas High School and the University of Nevada Las Vegas. Hartman began his pageantry career with the Crossmen, where he was a performer with a variety of roles from 2009-2012. He then went on to perform with the Independent World group Fantasia Winterguard in 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2017.

In his teaching career, Hartman has worked with a number of scholastic groups in the Southern California area as a director, designer, choreographer, and graphic artist. He worked as a technician and choreographer for The Academy from 2015-2017, and spent his 2018 summer with Carolina Crown. In 2019, he joined the Pacific Crest Family as a choreographer on the design team and on the color guard instructinoal staff.

He is currently the Director of Color Guards at Chino Hills High School in Chino Hills, CA and has been with the program since 2018, while also serving as the Director of Color Guard at Gahr High School in Cerritos, CA since 2021.

Aaron Tucker
Audio Systems Designer

AARON TUCKER is a percussion educator, designer, and audio specialist living in Plano, Texas. He studied Percussion with an emphasis in Jazz Performance at East Carolina University. Over the years, Aaron has had the honor of learning from some world class educators, including Jonathon Wacker, Bill Bachman, Tom Hurst, John Campese, Kevin Shah, Wayne Viar, and Will Goodyear. He has performed all over the country with ensembles ranging from drum corps, to early jazz bands, and has had the opportunity to perform in Lincoln Center, and record for Sesame Street.

Throughout his career, Aaron has worked in various capacities with percussion ensembles such as Palmetto Percussion, and drum corps such as Spirit of Atlanta, Blue Knights, Madison Scouts, and the Academy. In 2018, Aaron helped to guide Carolina Gold Drum and Bugle Corps to a DCA class A world championship and high percussion award. He is also the founder and former director of Alchemy Independent Percussion Ensemble. Aaron currently consults and designs for music programs all over the country. He is the lead sound designer and head engineer for Microphonic Designs based in the DFW area. He has had the pleasure of working with BOA Grand National semi-finalists, DCI finalists, and WGI World Championship Finalists.

When he isn’t teaching or writing, Aaron performs with a variety of musicians as a freelance drummer. He resides in Plano, Texas with his wife, Ellen and his furry companion Niko.

Aaron is proud to endorse Innovative Percussion sticks and mallets, Ludwig drums and Musser mallet equipment.

Dave McGrath
Program Coordinator

DAVID J. McGRATH has directed high school bands the past thirty-five years in the states of Michigan, Georgia, and Texas. He holds a BA from DePauw University and an MA from Eastern Michigan University. He is currently the Director of Bands at Klein Cain High School in Klein, Texas. McGrath also served as Program Coordinator for The Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps from 2016-2019.

Concert ensembles under his direction have received numerous honors including: invitations and performances for numerous regional and national concert festivals and clinics (including the 2010 Midwest Clinic, the 2000, 2006 and 2023 National Concert Band Festival, and numerous state music association performances in both Michigan and Georgia). The Plymouth-Canton Educational Park Wind Ensemble had the honor of performing an hour-long concert for President Bill Clinton (1996). The Klein Cain Wind Ensemble has been a UIL Sweepstakes Award Recipient every year since opening in the fall of 2017 and will perform as a featured ensemble at the 2023 Music for All National Concert Band Festival.

Marching bands under his direction have also received many honors which include: eleven appearances at the Michigan state marching band championships (capturing nine state championships); being consistent finalists at Bands of America events (the Lakeland High School Marching Band was named the 1992 BOA Class AA Toledo Regional Champion, the Plymouth-Canton Educational Park Marching Band was named the 1999 BOA Class AAA and Grand National Champion, the Carlton J. Kell High School Marching Band was a ten-time BOA Regional and Super-Regional finalist, and was named the 2010 BOA Jacksonville Regional Champion and 2010 BOA Akron Regional Champion). The Kennesaw Mountain High School Marching Band was named the 2015 Jacksonville, Alabama Regional Champion, and the 2012 and 2014 BOA Class AAA National Champion (selected as a Grand National Championship Finalist Band both of those years). Most recently, the Klein Cain Marching Band has received Division 1 ratings every year (since opening) at the UIL Region 9 Marching Band Evaluation and was a top five finalist at the 2019 USSBA Conroe and Spring Regional Competitions. The Klein Cain Marching Band enjoyed a very successful fall in 2021, being named Grand Champion at the USSBA Houston Regional, and advancing to the UIL 6A State Marching Band Contest (the first time a Klein ISD school advanced to the State Contest in fifteen years).

Mr. McGrath is a six-time recipient of the National Band Association Citation of Excellence and has been named a Claes Nobel Educator of Distinction. He is active as a concert band, marching band, and drum-corps adjudicator and clinician, having judged finals at the Bands of America Grand National Championships, DCI World Championships (having served on the DCI Judge Liaison team during the 2013 season), and Japan Marching Band Championships. He is a member of Phi Beta Mu, the TMEA and the MENC.

Matt Owen
Brass Caption Manager

MATT OWEN is a globally touring electro-tubist, Army Bandsman, clinician, adjudicator, pianist, arranger, and composer—and a leading proponent for the marriage of brass and electronics—residing in Indianapolis, IN. Matt performs as a KHS Artist with Admiral Phunk Brass Band, Opposite Box, and Eclectic Tuba. In 2015, he founded the Electrobrass Conference, which holds seminars geared toward the advancement of American brass music through technology.

Matt is currently the Brass Caption Manager for Pacific Crest Drum and Bugle Corps, Low Brass Instructor for the 2024 DCI World Champion and Jim Ott Award Winning Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps. Prior to his time at PC and Bluecoats, Matt served for seven years on brass staff with The Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps, as well as serving as an ensemble coordination consultant with Spirit of Atlanta in 2023.

Matt studied Music Education at Jacksonville State University in Jacksonville, AL, and is a graduate of the Armed Forces School of Music in Little Creek, VA in 2007. He is currently a member of the 129th Army Band based in Nashville, TN. Owen jumped into Drum Corps International (DCI) early at the age of 14, marching contra with Spirit of Atlanta in 2001, 2002, and 2005, and Court of Honor in 2003, and has worked heavily with marching ensembles across the country since his introduction into the activity.

Matt has shared the stage with and collaborated with Stanton Moore and Galactic, The Wailers, The Floozies, Zoogma, Jeff Coffin, Rebirth Brass Band, Pat Sheridan, Nat McIntosh, Better Than Ezra, Keller Williams, Maps and Atlases, Mike Dillon, Junior Marvin (Bob Marley and The Wailers), Kliph Scurlock, Wayne Coyne, and Jakes Ingalls (The Flaming Lips), Amanda Palmer, The Polyphonic Spree, Dave Schools (Widespread Panic), HOTT MT, and Andy Frasco, and has opened for Snoop Dogs, Mungo Jerry, Umphrey’s McGee, Foreigner, Fishbone, and many more.

He has composed over 50 works for tuba and electronics, and has launched three electronic composition campaigns through Electrobrass in an attempt to encourage more composers to join in the movement and help create a large catalogue of music for the medium. He still continues to devote as much time to education as humanly possible, encouraging his students to develop their own artistic individuality, pave their own path, and claim their place in this ever-expanding musical world, and continues to arrange music for BOA, DCI, and WGI Winds groups across the country.

Mike Lebrias
Brass Asst Caption Mgr

Brass Instructor

DR. MIKE LEBRIAS (he/him) recently completed a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Wind Conducting at the University of Texas at Austin, where he studied with Professor Jerry Junkin and serves as an assistant instructor for the UT Bands. His responsibilities at UT include co-teaching undergraduate conducting and serving as an assistant conductor for the concert bands and a teaching assistant for the Longhorn Band. An active clinician and guest conductor, Mike has worked with various high schools and middle schools across the country throughout his career. He has made conducting appearances with all-district and region bands, professional bands, and British-style brass bands alike. In 2022, he had the honor of being named a fellow at the Midwest Clinic’s Reynolds Conducting Institute. Mike is also active in the transcription and arrangement realm, transcribing multiple works for winds in addition to completing a large body of arrangement work for collegiate and high school marching bands.

Recently, Mike has taken up content creation and maintains a steady presence on social media platforms. He aims to provide educational music and conducting content to his viewers, with hopes of bringing the Wind Band art form into the mainstream. He received both his Bachelor of Science in Music Education (‘15) and Master of Music in Instrumental Conducting (‘21) from the University of South Florida in Tampa, FL under the mentorship of Jay Hunsberger, Dr. Matthew McCutchen, Dr. Marc Sosnowchik, and Dr. William Wiedrich. Prior to graduate study, Mike served as the Director of Bands and Orchestra at Hillsborough High School in Tampa, FL from 2015-2019.

Eric Shriver
Percussion Caption Mgr.

Percussion Caption Manager

ERIC SHRIVER is a Percussion Educator and Designer based in Southern California. He performed with the Bluecoats, Pulse Percussion, Black Knights, Pacific Crest, and RCC Marching Band. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music (Industry Studies) from California Polytechnic University (Pomona, CA).

Currently, he serves as the Percussion Director and Battery Designer at a number of local high schools, including Etiwanda, Rancho Cucamonga, and South Torrance — as well as the Ensemble Coordinator and Battery Arranger for POW Percussion.

His work with drum corps is extensive: he has served as snare tech at Bluecoats and Cavaliers, Percussion Caption Head and Battery Arranger at Blue Stars, and recently was the Percussion Caption Head and Battery Arranger at Gold. Some of his WGI teaching experiences include Snare Tech/Ensemble Coordinator at Pulse Percussion, Battery Arranger for Élan Percussion, and Battery Arranger at Gold Indoor Percussion.

Eric serves on the Southern California Percussion Alliance (SCPA) Classification Committee. He is a co-owner and designer at Front2Back Music (front2backmusic.com), a company that creates shows for marching bands and indoor ensembles. He is also the Owner/Creator of the “The Build-Up Method,” which is a set of rudimental percussion practice methods using logical skill building exercises and audio tracks.

Eric lives in Rancho Cucamonga, California, with his wife Amanda, daughter Charlotte, dog Sammy, and cat Luna.

Spencer Pedone
Front Ensemble Manager

SPENCER PEDONE is an educator and percussionist based in the Dallas Fort Worth (DFW) area of Texas. He holds bachelor’s degrees from the University of North Texas (UNT) in Percussion Performance and Instrumental Music Education, along with a minor in Music Theory. While at UNT, Spencer studied under renowned educators including Mark Ford, Paul Rennick, Sandi Rennick, Dave Hall, and Michael Crawford.

Originally from San Diego, CA, he began his academic and musical journey at Palomar College, where he served as a teaching assistant and tutor for music theory and aural skills. During that time, he also held the role of principal percussionist with the Palomar Symphony Orchestra and worked as a freelance and session musician, performing on drum set and keyboard throughout the San Diego and San Marcos areas.

