Pacific Crest Youth Arts Organization

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(As of 5/6/2025)

2025 Administrative Team

 

2025 Design Team

 

2025 Educational Leadership

 

2025 Brass Educators

 

2025 Percussion Educators

 

2025 Audio Technicians

 

2025 Color Guard Educators

 

2025 Visual Educators

 

2025 Admin and Support Team

 

2024 Health Team

Health Team Advisors

2025 Media Team

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.

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.

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.

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.

Darren Loney
Brass Arranger

Brass Arranger and Composer

DARREN LONEY is the Director of Instrumental Music at Gahr High School in Cerritos, California, and serves as the High School Music Coordinator for the ABC Unified School District. He oversees the Marching Band, Concert Band, Wind Ensemble, Jazz Band, Color Guard, Winter Guard, Percussion Ensemble, and Winter Drumline. After reinstating the competitive marching band program in 2013, Gahr High School has been undefeated in the CSBC Circuit, being crowned the “California State Band Grand Champions” in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2021. Mr. Loney’s concert and jazz ensembles have consistently received superior ratings for performance and sight-reading at SCSBOA adjudicated festivals, and the Winter Guard and Winter Drumline programs have been finalists in WGASC and SCPA, respectively. Before his tenure at Gahr High School, Mr. Loney spent four years as the band director at La Quinta High School in La Quinta, CA.

Mr. Loney was recently awarded the “Certificate of Merit for Marching Excellence” from the National Band Association for outstanding contributions to marching bands. Mr. Loney was named 2014-15 “Teacher of the Year” at Gahr High School, and before that the 2010-11 “Teacher of the Year” at La Quinta High School. Under his direction, the Gahr High School Instrumental Music Program received the “NAMM Support Music Merit Award” in 2018 for its outstanding commitment to music education.

Mr. Loney holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the Bob Cole Conservatory of Music at CSU Long Beach, where he studied trombone performance with James Miller, principal trombonist of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. During his credential work, he was the inaugural recipient of the Bob Cole Conservatory “Music Education Award.” He completed Level II Kodály Certification studying Kodály methodology, solfege, conducting, and folk song analysis. Mr. Loney was a marching member of the Pacific Crest Drum & Bugle Corps and Madison Scouts Drum & Bugle Corps. In addition to teaching, he is an avid arranger, composer, and drill writer for ensembles throughout Southern California.

Mr. Loney holds membership in the Southern California Band and Orchestra Association, California Music Educators Association, Texas Music Educators Association, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, the International Thespian Society, and the Golden Key International Honor Society. He has presented as a guest speaker at conferences for SCSBOA and the Kansas Bandmasters Association. Loney resides in Lakewood with his beautiful wife Laura and daughter Lauren.

Eric Shriver
Battery 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
Front Ens/Sound Design

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.

Drew Dickey
Music Coordinator

CHRISTOPHER DREW DICKEY is in his second 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.

Lindsey Schueller
Visual Designer

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.

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.

Drew Dickey
Brass Curriculum Coord

CHRISTOPHER DREW DICKEY is in his second 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
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.

Kayla Liptak
Front Ens Capt Mgr

Kayla Liptak is a percussion educator and GRAMMY-nominated performer based in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Over the last decade, she has built an extensive background in teaching and performing across the United States. She currently serves as the Assistant Director of Percussion at Aledo Independent School District (ISD). Prior to joining the award-winning music program at Aledo, Kayla served as a front ensemble instructor and private lessons teacher for several UIL and BOA championship-winning programs, including Flower Mound High School and Hebron High School. She has also held multiple caption head and assistant caption head roles within the Drum Corps International (DCI) circuit, most recently with Genesis and Shadow.

As a performer, Kayla has explored multiple facets of percussion and has developed a deep interest in ensemble performance with several independent and academic groups. Most recently, she has performed with the UNT Wind Symphony, Lone Star Wind Orchestra, Monarch Brass, and the Tuscaloosa Symphony Orchestra. As a student, she premiered over thirty works for wind ensemble, symphony orchestra, percussion ensemble, and solo percussion. Kayla specializes in playing the semantron and has performed on the instrument in several art installations and a short film over the last two years. She most recently collaborated with Dallas-based artist Robert Barsamian and Los Angeles-based film composer Michael Paraskevas.

Before joining the Pacific Crest organization, Kayla held a graduate teaching fellowship at the University of North Texas while working on her Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) in Performance. During her time at UNT, she was a featured performer on three CDs with the UNT Wind Symphony and shared the stage with renowned performers such as Dame Evelyn Glennie and the Barcelona Clarinet Players. Kayla also holds degrees from Texas A&M University-Commerce and the University of Alabama.

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.

Carla Hernandez
Color Guard Asst Capt Mgr

Color Guard Assistant Captain Manager

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.

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.

Anthony Clark
Visual Caption Manager

ANTHONY CLARK is a full time visual designer and educator based in Upland, CA. He has been involved in the pageantry arts for over 10 years as a member, educator, and designer. His marching experiences include Boston Crusaders (2009-2010), Blue Devils (2012, 2014), and Broken City Percussion (2016).

As a designer, Anthony has worked with multiple schools including Los Osos HS, Cedarcrest HS in Washington State, and Rubidoux HS. He also designs for multiple indoor percussion ensembles including Williamsfield HS in Gilbert, AZ, Torrance HS, and Los Amigos HS. He has taught in the Southern California area for many years, working with ensembles such as Vessel Percussion, Upland HS, Nogales HS, Chaffey HS, Fontana HS, Bonita HS, Los Osos HS, and Etiwanda HS, where he currently serves as visual caption head. He also taught for The Academy Drum and Bugle Corps from 2015 until 2019.

Anthony is incredibly excited to bring his love and passion for the activity to the students at Pacific Crest Drum and Bugle Corps, and is looking forward to a great season.

Mason Tanquary
Visual Asst. Caption Mgr.

Visual Assistant Caption Manager

MASON TANQUARY resides in Gilbert, AZ with his wife Alexa and his son Elias. Mason is the General Manager of a restaurant and continues his passion for the marching arts as a visual designer, instructor and adjudicator.

Mason has been actively involved in the marching activity since 2010. He was a performer for The Academy Drum and Bugle Corps for 5 seasons from 2010-2014. In 2015, he became a visual staff member at Pacific Crest. He returned back to the Academy as a visual staff member from 2016-2019.

Since 2011, Mason has worked as a visual instructor at a number of schools in Arizona, including Basha HS, Campo Verde HS, Perry HS, and Mesquite HS. Since 2016 he has served as Visual Caption Head at Williams Field HS, which has had a top visual program for 5 years straight, winning numerous caption awards and state awards.

In addition to teaching, Mason continues to develop his training and knowledge through adjudication of Visual performance and winter guard/drumline General Effect. He has been a judge for many circuits, both winter and fall, since 2016.

Mason is also a visual designer and drill writer for many local high schools in Arizona. He hopes to continue to be an advocate for visual education by hosting and developing visual workshops and training masterclasses for all levels.

Julia Robles
Physical Cond. Coordinator

JULIA ROBLES’ performance experience includes groups such as the Oregon Crusaders, Phantom Regiment, Dark Sky Percussion, and Santa Clara Vanguard.

Her teaching experience stretches back to the fall of 2016. She has spent the last 6 years teaching various high schools throughout Southern California, including Los Osos HS and Etiwanda HS. Julia has also taught at multiple drum corps and independent indoor groups including Instinct and POW Percussion.

