Corps Co-Director

Dwight Emmert

Dwight Emmert is excited to fill the interim role of 2022 Phantom Regiment Corps Co-Director with his brother Jay.  The two have worked in tandem in the past as Co-Visual Caption Heads for PR from 2005-2007 and visual staff colleagues from 2008-2013.  Since 2013, Dwight has aided the corps in numerous facets including Education Coordinator, Visual Designer, and Cheerleader to name a few.  He was inducted into the PR Hall of Fame in 2020.  This summer marks Dwight’s 40th anniversary of his rookie season with the corps.  

Dwight is from Evansville, IN, where he is the Director of Fine Arts for the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation.  In his eleventh year in this position, he oversees all Arts programming. He proudly boasts the accomplishments of the 140 fine arts teachers/staff/administrators who work across 36 buildings with 23,000 students. His office also runs an extensive Honors Program for the performing arts with over 800 students.  The Honors program includes: middle/high bands, middle/high orchestras, elementary/middle/high choirs, 2-3 winter guards, jazz ensembles, and a summer musical program.

The Phantom Regiment housed in Evansville school buildings last summer while learning their 2021 production.  Dwight and his local team helped make that possible.  The corps plans to be back in Evansville for Spring Training in 2022.

Corps Co-Director

Jay Emmert

Jay Emmert is excited to fill the interim role of 2022 Phantom Regiment Corps Co-Director with his brother Dwight.  The two have worked in tandem in the past as Co-Visual Caption Heads for PR from 2005-2007 and visual staff colleagues from 2008-2013.  Jay was also a corps member of the Phantom Regiment for four seasons beginning in 1993.

Jay has been a middle/high school band director since 2001.  His band programs have been chosen to perform at multiple professional events which have included performing the national anthem for a St. Louis Cardinals/Chicago Cubs MLB game and at halftime for a Tampa Bay Buccaneers/Chicago Bears NFL game.  Jay’s high school bands have made the Indiana Marching Band State Finals four times and won the Florida Marching Band State Championship for four consecutive seasons.  

Jay has been the recipient of multiple awards over the course of his career including:  Walmart Teacher of the Year, Pinellas County Outstanding Educator Award, and the Courier & Press Educator of the Year Runner Up.  Jay is currently the band director at the Galileo Gifted School in Sanford, Florida and is an active adjudicator for the Florida Marching Band Championships (FMBC). When he is not teaching, Jay enjoys spending time with his wife, Amanda, and their three children (Grant, Katarina, and Aurora).

Operations Manager/Tour Director

Chris Drake

Chris Drake is honored to contribute to the storied success of Phantom Regiment. As a proud Midwesterner, Chris can be seen driving across the country “Committing to Band” in as many ways as he can figure out how to fit in his Google schedule. Chris particularly enjoys announcing and working event logistics with the Mid-East Performance Association, Indiana High School Color Guard Association, Indiana Percussion Association, Winter Guard International and Music for All. Chris is elated to bring his expertise to the Phantom Regiment Operations Team.

Chris’ drum corps experience began as a tour administration intern with Bluecoats in their championship-winning 2016 season. From there he rose to tour administrator, managing the 2-time WGI Independent World Class Finalist, Bluecoats Indoor, and then serving as Programs Manager for Bluecoats through their 2019 season.

Outside the pageantry world, Chris can be seen online shopping for new mustard-colored cardigans and trying as many Mexican restaurants as he can while quoting all 7 seasons of The West Wing ad nauseum. Chris is passionate about delivering an exceptional experience to all involved with Phantom Regiment and looks forward to seeing the organization continue to prosper.

Program Supervisor & Visual Director

Tony Hall

Tony Hall has been involved in the pageantry arts as an instructor, designer, consultant and adjudicator for over the last 40 years. He has written countless championship shows for high school marching bands & winter guards across the United States. Tony has designed visual programs for several drum & bugle corps including the Velvet Knights, Blue Knights, Sky Ryders and Garfield Cadets. He has been a member of Phantom Regiment’s visual team in many capacities including designer since 1993. Tony has judged all visual captions in the drum corps, marching band & winter guard arena.

He currently resides in Florida with his wife & two children.

Music Director, Brass Arranger & Caption Head

JD Shaw

JD Shaw is Associate Professor of Horn at University of South Carolina and was formerly the French hornist with the internationally acclaimed Boston Brass where he was creative director, music arranger and co-owner of the ensemble. JD is an international solo artist and travels extensively throughout the United States as well as many countries in North America, South America, Europe, and Asia. He has performed as a guest artist with numerous orchestras, concert bands, and brass bands. Currently, he is a member of the Summit Brass, Cones & Tones, and is a resident artist with the Rafael Mendez Brass Institute. In addition, JD has also been a featured performer on National Public Radio’s Performance Today and the CBS Morning Show.

JD received his Masters of Music degree from the Eastman School of Music where he was awarded the Performer’s Certificate under the tutelage of horn pedagogue Verne Reynolds. Orchestral credits include associations with the Rochester Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony, Vienna Philharmonic, Wichita Symphony Orchestra, New Mexico Philharmonic, Missouri Symphony, and the Boston Pops. Prior to his position at University of South Carolina, Professor Shaw has held teaching posts at Boston College, University of New Mexico and University of Miami.

As an active performer and prolific arranger, JD has recorded over 15 albums encompassing diverse musical styles from the Classical, Jazz, and Latin genres. Such record labels include Loft Recordings, Mark Records, and Summit Records. His last album entitled “Tales of Imagination” features Professor Shaw showcasing new music for solo horn and wind band. This album, released on the Summit Records recording label is conducted by former CBDNA President Eric Rombach-Kendall and performed by the University of New Mexico Wind Symphony.

Professor Shaw writes music for many orchestras, bands, and chamber ensembles. His arrangements are featured with several publishers and can be heard on many recording labels and performance stages across the world. JD has written for many drum and bugle corps and is, currently, the arranger for the Phantom Regiement Drum and Bugle Corps from Rockford, IL. Many other drum and bugle corps have performed his arrangements such as the Santa Clara Vanguard, Boston Crusaders, Academy, East Coast Jazz, Sunrisers and Beatrix from Hilversum, Netherlands. 
JD Shaw is dedicated to promoting music education for young, aspiring musicians. With the help of Conn-Selmer, National M.E.N.C., and VH1’s Save the Music foundation, JD has taught master classes for young artists across the world spanning age-ranges from elementary to college. Also, JD has presented and performed clinics and workshops for music educators at events such as the Mid-Europe Music Educators Convention, World Association for Symphonic Bands and Ensembles convention, National Musical Educators National Conference, and The Midwest Band & Orchestra Clinic.

Color Guard Designer & Caption Head

Stephanie Chavez

Stephanie Chavez began her color guard career as a member of the Cypress Falls High School Color Guard from 2003-2007. Upon graduating from high school, she continued to pursue her passion for color guard as a member of the Phantom Regiment Color Guard from 2007-2010. During her time with the Phantom Regiment, Ms. Chavez served as the Color Guard Co-Captain in 2009 and Color Guard Captain in 2010. After four years with the Phantom Regiment, Ms. Chavez decided to march her last summer of drum corps with the 2011 Carolina Crown. Aside from drum corps, Ms. Chavez, also performed during the winter guard season with Code Black in 2008 and continued her performance career as Captain of Cypress Independent Winter Guard in 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2016.

After many years as a performer, Ms. Chavez continued her involvement in the color guard activity as an educator for several high school and independent color guard programs in Texas. From 2007-2013, Ms. Chavez was the Color Guard Director at Cypress Ridge High School. From 2010-2015 she was a tech/choreographer for the 2014 Scholastic Open champions, Spring High School and from 2013-2018 she was the Color Guard Director of the 2017 Winter Guard International Scholastic A champions, Klein Oak High School. During the summers of 2012- 2013, she taught the Blue Knights Color Guard, the Crossmen Color Guard in 2015- 2016 and the Boston Crusaders Color Guard in 2017. From 2013-2015 and 2017-2019 Chavez served as a tech/choreographer for Cypress Independent.

Chavez is currently the Color Guard Director of Friendswood High School and will be returning for her third summer with the Phantom Regiment as Color Guard Caption Head. Aside from her career in the color guard activity, she is also a graduate from the University of Houston with a Bachelor’s degree in Spanish and a minor in Education.

Percussion Arranger & Caption Head

Rob Ferguson

Rob Ferguson is currently the Percussion Arranger and Percussion Caption Coordinator for the Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps from Rockford, Illinois. In addition to his role with Phantom Regiment, Rob is also the Director of Matrix Performing Arts from Akron, Ohio which includes two WGI indoor percussion ensembles; Matrix World and matrix Open. Rob also serves as the Music Designer for Matrix Open and as the design Coordinator and Music Designer for Matrix World and has since its inception in1999. Rob served as the Percussion Coordinator and Percussion Arranger for the Glassman Drum and Bugle Corps from Toledo, Ohio, from 2008-2012 and as the percussion Arranger for the Hawthorne Caballeros Drum and Bugle corps from2012-2015. Rob previously served as a percussion representative for the MideastPerformance Association and currently serves as the Percussion Education Director for the Ohio Indoor Performance Association, as well as as a member of the WGIPercussion Advisory Board.