In the area of marching arts, he has performed with Pacific Crest Drum and Bugle Corps and Pulse Percussion. As an educator, he has worked as a front ensemble technician for Gold Drum and Bugle Corps, the UNT Green Brigade, Great Oak High School, and Eaton High School.

Lindsey Schueller
Visual Caption Manager

Visual Designer and Visual Caption Manager

LINDSEY SCHUELLER was born and raised in Michigan where she began her pageantry arts career. She went on to perform with Genesis Percussion, Rhythm X, Blue Stars, Bluecoats, and Carolina Crown.

She received her undergraduate education from Central Michigan University and her Doctor of Audiology from Rush University. Lindsey worked for several years as an Educational Audiologist in southwest Michigan before moving to Atlanta to pursue visual design full time.

For over a decade Lindsey has been an active visual designer and instructor with scholastic and independent programs all over the country, including BOA regional finalists, champions, grand national semi-finalists, DCI and WGI finalists and champions.

Chadd Hartman
Color Guard Caption Mgr.

Color Guard Caption Manager

CHADD HARTMAN was born and raised in Las Vegas, NV, where he attended Las Vegas High School and the University of Nevada Las Vegas. Hartman began his pageantry career with the Crossmen, where he was a performer with a variety of roles from 2009-2012. He then went on to perform with the Independent World group Fantasia Winterguard in 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2017.

In his teaching career, Hartman has worked with a plethora of scholastic groups in the Southern California area as a director, designer, choreographer, and graphic artist. He worked as a technician and choreographer for The Academy from 2015-2017, and spent his 2018 summer with Carolina Crown. In 2019, he joined the Pacific Crest family as a choreographer on the design team and on the color guard technical staff.

He is currently the Director of Color Guards at Chino Hills High School in Chino Hills, CA and has been with the program since 2018, while also serving as the Director of Color Guard at Gahr High School in Cerritos, CA since 2021.

Mr. Hartman is excited for his new role with the Pacific Crest family, and is looking forward to this new adventure.

Sam Burnett
Color Guard Asst Capt Mgr

Color Guard Instructor

SAM RAY began her color guard career in high school. After graduating, she continued to perform as a member of the Academy Drum and Bugle Corps and the Blue Stars Drum and Bugle Corps. In the off-season, she performed with and was a founding member of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) Winterguard.

Sam has been an active color guard instructor since graduating from high school. She has worked with multiple high schools in the Las Vegas valley including Arbor View High School, Foothill High School, and Pinecrest Academy Cadence Marching Band. She recently moved to the Pacific Northwest and is currently the Color Guard Director at Southridge High School.

Outside of color guard, Sam obtained her Bachelors in Public Health from UNLV and is currently pursuing her Masters in Public Health from Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU).

Alyssa Lambert-Garcia
Color Guard Asst Capt Mgr

Color Guard Assistant Caption Manager

ALYSSA LAMBERT-GARCIA began her color guard career in high school in 2005. After graduating, she continued to perform as a member of the ASU Sun Devil Marching Band Color Guard and The Academy Winter Guard. She also was a member of the The Academy Drum and Bugle Corps from 2008-2012 and the Blue Devils in 2013.

Alyssa has been an active color guard instructor with multiple high schools and independent programs in the Phoenix area since 2010, as well as The Academy Drum and Bugle Corps (2015-2018) and Pacific Crest Drum and Bugle Corps (2019-present). Outside of color guard, Alyssa obtained her Masters in Accountancy from Arizona State University and is a licensed CPA.

Mike Lebrias
Brass Asst Caption Mgr

Brass Instructor

DR. MIKE LEBRIAS (he/him) recently completed a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Wind Conducting at the University of Texas at Austin, where he studied with Professor Jerry Junkin and serves as an assistant instructor for the UT Bands. His responsibilities at UT include co-teaching undergraduate conducting and serving as an assistant conductor for the concert bands and a teaching assistant for the Longhorn Band. An active clinician and guest conductor, Mike has worked with various high schools and middle schools across the country throughout his career. He has made conducting appearances with all-district and region bands, professional bands, and British-style brass bands alike. In 2022, he had the honor of being named a fellow at the Midwest Clinic’s Reynolds Conducting Institute. Mike is also active in the transcription and arrangement realm, transcribing multiple works for winds in addition to completing a large body of arrangement work for collegiate and high school marching bands.

Recently, Mike has taken up content creation and maintains a steady presence on social media platforms. He aims to provide educational music and conducting content to his viewers, with hopes of bringing the Wind Band art form into the mainstream. He received both his Bachelor of Science in Music Education (‘15) and Master of Music in Instrumental Conducting (‘21) from the University of South Florida in Tampa, FL under the mentorship of Jay Hunsberger, Dr. Matthew McCutchen, Dr. Marc Sosnowchik, and Dr. William Wiedrich. Prior to graduate study, Mike served as the Director of Bands and Orchestra at Hillsborough High School in Tampa, FL from 2015-2019.

Matt Collins
Lead Instructor

Brass Instructor

MATT COLLINS currently serves as a Band Director in Duxbury Public Schools in Duxbury, Massachusetts. His teaching duties range from beginning 5th grade brass lessons up through high school wind ensemble.

Matt attended Penn State University, where he received a Bachelor’s of Music Education degree. While at Penn State, Matt studied trumpet with Dr. Langston J. Fitzgerald III and wind conducting with Professor Dennis Glocke. He then continued his studies at the Berklee College of Music, where he earned a Professional Certificate and was the recipient of the Mark Mothersbaugh scholarship for his academic excellence.

Matt spent two summers performing with the Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps, aging out in 2016 as a lead trumpet soloist and section leader. He was later hired as a member of the brass instructional team for the 2017 season.

Derek Fritz
Lead Instructor

Brass Instructor

DEREK FRITZ is currently a middle school band director in Hudson, Wisconsin. He oversees 6-8th grade lessons, as well as 7th and 8th grade band classes.

Derek attended the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire, where he received his degree in Music Education. He studied tuba with Dr. Jerry Young and Dr. Jacob Grewe and currently runs both an in-person and virtual tuba studio. During his time at UWEC, he was the principal tubist in the Wind Symphony and Symphony Orchestra.

Since 2018, Derek has been teaching with Pacific Crest Youth Arts Organization. He is also a low brass specialist, with extensive experience in brass pedagogy specializing in tuba, euphonium, and trombone. Additionally, he works as a marching band clinician and choreographer for high schools in Wisconsin and Minnesota. His work has contributed to over 14 state championships in marching band and indoor drumline.

When he’s not teaching or performing, Derek enjoys spending time with his pet rabbit, Philip, and is an avid rock climber.

Jacob Kessler
Lead Instructor

Brass Instructor

JACOB KESSLER is currently the Director of Bands at Lebanon High School in Lebanon, IN. He is a recent graduate of the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music where he studied horn with Jeff Nelsen, and also served as Drum Major for the Marching Hundred for two years.

Jacob performed with the Blue Stars Drum and Bugle Corps for three years. During his time, he served as Mellophone Section Leader and Horn Sergeant. He continues to be an active performer and lessons teacher in the Indianapolis area.

Lauren Casey-Clyde

Lauren Casey-Clyde is a dynamic trombonist, educator, and soloist recognized for her versatility
and artistry. As the core trombonist of Seraph Brass, she traverses the globe, recently captivating
audiences in Peru with the Cusco Symphony Orchestra, with upcoming performances in South
Korea and Mexico on the horizon. A dual-force educator, Lauren serves as Assistant Professor of
Trombone & Euphonium at Texas Lutheran University and Lecturer of Trombone at Texas State
University. She is passionate about helping these students develop both technically and
creatively, providing mentorship that goes beyond just playing the instrument.
A sought-after freelancer in Austin, TX, Lauren has performed with ensembles including the
Boston Symphony Orchestra, Austin Symphony Orchestra, Austin Opera, Temple Symphony
Orchestra, Central Texas Philharmonic, Waco Symphony Orchestra, and the Round Top Festival
Orchestra. Her musical journey is one of dynamic versatility: from Carnegie Hall debuts to
SXSW showcases, she has performed under maestros like Andris Nelsons and Bernard Haitink,
while championing popular music with ensembles like the New-Orleans style Boss Street Brass
Band.
As a soloist, Lauren has garnered attention worldwide, including her 2024 feature at the
International Women's Brass Conference in Japan and the 2022 International Festival for Peace
at the Texas State Capitol in Austin. Her accolades include finalist recognition in the 2023 Big
12 Tenor Trombone Solo Competition and the 2022 University of Texas Concerto Competition,
as well as a prize-winning performance in the Susan Slaughter Solo Competition at the 2019
International Women’s Brass Conference.
Lauren brings her expertise to the marching arts as a brass educator of the 2024 DCI World
Champion Bluecoats, where she has worked since 2023. Her background includes serving with
the Santa Clara Vanguard from 2019 to 2023 and Blue Devils ‘B’ in 2018. In 2019, she assisted
in Vandegrift High School’s historic BOA Grand National Championship victory. As a
performer, Lauren marched with Carolina Crown in 2018, performing as a featured small
ensemble member and lead baritone, cementing her passion for the marching arts and its value to
the music community at large.
Lauren holds a Doctor of Musical Arts and Master of Music degree from the University of Texas
at Austin, as well as a Bachelor of Music from Boston University, where she was honored with
the prestigious Brass Department Award. She also pursued advanced studies at the Royal
College of Music in London. Lauren’s principal teachers include Dr. Nathaniel Brickens and
Boston Symphony tubist Mike Roylance.

Ron Eichstedt

Brass Instructor

RON EICHSTEDT is a native of Southern California, where he grew up in the Inland Empire area. He attended Etiwanda High School under the direction of Don Jaramillo and later worked at Etiwanda High School until 2009 as a staff member. During this time he was actively involved in performing ensembles at Riverside City College and Chaffey College. He was a member of Pacific Crest Drum and Bugle Corps in 2004 and 2005 playing contra (tuba) and a staff member with Pacific Crest in 2006 and 2007.

In 2010, Mr. Eichstedt moved from Southern California and transferred to the University of Nevada, Reno where he graduated with a Bachelor’s in Music degree, with an emphasis in Music Education in 2014. In the spring of 2021 he completed his Master’s of Music degree in Music Education.

He has been teaching at Edward C. Reed High School in Sparks, NV since 2014, where the band has grown to be one of the largest programs in Northern Nevada.

Currently Ron resides in Sparks, NV with his wife Jessica and 4 children, Rosie, Finnley, Kennedy and Cassian. 