Julia resides in Southern California with her pitbull Odie and her Jack Russel Terrier Zuko.

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.

Matt Collins

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.

Tyler Dahl

Tyler Dahl is a tuba player from Southern California whose marching career began with the Redondo Union High School Band. It was here that Tyler developed a deep fascination for all things marching band, which inspired him to pursue a degree in music education at the University of North Texas.

During his undergraduate studies, Tyler performed with a wide variety of ensembles and taught local marching bands, including the UNT Green Brigade and Flower Mound High School Band. Under the mentorship of faculty members such as Don Little and David Childs, he learned a range of techniques for teaching brass players.

Throughout his education, Tyler had the privilege of marching with several drum and bugle corps from 2018 to 2024, experiencing all levels of the activity. He began in Open Class and eventually won a DCI World Championship in 2023 with the Blue Devils. Tyler also had the honor of marching with Pacific Crest from 2019 to 2020, where the brass and visual staff played a key role in shaping him into the performer he is today.

Teaching with Pacific Crest marks the beginning of Tyler’s drum corps teaching career, and he is excited to return to this cherished organization in a new role.

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.

Derek Fritz

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.

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.

Jacob Kessler

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.

Mike Lebrias

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 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
Joelle Varner

JOELLE VARNER 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. Joelle has served as a brass and visual instructor for several drum corps, including Raiders, Pacific Crest, and Blue Stars, and for high school bands in PA, MD, NJ, and TX. Currently, she works with the Moe & Gene Johnson High School Marching Band in Buda, TX. Joelle resides in Kyle, TX.

Joe Venezia

Brass Instructor

Currently based out of Boston Massachusetts, JOSEPH VENEZIA is an active performer and educator. Joseph’s career has led him to perform across both the United States and Europe. He is an active freelancer and has performed with the New Bedford Symphony Orchestra, the Boston Civic Symphony, Symphony Pro Musica, and the Mid Cities Brass Quintet. While performing with Mid Cities Brass, Joseph was a featured artist at Tarleton State’s Brass Week, where he worked with the Boston Brass. Joseph has also performed with notable artists such as Kane Brown and Streetlight Manifesto, as well as the Dallas Cowboys Thanksgiving halftime show. Joseph has performed multiple music festivals including Mostly Modern, Prague Summer Nights, and Music Academy International in the Italian Dolomites.

Joseph maintains an active private studio, from which students have won all-region, all-area, and all-state honors. He enjoys working as a clinician and has had workshops with marching bands and award-winning programs around the state of Texas. Joseph graduated with a Master of Music degree from Boston University, and a Bachelor of Music from the University of Texas at Arlington. Joseph was a member of the Madison Scouts and Cadets drum and bugle corps. His primary teachers have included Gerald Wood and Eric Ruske.

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.

Jack Johnson
Battery Manager

JACK JOHNSON is a percussion educator residing in Manhattan, Kansas. He is currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Percussion Performance at Kansas State University. Jack holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Organizational Communication and a Music Minor from The University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire. He has marched with Blue Stars, Pacific Crest, Minnesota Brass Indoor, and Minnesota Brass Drum and Bugle Corps.

Jack is currently a Graduate Teaching Assistant at Kansas State University, where he serves as the Director and Arranger for the Kansas State University Drumline along with other administrative and educational duties with the concert and percussion ensembles.

He has previously served on the percussion staff at Colt Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps, Minnesota Brass Indoor, and has worked with numerous percussion sections in Minnesota, Wisconsin, South Dakota, Iowa, and Kansas. Additionally, Jack was the Percussion Arranger for the Blugold Marching Band (UW-Eau Claire) in 2019 and 2020.

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.

Dante Hernandez
Front Ensemble

DANTE HERNANDEZ is a marching percussionist, arranger, and educator based in Brea, CA. He began his marching career at Mt. Carmel High School in San Diego, CA. After one of his instructors recruited him to march an independent group in Brea, he moved out to Orange County to study Music Education at Cal State Fullerton and pursue performing in the marching arts.

Dante has performed with many ensembles based in Southern California including Incognito Winter Drumline (2019), Gold Drum and Bugle Corps (2019), Pacific Crest Drum and Bugle Corps (2020-2022), and Pulse Percussion (2022-2024).

His teaching experience includes La Mirada HS (2021-present), Centennial HS, Savanna HS, Whittier HS, Townsend Junior HS, Gahr HS (2023-present), and Gold Drum and Bugle Corps in 2023.

Spencer Pedone
Front Ensemble
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.

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.

Seth Fajardo
Snare

Seth Fajardo is a percussion educator based in Los Angeles, California. He currently serves as the Battery Coordinator at Élan Percussion and as a Battery Technician at North Torrance High School. Seth has previously taught at Paloma Valley High School, South Torrance High School, and the Blue Knights Drum and Bugle Corps.

Seth’s independent performance career includes time with the Vanguard Cadets (2018), Gold Indoor Percussion (2019), POW Percussion (2020), Pacific Crest (2019-2022), and Pulse Percussion (2022-2023). During his final two years with Pacific Crest, he served as the center snare and leader of the percussion section. He is excited to give back to the organization that played such a significant role in his performance career.

Currently, Seth is working toward a degree in Music Education at Pasadena City College. When he’s not teaching or practicing jazz drumset, he enjoys exploring new restaurants, playing video games, and reading.

Adam Sanchez
Snare

ADAM SANCHEZ is originally from Bakersfield, CA and now resides in Southern California, where he is currently pursuing a degree in Jazz/Commercial music studies from California State University Fullerton.

Adam has studied with legendary jazz drumset players such as Rodolfo Zuniga and Paul Kreibich. His jazz education is currently under the director of Grammy award-winning musician and composer Bill Cunliffe. Adam has performed in many well established groups such as the Bakersfield College Drumline, Golden Empire Drum and Bugle Corps, the Boston Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corps, and Pulse Percussion.

Adam currently teaches at POW Percussion, Cerritos High School, and Sunny Hills High School. This is his first year teaching Pacific Crest.

Alexis Vargas
Snare

ALEXIS VARGAS is an educator and designer based in the Inland Empire of Southern California.

Alexis has previously worked with Temescal Canyon HS and with the Vanguard Cadets in 2022. He is currently working with Arlington HS, Del Norte HS, and Valley View HS.

His marching experience includes Gold in 2016, Orange County Independent Percussion in 2017, and Vessel Indoor Percussion in 2018 and 2020.

Alexis is also a recent graduate of the University of California Riverside where he majored in political science with a minor in philosophy.

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.

 

Kris Eastmead
Tenors – Intern
Brady Giard
Bass Drum

BRADY GIARD is a born and raised San Diegan. His marching experience includes Gold, Mandarins, and Blue Stars Drum and Bugle Corps as well as POW and Pulse Percussion. He has worked with Gold Drum Corps and Gold Indoor Percussion from 2018 – 2022 as well as several different High Schools in the San Diego area. When he is not teaching drums, he works for the YMCA and enjoys watching some Padres baseball.

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.

James Catherall
Lead Audio Engineer

JAMES CATHERALL is a composer, arranger, music educator, and performer currently living in Southern California.