Rob holds a Bachelor of Science and Master of Music in Music Performance from KentState University where he studied with Michael Burritt and Ted Rounds. He previously served as adjunct percussion faculty and assistant marching band director at Youngstown State University, and currently is the Design Coordinator for Firestone HighSchool and Norton High School bands in Northeast Ohio, as well as John Hersey HighSchool from Illinois, and Moon Area High School in Pennsylvania. Rob is an active clinician and adjudicator for both the indoor and outdoor marching activities. He has presented clinics on marching percussion, keyboard percussion, arranging, and amplification in the marching activity throughout the U.S. and in Europe including the2007 PAS convention, the 2008 Indoor Percussion Europe Championships, and as apart of the 2016 Chiayi City International Band Festival in Chiayi City, Taiwan. Ferguson has also performed as a marimba clinician and guest artist with numerous high schools and college percussion ensembles.

In addition to teaching, Rob works professionally as a designer, composer, program coordinator, and consultant for outdoor and indoor marching ensembles throughout theU.S. and abroad. He is the owner of Ferguson Design Solutions, a company providing custom arrangements, original compositions for both marching ensemble and concert percussion, consulting, and design resources for marching bands, drum corps, and indoor percussion ensembles in all major arenas of the pageantry arts. Rob is also a sales representative for Field & Floor FX. Currently residing in Cuyahoga Falls, OH, Rob is an endorser and clinician for Mapex & Majestic Percussion, InnovativePercussion, the Avedis Zildjian Co., Planet Waves, Pageantry Innovations, and RemoInc

Creative Visual Consultant & Lead Guard Designer

Adam Sage

Adam Sage is an active choreographer, designer, and adjudicator in the pageantry arts. Adam has worked with numerous programs in the southeast including Tarpon Springs High School, East Lake High School, Seminole High School (1993 WGI A class Bronze medalists), Clearwater High School, Kell High School and Pope High School in Marietta, Georgia. Pope High School was the 2000 WGI Open class Silver medalists and the 2002 WGI World class Bronze medalists. Kell High School was the 2005 WGI A class Silver medalist.

In addition, Adam also designed for Spanish River High School Winter Guard in Boca Raton, Florida (2009 Winter Guard International Scholastic A Silver medalists). Adam’s drum corps experience includes being a performing member of the Suncoast Sound from 1988 to 1989, and The Cadets of Bergen County from 1990 to 1991. He was the caption head for the Magic of Orlando from 1992 to 1993; caption head for the Crossmen from 1994 to 1995. Adam then spent 1996 through 2002 working with the Cavaliers Drum & Bugle Corps. Sage was also the caption head and designer for the Santa Clara Vanguard in 2003 and 2004. 2005 through 2008, he spent with the Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps as their caption head and designer. 2009-2011, he was the caption supervisor and designer with the Carolina Crown Drum and Bugle Corps.

Adam was the color guard caption head and designer for the Madison Scouts from 2012-2014. Adam is also actively involved with Winter Guard International (WGI). He was the director of The Company Colour Guard from Tampa Bay, Florida from 1995 to 1999. The Company was a two time WGI World Champion in the A (1995) class and Open (1996) class. He was also the director of the Phantom Regiment Winter Guard in 2007 and 2008 and CrownGUARD in 2009 and 2010. Sage was also a member of the Emerald Marquis Winter Guard from 1990 to 1991.

Most recently, Adam Sage was the director and designer for the Kennesaw Mountain High School Color Guard in Kennesaw, Georgia 2003-2016 (2004 Winter Guard International Scholastic A World Champions, 2005 Winter Guard International Scholastic Open World Champions, 2006 Winter Guard International Scholastic World Class finalists, and the 2013 Winter Guard International Scholastic Open Bronze Medalists); and designer for the 2015 Boston Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corps. Adam Sage was a choreographer and program consultant for Santa Clara Vanguard Drum and Bugle Corps in 2017 and 2018, as well as The Cadets in 2019.

Adam Sage has been inducted in 2010 SAPA (Georgia) and 2014 FFCC (Florida) Hall of Fame.

Visual Designer

Steven Estudillo

Steven Estudillo was born and raised in Southern California. He is a graduate of La Mirada High School, and studied at California State University, Fullerton. As a performer, Steven was a member of Pacific Crest Drum and Bugle Corps and later performed with The Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps, aging out in 2008.

Steven has been a Visual Designer, Educator, Creative Director, and Adjudicator since 2006. His designs have been represented by ensembles within Bands of America, Winter Guard International, and Drum Corps International circuits.

Upon aging out in 2008, Steven began his work as an instructor and designer within the drum corps activity. He worked with Pacific Crest as a visual instructor in 2009, then later served as the Visual Designer from 2010 – 2012. After a two year hiatus from the ensemble, he returned as the Visual Designer and Creative Director from 2015 – 2021.

Simultaneously, Steven was a visual instructor for The Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps from 2009-2015, serving as the Visual Caption Head starting in 2011.

During the winter seasons, Steven has been serving as a Visual Designer and instructor for Pulse Percussion and Chino Hills High School since 2012, and designs for several other award winning indoor percussion ensembles throughout the country.

In addition to his work in the United States, Steven has had the opportunity to branch out internationally and work with performing ensembles in South America, providing consultation and clinics to further spread the marching arts in different regions.

Steven Currently resides in Ontario, CA. with his loving wife Lexie, and his two children, Emily and Ezekiel.

Movement Designer

Michael James

“Michael James, born and raised in St. Petersburg, Florida, graduated from the University of South Florida, where he received a Bachelor of Arts in Modern Dance Performance. After college, he performed in the American Stage Company’s “”Shakespeare in the Park”” Series for five seasons, as well as danced and choreographed for the Children’s Theater Tour.

Michael was a scholarship student at the Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival in Beckett, Massachusetts, where he studied under Linda Kent and Carolyn Adams. He also danced with The Men Dancers of Jacob’s Pillow International Touring Company, which allowed him to dance and teach in St. Petersburg, Russia. In addition, he was a member of The Repertory Dance Theatre of Utah.

As a color guard designer and choreographer, Michael has worked with Cypress Creek HS, Seminole HS, Tarpon Springs HS, Union HS (OK) Timber Creek HS, Freedom HS Orlando, Oracle Winter Guard (CO.) McNeil HS (TX), Park Vista HS, Father Ryan HS (TN), Dobyns Bennett HS (TN), John Overton HS (TN), The Company Winter Colour Guard, Woodlands College Park (TX), Spring HS (TX), Kennesaw Mountain HS (GA), Miamisburg HS (OH), Pope HS (GA), Center Grove HS (IN), U.S.F. Winter Guard, and Northmont HS (OH). He is also currently on staff with Oviedo HS, Sunlake HS (FL), and University HS (Orlando), He previously has worked with the Santa Clara Vanguard, The Cavaliers, Madison Scouts, and Mandarins.

Michael’s choreography has also been viewed at Pleasure Island with the Pleasure Island Explosion Dancers, University of Central Florida’s Starlet Knights Danceline, University of South Florida’s Herd of Thunder Marching Band and winter guard, 1999’s Orlando Fringe Festival, and numerous other high schools and colleges around the country.”

Assistant Color Guard Caption Head

Sheldon Apo

Sheldon Apo is originally from Bellevue, Nebraska and currently lives in Dayton, Ohio. Sheldon graduated from Bellevue East High School where he was involved in everything musical including playing the alto saxophone for seven years. He decided to start his colorguard career during his senior year of high school and has continued teaching ever since.

Sheldon’s performing career includes the 2001 and 2002 DCI World Champion, The Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps. Sheldon continued to perform with the 2003, 2004, and 2005 Pride of Cincinnati Cast when they were named the 2005 WGI Independent World Class Champion.
Sheldon is the Guard Director for Bellbrook High School in Bellbrook, OH and currently has three competitive guard programs in the Bellbrook – Sugarcreek Local School District which include an Elementary and Middle School program. He has been with the program for 17 years and has been the director for 11 years. His accomplishments at Bellbrook include 2004 2A BOA Class Champion, 2013 1A BOA Class Champion and the 2013 WGI Scholastic A Class Champion. In 2015, Bellbrook HS was awarded the WGI Scholastic Open Class Silver medal. The Bellbrook World Guard was a 2016 and 2018 WGI Semi-Finalist and a 2017 and 2019 WGI World Class Finalist.

He was also the founder and co-director of the 2014 WGI Finalist Allegoria Winterguard from Dayton, OH. In 2015, their second year of existence, Allegoria Winterguard took the WGI Independent A Class Bronze medal. In 2016 and 2017, Allegoria Winterguard was an Independent Open Class Semi-Finalist.

Sheldon was part of the inaugural season for Zydeco in 2007 and was a choreographer for them from 2007-2014. From 2010-2014, Sheldon taught the 7-time DCI World Champion, The Cavaliers, where he served as a technician, equipment choreographer, and the 2011-2012 Color Guard Caption head. From 2015-2017, he taught and choreographed for perennial DCI Finalist, The Crossmen. Sheldon attended The University of Nebraska at Omaha and received his Bachelors in Mathematics with a concentration in Computer Engineering.

When he is not teaching color guard, he loves and cares for his beautiful dog, Josie!