Matthew Ezeh

Brass Instructor

MATTHEW EZEH is an accomplished trombonist/brass/music educator. Matthew received his degree in Music Education from Mercer University in 2020 and studied trombone under Hollie Lawing-Pritchard. He served as Director of Bands at Luella High School from 2020-2023. He was in charge of all Concert Bands, Jazz Band, and the LHS Marching Lions. During his tenure, Matthew has led the Marching Lions to superior ratings across all competitions, led the Concert Band to superior ratings at their state evaluation, and revitalized the Jazz Program at Luella High School. Prior to his appointment at Luella, Matthew has served as a brass tech, visual tech, and private instructor at schools and universities across the Middle GA and Metro Atlanta area, leading groups to superior ratings.

As a DCI performer, Matthew marched with Alliance DBC in 2016, the Oregon Crusaders in 2017, and finished his marching career with The Cavaliers as a featured soloist in 2018. From 2019 to 2022, Matthew was a part of the Brass Staff at the Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps and the SOA Brass Staff in 2023.

Currently, Matthew teaches privately in the Los Angeles Metro Area and also works at Warner Music Group in the Warner Chappell Music Sync Department. Matthew enjoys watching basketball, playing tennis, and discovering new & weird music in his free time.

Ian Hoffman

Brass Instructor

IAN HOFFMAN has a deep-seated connection and passion for music and the arts, having started his musical journey singing with the Dreaming Summit Honor Choir in the 4th grade, and the Arizona State Choir the very next year.

He has been a trumpet player through and through from his first day of middle school band. Fast forward to the present, he now has over a decade’s worth of trumpet playing experience and is going on seven seasons instructing winds at AzMBA Grand Champion and two time Division 4A High Music Award-winning Millennium High School, as well as the award-winning Millennium Jazz Ensembles. He has a plethora of knowledge and experience in the areas of jazz, marching brass, and trumpet pedagogy respectively.

As a performer, Ian spent two summers with the Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps as a multiple year soloist, and was section leader in 2022. He has had the opportunity to share the stage with world renowned trumpet players such as Wayne Bergeron, Jens Lindemann, Michael Martin, and José Sabaja, and carries this experience into his teaching endeavors.

Ian maintains a private trumpet studio in Phoenix and continues to teach brass sections across the state. He is the director of consecutive WGAZ Champion Foreword Winds, the premier independent winds group in Arizona, as well as serving as WGAZ Winds Advisor. He is starting his second year as assistant director at Millennium High School and plans to help take the program to new heights.

He is looking forward to getting after it with Pacific Crest this summer!

Jeremy Hunter

Jeremy Hunter is a professional music educator, performer, composer, and session musician based in Gainesville, Florida. With a wide range of real-world industry experience, the through-line of Hunter’s musical career has been marching instruction, performance, and production. Hunter performed as a member and soloist with the Bluecoats in 2016 and 2017.

As an educator, Jeremy currently holds brass positions with the Bluecoats, Santa Fe High School’s Raider Regiment, and the Orange Park Raider Band. He also holds visual positions with Infinity Percussion and Middleburg High School’s Bronco Band.

As a session musician, Hunter has recorded trumpet, trombone, and euphonium for the Emmy-nominated television series Steven Universe and Craig of the Creek. He has also recorded and performed internationally as an independent artist and with various groups, including Estelle, Rebecca Sugar, Jeff Rosenstock, The Bruce Lee Band, We Are the Union, and Goldfinger.

As a composer, Hunter has produced music for several short films, including Boxcar City Rush, which was nominated for Best Score at the 2019 Dusty’s Film Festival, and Nyan to Five, which won Best Film at the 2019 Grizzly Film and Arts Festival.

Evan Johnson

EVAN JOHNSON is a freelance musician and music educator that has lived and worked throughout the United States, performing a variety of styles and teaching students of all ages and skill levels. 

A trombone player, Evan originally began taking music lessons in 2005 before beginning undergraduate studies at Jacksonville State University in 2007 under Dr. James Roberts. In 2014 he completed his Master’s of Music in Trombone Performance from University of Arkansas while studying under Dr. Cory Mixdorf before spending four years in pursuit of a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Trombone Performance and Pedagogy at University of Colorado Boulder under Dr. William Stanley. 

Throughout his studies, Evan has made regular appearances as a performer in various orchestras, quintets, wind bands, big bands, jazz combos, salsa bands, and new music ensembles, while also maintaining students as a private teacher. 

Evan currently resides in Madison, WI.

Matt Miller

MATT MILLER is an active composer and arranger for marching ensembles throughout Southern California. He holds a Master of Music degree in film scoring from the University of Southern California as well as a Bachelor of Music degree in music composition from California State University, Long Beach.

Matt marched five years with the Mandarins Drum and Bugle Corps (2015-2019) as a euphonium soloist and section leader, receiving the Brass Member of the Year award during his age-out summer. He also performed with Dark Sky Percussion in 2016 as a member of the cymbal line. Since 2016, Matt has taught as a music and visual instructor at Gahr High School in Cerritos, CA. He joined the Pacific Crest brass team in 2022.

Sam Perez

Brass Instructor

SAMUEL PEREZ III currently serves as the Assistant Band Director at Long Beach Polytechnic High School in Long Beach, CA. His teaching responsibilities include The Poly Marching Unit and the Concert Band, as well as overseeing the program’s Winter Color Guard.

Sam attended California University State Long Beach, where he received a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering. He will be pursuing his Master’s of Music Teaching and Learning from the University of Southern California in Fall of 2023, while being a member of the Trojan Marching Band and Concert Jazz Orchestra. Additionally, Sam is a member of the Lakers Band, and as an avid trumpet player, regularly gigs and records on albums in the Los Angeles area.

Sam spent three summers performing with Pacific Crest Drum and Bugle Corps, serving as a three time lead trumpet soloist, trumpet section leader, and horn sergeant in 2021. He went on to age-out with The Concord Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corps, helping them earn their 20th World Championship and was named the Brass Rookie of the Year. Sam is very excited to join the Pacific Crest brass team this season and give back to an organization that has provided him with countless opportunities.

Taylor Smith

Coming soon

Joelle Westerfield

JOELLE WESTERFIELD is a band director at Dahlstrom Middle School in Buda, Texas. She was born and raised in Lansdale, Pennsylvania. Joelle holds a bachelor’s degree in music education from the University of Delaware with a tuba concentration and a voice minor. She also holds a master’s in music education from Texas State University. Prior to her current position, Joelle taught elementary band and orchestra in Maryland and middle school band, chorus, general music, and musical theatre in New Jersey.

Joelle marched tuba with the Blue Stars Drum & Bugle Corps in 2012 and conducted the corps in 2013. She also marched cymbals in WGI in 2014 with United Percussion. She has served as a brass, visual, and cymbal instructor for high school bands in PA, MD, NJ, and TX. Joelle resides in Kyle, TX with her husband, Eli.

Bob Chreste
Consultant
Dylan Toombs
Consultant
Christian Blydt-Hansen
Battery Manager

CHRISTIAN BLYDT-HANSEN graduated from California State University Long Beach, receiving a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science. He currently resides in Orange County, CA, working full time as a software engineer.

Christian has performed with Pacific Crest Drum and Bugle Corps, Dark Sky Percussion, Pulse Percussion, and the Blue Stars Drum and Bugle Corps. He currently performs with Sidle Entertainment, the LA Chargers Thunderbolts Drumline, and the LA Kings Drumline.

Christian has previously worked with Fountain Valley High School, Redondo Union High School, and Santiago High School, and Gold Drum and Bugle Corps. He currently works at POW Percussion and has been teaching there for the past four seasons. This is Christian’s first year teaching at Pacific Crest.

Adam Sanchez
Battery Manager

ADAM SANCHEZ is an active musician and educator based out of Southern California. He is currently the Percussion Director at Los Osos High School and the Battery Manager/Snare Tech at Etiwanda High School. Adam has also been on Staff at POW Percussion since 2022, serving both as a Snare Tech and Battery Coordinator.

Previously, he was the Percussion Director at Sunny Hills High School, Percussion Staff at Cerritos High School, Snare Tech at Bakersfield College Indoor Drumline, Snare Tech at Golden Empire Drum and Bugle Corps, and Snare Tech at Gold Drum and Bugle Corps.

Aside from the marching arts, Adam graduated from California State University, Fullerton in 2023 with his degree in Jazz/Commercial Music Studies, where he specialized in Drum Set Performance. During his time at CSUF, Adam learned from Grammy award winning composer and piano player Bill Cunliffe. He also studied privately in the drum set studios of Rodolfo Zuniga and Paul Kreibich. Adam is also on the Jazz Education Faculty at Los Osos High School and Etiwanda High School and continues to perform with various musicians from all walks of life.

Adam has performed with the Bakersfield College Indoor Drumline, Golden Empire Drum & Bugle Corps, the Boston Crusaders Drum & Bugle Corps, Pulse Percussion, and the Los Angeles Chargers Thunderbolts Drumline.

Gabriel Bustamante
Snare

GABRIEL BUSTAMANTE’S marching experience includes Gold 2017-2019, POW 2019, and Pulse 2020-2022. As an instructor, he has taught numerous drumlines across San Diego county, and currently teaches the drumlines at San Marcos HS and Scripps Ranch HS. He has also taught the Gold Drum and Corps snareline in the summer of 2022, and is currently teaching the snareline at POW percussion for the 2024 indoor season.

Chandler Denzel
Snare

CHANDLER DENZEL’s marching experience includes Bluecoats 2022-2025, Pulse Percussion 2023-2026, and Redline Percussion 2021-2022. As an instructor, he has taught numerous groups in West Michigan, and currently teaches the battery at Upland HS in Upland, California.

Zakk Hollander
Tenors

Zakk Hollander started his marching career at Mission Viejo High School under the tutelage of Mike Jackson, Jared
Andrews, Jeremy Somers, Fernando Miller, and Roger Carter. After graduating, he went on to perform with The
Academy (2012 – 2013), RCC Fall (2012 – 2013), Orange County Independent (2013), Pulse Percussion (2014),
Blue Knights Drum and Bugle Corps (2014), RCC (2015), and aged out with The Blue Devils Drum and Bugle
Corps (2015) and RCC (2016).
His teaching experiences include Orange County Independent, Mandarins Drum and Bugle Corps, Dark Sky
Percussion, Laguna Beach High School, Trabuco Hills High School, Mission Viejo High School, Laguna Hills High
School, Diamond Bar High School, El Dorado High School, Fountain Valley High School, and Etiwanda High
School. Zakk currently serves as the battery arranger and battery caption head for Meraki Percussion.
Zakk graduated from California State University, Fullerton, with a bachelor’s degree in Communications in 2020,
and is a proud member of the Vic Firth & Zildjian Educational Team and the Rudimental Mindset Educational
Team.
Zakk currently lives in Mission Viejo, CA.

Jack May
Tenors

JACK MAY is a percussion educator from Diamond Bar, CA. He started his marching career at Diamond Bar High School while marching with Pacific Crest the summer before his senior year. After graduating, Jack performed for three years with Dark Sky Percussion before joining the staff at Meraki Percussion for the 2022 season.