James began his marching career at Esperanza High School in 2006 and graduated in 2010. He went on to perform and compete in Drum Corps International (DCI) and Winter Guard International (WGI). He joined the Santa Clara Vanguard Cadets in 2008, playing glockenspiel in the front ensemble before switching to tenor drums in 2009 and 2010. After a season with the Colts in 2011, he marched with Santa Clara Vanguard in 2012 and finished his DCI career with the Blue Devils, serving as quad section leader in 2014. During his time in DCI, he competed in the I&E solo competition on quads, placing 4th in 2013 and 2nd in 2014. In WGI, he marched with Pulse Open (now POW) in 2011, then Pulse in 2012, and spent his final three years (2013–2015) with RCC.

In addition to playing for the Los Angeles Clippers and numerous other venues across the country, he was also a member of the drumline that recorded for Pixar’s Monsters University.

In his professional career, James has experience in sound design, percussion composition/arrangement, and winds composition/arrangement. He has written music for multiple high schools and independent ensembles across the United States. James gives clinics on electronics and MainStage integration at events such as WGICon and Arcadia Music & Arts Symposium.

As an educator, James has worked with various high schools and independent ensembles. He currently serves as the program coordinator for OCI.

James Catherall is a Vic Firth & Zildjian artist.

Hallie Park
Audio A2

HALLIE PARK is a synth player from Pulse Percussion and has been with the Pulse organization starting in 2022 (aging out in 2024). She has taught at Woodbridge High School since 2022 as both a visual and front ensemble staff member for the fall season. During the winter seasons, Hallie serves as a staff member for Woodbridge High School with a main focus on electronics.

Apart from her musical career, Hallie is a recent graduate from the University of California, Irvine, obtaining her Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering with a specialization in Biomolecular Engineering.

Carrie Appel

Color Guard Instructor

CARRIE APPEL is a proud Pacific Crest alumnae, born and raised in Southern California. Her color guard career started in 2011 and led to an extensive marching history including: Dos Pueblos HS, UCLA Marching Band, Infinity Winterguard, Pacific Crest, Diamante, and the Santa Clara Vanguard. Carrie also had the opportunity to march in other types of performance ensembles such as the LA Pride Parade, Pacific Crest’s 25th Anniversary appearance in the Rose Parade, CBDNA Intercollegiate Marching Band, and in the visual ensemble at Pulse Percussion.

Carrie is a full-time color guard instructor and has taught many programs in the past seven years as a director, choreographer, and technician. She is currently the director of the UCLA Color Guard, a role she has held since 2019, in addition to serving on the color guard staff at Arcadia High School, West (Torrance) High School, and Zoetic Independent. Scholastic programs that Carrie has worked with in the past include Culver City High School, Granada Hills Charter, and others in the Los Angeles area. Carrie was also a main choreographer for the Vanguard Cadets during the 2022 season, helping lead them to a DCI Open Class Championship.

Carrie attended UCLA and holds a bachelor’s degree in World Arts and Cultures, and Visual and Performing Arts Education. She is excited to return home to Pacific Crest.

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

Lauren Byrne

Color Guard Instructor

LAUREN BYRNE began her color guard career in 2013 with the Blue Springs Golden Regiment Marching Band and winter guard. She continued her performance career after high school with the Missouri State University PRIDE Marching Band and Pride of Missouri State winter guard. Lauren also marched with The Academy DBC in 2018 and 2019, the Bluecoats in 2021, and the Bluecoats Alumni Corps in 2022. As a staff member, Lauren has served as Color Guard Director at Branson High School (2020 – present), Choreographer and Technician with the Missouri State PRIDE Color Guard Program (2021 – present), as well as a technician with The Academy DBC (2022).

Outside of the marching arts world, Lauren has received her Bachelors of Science in Geology with a minor in Sustainability and is currently pursuing her second undergraduate degree for Interior Design. She currently works as a bartender and mixologist at the Alamo Drafthouse.

Sam Burnett

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).

William Clayton
WILLIAM CLAYTON, originally from Moreno Valley California, is proud to return to the Pacific Crest Staff. His passion for performance was first cultivated in color guard in 2006, when he began spinning with his middle school team, and continued for eight more seasons.
He eventually performed with Pacific Crest in 2010 and 2011, and the Cavaliers in 2012. After graduating high school Will joined the RCC Marching Tigers for their 2012 season, and Fantasia for the following winter in 2013.
He was driven to pursue his passion for dance, and received his BFA in Dance Theatre in 2016 from the American Musical and Dramatic Academy. He spent two years working in Los Angeles as a freelance dancer, working in musicals such as West Side Story and Evita, contemporary companies like Ezralow Dance and Invertigo, and in the commercial industry.
In 2018 he moved to Denver, Colorado, to dance full-time with the ballet company Wonderbound, a place that rigorously shaped his technique. After three years, he pursued an MFA in Choreography and Visual art from Wilson College which was completed in 2023.
He recently moved back to Southern California where he has returned to working in the dance industry with a greater focus on teaching and developing his own choreographic voice.
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.

Kalyla Foster

Coming soon

Joshua Hill

Coming soon

Crystal Hoopiiaina

Coming soon

Cameron Hudson

Color Guard Instructor

CAMERON HUDSON was introduced to the performing arts in 2014 and has been committed to it ever since. He spent four years in color guard at Highland HS, and after graduating in 2017 was determined to continue pursuing his love of performing and teaching.

He began his coaching career as a technician at Highland HS in 2018 and continued developing experience as caption head at Quartz Hill HS in 2019. Cameron also continued his performance experience in 2019 and 2020 with Icon Winter Guard, which went on to win the gold medal at WGI World Championships 2019. His drum corps career began in 2019 when he marched with Pacific Crest for their monumental season “Everglow”. He went on to perform with the Santa Clara Vanguard in 2020 and “dual” aged-out from both SCV and Pacific Crest in their 2021 seasons.

Cameron is looking forward to expanding his knowledge and experience in coaching as well as sharing his passion and expertise with the students at Pacific Crest. He currently resides in Menifee, CA and is working towards his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science at University of California Riverside. When he is not studying or working at his local market, Cameron likes to sketch and play video games with friends.

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!

Nikolas Matsamura

Coming soon

Dario Quiñonez

A native of Southern California and long-time resident of the Inland Empire, Dario Quiñonez began his color guard career at Canyon Springs High School, where he performed from 2010 to 2013. He marched with The Academy Drum and Bugle Corps for two seasons, in 2012 and 2013, and completed his final field season with the RCC Marching Tigers in 2015. Following this, Dario took a four-year hiatus from color guard to focus on dance training.

In 2018, Dario had the opportunity to travel to Voronezh, Russia, where he trained in the Vaganova method of ballet as well as in pas de deux, character dance, modern dance, and historical court dance. Shortly after returning, he decided to revisit his passion for color guard and auditioned for Fantasia Winterguard in 2020. Although his debut WGI season was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Dario continued dancing and coaching until he was ready to return amidst the challenges of the pandemic.

Dario joined the Crossmen Color Guard as a technician during the 2022 season. In 2023, he fulfilled his dream of completing a WGI season with Fantasia Winterguard, performing in the show Love and Lament; Together Still. Following the season, he relocated to San Diego, where he began coaching color guard at San Diego State University.

In 2024, Dario performed with Vox Artium World and proudly embraced his identity as a “Vox Fox.” He continues to coach at Mira Mesa High School and is currently in his second year marching with Vox Artium for the 2025 season.

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.