Visual Coordinator

Bob Smith

Bob has spent 30 years as a marching instructor, visual caption head, consultant, and drill designer for drum corps and marching bands around the country. He aged out of Phantom Regiment in 1985. Bob was a marching instructor for the Visual Caption Head of Phantom Regiment (1987-1997, 2000-2004, 2015 and 2016), including caption head during the 1996 DCI World Championship.

He’s worked with some of the great pageantry masterminds of Drum Corps: DCI Hall of Fame members Michael Cesario, Dr. Dan Richardson, and John Brazale, as well as notable drill designers Greg Cesario, John Sanchez, Tony Hall, and Jeremy Hunt. Bob was also the visual caption head for the Tar Heel Sound Drum and Bugle Corps (1998), served as a visual consultant for the Colts Drum and Bugle Corps (2006-2009) and served as a visual consultant for the Spirit of Atlanta Drum and Bugle Corps (2011-2014).

Outside of the drum corps world, Bob recently retired as a math teacher from Leyden High School in the west suburb of Chicago. He was also the varsity tennis coach for the boys’ and girls’ teams. In 2011, he was inducted into the Illinois Tennis Coaches Hall of Fame.

Visual Caption Head

Jacob Taylor (He/him)

This is Jacob’s fifth year on the visual staff for the Phantom Regiment (2018-present) and first year as visual caption head. Currently residing in Richfield, Ohio, Jacob teaches and designs throughout Ohio primarily serving as a drill writer and staging designer. He aspires to invest in every area of the marching arts and values the individual’s growth in all areas of visual performance. His work includes indoor as well as outdoor, teaching and designing with both perennial class finalists Matrix and Matrix Open (2018 PIO class champion, 2019 PIO silver medalist) beginning in 2018, Rangerettes Winter Guard as lead designer in 2019, Revere High School marching band and Norton High School marching band, as well as other Ohio marching bands starting in 2012. Jacob began his marching arts career in high school eventually joining Capital Regiment in 2009 on baritone and the Glassmen in 2010 and 2011 on baritone and euphonium respectively.

Outside of the marching arts, Jacob enjoys hiking, camping, and gardening and recently because of quarantine relishes cooking and baking new recipes made with homegrown produce. He is excited for the 2021 season and the opportunity to keep the arts alive and growing.

Visual Instructor

Courtney Allyson Mills (She/her)

Courtney Allyson Mills (she/her/hers) has over 25 years of dance education, freelance choreography and teaching experience in several facets of the performing arts. A graduate of Seminole High School in Seminole, Florida, Ms. Mills holds a Bachelor of Arts in Dance from Texas Woman’s University and a Master of Arts in Performance Psychology from National University. She also holds a specialization in Teaching Social-Emotional Learning from the University of Colorado, Boulder.

Courtney is the Modern/Contemporary Dance teacher at the Center for Visual & Performing Arts in Arlington, Texas. Her responsibilities include the creation of the modern/contemporary dance program, as well as forming two dance companies that serve all six high schools in the district; The Contemporary Company: Arlington ISD and Company E. Previously, Ms. Mills was the dance and yoga teacher at Smoky Hill High School in Aurora, CO as well as the Director of the Smoky Hill Dance Collective. She also served as the Director of Dance at Bowie High School in Austin, Texas, where she taught the Silver Stars Drill Team and a myriad of other dance classes.

A Carolina Crown alumni, Courtney is proud to have been on staff at Crown, Santa Clara Vanguard, Phantom Regiment, Madison Scouts, Crossmen, and Troopers. This is her 5th consecutive year with Phantom Regiment and 9th overall. She attributes her growth into the human she is today to her years marching and teaching drum corps and winter guard.
Ms. Mills is an active clinician, adjudicator, and choreographer. Additionally she frequently provides lectures, webinars, and presentations to a variety of organizations, most recently the National Congress for USA Gymnastics. A seasoned explorer, Courtney loves the mountains, hiking, and nature, as well as anything sports-related. When at home she is the caretaker of numerous (entirely too many) plants, Olive (her bulldog) and Betty (her tortie cat).

Ms. Mills is an active clinician, adjudicator, and choreographer. Additionally she frequently provides lectures, webinars, and presentations to a variety of organizations, most recently the National Congress for USA Gymnastics. A seasoned explorer, Courtney loves the mountains, hiking, and nature, as well as anything sports-related. When at home she is the caretaker of numerous (entirely too many) plants, Olive (her bulldog) and Betty (her tortie cat).

Assistant Brass Caption Head

Ryan Adamsons

A native of Springfield, Virginia, Ryan Adamsons is based in Chicago where he is an active performer, composer, and educator. His drum corps career began as a marching member of the Bluecoats from 1998 to 2002, and he continued with the organization as a brass instructor from 2003 to 2008 and again in 2011. In 2012 he joined the brass staff of the Santa Clara Vanguard, helping to build the brass program to their first DCI World Championship in nearly 20 years and their first ever Jim Ott High Brass Award in 2018. In addition to his duties with the World Class A corps, he joined the Open Class Vanguard Cadets as Brass Caption Manager and Brass Arranger in 2018, and continued his arranging duties 2019 while taking over as Assistant Brass Caption Manager for the A corps.

Ryan is also an active instructor, adjudicator, and clinician, working with countless groups in the US, Canada, and Japan. In addition to writing for various marching ensembles, he has over 50 commissioned and performed works for jazz ensemble, with his educational charts published and available through Kendor. He currently works as an Artist Advisor at the Denis Wick/Vandoren Musician’s Advisory Studio in downtown Chicago, serves on the Board of Directors for the Chicago Jazz Orchestra developing their educational programs, is the Jazz Area Manager for The Midwest Clinic, and serves in several roles for the Jazz Education Network including as Conference Production Coordinator for their annual international conference. He plays Powell Custom trumpets and flugelhorns.

Battery Coordinator

James Sparling

James Sparling received his degree in Music Education with a minor in Architecture at Miami University. He was heavily involved in the world music ensemble, Global Rhythms, where he served as Percussion Coordinator and Arranger (2004-2006). This ensemble led him to perform across the globe and work with Grammy winners Glen Velez and Jamal Mohammed, Ghatam Khartick’s heARTbeat, Musafir, Jeff Queen, Michael Burritt, Anthony Cirone, A.R. Rahman, Nelly Furtado, and Lenny Kravitz. He was a featured clinician at the 2012 North Alabama Day of Percussion, the 2016 Illinois PAS Day of Percussion, and the 2019 North Carolina Percussion Symposium.

James served as Director of Percussion at Bellbrook HS/MS (2007-2008), Assistant Band Director at Baker MS/Fairborn HS (2010-2011), Director of Percussion at Kettering Fairmont HS (2009-2013), Director of Percussion at Seminole HS (2013), Director of Percussion at Plymouth-Canton Educational Park (2014-2019) and currently serves as a Percussion Specialist in the Walled Lake Consolidated Schools District. He was the 2020-2021 Vice President of Percussion & Winds for the Michigan Color Guard Circuit and currently serves as the Operations Manager for the Michigan Alliance for Performing Arts.

He marched tenors with Trinity Indoor Percussion Ensemble (2000), Music City Mystique (2001, WGI World Champions), Santa Clara Vanguard Drum and Bugle Corps (2001), Glassmen Drum and Bugle Corps (2002), and Rhythm X (2003-2004).

He served on the percussion staff for the Glassmen (2003), the Madison Scouts (2004-2006), the Carolina Crown (2007-2008), the Cadets (2009-2011), and RhythmX (2005-2013). He served as the visual designer for Madison Independent (2011), Eastside Fury (2011-2013), as the Caption Head/Arranger for Infinity Percussion (2014-2018) and Redline Percussion (2015-2018), and Program Coordinator for Alchemy Independent (2019). Most recently he worked with the Madison Scouts as the Caption Head/Arranger (2012-2014) and Percussion Director/Arranger (2015-2018).

James currently works with Spirit Winter Percussion as the Visual Designer (2006-present), Cap City Percussion as a Designer/World Battery Co-Caption Head (2019-present), and the Phantom Regiment as the Ensemble Specialist (2019) and Battery Coordinator (2020-present).

James is proudly endorsed by:

Pearl Drums/Adams
REMO Drumheads
TreeWorks Chimes
Vic Firth Drumsticks and Mallets
Zildjian Cymbals

Front Ensemble Coordinator

Cory Doran

Cory Doran is currently Interim Director of Percussion at Texas A&M University- Commerce and Front Ensemble Coordinator for the Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps. Cory received his Masters degree (2011) in Music Performance from Texas A&M University Commerce under the instruction of Dr. Brian Zator and his Undergraduate degree (2009) in Music Performance from Youngstown State University under the instruction of Dr. Glenn Schaft.

Previously, Cory held the position as Interim Director of Percussion at Kent State University. He has instructed throughout the mid-west and Texas as a front ensemble specialist as well as concert percussion and drum set clinician. As a teacher, he has made a name for himself as a front ensemble instructor for Matrix Indoor Marching Percussion Ensemble (2009- present), the Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps (2015- present), and Glassmen Drum and Bugle Corps (2009-2011).