In addition to Meraki, Jack also teaches at El Dorado HS, La Quinta HS, and most recently Gold Drum and Bugle Corps. This will be Jack’s first year on staff with Pacific Crest.

Gabriel Michels
Tenors

Gabriel Michels graduated from UC San Diego with a Bachelor’s degree in Music. He currently resides in Fullerton, CA, where he works as a music educator and freelance composer.

Gabriel has performed with several esteemed groups, including Pacific Crest Drum and Bugle Corps, POW Percussion, Pulse Percussion, and the Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corps. He has also taught with a variety of programs, such as Blue Devils B, Elan Percussion, and Dark Sky Percussion. Currently, Gabriel is on staff at POW Percussion and is in his first year with Pacific Crest.

 

Carlos Lujan
Bass Drum

CARLOS LUJAN is a marching percussionist and educator from Riverside, CA. He started his marching career at Watchmen Drum and Bugle Corps in 2017-2018. He then continued on to march at RCC Fall in 2019, 2020, 2022, Troopers in 2021, and Pulse Percussion in 2022.

His teaching experience includes Valley View High School (2021-present), Arlington High School (2022-present), and Impulse Drum and Bugle Corps in 2022. This is Carlos’s first year on staff at Pacific Crest.

When Carlos is not teaching he enjoys walking with his dog, spending time with family and friends, and watching movies.

Otto Peralta
Bass Drum

OTTO PERALTA is a percussion educator with over a decade-long commitment to advancement in talent in Southern California. His performance experience includes: Garfield Independent, Gold Drum & Bugle Corps, charter member of POW Percussion, and finally aging out with The Academy Drum & Bugle Corps and Pulse Percussion. Otto has worked with various successful ensembles including Palisades Charter High School, La Quinta High School, Vessel Indoor, Mandarins Drum & Bugle Corps, and many more.

Presently, Otto is actively teaching at Mira Costa High School, POW Percussion, and is the Battery Caption Head at West High School in Torrance, CA.

Dominick Villaverde
Bass Drum

DOMINICK VILLAVERDE has been involved with marching percussion since 2014. Graduating from Diamond Bar High School in 2017, he went on to obtain a degree in Pure Mathematics from Cal Poly Pomona in the Spring of 2021 with a specification in Secondary Teaching, along with continuing his involvement in the marching arts. From there, he marched with DCI groups Pacific Crest (2016-2017), Mandarins (2019), Blue Devils (2020), as well as WGI groups POW Percussion (2018) and Broken City (2019-2022).

Since graduating in 2017, Dominick has taught a handful of groups throughout the Southern California area, including North Torrance HS, El Modena HS, Diamond Bar HS, Claremont HS, Nogales HS, Etiwanda HS, and currently La Quinta HS, El Dorado HS, and Vista Murrieta HS. He has also gone on to teach DCI groups Gold and Blue Devils B, as well as helping design visual aesthetics for both Meraki Percussion and Glendora HS.

Spencer Alger
Front Ensemble

SPENCER ALGER is a percussionist and educator based out of Denton, Texas where he is pursuing a bachelors in music at the University of North Texas. While at UNT, he has had the privilege of studying with world-renowned educators and performing in several highly regarded ensembles. Most recently, Spencer served as the principal percussionist for the University of North Texas Wind Orchestra.

Outside of school, Spencer has a wide experience as a performer in high level marching percussion sections such as the Guardians, Vigilantes Indoor Percussion, Troopers, and two Summers at the Santa Clara Vanguard, serving as a section leader in the front ensemble his final year. Spencer currently teaches in Red Oak ISD as a lesson teacher and front ensemble technician. Outside of music, Spencer enjoys taking care of his cat, Murphy, and spending time with friends and family.

Christian Brown
Front Ensemble

Christian Brown is a seasoned music educator and performer with extensive experience teaching and performing with world-class percussion ensembles. His performance credits include Monarch Independent, Boston Crusaders, Crossmen, and Oregon Crusaders, where he competed in prestigious events such as the Drum Corps International (DCI) World Championships, Winter Guard International (WGI) World Finals, and PASIC competitions.

Currently, Christian serves as the Percussion Director at Bel Air High School and a Front Ensemble Instructor for Pacific Crest Drum and Bugle Corps. His previous roles include percussion technician at Pebble Hills High School and clinician for Arsenal Drum and Bugle Corps.

He earned a Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Texas at El Paso and remains dedicated to inspiring and educating students at both the scholastic and independent levels.

Sebastian Havner
Front Ensemble

SEBASTIAN HAVNER is a percussion composer, teacher and performer based in Denton Texas.

As a performer Sebastian marched 3 seasons of Drum Corps from 2022 to 2024, performing with the Santa Clara Vanguard and Casper Troopers, winning the Fred Sanford High Percussion award with SCV in 2024. He has been involved in many premieres and consortiums for new works, put on multiple recitals and competed in The Great Plains International Marimba Competition, earning third place in the Duo category in the 2025 competition. As a student at The University of North Texas he performed with the UNT Percussion Ensemble and Wind Symphony, selected to perform at PASIC and the Midwest Clinic, respectively.

Sebastian is a percussion composer with many works for a variety of chamber percussion ensembles. His compositions have been performed by multiple Universities and High Schools across the country.

He currently serves as the front ensemble coordinator for Vigilantes Indoor Percussion and teaches the front ensemble at Byron Nelson Highschool.

Taylor Poole
Front Ensemble

TAYLOR POOLE is a graduate from Georgia State University (Atlanta, GA) earning her Master’s degree in Orchestral Percussion Performance under the guidance of Dr. Stuart Gerber and Charles Settle. Beginning her undergraduate career at the University of South Carolina with Dr. Scott Herring, she ultimately finished her degree at Georgia State University in Music Management with an emphasis in Marketing.

As a performer, she was an active member of the marching percussion world, performing in both Drum Corps International and Winter Guard International. Taylor was a member of the tenor lines of both Spirit of Atlanta (2011-2013) and Gateway Indoor (2013-2014). Previously she has worked with the Mandarins, Southwind Drum and Bugle Corps, and most recently The Academy Drum and Bugle Corps. She is an active educator in the Southeastern US having worked with various programs including the 2023 SC 4A State Champion TL Hanna High School, Kell High School, and Kennesaw Mountain High School. She previously worked with Civitas Independent helping guide them to the organization’s historic second place finish in 2022.

When she is not performing or teaching, you can find her playing roller derby, taking a yoga class, gardening, or hanging out with her pet snail, Hoover.

She is an Innovative Percussion and Zildjian artist and is excited to work with Pacific Crest this season!

Sean Stuller
Front Ensemble

SEAN STULLER is a percussionist and educator based in San Marcos, Texas. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Texas State University, where he studied with Genaro Gonzalez, Bobby Lopez, and Kari Klier. He is currently pursuing his Master’s Degree in Percussion Performance and Pedagogy at Texas State University, where serves as a graduate assistant for the Bobcat Marching Band. During his time at Texas State, Sean has performed with both of the Texas State Percussion Ensembles, the Texas State Wind Symphony and Symphonic Orchestra, the Salsa del Rio ensemble, and has sat in with numerous other Texas State ensembles. In Spring 2025, he was awarded the Outstanding Student in Percussion Award for his time as an undergrad student. In addition, he recently won the Texas State Concerto Competition in Fall 2025.

Sean has also participated in WGI (Winter Guard International) and Drum Corps International (DCI), most recently with the Santa Clara Vanguard front ensemble in 2024. He also performed with the Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps in 2023, and was a member of the Rhythmic Force World Class Independent Percussion Ensemble from 2021-2023.

In addition, Sean has substituted with the Austin Symphony Orchestra multiple times for the percussion section.

Maddie Wallace
Front Ensemble

Maddie Wallace is a percussionist and educator based in Dallas, Texas. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from the University of North Texas, where she studied with Paul and Sandi Rennick, Dr. Dave Hall, and Mark Ford. While at UNT, Maddie performed with the UNT Wind Symphony, the 2 O’Clock Steel Band, the Brazilian Ensemble, the New Music Ensemble (NOVA), the Percussion Ensemble, the South Indian Ensemble, the Gamelan Ensemble, the African Ensemble, and the Green Brigade Marching Band.

Maddie has also participated in Drum Corps International (DCI), most recently with the Santa Clara Vanguard front ensemble from 2020 to 2022, where she served as the front ensemble section leader in 2022. She also performed with the Troopers Drum and Bugle Corps in 2019.

Most recently, Maddie was part of the 2024 “Blast!” Japan cast, serving as the featured marimba soloist. The cast toured 21 different prefectures across Japan over the course of three months.

Aaron Tucker
Audio Systems Designer

AARON TUCKER is a percussion educator, designer, and audio specialist living in Plano, Texas. He studied Percussion with an emphasis in Jazz Performance at East Carolina University. Over the years, Aaron has had the honor of learning from some world class educators, including Jonathon Wacker, Bill Bachman, Tom Hurst, John Campese, Kevin Shah, Wayne Viar, and Will Goodyear. He has performed all over the country with ensembles ranging from drum corps, to early jazz bands, and has had the opportunity to perform in Lincoln Center, and record for Sesame Street.

Throughout his career, Aaron has worked in various capacities with percussion ensembles such as Palmetto Percussion, and drum corps such as Spirit of Atlanta, Blue Knights, Madison Scouts, and the Academy. In 2018, Aaron helped to guide Carolina Gold Drum and Bugle Corps to a DCA class A world championship and high percussion award. He is also the founder and former director of Alchemy Independent Percussion Ensemble. Aaron currently consults and designs for music programs all over the country. He is the lead sound designer and head engineer for Microphonic Designs based in the DFW area. He has had the pleasure of working with BOA Grand National semi-finalists, DCI finalists, and WGI World Championship Finalists.

When he isn’t teaching or writing, Aaron performs with a variety of musicians as a freelance drummer. He resides in Plano, Texas with his wife, Ellen and his furry companion Niko.

Aaron is proud to endorse Innovative Percussion sticks and mallets, Ludwig drums and Musser mallet equipment.

Brittney Hamrick

BRITTNEY HAMRICK is excited to join the Pacific Crest Audio Team for the 2026 season. Britt has been involved in drum corps and WGI since 2017 with Cap City, Legends, and Seattle Cascades. She began her audio career working with local high school ensembles and live sound for theater productions, later serving as an A1 and A2 engineer with The Academy, Seattle Cascades, and Redline. Brittney is passionate about supporting performers throughout their marching careers and looks forward to contributing to the Pacific Crest Audio Team.

Nic Montell

NIC MONTELL is a multi-instrumentalist and audio engineer from Los Angeles, California.

Nic started his marching career in the Charter Oak High School Marching Regiment. He went on to study Music Industry at Cal Poly Pomona, performing in a variety of ensembles as a flautist, bassist, and percussionist.