Andrea Schwartz

Color Guard Instructor

ANDREA SCHWARTZ has been involved in the color guard activity since 2004, beginning with the Biglerville High School marching band. Andrea continued at Carlisle High School from 2006-2010. During the winter season, she marched with Sitao (2008) and Field of View (2009-2014). Andrea was a color guard member of Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corps (2010-2013), as well as West Chester University Incomparable Golden Rams Marching Band (2010-2013). After years of participation in the activity, Andrea was an instructor at Cumberland Valley High School (2014-2019), Cadets2 (2016-2018), Field of View (2016, 2017, 2020) and West Shore School District (2019-2021).

Since then, Andrea has relocated to Alexandria, Virginia to utilize her current B.A in Psychology from West Chester University of Pennsylvania. Andrea provides mental health case management services to adults within the District of Columbia at Hillcrest Children and Family Center. Currently, she is working on completing her Masters in Social Work in hopes of utilizing social work perspectives in both her future career and the marching arts activity. When Andrea isn’t working, she can be found spending her time with her dog, Gracie Lou, watching Disney movies, hiking around the Potomac River, and exploring all that Washington, D.C. has to offer. She looks forward to working with Pacific Crest this summer!

Eric Simpson

Color Guard Instructor

ERIC SIMPSON is a color guard instructor, designer, and choreographer from Perris, CA. He has been involved with the marching arts for over 10 years.

After graduating from Citrus Hill HS, Eric went on to march at Watchmen Drum and Bugle Corps in 2018, Gold Drum and Bugle Corps in 2019 (where he earned the DCI Open Class bronze medal), and the Troopers Drum and Bugle Corps in 2021. During his age-out season, Eric marched with the Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corps, earning a gold medal at the 2022 DCI World Championships.

Most recently he spent five seasons, including three as captain, with Vox Artium Winterguard from San Diego, CA, winners of the WGI Open Class World Championships in 2023.

Eric currently serves as the Color Guard Director at Dorothy McElhinney MS, Citrus Hill HS, and Chaparral HS. Outside of Color Guard, he works as a substitute teacher at Val Verde Unified School District. Eric is also a recent graduate of the University of California, Riverside where he earned his BA in Education, Society, and Human Development with a minor in Public Policy.

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.

Sergio Marquez
Choreographer

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.

Peter Bement

Visual Instructor

PETER BEMENT is an accomplished educator and performer, bringing over a decade of quality music education and performance to almost every stage. Mr. Bement hails from Costa Mesa, CA, and graduated from California State University, Fullerton. There, he earned both his Bachelor of Music in Instrumental Performance and a Master of Music in Instrumental Conducting. Mr. Bement’s principal conducting mentors include Dustin Barr, Gregory Whitmore, Kimo Furumoto, and Kevin Mayse.

Mr. Bement currently serves as the Interim Director of Bands and Interim Director of Orchestra at California State University, Los Angeles, where he also instructs students in conducting and teaches music theory coursework. Mr. Bement also serves as the Director of Orchestra for the Huntington Beach Academy for the Performing Arts and Huntington Beach High School, serving music students across the Huntington Beach school district. In this role, he leads the APA Pit Orchestra, String Orchestra, and Festival Orchestra and coordinates the chamber music programs. Mr. Bement has also served as a guest graduate conductor with the instrumental ensembles at CSUF, where he worked with the Wind Symphony, Symphonic Winds, and Symphony Orchestra over the past two years. These conducting opportunities included the premiere of new literature for the wind ensemble by composer Jack Bertrand and collaborations with Kristian de Leon, a significant area of research interest of Mr. Bement. Additionally, he frequently serves as the cover conductor for the Pacific Symphony Youth Wind Ensemble, working alongside Dr. Gregory Whitmore as a sectional and substitute conductor. His conducting expertise has led to significant recognition and accolades, such as the CSUF College of the Arts “Dream Big” Scholarship.

Beyond the podium, Mr. Bement continues actively teaching and performing in and around the greater Los Angeles area. A strong supporter of the multifaceted elements of K-12 music education, Bement frequently has collaborated with high school music programs in both the concert band and marching scene, working in the past with Rancho Cucamonga High School and Garden Grove High School. He is entering his third year with the Pacific Crest Drum and Bugle Corps as a visual instructor. As a Hornist, Mr. Bement has performed with organizations such as the Corona Symphony, Westside Ballet, and Performance Riverside. Additionally, Mr. Bement’s experience in the world of the marching arts includes seasons marched with Pacific Crest and the Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corps.

Alongside his degrees from California State University, Fullerton, Mr. Bement holds an Associate of Arts from Riverside City College and is a proud alumnus of both institutions. In his free time, Mr. Bement especially enjoys disc golf and brewing specialty coffee.

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.

Andrew Fresquez

Visual Instructor

ANDREW FRESQUEZ spent his drum corps career at Pacific Crest, playing baritone from 2014-2016, and moving on to take the role of assistant drum major in 2017 and served as the Head Drum Major during his age-out season in 2018. He also served as a Drum Major for the 2019 Pacific Crest Rose Parade Ensemble.

Andrew is currently studying Music Performance on Bass Trombone at California State University, Fullerton. After, he plans to pursue his teaching credential. He also holds an A.A in Music and Social & Behavioral Studies from Riverside City College.

He currently works with Etiwanda High School as a music instructor, and Rancho Cucamonga High School as a visual instructor.

Andrew resides in Fullerton, California.

Abraham Garcia

Visual Instructor

ABRAHAM GARCIA is a music educator residing in Chandler, Arizona. He earned his Bachelor of Instrumental Music Education in 2014 at Arizona State University. Abraham is completing his eighth year as an elementary school teacher in Mesa, AZ where he teaches band to fourth, fifth and sixth grade.

As an active member of Arizona’s marching arts education, Abraham has served in various instructional capacities at multiple schools throughout the valley including Cesar Chavez HS, Hamilton HS, Desert Vista HS, and Corona Del Sol HS. His experience as a drum corps member includes three years performing with The Academy Drum and Bugle Corps. In an instructional role, he taught as a visual educator with the Sacramento Mandarins for the 2012 and 2013 seasons. He served as a visual instructor with The Arizona Academy Drum and Bugle Corps from 2014 through 2019. Abraham is currently serving as the Visual Caption Head at Corona Del Sol High School.

Hannah Kirby

HANNAH KIRBY is currently finishing her bachelor’s degree in music education at Sam Houston State University. While in college, she has been a Drum Major for two years in the Bearkat Marching Band and has performed in several performing ensembles including the Symphony Orchestra and Wind Ensemble. She recently ended her marching career, having been a performing member of the Blue Stars Drum and Bugle Corps from 2022 to 2024. During her time with the Blue Stars, Hannah served as the Mellophone soloist her second year and the Horn Sargeant for her age-out year. 

As a young music educator, Hannah aims to make the performing arts as valuable and enriching for her students as it was for her. She has been given the privilege of teaching at Tomball Memorial High School where she has been a visual technician and choreographer for their marching band.

Her love for the visual and performing arts has grown so deeply and she wants to give back to the activity that helped shape her into who she is today.

Michael Kong

Michael Kong

MICHAEL KONG is a visual instructor based in Mesa, Arizona. He earned his Bachelors of Arts in English Literature from Arizona State University in 2020 and is currently pursuing a career in Physical Therapy.

His performance experience includes three summers with The Academy Drum and Bugle Corps in 2016, 2017, and 2018. He has worked as a visual instructor in schools throughout the East Valley of Arizona including Williams Field High School and Combs High School.

In his free time, Michael enjoys weightlifting, running, painting and photography. He is looking forward to an incredible summer with Pacific Crest!