In addition to his involvement in education, Cory is also a multi-faceted, freelance percussionist and composer/arranger. He is currently a music designer for Ferguson Design Solutions and Integrated Effects and has written for high school, collegiate and independent groups in Milan, Italy, and throughout the United States. Performing groups include the Columbus top 40 band “The Popbillies,” Country band “, “Union Rose,” and “Tangent Impact Percussion Project.””
Cory is a proud endorser of Mapex Drums, Majestic Percussion, Innovative Percussion and Sabian Cymbals.

Sound and Audio Designer

Evan Brown

Evan Brown is currently a Sound Designer and/or audio systems consultant for many marching groups across the US, including Phantom Regiment (2015-Present) Matrix Performing Arts (2011-Present), Victor J. Andrew HS, Kiski Area HS, Norwin HS, and many more. He is also the staff sound designer for Ferguson Design Solutions, a collaborative providing arrangements, original compositions, consulting and design resources for marching bands, drum corps and indoor percussion ensembles in all major arenas of the pageantry arts. He has previously held similar positions with The Cadets, Oregon Crusaders, Dartmouth HS, Cap City Percussion, OCindoor, The Glassmen, and many others. He is also the Assistant Director Bands and Percussion Director at North Allegheny High School in Wexford, PA.

During the day, Evan is the Education Market Manager for PreSonus Audio Electronics where he continues to apply his passion for the marching arts and education within the music industry. Evan holds a Bachelor of the Arts Degree in Music from Slippery Rock University, where he performed and participated in a wide variety of ensembles, focusing most specifically on drum set, studying under Dr. David Glover. Evan currently resides in Pittsburgh, PA.

Movement Specialist

Kellie Simerly (She/her)

Percussion Instructor

Thomas Sparling

“Thomas Sparling is a full-time visual designer and percussion educator based out of Cincinnati, Ohio. He received degrees in Music Education, Music Performance, Music Composition and a minor in Arts Management from Miami University in 2009. Since graduating he has served as a percussion instructor at William Mason HS, Centerville HS, Bellbrook HS, Kettering Fairmont HS, and Percussion Director at Northmont HS, and La Salle HS. He currently teaches at Kings HS in Cincinnati.

He has worked on the instructional staff at the Glassmen Drum and Bugle Corps (2012), Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps (2015-2016), Cap City Percussion (2013-2014, 2019-present), Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps (2019-present) and Matrix Performing Arts (2013-present) where he currently serves as the Program Coordinator and Visual Designer for Matrix Open. Since pursuing full-time design in 2016, his influence has expanded to organizations in Idaho, Indiana, Illinois, Louisiana, Mississippi, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia and Italy.

Thomas marched bass drum with the Glassmen Drum and Bugle Corps (2006), and Rhythm X (2006-2009). He has given clinics on show design and rehearsal techniques across the Midwest as well as Taiwan and Italy. Thomas is an endorser of Mapex & Majestic percussion, Remo drum heads, and Vic Firth sticks and mallets.”

Brass Instructor

Mason Daffinee

“Mason Daffinee is a former member and returning brass staff member of the Phantom Regiment. He is currently an Associate Director of Bands at Ronald Reagan High School in San Antonio and in his fifteenth year as a professional educator.

Mr. Daffinee is a native of Binghamton, New York, and a graduate of Ithaca College, where he earned a BM in Tuba Performance and Music Education. He was a four-year member of the Spectrum Drum and Bugle Corps from Owego, New York, and a four-year member and ten-year staff member of the Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps from Rockford, Illinois. As a marching member of the Phantom Regiment, Mason was the 2002 DCI Tuba Solo Contest Gold Medalist and named the Mark Glasscoe Memorial Member of the Year. His time on staff began in 2005 and continued on and off through the present day, including the 2008 season when the Phantom Regiment was named Drum Corps International World Champions. Upon graduation from college, Mr. Daffinee toured North America and Japan with the Tony Award-Winning Broadway show Blast! His passion for the marching arts continues today through his drill design for Reagan High School and other bands across the country. Mason is also an active clinician and leadership facilitator for the SASI leadership company.

Before moving to San Antonio, Mr. Daffinee was Assistant Director of Bands at Hebron High School in Carrollton, Texas, and a teacher Georgetown ISD, Irving ISD, and the Vestal Central School District.

Mason is an educator and military spouse. He happily supports his wife, Dr. TSGT Jennifer M. Daffinee, a Regional Bandsman in the Air Force Band of the West stationed at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland.”

Visual Instructor

Dan Fibus (He/him)

Dan Fibus is from Oklahoma City, OK and began his drum corps career as a member of the Phantom Regiment euphonium section in 2011. He spent three years (2011-2013) with the corps and was nominated for the Mark Glasscoe Member of the Year Award his age-out season.

Dan holds two Bachelors degrees from the University of Central Oklahoma and is currently the Director of Bands for Cashion Public Schools in Cashion, OK. He has worked within the marching activity since 2011; serving as an instructor, designer, and consultant for a handful of bands in the Oklahoma City area. Dan was brought on to the Phantom Regiment visual staff in 2015 and returned in 2020. He was also a member of the tour staff in 2016.

Dan is thankful for his experiences within the Phantom Regiment. He believes drum corps has made an extremely positive impact on his life and looks forward to giving back to the future of the organization and activity as a whole.

Color Guard Instructor

Juan Ventura (He/him)

“Juan Ventura was born in Santa Ana, CA and moved to Spring, TX at an early age. He began his color guard career at Spring High School where he was a featured performer and soloist. After graduation, Juan enrolled in a local ballet school and began his formal dance training under current and former Houston Ballet dancers, while also pursuing modern dance training at the University of Houston. He received dance training at the Ailey School before performing for two seasons with Open Dance Project, a dance theatre company based in Houston. Juan has also performed with The Blue Knights Drum and Bugle Corps in the summers of 2011 and 2013, as well as Cypress Independent Winter Guard in 2013 and 2015 as a featured performer and soloist. He most recently performed in the The Texas Latino/a/x Contemporary Dance Festival, Brazos Contemporary Dance Festival, Mind the Gap, Barn Storm Dance Fests, and was a member of the Cypress Alumni group which performed in the Pepsi Super Bowl LI Halftime Show.

Juan has been a colorguard instructor with a focus in movement training and choreography since 2011 and has worked with many local Houston area schools including Klein Oak and Friendswood High School, under the direction of Stephanie Chavez. He is currently a member of Encompass Dance Collective, based in Houston, TX, and a choreographer at Friendswood High School and Spirit Independent. Juan holds a Master’s of Science in Biology from the University of Houston and has a special interest in dance medicine and science. In addition to dancing and teaching, Juan is also a medical student at the University of Texas Medical Branch.”

Brass Instructor

Jennifer Hepp (She/her)

Jennifer Hepp currently serves as the Assistant Band Director at Klein Cain High School in Houston, Texas. Ms. Hepp serves as the head director for the Concert Band and Varsity Band, and assists with instruction for the Klein Cain Marching Band. She also helps lead training and guidance programs for the Klein Cain Student Leadership Team.

Ms. Hepp graduated from Northwestern University and holds Bachelor’s degrees in Music Education, Trumpet Performance and Journalism. During her time at Northwestern, she studied trumpet under Dave Bilger, Channing Philbrick, Tom Rolfs, Michael Sachs and Bob Sullivan. Ms. Hepp also performed for three years with the Symphonic Wind Ensemble, directed by Dr. Mallory Thompson. She was a part of SWE’s performance at the 2017 CBDNA National Conference in Kansas City, Missouri and can be heard on the group’s latest CD, “Reflections.” She also had the opportunity to tour China in 2018 with the Northwestern University Symphony Orchestra, performing Mahler’s Symphony No. 5 and Bernstein’s “Symphonic Dances from West Side Story.”

While attending school in Chicago, Ms. Hepp was recognized as a Theodore Presser Scholar and performed as an associate member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago. Ms. Hepp marched with The Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps in 2016 as the featured trumpet soloist. This will be her third summer serving on the brass staff for the corps.

Brass Instructor

Dave Cooksey

Dave’s involvement in the pageantry arts began 46 years ago. He is an alumnus of The Racine Kilties and The Madison Scouts and remains active internationally as a music adjudicator and brass instructor. His combined skill sets have allowed to him to work in a variety of settings with groups around the world. He is currently entering into his fourth year as the brass program consultant for Jubal Drum Corps in Dordrecht, Netherlands.

Of those years he has spent many of them adjudicating for Drum Corps International, Bands of America, Drum Corps Japan, and Drum Corps Europe. As an adjudicator, he has served as Recruitment/Training Coordinator for new judges; the Judge Coordinator for Drum Corps Midwest Judges Guild and in 2016/17 as the Drum Corps Europe Judges Education Advisor – Music Caption.

Following his years of judging for DCI, Dave returned to the instructional ranks where he has spent the past 17 years as a low brass instructor for several of America’s top corps: The Madison Scouts, Crossmen, Cavaliers and The Phantom Regiment, including the 2008 World Championships. Dave’s return to the Phantom Regiment marks his 10th year working low brass with the corps.

Dave studied music at The University of Wisconsin, The Royal College of Music, London and Baylor University, majoring in brass performance on Tuba / Euphonium. He has had the privilege to have studied privately with some the world’s great brass teachers, Arnold Jacobs, and John Fletcher.