Nic’s performance experience includes the RCC Marching Tigers, RCC Indoor Drumline, the Blue Devils International Corps, the Rose Parade Banner Swing Band, and Odyssey Indoor Percussion.

Nic has worked as a percussion educator and designer across the San Gabriel Valley for the past decade. He currently teaches at La Puente High School and Glendora High School. Nic has been an audio engineer and front ensemble instructor for Meraki Percussion since its inception. In addition to the marching arts, Nic has served as a jazz coach at Ayala High School and Azusa High School.

Nic previously worked as a handpan maker at Oasis Sound Sculpture.

Tyler Stewart

TYLER STEWART is a percussionist, educator, and audio engineer based in Richardson, Texas. He studied Percussion at Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia and Audio Engineering at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee. Tyler has managed pageantry audio, arranged, taught, and played for the last 15 years with various groups from West Virginia, Ohio, Tennessee, and Texas. For the last 5 years, he has served as the Assistant Percussion Director for the Wylie East High School Cluster and the Private Percussion Lessons teacher for the Wylie High School Cluster.

Over the years, Tyler has worked with many percussion ensembles, including Cap City Indoor Percussion, Audio Theater Indoor Percussion, and Pioneer Drum Corps. He performed with Gateway Percussion in 2013, as well as 2014 Music City Drum Corps from 2010 through 2011. Outside of the marching arts, Tyler has played drums for multiple musical theater productions as well as with the Huntington Symphony Orchestra. In his spare time, he plays freelance.

As an audio engineer, Tyler has worked in recording studios, designed and operated live sound systems, and managed Audio and Video for large scale meetings and corporate events. He served as one of the first Audio Engineers at Rudy’s Jazz Room in Nashville, Tennessee. There he mixed the Front of House for the likes of the Wooten Family, Bob Reynolds, Jeff Berlin, and many more. In the studio, Tyler assisted in the production of the albums One Drop of Truth from the Wood Brothers and Cardinal from Nature Airliner.

When Tyler isn’t working, he loves to spend his free time taking long walks, exploring neighborhoods, and sipping on fine coffees and wines with his partner, Gail. He is also the proud cat parent of the three silly cats: Sombra, C.C., and Cleo.

Sofia Vine

SOFIA VINE has been involved with drum corps since 2018, marching color guard with The Oregon Crusaders in 2018 and The Academy in 2021. Additionally, she has been a member of Oasis Ensembles, marching winter guard from 2019-2022, and is coming out of retirement this upcoming season with Oasis World.

She made the transition to the audio world after graduating from The Conservatory of Recording Arts and Sciences in 2023. After graduation, Sofia moved to Los Angeles where she worked as an audio engineer with live theaters, movie productions, and concerts.

Sofia has also worked as an A2 with The Academy for the 2024 and 2025 seasons.

She is super excited to join the team at Pacific Crest!

Sam Burnett
Color Guard Asst Capt Mgr

Color Guard Instructor

SAM RAY began her color guard career in high school. After graduating, she continued to perform as a member of the Academy Drum and Bugle Corps and the Blue Stars Drum and Bugle Corps. In the off-season, she performed with and was a founding member of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) Winterguard.

Sam has been an active color guard instructor since graduating from high school. She has worked with multiple high schools in the Las Vegas valley including Arbor View High School, Foothill High School, and Pinecrest Academy Cadence Marching Band. She recently moved to the Pacific Northwest and is currently the Color Guard Director at Southridge High School.

Outside of color guard, Sam obtained her Bachelors in Public Health from UNLV and is currently pursuing her Masters in Public Health from Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU).

Alyssa Lambert-Garcia
Color Guard Asst Capt Mgr

Color Guard Assistant Caption Manager

ALYSSA LAMBERT-GARCIA began her color guard career in high school in 2005. After graduating, she continued to perform as a member of the ASU Sun Devil Marching Band Color Guard and The Academy Winter Guard. She also was a member of the The Academy Drum and Bugle Corps from 2008-2012 and the Blue Devils in 2013.

Alyssa has been an active color guard instructor with multiple high schools and independent programs in the Phoenix area since 2010, as well as The Academy Drum and Bugle Corps (2015-2018) and Pacific Crest Drum and Bugle Corps (2019-present). Outside of color guard, Alyssa obtained her Masters in Accountancy from Arizona State University and is a licensed CPA.

Ian Beltran

Ian Beltran is a dedicated marching arts educator committed to advancing his career in pageantry by fostering meaningful relationships with fellow educators and students. Through an organic and friendly approach, Ian provides a world-class education that helps organizations push creative boundaries while developing a strong technical foundation. This, in turn, maximizes student performance, achievement, and joy. Ian has served as a choreographer and technician for several successful organizations, including Pegasus World, Open, and A Winter Guards, William R. Boone High School, Horizon High School, and the Spirit of Atlanta Drum and Bugle Corps. He aged out in 2022 with the Concord Blue Devils and is currently marching with the 2024 WGI World Champion, Fusion World.

Outside of his pageantry career, Ian is a writer and editor, with work published in academic journals and creative writing spaces. He currently works as a legal assistant in New York City and as a research assistant at the University of Central Florida. Ian plans to pursue a career as an attorney focused on the public good

Stephanie Dee

Color Guard Instructor

STEPHANIE DEE has been involved in the marching arts for over 15 years. After falling in love with color guard in middle school, she continued her training at La Mirada High School and became captain her senior year. After graduating, she performed with Pacific Crest in 2010, 2011, and 2013, becoming an I&E Champion with her twin sister Crystal in 2011. These experiences renewed her focus on dance and design and would carry her on to acquire a Dance Associate in Arts Degree from Fullerton College. While earning her degree, she attended and performed at multiple dance festivals through the ACDF Association.

Since 2010, Stephanie has shared her love for dance and color guard in a variety of settings. She has had the pleasure to teach at high schools and clinics around Southern California, including California HS, Troy HS, and Rubidoux HS. Additionally, she had the opportunity to teach dance and color guard techniques to children through dance ministries and in Costa Rica in 2018.

From 2012-2015, Stephanie performed with Roses of the Night, an International Dance Company performing across Southern California and specializing in Egyptian Cabaret, Tahitian, and Afro-Caribbean movement. Most recently, she was a Parade and Character Performer at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim from 2016-2020.

Stephanie currently teaches at California HS and Santa Fe HS and resides in Anaheim with her husband, Matthew.

Malia Gomez

MALIA GOMEZ’S color guard journey began in 2014 at West Ranch High School in Santa Clarita, CA. After capping off her senior year in 14th place in Scholastic A finals at WGI, her passion for color guard only grew from there. Upon graduating, she went on to coaching at schools in the Los Angeles area including West Ranch High School, Saugus High School, and Crescenta Valley High School. Malia also had the pleasure of joining the All-State Hawaiian Marching band for the 2016 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade in New York and the 2019 Tournament of Roses parade in California.

In this time, she started marching DCI in 2018 with the Vanguard Cadets. In 2019, she returned to the Vanguard Cadets, but as the corps was only touring in California, she was welcomed to join Pacific Crest with only 18 days left in the season. After then, she aged out with the Santa Clara Vanguard in 2021. Malia has also marched with Icon Winter Guard in 2020, 2023, 2024, and 2025.

Today, Malia works as a color guard technician at Castaic High School and Arcadia High School. Her passion for the activity grows when she sees her students develop the same love and dedication that she felt when she was younger.

Malia resides in Los Angeles, CA and attends Pasadena City College in between coaching, studying film and television. She loves to explore new coffee spots and spend quality time with friends and family.

Malia is excited to return to Pacific Crest as an educator for this season!

Carla Hernandez

CARLA HERNANDEZ’S color guard career began in 1999 at Ramona High School in Riverside, CA. After graduating in 2003, Carla became an active member of the Riverside Community Colleges Marching Arts Program. She performed with the RCC Marching Tigers from 2003-2006, where she became captain in her later years. She also spent countless hours as a part of RCC’s Independent World class winter guard, Fantasia, in 2005, 2006, 2008, and 2011. While fulfilling her dream of marching Fantasia, she earned two WGI World Championships titles and gained life-long friendships.

Carla’s DCI experience as a performer includes: Yamato Drum and Bugle corps from Osaka, Japan in 2004, and Pacific Crest Drum and Bugle Corps in 2006.

Carla began her teaching career at a young age by helping with a local middle-school feeder program while still in her senior year of high school. It was there she fell in love with teaching, and where she gained experience in instruction, choreography, and design. This continued on with many different high schools and middle schools across Southern California, most recently with Etiwanda High School, Riverside Poly High School and Pacific Crest Drum and Bugle Corps. She also spent two summers with The Academy Drum and Bugle Corps, from 2017-2018.

Carla resides in Riverside, CA, and works as Project Coordinator for an architectural and electrical engineering company.

Tatiana Higgins

In her educational career, Ms. Higgins has taken on numerous instructional roles, including Color Guard Director, Choreographer, Designer, and Technician, contributing to the success of several programs across Texas. These roles have involved teaching foundational and advanced movement techniques, assisting in technique and training, and collaborating with staff to implement show designs. Her work in these previous positions led to significant program awards and programs achieving State Finalist status. Ms. Higgins is enthusiastic about continuing to lead and inspire the future generations of color guard.

Tatiana Higgins is the Color Guard Director at Iowa Colony High School, a position she has held since July 2022. In this role, she is responsible for designing and implementing choreography, routines, and visuals, as well as instructing and training members on proper performance techniques. Under her leadership, the Iowa Colony Color Guard has achieved significant success since being established in 2022, including being named 1st place Novice Champions in 2023 and Regional A 1st place Champions in 2025. Currently, she also serves as a Color Guard Choreographer at Clements High School.

Ms. Higgins has extensive experience instructing at the competitive independent and Drum Corps International levels. She also serves as Color Guard Staff for Undaunted Independent, where she monitors show quality and focuses on building performers’ confidence and stage presence. The Undaunted Independent ensemble has achieved notable success, reaching WGI Semi-finalists status in 2023, 2024, and 2025. Ms. Higgins previously served on the Color Guard Staff for Mandarins Drum and Bugle Corps from November 2022 to August 2024. She also worked with the Seattle Cascades Drum and Bugle Corps in 2025. Her performance background includes marching with Undaunted Independent Open (2020-2023) and aging out with the Mandarins Drum and Bugle Corps (2022).

Crystal Hoopiiaina

Coming soon

Julie Johnson

Julie Johnson began her color guard career in 2012 at West Covina High School. She went on to march with the Bluecoats for the 2016 summer season. Since then, she has marched several winter guard seasons, including with Vox Artium (Open Class) in 2019, 2020, and 2022, Fantasia (Independent World) in 2023, and Vox Artium (Independent World) in 2024. Julie will continue her marching career with Vox Artium (IW) during the 2025 season.

Julie currently serves as the Color Guard Director at Claremont High School and has also taught with other programs, including South Torrance High School.