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.

Julia Robles

Visual Instructor

JULIA ROBLES’ performance experience includes groups such as the Oregon Crusaders, Phantom Regiment, Dark Sky Percussion, and Santa Clara Vanguard.

Her teaching experience stretches back to the fall of 2016. She has spent the last 6 years teaching various high schools throughout Southern California, including Los Osos HS and Etiwanda HS. Julia has also taught at multiple drum corps and independent indoor groups including Instinct and POW Percussion.

Julia resides in Southern California with her pitbull Odie and her Jack Russel Terrier Zuko.

Bryan Scheidecker

Visual Instructor

After graduating from Ayala High School in 1999, BRYAN SCHEIDECKER has instructed at various schools and drum corps in Southern California and the Boston area in Massachusetts, most notably Ayala HS (Visual Staff – Chino Hills, CA), Chino Hills HS (Assistant Director/Percussion Director – Chino Hills, CA), Townsend Jr. HS (Assistant Director/Percussion Director – Chino Hills, CA), Nogales HS (Woodwind Caption Head – La Puente, CA), Impulse Drum & Bugle Corps (Visual Staff – Norwalk, CA – 2006 DCI Div III Champions), Bellflower HS (Visual Caption Head), Incognito Drum & Bugle Corps (Visual Caption Head, Garden Grove, CA), and Norwood HS (Visual Caption Head – Norwood, MA). Bryan is currently the Visual Caption Head for Williams Field HS in Gilbert, AZ.

In addition to instructing, Bryan is also an adjudicator and/or Contest Director for the Southern California Percussion Alliance (SCPA), Winter Guard International (WGI), Winter Guard Arizona (WGAZ), and Arizona Marching Band Association (AzMBA). He also serves on the executive board for WGAZ as the Percussion & Winds Judges Coordinator/ Sponsorship Coordinator, and on the AzMBA board as the Sponsorship Coordinator.

Bryan also has a long history in the Musical Instrument industry including KMC Music (Percussion Specialist/Artist Relations), the Zildjian/Vic Firth Company (Assistant Director of Education/Artist Relations), Fender Musical Instruments (Dealer Support Lead), and is currently in Education Sales for Music & Arts.

As a performer, Bryan has played with artists such as Steve Wilkerson, Jeff Hamilton, the Jazz on the Latin Side All-stars, Poncho Sanchez, and as a soloist for Grammy Award winner Celine Dion.

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!

Jared Seymour

Visual Instructor

JARED SEYMOUR is a middle school band and orchestra director residing in Southern California. He has been involved in the marching activity for more than 10 years as a performer and educator. He began his marching career at Glassmen in 2011 and finished with Bluecoats from 2013-2015.

As an educator, Jared has worked with multiple high schools and programs within the Central Valley and Southern California, as well as schools in the Southeast Michigan region. Jared has also served as a visual and music instructor during his tenure at DCI, including years spent at Jersey Surf, Academy, and Legends. Currently, he serves as a visual instructor for Bakersfield College Indoor Drumline and works with Ayala Band and Color Guard.

In his free time, Jared enjoys hiking, painting, reading, practicing classical guitar, and listening to/geeking out about music. Jared is thrilled and humbled to be teaching at Pacific Crest for the 2022 season and is looking forward to a fantastic season.

Quintin Toma

Quintin Toma is a dedicated academic specializing in music education and performing arts. He began his career in high school marching band, following in the footsteps of his older brothers, which led him to perform with Pacific Crest in 2018 and 2019 at the ages of 16 and 17.

After these formative years, he developed an interest in movement, studying modern dance and ballet at his community college while taking music courses from 2019 to 2022. This passion for movement and performance inspired him to participate in multiple community college dance shows and march with the Blue Knights in 2022.

Upon graduating from his community college and continuing his studies at California State University, Fullerton, Quintin further honed his skills. He earned a spot as a mellophone performer with the Blue Devils in 2023 and was also hand-selected to join the RCC Indoor Percussion Visual Ensemble that same year.

Building a strong reputation in the performing arts community, he was hired as a visual instructor at El Dorado High School and Arcadia High School. These diverse experiences in movement and performance enabled him to march his age-out year with RCC Indoor Percussion as a visual ensemble member in 2024.

Currently, Quintin is completing his final year as an undergraduate student in music education at California State University, Fullerton. He also serves as a visual instructor for Chino High School, El Dorado High School, Arcadia High School, and Dark Sky Indoor Percussion. This year marks his first season with Pacific Crest as a visual educator.

Akash Watsa

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.

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).

Ayatey Shabazz
Assistant Corps Director

AYATEY SHABAZZ is the Founder, President, and CEO of The DevMusic Company, which focuses on quality print music for marching bands, concert bands, jazz bands, and percussion ensembles, as well as engraving and music preparation services for composers and other publishing companies. The DevMusic Company is global, with distribution in the United States, The Netherlands, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Australia, and Japan.

Ayatey is in demand as a composer of original works in the concert idiom and the marching arts. In addition to his many published wind band works, he has been commissioned to write several pieces for ensembles throughout the international band community. He also scores, orchestrates, and arranges music for film and TV, for Pixar and Disney, along with “bumper” music used by multiple television networks and music used for regional and national commercials.

Ayatey holds memberships in multiple professional and industry organizations such as the National Recording Academy (Grammys®), American Society of Composers Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), Association of Independent Publishers, Los Angeles Chapter (LAIMP), and several others.

Andy Shomph
Exec Asst to the CEO
ANDY SHOMPH has been a dedicated volunteer with Pacific Crest since 2022, helping with K-Crew, as a video producer, and driver.
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.

Bianca Dulong
Tour Manager

BIANCA DULONG is a Pacific Crest alumnae who performed with the corps from 2017-2021, as a part of the mellophone section for 2 years and on the drum major team for 3. After aging out, she continued her service to Pacific Crest as a part of the props team and as an admin assistant. This will be her second year as a tour manager. She was also fortunate enough to be an educator for Pacific Crest’s Leadership camp from 2022-2023.

Outside of Pacific Crest, Bianca has performed with Pulse Percussion as their vocal soloist for their record-breaking 2022 season, and served as Pulse’s ensemble assistant in 2023. She has worked as a visual tech for several schools in Southern California, and has been part of a handful of high school and independent WGI and DCI shows as a recording vocal artist. She recently earned her Bachelor’s of Science in Kinesiology from California Polytechnic State University, Pomona, in pursuit of a career in Physical Therapy.

Bianca was born and raised in Southern California and currently lives in Manhattan Beach, CA.

Diana Marie Petersen
Tour Manager

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).

Armando Dueñas
Food Service Manager

Armando Dueñas is a dedicated music educator and arts administrator with both a bachelor’s and master’s degree from Azusa Pacific University. He currently serves as the Department Chair for the Visual and Performing Arts, Band Director, and Co-Choir Director at Aquinas High School. In addition, he is the General Manager of the San Manuel Performing Arts Center.

Armando also holds the role of Director of Bands at UC Riverside, where he conducts the Wind Ensemble and Highlander Pep Band. An alumnus of Pacific Crest Drum and Bugle Corps (2007–2008), Armando has remained actively involved with the organization, contributing to its food truck operations since 2014.