Dave is a graduate of Indiana University’s School of Medicine – School of Applied Health Sciences majoring in Respiratory Therapy. He currently works for AMBU, Inc as a Clinical Training Specialist.

Brass Instructor

Courtney Lawrence

Courtney Lawrence is the Operations Officer and Assistant Director for “”The Commandant’s Own,”” The United States Marine Drum & Bugle Corps, stationed in Washington, DC.

A native Texan, Courtney studied Music Education at the University of Houston prior to enlisting in the Marine Corps in 2008. While on Active Duty, she graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Music from George Mason University in Fairfax, VA.

Courtney marched in the World Champion Phantom Regiment Drum & Bugle Corps from 2004 – 2008 and the Colts Drum & Bugle Corps in 2003. She was an instructor with the Brass Staff of the World Champion Santa Clara Vanguard Drum & Bugle Corps from Santa Clara, CA from 2017 – 2019, winning the Jim Ott Best Brass Performance Award in 2018. She was also an instructor with the Regiment Brass Staff from 2010 – 2011, and is proud to be back with the Home Team since 2020.

Percussion Instructor

Casey O’Neal (He/him)

“Casey hast taught at Haltom High School in Haltom City, Texas since 2015 as the director of percussion. Prior to Haltom, Casey taught at Duncanville High School and Kennemer Middle school in Duncanville ISD. Casey has also taught at The Glassmen Drum and Bugle Corps and The Phantom Regiment. He attended Morehead State for his undergrad in Music Education.

Casey enjoys spending time with his family, reading books, and learning new things. He is very excited to be teaching with Phantom Regiment again this year!”

Guard Instructor

Carlos Bautista (He/him)

Carlos is from Orlando, FL and is excited to return for another year with Regiment! His journey with the corps began in 2018 as a member for his age-out year and returned in 2019 on staff and his been with the corps since. His colorguard journey started in Tampa, FL in 2010 and has been a member of U.S.F. Winterguard (2015-2017) and UCF Pegasus World (2018). Carlos is the current Colorguard Director at Freedom HS (Orlando) and staff member at Cypress Creek HS.

He has choreographed and taught various groups in Florida including UCF Pegasus World, Pegasus A Winterguard, Fleming Island HS, Timber Creek HS, Apopka HS and Lyman HS. He currently serves on the Access Committee for the Florida Federation of Colorguard Circuit (FFCC), which seeks to find opportunities for performers of color to be able to participate in the marching arts while alleviating some financial burden that they may be experiencing.

Percussion Instructor

Josh Nees (He/him)

Josh Nees has been with the Phantom Regiment since 2017 working as a quad tech. He is a current battery instructor for Matrix Performing Arts, and teaches percussion at various high schools around the Northeast Ohio area. Josh marched with The Glassmen Drum and Bugle Corps for 5 consecutive seasons from 2008 to 2012. During the same time, he was also marching Matrix Performing Arts on the quad line from 2010-2013.

Josh is a current performer with The Cleveland Browns Drumline, and a performer with the Cleveland Cavaliers 216Stix. Both groups perform at the teams home games as well as many other events around the Northeast Ohio area. He performed with the 216Stix at the 2016 NBA All Star game in Toronto, Canada.

Josh holds a Bachelors in Mathematics from Baldwin Wallace University. He currently resides in Akron, Ohio, where he works as a performer, teacher, and actor. This will be Josh’s fourth season with The Phantom Regiment.

Color Guard Instructor

Abdul Zamora (He/him)

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Brass Instructor

Clayton Wachholz

Mr. Wachholz currently serves as the proprietor of WachholzMusic L.L.C. after retiring from full time high school teaching in the spring of 2019. Prior to retirement Mr. Wachholz taught at Cedarburg High School for eight years. Before his position at Cedarburg Mr. Wachholz held positions at Plymouth-Canton Educational Park in Canton, Michigan and the International School of Belgium in Brussels, Belgium. Currently Mr. Wachholz serves as Brass Coordinator for the Walled Lake Consolidated High School Marching Band and maintains a successful private lesson studio.

Clayton Wachholz has degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Madison (BA) and the University of Michigan (MM). An active guest conductor and educator, he has given clinics to varied groups in England, Holland, Belgium, Japan, Brazil and Argentina. He has been the featured brass clinician at the British Youth Band Association Annual Band Camp in London, England and has twice been a clinician at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Summer Music Clinic where he led concert and jazz bands. Clayton Wachholz has served as the music director for the Lakeshore Symphonic Band, a semi-professional wind ensemble based in southeastern Wisconsin and the Shorewood Summer Concert Band.

Mr. Wachholz has been involved in the drum and bugle corps activity as a performer and teacher since 1979. As a baritone player he marched with the Thunderbolts (1979), Pioneer (1980-1984), and Madison Scouts (1985-1989). He went on to teach the Madison Scouts for many years (1991-1997, 2001) and taught the Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps brass from 2005-2007 and 2016-2017. In 2018 and 2019 Mr. Wachholz served as an educator with the Santa Clara Vanguard brass teaching staff. 2022 will be his seventh season with the Phantom Regiment brass staff.

Clayton Wachholz has been an active performer on trombone and euphonium for over thirty-two years. In the drum and bugle corps activity his awards include 1986 DCM I&E High Brass Score (scholarship), 1988 DCI Baritone Champion and 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988 DCI Brass Ensemble Champion. As a Euphonium player Mr. Wachholz was a member of the Wisconsin Tuba Quartet that was selected as the first group of its kind as a Semi-Finalist for the Fischoff International Chamber Music Competition. He was a Semi-Finalist for the Falcone International Euphonium competition and was 1st chair in the 1991 T.U.B.A International All-Star Tuba/Euphonium Ensemble. As a Trombonist Clayton Wachholz has performed with the American Wind Symphony, Madison Symphony Orchestra, Racine Symphony Orchestra, Kenosha Symphony Orchestra, Madison Brass, Madison Jazz Orchestra, Milwaukee Brass Band, Knightwind Ensemble, Kettle Morainne Symphony Orchestra and numerous freelance groups.

In leadership positions Mr. Wachholz has served on the board of directors for the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Youth Wind Ensembles, the National Band Association Northern Diversion and was an elected committee member representing all 3A marching bands for the Wisconsin School Music Association. For two summers Mr. Wachholz served as Brass Coach for the Wisconsin State Honors Orchestra. He was a 2011 Herb Kohl Educational Foundation Fellowship Award Recipient (Wisconsin Teacher of the Year Program).

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Brass Instructor

Manuel Mendoza (He/him)

Manuel received his Bachelor of Music Education degree at San Jose State University. During his time at San Jose State, he was principal of the school’s Wind Ensemble Tuba section under Dr. David Vickerman. Manuel participated in many other performing ensembles including San Jose State’s University Symphony Orchestra, The Spartan Marching Band, Symphonic Band, Brass Ensemble, as well as the San Jose Wind Symphony. He is also the charter tuba player for ExNihilo Brass based in the Silicon Valley.

Manuel is the Visual Caption Head at Live Oak High School in Morgan Hill, California. He also teaches the local elementary schools in Sunnyvale, California for the program, Arts Initiative. While doing this, Manuel runs a low brass studio for the greater South Bay in Silicon Valley. He has also assisted many schools in the South Bay through master classes and clinics. Manuel has also been a tuba instructor for the Vanguard Cadets since 2019.

Manuel has performed with the Vanguard Cadets and the Santa Clara Vanguard from California for 6 years and has marched with The Bluecoats from Canton, Ohio for his age-out in 2018.

Color Guard Instructor

Christian Luke (He/him)

Christian is from Mililani, Hawaii and is a graduate of the University of Hawaii: West O’ahu where he earned his Bachelors in Secondary Education in Biology. Christian started his marching career in the Fall of 2010 as a trumpet, but would soon explore his interests in color guard with the Kaikalino Independent Winter Guard, Mililani HS Winter Guard, and Kamehameha Schools Guard.

After high school, Christian began his Drum Corps career with the Bluecoats in 2014 and the Blue Knights in 2015-2016, before aging out with the 2017 World Champions, the Blue Devils. During this time, Christian also went on to dance at multiple studios in Hawaii, including the Playground Dance Studio and 24-VII DanceForce. Most recently, Christian performed as a cast member of the Pride of Cincinnati Winter Guard in 2021 and 2022.

Christian began teaching immediately following high school in the Fall of 2014 as an equipment and movement choreographer & technician at Mililani High School, Kamehameha High School and Kaikalino Independent Winter Guard from 2018-2019. He continues to work with the Mililani and Kamehameha programs and has been the Color Guard Director at Kamehameha for the past four years. Additionally, Christian has managed several independent performance opportunities for his students and others in the Hawaii color guard community, having collaborations done with 24-VII DanceForce in 2017 and a feature in the Hawaii International Film Festival in 2019.

Christian is deeply honored to be returning to the Phantom Regiment Color Guard staff in 2022 and is looking forward to an amazing season!

Brass Instructor

Richard Falls (He/him)

Richard Falls Jr is a Chicago native who has a background in music and dance. Richard attended Illinois State University where he majored in Music Education and Minored in Dance Education. After graduation, Richard went on to have a professional dance career dancing for Joel Hall Dancer, Inaside and Nomi Dance in Chicago and Dallas Black Dance Theatre Encore.