Outside of the marching arts, Julie earned her Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering from UC Irvine and her Master of Science in Biomedical Engineering from USC. She currently works as a Project Manager for a biotechnology company.

Julie is excited to be joining the Pacific Crest team!

Sergio Marquez

With over 20 years of performance experience and 22 years of teaching experience, SERGIO MARQUEZ-JOHNSON has flourished as both a color guard choreographer and designer. He has had the privilege of teaching and performing with many prestigious groups at the DCI World Class Level, the BOA level and all six WGI classification levels.

Sergio has performed with such groups as West Coast Drum and Bugle Corps, Santa Clara Vanguard Drum and Bugle Corps, Fantasia Winter Guard, Corona Winter Guard, Esperanza de Luz Winter Guard, and Intensity Winter Guard.

Sergio has worked with such groups as Vista Murrieta High School, El Dorado HS, Ayala HS, Chino HS, Nogales HS, Rancho Bernardo HS, Vandergrift HS, Skyridge HS, ORIGINS, VOX Artium, Blue Stars Drum and Bugle Corps, Esperanza Drum and Bugle Corps and the Pacific Crest Drum and Bugle Corps. In 2014 and 2015, he was the color guard caption head for the Academy Drum and Bugle Corps.

Currently, Sergio is the Color Guard Caption Head at Vista Murrieta HS in Murrieta, CA and a full time Psychology Student Major at California State University San Bernardino. In the summers, pre-COVID-19, he was the Color Guard Curriculum Coordinator for Fred J. Miller Summer Clinics Inc. in Miamisburg, Ohio. Sergio resides in Riverside, CA with his husband Pete Marquez-Johnson of 5 years. The summer of 2022 will mark Sergio’s fifth summer with the Pacific Crest Color Guard.

Nikolas Matsamura

Coming soon

Ashley Porter
Olivia Rock
Nicholas Rodriguez

Nick Rodriguez, born in Miami, Florida, and raised in Pembroke Pines, Florida, began his color guard journey at Charles W. Flanagan High School in 2011. He graduated in 2013, serving as captain during his final year. While performing with Flanagan’s World Guard, his team achieved remarkable success, earning a Scholastic Bronze Medal, Scholastic Silver Medal, and Scholastic Gold Medal at the WGI World Championships.

As an educator, Nick has traveled extensively, contributing to world-class programs across Florida, Ohio, Georgia, and Texas. He has worked with numerous esteemed groups, including Flanagan High School, Miamisburg High School, Bellbrook High School, Stoneman Douglas High School, Hebron High School, Claudia Taylor Johnson High School, Park Vista High School, Timber Creek High School, North Gwinnett High School, Braddock Independent, Malachi Independent, Relentless Independent, Carolina Crown Drum & Bugle Corps, Pacific Crest Drum & Bugle Corps, and many local high school groups in South Florida.

Nick’s drum corps experience began with the Boston Crusaders in 2012. He went on to march with Carolina Crown from 2013 to 2015, perform with Crown Japan in 2014, join the Santa Clara Vanguard in 2016, and age out with The Blue Devils in 2017. During his time in drum corps, his groups achieved significant accolades, including a Silver Medal and two Gold Medals at the DCI World Championships.

In the winter guard arena, Nick has performed with several notable organizations, including Southlake High School (2010), Flanagan World (2011–2013), Braddock Independent World (2014), and The Pride of Cincinnati (2015 and 2016). While performing with Pride of Cincinnati, the team earned a WGI Independent World Bronze Medal and Gold Medal.

Currently, Nick serves as the proud Director of Guards and Designer for Flanagan High School’s Winter and Fall programs, a role he has held since 2020. He is also the Co-Founder and Creative Director of Relentless Independent. Residing in Plantation, Florida, Nick balances his professional commitments with his passion for health and fitness as a cycling instructor at CycleBar in Davie, Florida, where he leads 45-minute full-body cycling workouts.

Nick cherishes his life in South Florida, which he shares with his partner, family, and furry companions. He is excited to bring his expertise and creativity to the Pacific Crest organization for a second summer.

Robert Rodriguez

ROBERT RODRIGUEZ has been involved in the pageantry world at all scholastic levels, including elementary school, middle/junior high school, and high school. Since he began teaching in 2005, his groups have been recognized locally and regionally for their attention to detail as well as the quality of their performances. Some of the highlights of his career have been working with Riverside Poly High School, Rancho Verde High School, and Vista Murrieta High School. He is currently the color guard caption head at Etiwanda High School.

Robert has also had success teaching drum corps, working with The Academy from 2015-2018 and most recently with Pacific Crest in 2019.

He believes color guard provides an opportunity to develop an appreciation for performance and encourages the skills and disciplines necessary for achieving success throughout a lifetime of experiences. His students learn the importance of a cooperative team effort while working with fellow members to accomplish their shared goals.

Joey Valenzuela

JOEY VALENZUELA has been teaching in the Southern California area since 2000. He has performed across the country with groups such as Pacific Crest, Corona Winter Guard and Fantasia Winter Guard. Joey has taught award-winning groups all over the southern California area such as Azusa High School, Charter Oak High School, Whittier High School and Chino High School.

He is currently the Caption Head at Bellflower High School, Damien High School and Bonita High School. He was also in charge of the color guard with the 605 All-Star Band for the 2025 Tournament of Roses Parade. Recently, Damien HS was featured in the 2025 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, where the color guard was featured by the recording artist Conan Gray. He has also taught at Impulse Drum & Bugle Corps, Pacific Crest Drum & Bugle Corps as well as The Academy Drum & Bugle Corps and Gold Drum & Bugle Corps. He is also involved with the Winter Guard Association of Southern California, one of the largest winter guard circuits in the country, where he serves as Head of the Classification Committee.

Brittany Whitlow

Color Guard Instructor

BRITTANY WHITLOW started her color guard journey in 2014. She spent four years in Green Valley High School’s color guard program in Las Vegas, Nevada. During her time at Green Valley HS, as a sophomore, she and a fellow teammate started the first middle school program in the Las Vegas area at the time. Starting this middle school color guard sparked a new passion for teaching, and after graduating in 2018 she was excited to continue performing and teaching.

In the fall of 2018, she continued her teaching career as a Color Guard Director at Greenspun JHS and a Technician at Desert Oasis HS. She was soon offered the Color Guard Director position for Desert Oasis in the fall of 2019. She has recently become a Weapon choreographer and Technician at Silverado HS in the winter of 2021 and was also a guest instructor at Western HS in 2021.

Brittany’s passion for performing made her start her drum corps career in 2018 with Heatwave Drum and Bugle Corps. In 2019 she continued performing with the Open Class group 702 Independent that following winter season. Her drum corps career continued when she marched with Pacific Crest in 2019 for their monumental season. She continued to perform with Pacific Crest for the following 2020, 2021 and 2022 seasons.

Brittany currently resides in Las Vegas, Nevada and continues to pass on her passion for color guard to her 3 programs. She is ecstatic for her first season teaching at Pacific Crest, and cannot wait to see the unique personality and skill set of the 2023 cast.

Nabra Asgedom

Visual Instructor

NABRA ASGEDOM is an instructor, clinician, visual designer, and arranger based in the Atlanta metro area.

Nabra is a first-generation American whose family immigrated from Ethiopia. He was born and raised in Northern Virginia, and found an early passion for music and the marching arts while growing up around the performing ensembles in the area. He took private lessons from George Mason tuba professor Dr. David Porter and learned trombone to play in jazz ensembles.

Throughout his marching career, he marched Blue Stars and Bluecoats as a contra player and has participated in both alumni corps. While in Virginia, he studied mechanical engineering with a minor in music at Virginia Tech. After graduating from Virginia Tech, Nabra moved to South Carolina and quickly became involved in numerous marching groups and events in the area.

After moving to South Carolina, Nabra has served as a clinician for the Bands Across the Savannah (BATS) and Celebration of Bands Clinic, as an adjudicator, and a choreographer for multiple marching band and indoor drumline groups, and as a low brass instructor. He was also on the visual team for Atlanta CV Drum and Bugle Corps (2025) prior to moving to the Atlanta metro area.

Nabra is currently the Visual Co-Caption Head for Civitas Independent Indoor Drumline in Percussion Independent World Class (PIW) after joining the ensemble and getting 2nd in Percussion Independent Open Class (2024). He’s also an active drill writer for indoor drumline & marching band, a choreographer, and a private lesson instructor for music and drum corps preparation across the southeast.

Devon Brown

Visual Instructor

DEVON BROWN is originally from Pasco, Washington, and began their Drum Corps career in 2015 at the age of 14 with the Columbians Drum and Bugle Corps. They continued their marching career as a member of the Seattle Cascades in 2017, and then as a member and later Horn Sergeant of the Boston Crusaders from 2018, until they aged out in 2022.

Devon has continued to further their experience within the activity as a Visual Instructor teaching marching and movement, working with the Troopers from 2023 to 2024, and with Music City in 2025. Devon’s marching and movement expertise comes from not only years of experience, but also their background in martial arts in their youth.

Outside of DCI, Devon is finishing their BA in Music with a Minor in Entertainment Technology from Central Washington University. Their background combines performance experience with a growing expertise in visual design and production, allowing them to create dynamic and engaging performance environments.

Driven by a love for the art and the collaborative spirit of Drum Corps, Devon strives to help performers reach their full potential while building confidence and artistry both on and off the field.

Andrew Clark

Andrew Clark is an educator based in the Atlanta area, specializing in jazz music and visual movement. He currently works with Walton High School and Dickerson Middle School bands, where his responsibilities include directing the jazz bands, assisting with the Walton Marching Band, providing supplemental instruction for the concert programs, and serving as a private lessons instructor for middle and high school trumpeters.

Before relocating to Atlanta, Andrew served as the assistant band director at Apollo High School in Owensboro, Kentucky, from 2015 to 2017. During this time, he was the lead teacher for both the marching band and jazz band, assisted the wind ensemble, and supported the band programs at Burns and College View middle schools. Under his direction, the Apollo Jazz Band was invited to perform at the Kentucky State Level Jazz Assessment, where they received a Distinguished Ensemble rating. The band also earned Outstanding Band honors at the Murray State Jamey Aebersold Jazz Festival on two occasions.

In addition to his work in high school music programs, Andrew is active in the world of Drum Corps International (DCI) and Winter Guard International (WGI). From 2022 to 2024, he served as the visual caption head for the Troopers Drum and Bugle Corps, helping lead the corps back to finalist status in 2022. He is also a visual instructor with the Q2 Indoor Drumline, which earned the silver medal in the 2024 WGI Percussion Independent Open (PIO) class.

Andrew holds a Bachelor’s degree in Music Education with high honors from Murray State University (2015) and a Master’s degree in Jazz Studies and Performance from the University of North Texas (2020). He resides in Marietta, Georgia, with Lindsey Schueller, her cat Copper, and their turtle, TC.