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

Derrick Kammer
Rehearsal/Tour Assistant

This is Derrick’s first year working with Pacific Crest and his first experience in drum corps. His marching experience is with POW Percussion from 2019-2022 as a cymbal player, serving as the section leader in 2020 and 2022. He also graduated from California State Polytechnic University Pomona in 2023 with a degree in Music Pedagogy. Derrick studied Baritone Saxophone with professor Thomas Luer and conducting with Dr. Rickey Badua. He is continuing his studies at Cal Poly Pomona to earn a teaching credential.

Derrick recently completed his first season as the Ensemble Assistant for POW Percussion and was the Band Director at Torrance High School for the 2023-2024 school year. While he is originally from San Bernardino, CA, he currently resides near Long Beach, CA.

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.

Christian Ortiz
Rehearsal/Tour Assistant

Coming soon

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.

Tristen Trias
Rehearsal/Tour Assistant

TRISTEN TRIAS hails from San Diego, CA and marched with Pacific Crest from 2018 to 2021 on euphonium, and was an admin assistant for the 2023 season.

Tristen started playing clarinet in the 5th grade, eventually switching to euphonium at the beginning of his sophomore year of high school. He became drum major at Temecula Valley High School for two years before graduating in 2018.

Tristen graduated with his bachelor’s in Computer Science from the University of California, Merced in 2022, and is currently working towards his masters in Computer Science at California State University, San Marcos.

Jim Olea
Health Team Coordinator

JIM OLEA has been involved in DCI as both a performer and professional for nearly 20 years. He performed in the bass line with Pacific Crest from 1994-96 and Santa Clara Vanguard in 1997. For more than a decade, Jim has worked with a number of World and Open class corps’ health teams. Highlights include:

Health Team Coordinator:
Pacific Crest Drum & Bugle Corps, 2013-present

Massage Therapist:
The Cavaliers Drum & Bugle Corps Medical Group, 2009-2012

Administrative Coordinator:
(DCI) Drum Corps International’s Marching Arts Safety & Health Project, 2019-present

Health Team Coordinator:
Troopers Drum & Bugle Corps, 2019-2022

Director of Health & Wellness:
Santa Clara Vanguard and Vanguard Cadets, 2022

Health & Wellness Consultant:
Southwind Drum & Bugle Corps, 2022-present

Health and Wellness Operations Coordinator:
Sacramento Mandarins, 2022

Jim is an EMT-B, American Heart Association BLS instructor, PALS, and ACLS certified. He currently works at Good Shepard Hospital in Barrington, Illinois, as an ER Critical Care Technician, as well as Condell Medical Center as a EKG Tech, and resides in McHenry, Illinois.

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

Brian Almiron
Health Team

BRIAN ALMIRON has been involved in music programs since the fourth grade, starting off on alto saxophone before moving to the drumline in high school. Brian has performed with Antelope Valley College (bari sax and tenor line), California State University at Northridge Percussion Ensemble (front ensemble), West Coast Sound Drum and Bugle Corps (bass line), West Coast Classical’s Wind Ensemble and Saxophone Choir, Antelope Valley College Symphonic Band (tenor and baritone saxophone) and Cirque Bizerk (bass line).

Brian is the Assistant Band Director at Canyon High School in Canyon Country, CA and has been part of percussion, and visual staffs in Southern California and Arizona since 1998, including placing in the top 3 in band and percussion in SCSBOA, PPAACC, WGAZ, WCWA and WCPA.

Brian has been working in the medical field for over 16 years, starting off as an Emergency Medical Technician in 2000 and working in Los Angeles, the San Fernando Valley, and the South Bay, before becoming a Medical Assistant in 2004. Brian is currently working at UCLA’s Urgent Care in Valencia, CA.

Brian lives in Valencia, CA with his wife Adel, son Nicholas, and daughter Adalynn, who is part of the color guard at El Camino Real Charter HS in Woodland Hills, CA.

Amber Cameron
NREMT

AMBER CAMERON joined the Pacific Crest family in 2017 as a trumpet player. After taking a year off in 2018 to finish college, she returned in 2019 as Drum Major.

After only two years away from the corps, she is returning to Pacific Crest as a member of the Health Team. Amber attended Phoenix College for her certificate in Emergency Medicine in 2020, receiving her NREMT in 2021. She is currently enrolled in Grand Canyon University’s Accelerated Bachelor of Science Program, where she will earn her second Bachelor’s Degree.

Prior to making the switch to the medical field, Amber attended Northern Arizona University from 2015-2018 and graduated with her first degree in Hotel and Restaurant Management, with a concentration in business and a Minor in Business Analytics. While in school, Amber earned the CHIA certification, making her Certified in Hospitality Industry Analytics.

Patricia Cantieri
PharmD, BCPS, BCGP

PATRICIA (TRISH) CANTIERI is a clinical pharmacist specializing in Emergency Medicine at Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington, IL. She received her Bachelor’s of Science in Pharmacy at Drake University in 1992 and her Doctor of Pharmacy at the University of Florida in 2019. She brings a love of pharmacy spanning 30 years with experience in pediatrics, oncology, OR, retail, outpatient clinic, and industry. Trish’s current passion for the past 7 years is Emergency Medicine. She is Board Certified in Pharmacotherapy and Geriatrics.

Trish has a love of marching band being the proud parent of two former Prospect High School Marching Knights and a current member of the Indiana Marching Hundred (Clarinet). She believes a FEATURED Award-winning marching band performance is always preceded and followed by some sort of football game thingy. She is excited to be a part of this winning season!

Dr. Clark Cantrell
MD FAAP

DR. F. CLARK CANTRELL, JR. was born in Solano County, California, and then moved to middle Tennessee at age two. He grew up in Putnam and White County, Tennessee, and graduated with honors from White County High School in Sparta, Tennessee, where he was Captain of the Band and lead snare drummer.

Dr. Cantrell went on to attend the University of Tennessee, and graduated with honors with a degree in premedical biology. He then attended the Autonomous University of Guadalajara Medical School in Guadalajara, Mexico, and graduated with honors. Residency in Pediatrics was done at William Beaumont Hospital, affiliate of the University of Michigan, leading to Board Certification in pediatrics.

After training, Dr Cantrell and his wife, Amy, moved to Cobb County, Georgia, where he has practiced pediatrics for more than 25 years. He has spent the last 10 years affiliated with DCI and marching music medicine, while maintaining a full-time practice.

The Cantrells have four children and one foster child, all grown, but involved in music growing up. The youngest marched DCI with both the Colts and Phantom Regiment, as well as WGI with Atlanta Quest.

Dr. Robyn N. Chase
DO, MFS

DR. ROBYN N. CHASE is a board-certified internal medicine physician from Northern Arizona. For the past 14 years, she has worked as an inpatient physician in the hospital setting as well as in the emergency department and critical care areas. She is an Arizona native with passions in medicine, including serving United States veterans. Her son, Adam, is on this year’s Pacific Crest team, and she has joined the medical crew as a volunteer parent.

Micaela Davis
Health Team

Miky is a dedicated Athletic Trainer and supporter of the arts. She has worked at several Division I schools and with professional athletic teams. In recent years, she has focused on treating performing arts patients at Cal State Fullerton.

Originally from Northern California, Miky was raised in a family that valued both the arts and sports medicine—her father was an Athletic Trainer, her mother a Physical Therapist Assistant, and her older brother active in a wide range of music programs. She is passionate about her work and is motivated by the passion of the people she gets to work with.