Richard has been a visual tech for Bloomington High School and Burleson Centennial High School for many year and after retiring from dance in 2017 he began teaching full-time in Texas. Richard is currently in his 3rd year as a band director at Burleson Centennial High School.

Richard is a proud alumnus of Phantom Regiment 07′ and 08′ and couldn’t be prouder to be teaching with the Phamily.

Visual Instructor

Chad Dempsey

Chad Dempsey, is the Head Band Director at Edinburg North HS, and has spent all 21 years of teaching in Edinburg CISD. The Edinburg North HS Band program is a consistent UIL Sweepstakes winner and 4 time TMEA Region XV Honor Band Winner. The ENHS Band program consists of 3 concert bands, a 3 time State Marching Band, nationally recognized Winter Guard program, indoor percussion, indoor winds, symphony orchestra, steel band & internationally recognized mariachi. The Winds program participated in 2017 Shanghai Spring International Music Festival and were 2018 bronze medalist at WGI World Championships in Scholastic Open class.

Chad holds his Bachelor’s in Music Education from the University of Kansas. He is currently the TMEA Region XV President and has previously held the TMEA Band Chair, Jazz Coordinator position & has organized many Region Band Clinics. He is the Winds Task Force Member for the Texas Color Guard Circuit. Mr. Dempsey has also spent several years involved with the Phantom Regiment & Colts Drum & Bugle Corps and UTRGV Winds. Chad is the owner of D’Zine Drill & Consulting and creator of the Hey Band! Network. Mr. Dempsey is a member of TMEA, TBA, TMAA, Phi Beta Mu, & Phi Mu Alpha. Mr. Dempsey is married to ECISD teacher, Sonia Dempsey and has two kids, Sophia & Oliver.

Assistant Tour Director

Precious Dela Rosa

Precious is delighted to return to Phantom Regiment! 

Her performance experience includes Colts Drum and Bugle Corps 2009-2012 and Gateway Indoor Percussion 2010-2013. In 2010, she was a member of the Pride of Missouri State Marching Band Color Guard. She was also a member of The Herd Drumline for the Saint Louis Rams. After aging out, she returned to Gateway and served on the administrative team from 2014 to 2018. Precious also led the merchandise team for the Bluecoats for the 2016 and 2017 seasons. 

Precious earned a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a minor in linguistics from Missouri State University. She currently lives in Saint Louis and freelances as a camera operator, stage builder, and lighting technician in live events.

Corps Operations Advisor

Allan Dekko

Movement Specialist

André Williams

André Williams is an artist based in Indianapolis, IN. Starting as a young percussionist at Clinton Young Elementary, André became fascinated with the world of performance. It wasn’t until he attended Warren Central High School and became heavily involved in the Warren Central Performing Arts Department (WPAC) that he saw his future as an artist. Shortly after arriving at the High School, he became intrigued by color guard. And while he served as the Drum Major for the Gold Brigade, and a percussionist for the Honors Band, Jazz Band, and Winter Percussion Ensemble, he devoted his extra time to developing his skills as a guard performer and dancer.

André was the first male member of Warren Central World Guard in 2010-2011 before graduating and attending DePauw University for Music Education. After coming to the realization that his true passion was in dance and color guard, he changed his focus to theatre and communications, heavily focusing his studies and work in understanding concert dance and tanztheater. Over the course of his four years at DePauw, André performed and was a part of the production team of multiple DePauw Theatre Productions. André was involved with multiple prominent dance groups on campus, and soon after became the founder and artistic director for the first Student-Led Dance Company on campus; conceptualizing, designing, and choreographing 3, main stage, full length dance productions. He also managed to march for the Madison Scouts for their 75th anniversary in 2013, while continuing to design, instruct, and choreograph for a number of schools in the Midwest, most notably returning to Instruct and Choreograph for the Warren Central World Guard from 2013-2015.

After Graduating with his BLA in Theatre from DePauw, André returned to Indianapolis where he began training for dance professionally with David Hochoy, and Justin David Sears-Watson. Shortly after beginning his training, he became and executive assistant at Phoenix Rising Dance Studios (2015-2018) and Dance Company (2015-2020), where he also danced as a company member. He went on to become the rehearsal director and a resident choreographer for the company starting in 2018. He’s also continued to stay active in the Marching Arts community with a number of programs surrounding the Indianapolis area. Currently, André is the Guard Director and Visual Coordinator for the Mt. Vernon Color Guard and Band of Marauders. And continues to design, teach, choreograph, and consult for a number of schools in Indiana. You can also find his work under Relevations, where he is the founder and lead artist where he seeks to continue to grow as an artists as well as help others find and expand their artistic range.

Visual Instructor

Jonathan Probst

Jonathan Probst is the assistant director of instrumental music at Chino Hills High School and a visual designer who currently lives in Riverside, California. Jonathan completed his Masters degree in Education with an emphasis in Critical Thinking from National University and his Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from California Baptist University.

Drum Corps International attracted his attention at a young age and he marched with Pacific Crest from 2009-2011 on trumpet and baritone. He then went on to play trumpet for the Madison Scouts in 2012 and finished his time marching with the Phantom Regiment from 2013-2015, serving the corps as the horn sergeant and trumpet section year during his age out season.

He has worked collaboratively with exceptional visual & music teams in Southern California with Chino High School, Upland High School, Ayala High School, Rowland High School, Alta Loma High School, and La Quinta High School (OC). He spent four Summers as a visual and brass instructor for Pacific Crest Drum & Bugle Corps and is currently a member of the visual staff at the Phantom Regiment, a position he has had since 2018.

Visual Instructor

Amy Fallon (She/ Her)

Amy is originally from Boston, MA and graduated from the University of Colorado at Boulder with a degree in Journalism and a Bachelor of Arts in Music. Originally a clarinet player, Amy learned baritone in her college marching band and then went on to march with The Boston Crusaders in 2008. She aged out playing euphonium with The Phantom Regiment in 2009. Amy has been teaching high school marching band since 2010. She has experience teaching visual, choreography, and also writing drill for high school, college, and indoor percussion ensembles. Amy has been on the visual staff at Phantom Regiment since 2017 and loves being a part of an organization that has been such a positive influence in her life. Amy currently lives in Boulder, CO with her dog, Mousse, and works in the HR department at CU Boulder.  

Movement Specialist

Jen Barton

JEN BARTON, a native of Greenwood, IN,  is currently the color guard director at Rouse HS  in Leander, TX and was recently the color guard coordinator at James Bowie HS in Austin, TX. This follows a 15-year career in the Carolinas, working with numerous scholastic and independent performing ensembles, including Byrnes HS, The Cast Winter Guard, Etude Winter Guard and many more. In addition, Jen is a freelance choreographer and consultant throughout the country – working both in-person and virtually to provide choreography and other design services.As a performer, Jen has appeared with Santa Clara Vanguard and Northeast Independent (FL) Winter Guard. She has also performed with the Florida State University Marching Chiefs, ad astra per ASPERA Winter Guard, and CrownGUARD, as well as numerous band and orchestra ensembles in Indiana and Florida.Jen earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Instrumental Music Education from The Florida State University in 2004, where she studied flute with Stephanie Jutt and Eva Amsler. She participated in Marching Chiefs, Concert and Symphonic Bands, Harmonie Chamber Ensemble, Tau Beta Sigma, Golden Key and Phi Eta Sigma honor societies.Jen also serves nationally as a fall and winter adjudicator and serves on the Task Force, Classification and Education Committees for Texas Color Guard Circuit (TCGC). She lives in Cedar Park, TX and is the dog mom to a 6-year-old Shih Tzu, Beauregard and 1-year-old pit bull/cattle hound, Bridges.  

Color Guard Caption Manager

Larissa Scott

Larissa is originally from Brazil, IN and currently lives in Bellbrook, OH. Her family has been involved in Drum Corps, including Phantom Regiment, in various capacities since the 1970’s, and she has been a lifelong supporter. Her daughter Grace was a part of the 2020 virtual season with the Phantom Regiment color guard.

Larissa has spent the last 3 years as the lead guard parent for the Bellbrook Colorguard under the direction of Sheldon Apo.

When she is not busy helping with the color guard, she enjoys spending time with her husband Josh and three wonderful children. She spends her day as a Title 1 reading teacher in Dayton,OH.

Larissa is excited about her first year with the Phantom Regiment Colorguard in her role as Caption Manager.

Color Guard Instructor

Travis Wade

Travis Wade is a native of South Carolina and received his BA in Experimental Psychology from the University of South Carolina where his studies focused on motor movement learning and dance education. His involvement in the performance arts began at an early age as a dancer and continued through college where he founded Project Dance, a charitable dance company.Travis currently resides in Atlanta, Georgia where he coordinates, choreographs, and instructs movement for several programs including Hoover HS and the Paramount World Winter Guard. In addition to teaching, Travis is the owner and artistic director of Wade Creative Studios, a digital design studio that creates a variety of designs for pageantry groups and businesses across the country.

In his remaining free time, Travis can be found taking local dance classes, roller skating, or watching movies with his cat, Michelle Obama.