Julia Culp

Julia Culp is a Nashville-based educator who currently teaches band and orchestra at Freedom Middle School. She is a two-time graduate of Vanderbilt University, holding both a Bachelor’s in Music and a Master’s in Education.

Julia’s passion for the marching arts stems from her extensive dance background, which includes nearly 20 years of formal dance training and performance experience. While at Vanderbilt, Julia performed with and choreographed for the university’s Vitality Dance Company, eventually serving as its Artistic Director during her final years.

During her years as a performer in Drum Corps International (DCI), Julia was a member of both the Troopers and Blue Stars hornlines. As a visual educator, she has worked with the Blue Stars Visual Team, the Troopers Visual Team, and several high school programs in the Nashville area, including The Franklin Band and Ravenwood High School. Julia is excited to join the team at Pacific Crest.

Eric Gamboa

ERIC GAMBOA is a visual educator based in Simi Valley, California. His performance experience includes Pacific Crest in 2013 and 2014.

He has worked as a visual instructor since 2012. He currently serves as the visual caption head at William S. Hart High School and on the visual staff at West Ranch High School. In the past, he has also worked with Royal High School and Thousand Oaks High School.

Lamont Hall

Visual Instructor

Coming soon

Moises Hernandez

Visual Instructor

MOISES HERNANDEZ is a visual instructor based in San Bernardino, California. His performance experience includes a summer with Pacific Crest, as well as a season with Broken City Percussion. He has worked as a visual instructor since 2022, teaching the fall programs at Etiwanda and Los Osos high schools, as well as a season with The Academy Drum & Bugle Corps.

Outside of drum corps, Moises is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in accounting, and spends his free time outdoors—hiking, camping or offroading. He is a proud PC alum and is incredibly excited to join Pacific Crest for the 2026 season!

Garret Lopez

Visual Instructor

GARRET LOPEZ has been involved with the marching activity for over 25 years as a musician, color guard performer, clinician, and educator. He has been part of the visual education staff at Pacific Crest for almost a decade and is excited to be part of this program once again.

An alumnus of Chino High School, he performed on clarinet, baritone, oboe, and saxophone. Garret began teaching at his alma mater in 1997 and continued to work there as an educator for 14 years, with 12 of those years spent as visual caption head. He has worked with various other high school programs in the region and is currently in his 12th year on staff with the Chino Hills HS marching band.

Garret spent five summers as a baritone player with the Santa Clara Vanguard from 1997-2001, winning a DCI Championship in 1999. In addition to his experiences as a musician, he also honed his color guard skills performing with Solution Performance Ensemble World Guard in 2001 and Fantasia World Guard in 2002, 2003, and 2006, winning two WGI gold medals.

Most recently, he earned his MBA with a concentration in Healthcare I.T. and is now working towards a degree in clinical informatics. He is a currently an employee at Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP) and resides in Azusa. Garret enjoys cooking, traveling, staying healthy, and volunteering his time to give to those in need, and is an advocate for suicide prevention and education and helping those that struggle with their mental health.

Chris Schmitz

Visual Instructor

CHRIS SCHMITZ is a full time visual educator and designer based in Southern California.

His performance experience includes two years with the Sacramento Mandarins from 2016-2017. Chris was a visual tech at Golden Empire Drum and Bugle Corps from 2018-2022, and in 2022 joined the faculty at both Gold Drum and Bugle Corps and Gold Indoor Percussion.

At Tesoro High School, Chris has served as the visual caption head for two years. He is also currently on staff at Kennedy High School, Marina High School, Fallbrook High School, and Whittier High School.

In addition to teaching, Chris attends Fullerton College, where he is pursuing a Dance Education degree. He is very much looking forward to helping create a great learning environment at Pacific Crest!

Lorhan Tiger

Visual Instructor

LORHAN TIGER is an educator, performer, and producer based in Eagle, Colorado. She began her drum corps career performing on trumpet with Spirit of Atlanta before transitioning to the Cadets for her final year performing. She then moved into teaching, where she has since worked with a variety of high school and collegiate programs across the United States. Lorhan also most recently spent two years on the educational staff with the Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps.

Lorhan attended Appalachian State University, where she studied music. She now works with a production company that designs and builds large-scale productions for concerts and live events.
In addition to her work in the performing arts, she is a competitive snowboarder, competing in the Freddie World Tour Qualifier events all over the United States and Canada.

Lorhan is extremely excited and grateful for the opportunity to join the Pacific Crest Visual Team for the 2026 summer!

Akash Watsa

Visual Instructor

AKASH WATSA is a Michigan-based music educator specializing in visual movement, with a diverse background in teaching K-12 music. Most recently, he taught band and choir at Washtenaw International High School & Middle Academy. Currently, he is a graduate student at the University of Michigan, pursuing a Master’s in Educational Leadership and Policy.

Akash currently serves as the Visual Caption Head for the Walled Lake Schools Marching Band and Indoor Visual Ensemble. Both programs have experienced significant growth and achieved recent competitive success, including being named BOA AAA Bronze Medalists (2023) and WGI Scholastic World Class Finalists (2024). In addition to his work with Walled Lake, he is entering his first season as Visual Caption Head with RedLine Percussion. Akash also remains active in Drum Corps International (DCI), having served on the Troopers Visual Team from 2022 to 2024.

Before his time at Walled Lake, Akash worked with several other performance ensembles across Michigan. While pursuing a double major in music education and mathematics at Central Michigan University, he served as an undergraduate teaching assistant with the Chippewa Marching Band, where he redesigned and implemented the visual fundamentals program. Akash also provided visual instruction and design for several winter guard programs, including Troy Athens High School’s WGI groups and Metamorphosis. As the Assistant Guard Director at Troy Athens, he helped lead the program to a state championship and a position as WGI Scholastic A Class Semi-Finalists in consecutive seasons.

In every program he works with, Akash is dedicated to fostering a culture of lifelong learning, commitment, and teamwork. He consistently prioritizes student-centered learning and strives to create an environment where students, staff, and the community feel valued. Akash is excited to join Pacific Crest this season and looks forward to the future of the organization.

Diana Marie Petersen
Sr. Tour Mgr

DIANA MARIE PETERSEN was born and raised in Southern California and has had a passion for music from a young age. She performed in several ensembles while attending El Modena High School (1996-2000), Fullerton College (2000-2002), and California State University Long Beach (2002-2004). She was a member of the Front Ensemble at Pacific Crest Drum and Bugle Corps (1999-2001, 2003). After aging out, she came back to Pacific Crest to serve as a volunteer, and first joined the Board of Directors in 2013, serving as Board President in 2020-2021.

Diana has worked in the commercial roofing industry since 2004 and currently is the Director of Administration at Red Pointe Roofing. She has expertise in all areas of construction related administration and has implemented the company’s accounting and IT systems, 401K plan and health benefits in addition to overseeing purchasing and worker’s compensation reporting. Ms. Petersen also serves on the company Leadership Committee with other senior managers to develop strategic initiatives relating to safety, operations, long term vision, employee benefits and recognition, and charitable contributions. She serves as a Director on the Board of Directors of the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA), is a committee member of its Safety and Health Committee and co-chairs its Future Executive Institute (FEI) committee.

She is a graduate of the NRCA/Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University Future Executive Institute program and earned her BA in Music from California State University Long Beach. She is a SHRM-Certified Professional, HRCI Professional in Human Resources-California®, and HRCI HR Ethics Certificate holder. Ms. Petersen is also a member of National Women in Roofing (NWIR), Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), and Professionals In Human Resources Association (PIHRA).

Carol Rosas
Food Service Manager

Carol Rosas’s journey with drum corps began in 2006 when her first child joined Pacific Crest. Over the years, three of her children have marched in drum corps, and Carol has become a dedicated and invaluable member of the community. Her volunteer work started in 2012 with the Santa Clara Vanguard Cadets after her daughter was accepted into the corps. Equipped with little more than an outdoor oven on wheels and several Igloo coolers, Carol quickly adapted to the ever-changing demands of drum corps life. Recognizing that standard meals were insufficient to meet the athletic needs of the members, she pioneered a nutrition-focused approach to meal preparation, designing menus that remain in use today.

In 2016, Carol joined The Bluecoats, following her daughter’s transition to the World Class division. With access to a dedicated kitchen trailer, Carol elevated her operations, preparing over 200 meals across five menus, four times a day. Her professional experience in triage settings proved invaluable, allowing her to adjust entire menus or make on-the-spot modifications as challenges arose.

In 2017, Carol returned to Pacific Crest to support her daughter’s desire to follow in her brothers’ footsteps. She volunteered intermittently throughout the tour and fully committed to the 2019 season, including most training camps. Beyond meal preparation, Carol took on a leadership role, mentoring volunteers by assigning tasks that matched their strengths and fostering a positive, collaborative environment in the kitchen. She also connected with corps members, offering encouragement as they passed through the meal lines, living by her motto: “I feed champions.”

Carol’s passion, expertise, and dedication have made her an integral part of every drum corps she has served. Her commitment to creating nutritious, high-quality meals and fostering a supportive atmosphere has left a lasting impact on the drum corps community.

Joann Martinez
Uniforms Manager

Coming soon

Joel Lopez
Rehearsal/Tour Assistant

JOEL LOPEZ is from Riverside, CA. He joined Pacific Crest back in 2022 and has been actively involved with the corps ever since: as a kitchen volunteer and now as a Tour Assistant.

He was exposed to drum corps in 2019 while marching his first season with the RCC Marching Tigers as a trombone player. He has been with the Marching Tigers for five fall seasons and has held multiple leadership positions. He acquired his Associates in Music at Riverside City College and is continuing his education at California Baptist University in the Music Education program.

He’s very enthusiastic about working behind the scenes with Pacific Crest and is very excited to continue working within the corps.

Jayden Heddon
Rehearsal/Tour Assistant

JAYDEN HEDDON first served Pacific Crest as Prop Lead for the 2025 season. He is now on the tour admin team. Born and raised in Lakewood, California, Jayden is currently pursuing a degree in Music Education at San Diego State University, where he is set to graduate in 2026. He has marched with Mayfair High School, Tri-City Percussion, Gold Drum and Bugle Corps, and Gold Indoor under the direction of Eric Shriver.

Outside of Pacific Crest, Jayden is part of the administrative staff for POW Percussion, where he helps support operations and ensemble logistics. With a strong background in performance and production, Jayden is excited to bring energy and organization to the Pacific Crest team this season.

Kyle Torres
Rehearsal/Tour Assistant

KYLE TORRES hails from Montebello, CA. He marched Pacific Crest in 2017, 2019, and 2020 on trumpet, and also participated in the corps’ 2019 Rose Parade performance.

Kyle was first introduced to drum corps during his freshman year of high school and has been absolutely infatuated with the activity ever since.