Education:
– Master of Kinesiology, University of Hawaii Manoa 2021
– Bachelor of Athletic Training, Boise State University 2019

Certifications:
– BLS Provider American Heart
– BOC ATC
– Myofascial/Ace Cupping
– IDN Dry Needling
– Blood Flow Restriction
– SFMA Lv1

Matthew Jenkins

MATTHEW JENKINS is a physical therapist who works full time in outpatient orthopedics, with an emphasis in surgical rehabilitation and sports medicine. When not working, he spends time with his wife and two young boys.

Education:
– Doctor of Physical Therapy, 2018, Rockhurst University
– Bachelor of Science, Exercise Science, 2015, Baker University

Certifications:
– Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist – National Strength and Conditioning Association
– Certified Nutrition Coach – National Academy of Sports Medicine
– Certified in Dry Needling

Patrice Jones
CPC, CWDS

PATRICE JONES is excited to return to Pacific Crest for the 2024 summer season. She is a highly requested Health & Wellness Coach with a background in Music Therapy, Music Performance, Psychology, and Performance and Health & Wellness Coaching with years of experience working with musician athletes. Currently based in Austin, TX, Patrice worked as a Certified Health and Wellness Coach/Team Coordinator for Vanguard Music and Performing Arts, overseeing the health and wellness of the Santa Clara Vanguard Cadets and staff as they trained and won the Open Class division in Indianapolis in 2022. She actively works with Pacific Crest Drum Corps, Origins A Colorguard, and the Health & Wellness Manager for River City Rhythm.

Patrice possesses expertise in assessing physical, emotional, and mental issues, crafting hydration, treatment, rehabilitation, and recovery protocols, and employing alternative and complementary therapies like cupping, scraping (IASTM/Graston Technique), taping, and dry needling. She is well-trained in concussion assessment and recovery and incorporating various modalities for holistic health. Furthermore, Patrice holds certifications in nutrition and exercise physiology and brings with her access to certified athletic trainers, physical therapists, and physicians when the need arises. Her goal is to keep all members safe, healthy, and on the field!

Outside of this role, she runs Patrice Jones Coaching, where she has personally helped dozens of clients find their version of success and wellbeing. In her non-drum-corps life, Patrice works with people with chronic illnesses (both physical and mental) and chronic pain who wish to continue or improve various areas of their lives in the presence of conditions that impact their physical and mental states.

Patrice is a professionally trained Collaborative Pianist who has accompanied hundreds of instrumentalists, vocalists, and groups over the past 30 years. With experience in Classical (chamber, orchestral, band), Jazz, Broadway, Salsa, Country, Gospel, Religious, and Rock genres, Patrice is a certified performance coach who works with musicians of all ages and abilities and helps them with diction, intonation, expression, ensemble playing, performance mindset, and stage fright. Drum Corps is near and dear to her heart as a front ensemble player and percussionist.

Prior to these roles, Patrice was a member of the U.S. Army Band where she played piano, oboe and english horn, percussion, and euphonium/tuba and received medic training. In high school, she did winterguard, dance, and gymnastics. As such, she is uniquely qualified to assess and treat the physical injuries and illnesses of all drum corps members. Her BM in Music Therapy, BS in Psychology, and coaching certifications prepared her to address mental health in the current social environment. She will work with a member’s home mental health provider to ensure members continue using the customized plans laid out by those professionals that know the members best. Patrice is available to answer health questions and guide members in preparing their bodies and minds for the rigors of drum corps.

Dr. Margit Lister
MD

DR. MARGIT LISTER is an OB/GYN physician at Intermountain Heath Layton Parkway Women’s Health. She is currently the Medical Director of Digital Technology Solutions for the service lines of Surgical Operations and Women’s Health.

Dr. Lister’s education started at the University of Tampa, where she received an academic and athletic basketball scholarship. She finished her Exercise Physiology degree at The Ohio State University, then pursued medical school at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio. She finished her educational career at Riverside Methodist Hospital, completing her OB/Gyn residency in 2003.

Dr. Lister started practicing at Scioto OB/Gyn and stayed there for three years before beginning her career at Intermountain Health. She moved her family and two young boys to Ogden, Utah and started the group Wasatch OB/Gyn of Intermountain Health. After building the practice from two providers to 10, she left the group in 2021 to pursue her career in clinical informatics. In 2018, she became the Medical Director of Digital Technology Solutions supporting the service lines of Women’s Health and Surgical Services.

Her oldest son Brady’s first DCI experience was with Pacific Crest in 2022. Her youngest son Maddox joined the corps in 2023, marching alongside his brother. Both are in the battery: Maddox plays snare and Brody plays bass drum. She served on the Health Team in 2021 and looks forward to being a part of the team again.

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.

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.

Rick Rizzo
Health Team

RICK RIZZO is a CNA with 7 years of experience working as a critical care tech in Emergency Medical Services. He is ACLS and PALs certified, and is the orthopedic splinting instructor for the ER at Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington, IL. This is Rick’s second season with the Pacific Crest health team.

Rick has a background in and a passion for music. In his spare time, he has coached youth softball, served as an archery instructor for his daughter’s Girl Scout troop, and was the pack master of his son’s Cub Scout pack. Rick lives in Round Lake, IL.

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.

Ryan Odou
Intern

RYAN ODOU is a first year MD student at the Keck School of Medicine at USC. Ryan studied Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of California Santa Cruz, completing his bachelor’s degree in 2021.

Ryan has had many involvements with the musical and performing arts for the last 10 years. Ryan marched with Pacific Crest in 2016 and 2017, and is thrilled to be part of the health team at Pacific Crest for the 2024 season.

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

Dr. Dan Fong
Health Team

“Dr. Dan” marched nine years with the Sacramento Mandarins where he was a soprano and mellophone soloist and one season with the Seattle Imperials. He received the Joe Fong Award for the Most Outstanding member in 1981. Dan has written every Mandarins field show brass chart from 1982 until 2011. He was the Mandarins’ Brass Caption Head from 1982-1993, from 2005-2008, and from 2012- 2016. He currently arranges music for the Mandarins Brass Academy, a program that teaches brass students of all skill levels in the Sacramento region. He remains active teaching several high school bands in the Sacramento area and the Sac State Marching Band. Dr. Dan has been a part of the Pacific Crest Health Team as an Ophthalmologist Consultant since 2023.

Dr. Stephen Luk
MD

STEPHEN S. LUK, M.D., specializes in acute care surgery, trauma, surgical critical care and wound management.

Dr. Luk earned his medical degree at the Texas A&M College of Medicine. He completed an internship in general surgery at Baylor Scott and White Memorial Hospital in Temple, TX, and a residency in general surgery at Polyclinic Medical Center in Harrisburg, PA, followed by an integrated surgery residency at the University of Connecticut. He then received advanced training in trauma surgery and surgical critical care through separate fellowships at Hartford Hospital in Connecticut.

Board-certified in general surgery and surgery critical care, he joined the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School faculty in 2009. In addition to his teaching duties, he is the Medical Director of the UTSW Willed Body Program, the Medical Director of the Emergency General Surgery Service, and Comprehensive Wound Care Center at Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas, TX. Through continued research and publications, he has advanced to full professor of surgery.

Dr. Luk marched drum corps with the Los Angeles Imperial Dragons and West Coast Express in the late 70’s. His son Brandon is a trumpet player who marched with the Mandarins, Santa Clara Vanguard, and Blue Devils. During Brandon’s marching career, Dr. Luk has been an active volunteer among the corps’ Health and Wellness teams.