Color Guard Instructor

Teddi Vargas

Teddi Vargas (she/hers), originally from South Brunswick, New Jersey, currently resides in Columbus, Ohio. She started dancing and performing at the age of 3 in local dance studios and community/school theatre. During high school, she began her career in the marching arts in the color guard in 2010. Upon graduating high school, Teddi performed with several color guard organizations over the years including Emanon (2015/2016), Fusion Winter Guard (2017), the Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps (2016/2017 – serving as color guard captain in 2017), The Pride of Cincinnati Winter Guard (2018/2019), and The Pride of Cincinnati Dance Ensemble (2020). Other opportunities that color guard has given her include performing in the Super Bowl XLVIII Half-Time show as well as performing for Contemporary Color – a color guard live performance and documentary by David Byrne.

Teddi attended community college in New Jersey for two years as a dance major and participated in the college dance ensemble as both a choreographer and performer. She then continued her education at The Ohio State University where she has trained in contemporary, ballet, modern, Africanist, and Latiné styles. She will graduate from OSU with her BFA in dance with research distinction and with a focus in performance and choreography in May 2022.

As an educator, Teddi has taught for various ensembles and clinics in both her home state of New Jersey as well as in Ohio. She was also a clinician at the Phantom Regiment Color Guard experience camps in 2018 and 2019. Currently, she is a dance choreographer and technician with the Central Crossing High School Color Guard.

Teddi is thankful for the opportunity to return back home with Regiment this summer and give back to an organization that has given her so much.

Color Guard Instructor

Danielle Leininger

Danielle Leininger is a California native that now resides in Akron, Ohio where she continues to further her passion for teaching and performing. She started dancing at a young age and participated in many sports, including competitive gymnastics before finding her path in color guard. After high school, she participated in four summers of drum corps – Pacific Crest Drum & Bugle Corps (2012-2013) and Phantom Regiment Drum & Bugle Corps (2014-2015). After completing her drum corps career, she continued as an instructor with Pacific Crest from 2016-2019.

While living in California, Danielle taught color guard at various Southern California schools. She also competed with Fantasia Winter Guard (2014-2016) before moving to Ohio the following year where she continued her WGI experience with the Pride of Cincinnati (2017-2021). Danielle currently teaches and choreographs for marching band and indoor color guard programs in her surrounding area.

Danielle is thrilled to be a part of the Phantom Regiment staff for the upcoming 2022 season. She is most looking forward to giving back to the organization that helped shape her love for the drum corps activity.

Color Guard Instructor

Allison Mayer

Allison currently resides in Roswell, Georgia and has been working as a Kindergarten teacher for the past five years. She started her color guard career back in 2007 with the West Johnston High School Color Guard out of Benson, North Carolina. She then spent the summers of 2012 through 2014 performing with Phantom Regiment color guard. She has spent the winters of 2013 through 2014 with First Flight Independent World winter guard, as well as the winters of 2015-2018 and 2020 with Paramount Independent World winter guard.

As an instructor, Allison spent 2013 and 2014 teaching color guard at Marvin Ridge High School in Waxhaw, North Carolina. Since relocating from North Carolina to Georgia, she is currently teaching Mill Creek Hill School’s guard program for a fifth year. She has also spent the summers of 2015, 2016, and 2017 teaching the Crossmen Color Guard out of San Antonio, Texas. Allison has spent the previous four summers, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021, teaching the Phantom Regiment Color Guard. She is also currently teaching Reverie Independent A winterguard for the current 2022 winter season. She is beyond excited to be joining Regiment for a fifth summer!

Visual Instructor

Michael Stone

Michael Stone currently serves as Director of Bands and Choir at Bourbon County High School in Paris, Kentucky. He studied music education at Eastern Kentucky University where he received both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Music Education.

While at EKU, Stone served as Vice-President of the Eastern Trumpet Studio, President and Drum Major of the Marching Colonels, and played principal trumpet in each of the university’s top-level ensembles. In the summer of 2011, he performed with the Glassmen Drum and Bugle Corps.

In December of 2015, Stone accepted a job at Bourbon County as the Middle School Director of Bands and Assistant High School Director alongside Eric Hale. He co-founded the Bluegrass Regional Honor Band and hosts it each year to provide more performance opportunities for the students of central Kentucky. In the two years Stone and Hale worked together, the Marching Band was awarded the Class AAA KMEA State Champion in 2016 and 2017. The middle school bands consistently received distinguished ratings at Concert Band Assessment Upon Hale’s retirement in December of 2017, Stone took the role of the Director of Bands and Choirs. Since then, the high school concert band received distinguished ratings at Concert Band Assessment, the band’s drumline was selected to perform with the internationally-known group All That! Clogging, and the Marching Band won the 2018 KMEA Class AAA State Championship as well as the 2018 and 2019 Bands of America Class A National Championship.

Michael serves on committees within his school district, the KMEA Marching Band Committee, the BOA Marching Band Advisory board, and the 2022 BOA Tournament of Roses Honor Band Faculty. Recently, the Bourbon County Band was selected as a participant for the 2022 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Stone also arranges his own marching band music, and writes drill and choreography. In 2020, Michael was named the Phi Beta Mu Young Bandmaster of the Year in Kentucky. Outside of band, Michael enjoys home renovation, yard work, hiking, and traveling. He resides in Lexington, KY with his partner, Josh, their dog, Jackson, and two cats, Bella and Cheyenne.

Visual Instructor

Michelle Stanley

Michelle Stanley, originally from Southern California, is currently a doctoral student in the Urban and Regional Sciences Program at Texas A&M University and conducts research with the Hazard Reduction and Recovery Center. Michelle previously graduated from the University of Miami (FL) with a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in environmental engineering.

In addition to being a student, Michelle supports the visual programs of the A&M Consolidated High School Marching Band, the Bryan High School Marching Band, Rhythmic Force Percussion (Austin, TX), and the independent winds ensemble Empyrean Winds (Richmond, VA). As an instructor, Michelle’s responsibilities have included teaching marching and movement fundamentals, creating choreography and drill, and overseeing physical training and member wellness. Michelle has also previously worked with Powhatan High School’s Marching Band and Varsity Indoor Drumline (Powhatan, VA) and spent the 2021 summer on staff with Genesis Drum & Bugle Corps (Austin, TX).

In addition to teaching in the marching arts, Michelle is a passionate ACE certified group fitness instructor with the Texas A&M University Department of Recreational Sports. She is trained in a variety of formats including strength training, barre, yoga, cycle, rowing, kickboxing, boxing, and outdoor bootcamps.

Michelle’s performance experience includes four years with the University of Miami (FL) marching band and two years with the Santa Clara Vanguard (2016, 2017) on mellophone. Michelle also still enjoys playing the french horn in the Texas A&M University Symphonic Winds ensemble.

Brass Instructor

Matthew Distante

Matthew Distante is a freelance musician and music educator based out of Southern California. He has taught both music and visual at 9 different high school programs over the past four years, including Gahr High School, University High School, and Santa Margarita Catholic High School. He has also had the privilege to write drill and choreograph for the Long Beach City College Viking Show Band in the spring of 2019. Matthew graduated from California State University, Long Beach in the spring of 2021 with two bachelor degrees in Music Education and Tuba Performance. He is about to start substitute teaching in Irvine, California and is continuing his education by pursuing his Single Subject Teaching Credential in Music at CSULB. Matthew hopes to one day become an instrumental music director at a high school or collegiate level.

Matthew’s drum corps journey began as a member of the Pacific Crest Drum & Bugle Corps contra line from 2016-2017. He then spent 4 years with the Santa Clara Vanguard contra line from 2018-2021, earning a DCI World Championship in 2018 and playing a sousaphone solo in 2019. Outside of DCI, Matthew also has extensive WGI experience, playing electric bass with Vessel in 2018, being a featured guitarist/visual soloist with POW Percussion in 2019, and being a member of Pulse Percussion’s visual ensemble in 2020.

Outside of education and the marching arts, Matthew is an active freelance musician, regularly performing around Southern California. His most notable performances include playing tuba in the Santa Monica Symphony, playing sousaphone with Tamborazo Aguila Y Serpiente in Los Angeles’ historic Placita Olvera, and playing bass at the 540 capacity Garden Amphitheatre with his band, Salt Water Taffy. Outside of music, Matthew enjoys coffee, yoga, and cats.

Matthew is extremely humbled to be working with the 2022 Phantom Regiment and cannot wait to get started.

Brass Instructor

Jacob Diewald

Jacob Diewald is a performer and educator based out of Dallas, Texas and serves as the Associate Director of Bands at Plano Senior High School. At PSHS, Diewald teaches the Plano Jazz Ensemble, the Plano Jazz Collective, conducts Concert Band 1, and assists with all performing ensembles and functions of the program. Mr. Diewald is a proud graduate of Texas Tech University graduating Magna Cum Laude, and receiving a Bachelor Degree in Music Education with a Jazz Studies Certificate.