Before joining Pacific Crest, he played trumpet in the Montebello High School Mighty Oiler Band for three years, and French horn in concert band for two years. He was also involved with the Theatre department for two years, where he focused on set design and acted in his senior year production of A Streetcar Named Desire.

Kyle currently works for Vans and is very excited to give back to the drum corps activity while learning from the staff at Pacific Crest.

Tresten Trias
Rehearsal/Tour Assistant

Bio coming soon…

Brian Almiron
Health Team Coordinator

BRIAN ALMIRON has been actively involved in music since the fourth grade, beginning his journey on alto and baritone saxophone before transitioning to drumline in high school. Over the years, he has performed with a variety of ensembles, including: Antelope Valley College (baritone saxophone and tenor drumline), California State University, Northridge Percussion Ensemble (front ensemble), and West Coast Sound Drum and Bugle Corps (bass line).

With a passion for both performance and education, he has been an integral part of various percussion and visual staffs across Southern California and Arizona. His ensembles have consistently placed in the top three in SCSBOA, PPAACC, WGAZ, WCWA, and WCPA.

In addition to his work in music education, Brian has worked as an Emergency Medical Technician in 2000, working throughout Los Angeles, the San Fernando Valley, and the South Bay. In 2004, he transitioned into a role as a Medical Assistant and is currently part of the team at UCLA Health Santa Clarita Primary and Immediate Care office in Valencia, CA.

This is Brian’s 4th year on the health team with Pacific Crest, and he is looking forward to his new role with the organization. He resides in Valencia with his wife, Adel, and their two children, Nicholas and Adalynn. Brian currently serves as the VP of Operations with the West Ranch High School music program in Stevenson Ranch, CA where his daughter Adalynn is a proud member of the color guard.

Dr. Janet Konecne
DPT and Board Advisor

DPT, Physical Therapy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 2002
MS, Physical Therapy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 2001
BS, Physical Therapy, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, 1982

Board Certified Orthopedic Clinical Specialist (OCS), American Board of Physical Therapy Specialities, American Physical Therapy Association
Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), National Strength and Conditioning Association
Certified Personal Trainer

Amber Cameron
Health Team

AMBER CAMERON has been involved with the DCI community in both performing and professional capacities for 7 years. Amber started her journey in 2017 at Pacific Crest as a trumpet player, and aged out with the corps 2019 as Drum Major.

Outside the world of drum corps, Amber is actively learning new skills and trades: she’s worked in hospitals and healthcare since 2021 after receiving her NREMT license, and recently became nationally certified as a Phlebotomist, Lab Assistant, and IV Technician. She uses her knowledge and skills to work at one of the oldest and most established hospitals in Denver. Amber is also a fun-loving barista at Dutch Bro’s coffee where she loves connecting with her regulars! She is also currently working toward her certification in Surgical Technology.

Amber has been involved in the music community since she started playing clarinet in 6th grade, but has put music aside. She now spends her free time going to concerts, running 5k’s, going to the gym, snowboarding at some of Colorado’s most beautiful resorts in the winter, attending baseball games in the spring, and making sourdough loaves and other baked goods. She’s based out of Denver, where she spends most of her time with her boyfriend, enjoying the life she has built in Colorado.

Kenji Marfa
Health Team

KENJI MARFA is a licensed emergency medical technician that has been actively involved in the marching arts community as a performer for many years.

Kenji has had previous work experience at a private ambulance company in California, specializing in critical care/ALS transport. He is currently in nursing school with the goal of becoming a registered nurse.

He is excited to be part of the 2026 Pacific Crest Health Team!

Kristin Marquez
Health Team

KRISTIN MARQUEZ, BSN, RN, is a dedicated Registered Nurse with a diverse clinical background. She began her career as an orthopedic nurse, where she developed a strong foundation in acute patient care. Kristin brings many years of experience in home health and hospice nursing. She has also worked in triage, utilizing strong clinical judgment and communication skills to assess and guide patients effectively. Additionally, Kristin is a certified CPR and First Aid Instructor with the American Heart Association.

Hannah Medina
Health Team

HANNAH MEDINA has been involved with marching arts since 2016. She performed with California High School Color Guard in 2016-2020 before performing with Pacific Crest Color Guard in 2023.

Hannah graduated from Cal State University-Fullerton in 2026 with a Bachelor’s of Science in Kinesiology.

Adam Murray
Health Team

ADAM MURRAY is an Emergency Medical Technician with roots in the California marching community. He marched at Ayala High School from 2014-2018 as a Euphonium player and Drum Major, and continued to march with the Sacramento Mandarins Drum and Bugle Corps, again as a Euphonium player and Drum Major from 2019-2021. He went on to get his BA in Criminal Justice at California State University, Fullerton and has future aspirations to attend Law School in California.

Adam is currently employed as an EMT with an event medical company that services raves, concerts, and other events all over Southern California. He has been a member of the Mandarins Health & Wellness team for the past two years and is excited to join the Pacific Crest Health Team.

Alberto Rodriguez
Health Team

Bio coming soon…

Jill Podsiad
Health Team

JILL PODSIAD comes to Pacific Crest from Santa Barbara, Ca. She has been a full time Surgical Technologist for the last 10 years, as well as a medical and physical therapy assistant. She loves working with young people, and is passionate about proper nutrition and teaching young athletes how to prepare their bodies nutritionally so they can perform optimally on the field and in everyday life.

Jill’s middle son had a heart transplant in 2013, which means she also comes to us with some unusual real life experience and knowledge that she has had to learn and apply to her own daily life, in order to create better habits for a healthier lifestyle – for herself but mostly as a model to her sons. These changes have made her passionate about teaching young adults the importance of learning and maintaining healthy lifestyle habits while young, in hopes of always being a peak performer.

Dr. Sita Swamy
Health Team

DR. SITA SWAMY is a board-certified family practitioner and advanced registered nurse practitioner specializing in cardiology. She has been working professionally with Orlando Health for over 20 years. Dr. Swamy received her Doctorate in Nursing Practice in 2011 from the University of Central Florida.

Sita became involved in the marching arts through her two sons. She has volunteered with The Bluecoats, as well as with The Cavaliers’ Health and Wellness team. She currently leads the Health and Wellness team at Infinity Percussion.

Sita lives in Florida and is the proud mother of two boys, both of whom participated in WGI and DCI.

Spencer Adkins
Meteorologist

SPENCER ADKINS is an award winning chief meteorologist for WOWK-TV in Huntington-Charleston, WV. Certified by both AMS and NWA, Spencer has been forecasting weather since 1997 for the Tri-State area. He has forecasted and led coverage of many major storms from tornado outbreaks to Superstorm Sandy to major floods to derechos. Public safety and being weather aware is Spencer’s key mission in meteorology. He’s been on TV in West Virginia, Kentucky and Ohio for over 30 years at various stations in various positions.

As a member of the marching arts community, Spencer marched 4 years at Algonac High School in Michigan in the 1980s, as both a French horn player and percussionist. First exposed to DCI in the early 1980s, Spencer has been an avid fan, logging thousands of miles to attend shows across many states and Canada ever since. Spencer and his wife Susan have four boys, all of whom have marched in the award winning Cabell-Midland Marching Knights from Ona, WV. Now in addition to attending DCI shows, Spencer attends Bands of America Shows.

Combining work along with being a drum corps nut and a band dad, Spencer has been tweeting forecasts for DCI fans during summers since 2014. The tweets led him to team up with Dr. Kevin Kloesel from Oklahoma University, who has been working with Pacific Crest and DCI on marching safety and health. Spencer plans to continue his show forecast tweets while working under Dr. Kloesel to provide weather safety information to the corps community. He also covers the marching scene on WOWK-TV, featuring local members of drum corps during the summer as well as promoting the annual local Drums Across The Tri State show in Charleston, along with announcing at many local high school band shows during the fall competition season. You can find him @spencerweather on Twitter often using the hashtag: #marchingmeteorology

Chris Campos
Photographer, Licensed Drone Pilot

Coming soon

Nikki Collister
Writer

NIKKI COLLISTER is a technical writer and freelance journalist based in San Francisco, CA. She graduated from UCLA with a degree in Ethnomusicology and was a member of the Pacific Crest front ensemble in 2007 and 2008. Nikki has volunteered with Pacific Crest since 2016, serving as Communications Manager from 2016-2018 before switching over to focus on the corps newsletter and website.

Benji Gonzalez
Social Media Coordinator

BENJI GONZALEZ is a designer and creator based in Southern California. His creative journey began at John F. Kennedy High School (La Palma) where he was Social Media Manager of the Shamrock Regiment. He continued to coach parade bands during the Fall seasons, while also completing his A.A. in Film, Television, and Electronic Media from Fullerton College. After graduating, he pursued a B.A. in Communications from California State University, Fullerton, and is currently at USC Annenberg pursuing a Master’s Degree in Digital Media Management.

In 2022, Benji was on staff with FloMarching, helping to cover Drum Corps International’s historic 50th Anniversary Season. He has also worked with various labor, non-profit, educational, and other marching arts organizations in a variety of roles related to communications and digital media.

Throughout his career, he has collaborated with organizations across the performing arts and marching arts communities, including Cal Poly Pomona Bands, Winter Guard Association of Southern California, Varsity Spirit, the Western Band Association, and the 2025 Drum Corps International World Champion Boston Crusaders.

Currently, Benji serves as the Director of Marketing & Communications at the Riverside Arts Academy, where he leads digital strategy, brand development, and audience engagement efforts. He also continues his work with international performing arts programs, spending his winters as a staff member with the Green Band Association, assisting educators and students from Japan as they travel to California for the Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade.

Howard Hsu
Photographer, Licensed Drone Pilot

Coming soon

Richard Melendez
Video Intern

RICHARD MELENDEZ is a videographer and editor who is excited to apply his skills at Pacific Crest, where he marched in 2022. In Richard’s words, “It is always fascinating to capture the progression of this one-of-a-kind activity and have the opportunity to witness its development over time. Being a part of Pacific Crest means the world to me, it’s an opportunity to collaborate with like-minded individuals who share a common passion for music and performance.”

Russ Tanakaya
Media Team Manager

Russ is Pacific Crest’s media coordinator and lead photographer, now in his tenth year serving the corps. He was elected to the PCYAO Board of Directors in 2018.

In addition to his photography for Pacific Crest, Russ is a featured artist for the internet magazine Drum Corps World, and for DCI. He is a self-professed “Huge Pacific Crest Fan”. The Tanakaya family annually offers scholarships to assist members with their tuition in memory of Russ’ daughter, Lindsay.

Mr. Tanakaya is a 43 year veteran of the hotel business, having retired from his General Management position with Embassy Suites in 2021. He continues his passion of portrait and event photography at Russell M. Tanakaya Photography, where he primarily works for donations to his beloved organization – Pacific Crest!