Dr. Craig Bales
MD

DR. CRAIG BALES is a co-founding member of The Cavaliers Medical Group, which started in 1996. Dr. Bales served as lead physician with The Cavaliers Drum & Bugle Corps from 1996-2014, and was nominated as an honorary Cavalier in 2009. He currently works with the University of Houston marching band as their lead physician.

In 2010, Dr. Bales met Jim Olea while working with The Cavaliers, and has been a mentor and friend to Jim ever since. Dr. Bales is excited to be a part of the Pacific Crest Health Team as a consultant.

Dr. Tom Freeman
Podiatry Consultant

Undergraduate:
Illinois Benedictine College; Biology/Biochemistry 1981. Lisle, IL.
Scholl College; BA Conferred 1985. Chicago, IL.

Scholl College of Podiatric Medicine; Doctor of Podiatric Medicine 1985. Chicago, IL.

Trinity Regional Hospital; Podiatric Surgical Residency, Fort Dodge, IA.

Board Qualified, American Board of Podiatric Surgery

Dr. Kevin Kloesel
PhD, Meteorologist

University Meteorologist, OU Office of Emergency Preparedness

Associate Professor, College of Atmospheric & Geographic Sciences

B.S., Engineering Science, University of Texas at Austin, 1984

M.S. and Ph.D., 1990, Meteorology, Pennsylvania State University

KEVIN KLOESEL is responsible for providing weather forecast and weather safety information to the OU Office of Emergency Preparedness before, during, and after weather threats of all types on the OU Campus. He also provides support to the OU Executive Policy Group in severe and winter weather situations in order to facilitate campus protection and closure decisions. He develops and leads high-impact weather safety training on the OU campus for its over 30,000 students, faculty and staff, and for the over 40,000 pre-collegiate students that call OU home during summer sports and academic camps.

Kevin is a tenured Associate Professor specializing in decision-making in weather-impacted situations. He led the teams that won the Innovations in American Government Award from Harvard University and the Ford Foundation for their work with the emergency management community in Oklahoma, as well as awards from the American Meteorological Society and the National Weather Association. Kevin was awarded the American Meteorological Society’s 2015 Charles E Anderson Award for “over two decades of dedication to engaging minority and underrepresented groups through community outreach and academic leadership.”

Kevin works directly with thousands of decision makers and emergency management professionals in finding appropriate applications for weather data in local education, decision-making, and weather safety planning. He has provided numerous training workshops to improve weather forecasting and decision making in Korea, China, Japan, Taiwan and Nigeria, as well as weather preparedness training to the NFL, NCAA, NASCAR, Drum Corps International, and numerous sports venues, concert halls and amusement parks throughout the country.

A frequent guest on local, state and national radio and television programs, he has appeared on the National Academies of Science Distinctive Voices, NPR’s Talk of the Nation, the Tavis Smiley Show, WeatherBrains, ABC Nightly News, The Discovery Channel, The Weather Channel, WxGeeks, the BBC, and dozens of local radio and TV shows from coast to coast. He has also provided keynotes at the National Tornado Summit and the SXSW Eco Conference. He has served on two National Academies of Sciences panels reviewing weather forecast performance for the nation, and works closely with the Norman Chamber of Commerce and Norman Economic Development Coalition to provide support for the growing private weather and climate enterprise in Norman. He also served as a content designer for Scholastic’s The Magic School Bus Kicks Up a Storm children’s museum exhibit.

Dr. Jacob J. Levy
PhD, Psychologist

JAKE LEVY, Ph.D. is a licensed psychologist and certified fitness trainer, with a special interest in performance psychology and wellness promotion. He is a former marching member of the Cavaliers Drum & Bugle Corps, and a co-founder of the Marching Music Health and Wellness Project. Dr. Levy has worked with nearly a dozen drum corps since 2005, and is thrilled to be a member of the Pacific Crest Health Team.

Dr. Levy earned his doctorate in counseling psychology from Indiana University in 2002. He interned at the University of Maryland Counseling Center. Dr. Levy has specialized expertise in the cognitive-behavioral treatment of attention-deficit disorders, anxiety, depression, and other health conditions, as well as performance enhancement interventions for athletes, performing artists, and business people. Of particular note is his expertise in neurotherapy (i.e., EEG neurofeedback), an intervention designed to help individuals learn to self-regulate their mood and attention and concentration processes thru “brain-training.” In addition, Dr. Levy specializes in psychological assessment and testing, including clinical diagnostic testing, comprehensive ADHD testing, pre-surgical psychological evaluations, fitness-for-duty evaluations, forensic evaluations (including child custody), and career assessments (i.e., pre-employment personality testing, career exploration, managerial and leadership evaluations). He is also an Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

Helen Turner
RN

HELEN TURNER served as the Lead RN for The Cavaliers from 1981 to the present, and is a co-founding member of The Cavaliers Medical Group, which started in 1996. In 2010, Helen met Jim Olea during his time with The Cavaliers, and since then has been a mentor and friend to Jim. She is excited to be a part of the Pacific Crest Health Team as a consultant!

Mike Turner
EMT, Paramedic, CPR

MIKE TURNER was a member of The Cavaliers Drum & Bugle Corps in the early eighties. He has served many years as a police officer and firefighter with the Village of Rosemont, Illinois. Mike currently operates his own business, CPR Stat, which teaches CPR to corporate and local businesses.

In 2014 Mike was able to help Pacific Crest Health Team acquire their very first AED. Mike helped Jim Olea, the corps’ Health Team Coordinator, to get his BLS instructor certification. Mike is excited to be a part of the Pacific Crest Health Team as CPR Consultant.

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!

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.

Presently, he is a Marketing Coordinator for Welborn Media – a marketing agency based in the Inland Empire, and is also the Director of Marketing for CASMEC – California’s All-State Music Education Conference. Additionally, Benji also spends 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.

Leianna Utick (Michalka)
Photographer & "Currents"

Leianna’s journey through the world of Drum Corps began in 1998, marked by her spirited performances with Pacific Crest from 1998 to 2000. She concluded her memorable drum corps experience with Troopers the first year Pacific Crest ventured beyond California. Proudly carrying her drum corps legacy, she later contributed to the community as a member of Pacific Crest’s Board of Directors from 2009 to 2012.

Following her time on the field, Leianna pursued her passion for the outdoors, earning a Bachelor of Science in Geological Sciences from Cal Poly Pomona. This academic pursuit laid the foundation for her career in the outdoor industry, where she immersed herself until the call of family beckoned. She transitioned into a role that became her most cherished: nurturing and educating her two children through homeschooling. Despite the career pivot, her love for capturing life’s moments persisted since the age of 10 when she first held a Kodak Ektralite 110 film camera.

Today, Leianna remains a devoted Californian, raising her children in Irvine. Whether she’s documenting family milestones, capturing the essence of her travels, or seizing the beauty in everyday adventures, her camera is always by her side, a faithful companion to her lifelong passion for photography.

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.

Jeff Griffith
Social Media

JEFF GRIFFITH has been involved with the marching music activity in various media roles since 2017, and has been managing Pacific Crest’s social media efforts since November 2020. A graduate of Arizona State University’s sports journalism program in 2019, Jeff spent two summers with Drum Corps International as a communications intern, and has held the role of content marketing specialist with DCI since May 2019. Jeff also works as a marketing content writer with Drum Corps Associates, and has done an array of freelance media work with FloMarching.

Howard Hsu
Photographer, Licensed Drone Pilot

Coming soon