At Texas Tech, Diewald studied trumpet under the tutelage of Dr. Andrew Stetson, conducting with Dr. Sarah McKoin along with Dr. Eric Allen, and Jazz Studies with Dr. Benjamin Haugland and Steven Jones. As a performer, he has performed with both TTU Jazz Bands and Jazz Combos, all Concert Bands including the Symphonic Wind Ensembles’ 2018 Midwest performance, and a multitude of Chamber ensembles. As a member of the trumpet studio, Diewald was a part of Trumpet Ensembles that were competitive at the live rounds of the National Trumpet Competition, and presented at the International Trumpet Guild Convention. In 2019, he was chosen to perform as a Quarter-Finalist in the Solo Division at the National Trumpet Competition. During his tenure at Texas Tech, Diewald established the “TTU Swing Dance Jazz Band” and the charitable event “A Night of Swing along side the music Fraternities and Sororities at TTU.”

During the summers, Diewald serves on the Brass Staff at The Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps where he has been since the 2019 season. Prior to his appointment at Phantom, he marched trumpet with The Santa Clara Vanguard in the 2016 and 2018 seasons. Along with that, he has served on the staff at the Texas Tech Band and Orchestra Camp. Outside of his school duties performs with the Dallas Based Brass Band, Baba Yaga Orkestar, and is a freelance musician around the DFW area.

Brass Instructor

Stone Wang

Stone Wang is a Texas native currently living in Austin. Stone is the assistant band director of Walsh Middle School of Round Rock Texas, the school’s honors include being invited to the 2021 Midwest Clinic in Chicago. He attended The University of Texas at Austin where he studied Horn under Pat Hughes and received his Bachelor degree in Music Studies.

This will be Stone’s 4th year teaching brass for the Phantom Regiment. Outside of his affiliation with the Regiment, Stone’s marching arts background includes being an alumnus of the Santa Clara Vanguard, teaching visual at the Guardians Drum and Bugle Corps, and serving as visual coordinator of Rhythmic Force Independent Percussion.

Stone is very grateful for this opportunity to teach and be a part of a strong community inspired by the arts. The gift of music is something to be cherished always, and Stone is excited to be able to contribute to the inspirational drum corps that is Phantom Regiment. In his spare time, Mr. Wang likes to teach, support local activism, and play mahjong with friends.

Brass Instructor

Madison Ray

Madison Ray currently serves as the Director of Bands at Walhalla Middle School and Assistant Director of the Walhalla High School Marching Band in the upstate of South Carolina. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Music Education with a performance certificate from the University of South Carolina. Prior to her current position, she taught masterclasses and coached marching bands in the Columbia, SC area, including White Knoll High School.

Madison is passionate about youth educational outreach. Her teaching philosophy is that all students should have access to a music education regardless of financial obstacles or intellectual and physical challenges. She hopes to continue providing a well-rounded education for as many students as possible, and to spread the knowledge she has gained from her previous teachers and performing experiences.

While at the University of South Carolina, Madison enjoyed performing with the Carolina Band, UofSC Wind Ensemble, and UofSC Symphony Orchestra. She is also a founding member of Cor4, a horn quartet based out of Columbia, SC. She was a member of the mellophone line with the Blue Knights Drum and Bugle Corps in 2017. Additionally, she has marched with the Santa Clara Vanguard, where she won the title of 2018 DCI World Champion and 2018 Jim Ott Brass Award.

Visual Instructor

Dan Adams

Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, Dan is excited to start his 20th year in the Drum Corps activity. As a young marching member of the Santa Clara Vanguard Drum & Bugle Corps (2001, 2003-2006) Dan developed a strong passion for education in the marching arts. Since then, he has served on the instructional staff of the Santa Clara Vanguard Cadets, Pacific Crest, Arizona Academy, and the Spirit of Atlanta. Most notably, Dan was the Visual Caption Head for the Spirit of Atlanta from 2012-2014 and 2019.

Before joining the Phantom Regiment, Dan previously served as a musician with the United States Army Band. As an Army Bandsman, he played numerous high profile events in support of our soldiers and our communities as a member of both the 113th Army Band in Fort Knox, KY and the 283rd Maneuver Centre of Excellence Band in Fort Benning, GA. He currently serves with the 300th Army Reserve Band and holds a BA in Music Education from CSUSB as well as a MM in Trumpet Performance from the University of Redlands.

Currently, Dan is the Director of Bands at Pasadena High School & the PUSD Allstar Marching Band Director in Pasadena, Ca.

Brass Instructor

Scott Whitford

Scott Whitford is thrilled to join The Phantom Regiment brass team. Hailing from Philadelphia, PA, Scott is a freelance trumpet player active in the greater Philadelphia area. He is also sought after throughout the year as an instrumental music instructor and clinician.

Since 2014, Scott has had the privilege of serving as Brass Caption Manager and on the design team for the nine-time Drum Corps Japan Division 1 Champion Yokohama Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps. Scott is a graduate of Ball State University where he studied trumpet performance under the guidance of Larry McWilliams. As a student at Ball State, he also had the immense privilege of studying with Dr. Tim Lautzenhieser. Scott later received his Instrumental Music Education Certification from Indiana Wesleyan University and was a band director in the state of Indiana.

Scott is in high demand as an instructor, clinician, adjudicator, and consultant to jazz bands, concert bands, as well as marching bands and drum and bugle corps across the United States and Asia. Over the years, he has had the privilege of instructing The Santa Clara Vanguard, The Boston Crusaders, The Cadets, and others. Scott has also had the pleasure of working with dozens of marching bands throughout the Midwest including Marian Catholic High School, The Carmel Marching Greyhounds, Avon Marching Black and Gold, Lawrence Central SPIRIT of Central, five-time BOA Grand National 1A Champion Western High School Marching Panthers just to name a few.

As a trumpet player, Scott is on call for studio recording sessions, corporate events and party bands, and actively tours with various national acts and Broadway productions. He is Lead Trumpet and Featured Soloist with In The Mood Live: A 1940s Big Band Revue, National and International tours and has appeared with numerous groups including the Global Jazz Orchestra in Osaka, Japan, Contemporary Jazz Orchestra in San Francisco, Legally Blonde: The Musical, National and International tours, Kinky Boots, Jersey Boys, The Rat Pack: Reunited, The Temptations, The Coasters, The Dynamics, and many others. Scott is an official Talent Vendor for Carnival Cruise Lines and has a passion for guiding young performers through the challenges and opportunities of burgeoning professional careers. Scott is very excited to get to work with The Phantom Regiment and is looking forward to serving such an innovative and distinguished organization.

Tour Assistant

Sammie Newcomb

Samantha (Sammie) Newcomb is excited to join Phantom Regiment on the road for the 2022 summer tour for her second season as a Tour Assistant on the Operations team!

Sammie is currently in her third year as the Orchestra Director, Assistant Band Director, and Guitar Instructor at North Augusta High School in North Augusta, SC. A native of Fayetteville, NC, she graduated magna cum laude from the University of South Carolina in May 2019 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education with an emphasis in instrumental music, where she studied French Horn under JD Shaw. While at UofSC, Sammie performed on horn with the Symphony Orchestra, Symphonic Winds, and Wind Ensemble. She also performed with the Basketball Pep Band, Volleyball Band, and UofSC’s marching band- The Carolina Band, on mellophone. During her four years of service with The Carolina Band, Sammie was a mellophone section leader for the 2017 season, and was on Senior Staff for the 2018 season. Her experience with drum corps began as a member of the Blue Stars Drum and Bugle Corps hornline in 2017 on mellophone.

Before her time at North Augusta High School, Sammie worked with high school and middle school programs across North and South Carolina as a French Horn instructor and marching band technician. In addition to her teaching responsibilities, Sammie performs as a freelance musician in the Columbia/Aiken/Augusta area, performing with ensembles such as the Savannah River Winds and the Aiken Symphony Orchestra.

Professional affiliations include Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Band Fraternity, the National Association for Music Educators, and the South Carolina Music Educators Association.

Sammie Newcomb currently resides in Grovetown, GA with her cat, Pancake.

Visual Instructor

Megan Storey

Megan Storey is originally from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. A dancer from the age of three, she attended and graduated from the Honors College at the University of Oklahoma with a BFA in Dance Performance, during which she performed works by prestigious choreographers such as Donald McKayle, Martha Graham and Andrea Miller, as well as attended the renowned Contemporary Program at the School of Jacob’s Pillow. Upon graduation, Storey accepted a position with Dallas Black Dance Theater, later went on to perform commercial work based in Atlanta, Georgia, and now has held a company position with Bruce Wood Dance Company in Dallas, Texas since 2018. During her time at Bruce Wood, she has worked with notable choreographers such as Yin Yue, Omar Roman de Jesus, Kate Skarpetowska and Lar Lubovitch. This is her first season working with the Regiment and is very excited to work with the corps.

Percussion Instructor

Angelo Makropoulos

Angelo Makropoulos has been working with the Phantom Regiment since 2018 on the audio/percussion staff. From the South Chicago Suburbs, Angelo is an Assistant Band Director/Director of Percussion at Marian Catholic High School. He is also on staff with Cap City Percussion from Columbus, OH.

He received a degree in Music Education with a minor in Music Business from Western Illinois University where he served as the drum major of the Marching Leathernecks, and principal percussionist of the WIU Bands and Orchestra. He has also earned his Masters in Music Education from The Vandercook College of Music. Angelo is an alumnus of the Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps and is endorsed by  Innovative Percussion, Mapex/Majestic Percussion, Remo Drumheads, and Zildjian Cymbals.