Guard
Elizabeth Downey, Guard Sponsor
Ricardo Robinson-Shinall, Guard Coordinator
Ricardo Robinson-Shinall is currently Colorguard Director and Fine Arts Department Chair at Braden River High School in Bradenton, Florida where he teaches dance and theatre. In his 10 years at Braden River, the Marching Band of Pirates has been FL Class AAA State Champions 5 times! The Braden River Winterguards are consistently in the top of their respective classes in the FFCC and have been WGI Regional Finalist.
Ricardo is originally from MS where he attended the University of Southern Mississippi and was both Colorguard Captain/Coordinator and Drum Major for the Pride of MS Marching Band. While in MS, Ricardo was the Colorguard Director for the Petal High School Marching Band which won numerous state and regional Championships in band and colorguard. He served for 10 years as the Colorguard Director/Coordinator for the East Central Community College Wall O’ Sound Band in Decatur MS.
Ricardo has numerous choreography, design, and consultation credits for colorguards and bands throughout the World including Spirit of Atlanta Drum and Bugle Corps, U.S.F. Winterguard and University of South Florida Winterguard, McEachern HS (GA), Jackson Academy (MS), Columbia HS (MS), Denham Springs HS (LA), Amor Independent Winterguard (AL), Optemystic Independent Winterguard (MS), eMenience Indoor Percussion Theatre (MS), Lafayette HS (LA), and the University of Louisiana at Lafayette (LA). Currently, Ricardo is the colorguard designer for the 2-time DCI Soundsport Champion the Medellin Gran Banda from Medellin, Colombia.
An active member of the Gulf Coast Judges Association, Ricardo has judged and critiqued top programs from all across the country. He has served on the Bands of America/Music for All Summer Symposium colorguard staff since 2003. In addition to colorguard and band, Ricardo is an active show choir, musical theatre, and dance company choreographer and director. His performance credits include the Spirit of Atlanta Drum and Bugle Corps Colorguard 1998, Optemystic Independent Winterguard (1999-2003), eMenience Indoor Percussion Theatre (2004), and the 2001 DCI World Champions the Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps.
Hannah Nelms, Guard Instructor
Hannah Nelmshas been involved with colorguard since 2012. As a performer, Hannah has marched with Paramount World (2020), Paramount Open (2018, 2019), Crossmen (2019), Atlanta CV (2018). She is currently a Junior at Kennesaw State University where she is studying Integrative Studies (Art and Psychology). She plans to attend Georgia College to attain Masters in Art Therapy.
Hannah always has snacks and knows how to juggle.
Azia Samuels, Guard Instructor
Azia Samuels is a current undergrad student at Georgia State University, pursuing her Bachelor of Music in Music Education. She has served as a visual technician and a sectional coach for her Alma Mater the past three years. Azia has been a part of many large and small performance ensembles at GSU, including principal flute of the Wind Orchestra, piccolo player and color guard member of the Panther Band, and performance member of the Open Class Winter Guard. She was awarded the Georgia State University School of Music Scholarship and has been on the University Dean’s List for several consecutive semesters.
Percussion Staff
Selena Sanchez, Percussion Director
Selena Sanchez is Band Director at Durham Middle School and Percussion Director at Allatoona High School – both in Acworth, Georgia. Selena received her Bachelor of Music in Music Education from Kennesaw State University. Her teachers include John Lawless, Scott Brown, and Cecilia Clark.
Ms. Sanchez is an active music educator and performer. She has worked with numerous middle and high schools throughout Cobb County, where she served as a percussion clinician and instructor. Additionally, she maintains a private percussion studio. As a performer, Ms. Sanchez is currently a member of the Cobb Wind Symphony in Marietta, Georgia, under the direction of Alfred Watkins. She has performed in numerous settings ranging from symphony orchestras, wind ensembles, percussion
Ms. Sanchez’s professional affiliations include the National Association for Music Education, Georgia Music Educators Association, Percussive Arts Society, and Tau Beta Sigma National Honorary Band Service Sorority.
Eric Ramos, Percussion Arranger
Brandon Delgado
Nicholle Beck
Music/Visual
Anna Campbell
Tanner Hill
Rayford Levy
Matt Segar
Collin Siesel
Design Team
Michael Martin, Arranger
A native of Marietta, Georgia, Michael Martin became the youngest member of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Boston Pops as Third/Utility trumpet in July 2010, at the age of 24. Mr. Martin attended Northwestern University where he received both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Trumpet Performance as a student of Barbara Butler and Charles Geyer. Prior to joining the Boston Symphony, Mr. Martin performed with a diverse array of professional orchestras, chamber ensembles, and performing artists including the Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, and Honolulu symphonies, the Malaysian and Seoul Philharmonics, the Tanglewood Music Center, the Pacific Music Festival, the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, the Axiom Brass, the Burning River Brass, the Pacifica Quartet, “eighth blackbird”, and Sufjan Stevens. As a member of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Mr. Martin can be heard on numerous recordings under Music Director Andris Nelsons, including the BSO’s GRAMMY winning albums featuring the symphonies of Shostakovich.
Mr. Martin has long been devoted to both performing and creating music at the highest artistic level and has become an extremely sought-after musician in both disciplines, forging a unique niche within the world of professional music. After completing his studies at Northwestern University, Mr. Martin was invited to study doctoral-level orchestration at the University of Chicago with renowned conductor and composer, Cliff Colnot. Mr. Martin has collaborated with and been commissioned by members of the Atlanta, Boston, and Chicago Symphonies, the Boston Pops, the Los Angeles and New York Philharmonics, the Chicago Chamber Musicians, and the University of Houston Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Martin’s music for wind ensemble has been performed by collegiate and professional ensembles across the country including the Dallas Winds and the wind ensembles of the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, Northwestern University, Oklahoma State University, St. Olaf College, the University of Georgia, the University of North Texas, and the University of Texas at Austin and abroad by the Honk Kong Wind Philharmonia.
Mr. Martin is also on faculty as Visiting Professor of Trumpet at the University of Texas at Austin. Prior to joining the faculty at the University of Texas at Austin, Mr. Martin served on the faculty of the New England Conservatory from 2012-2016 and has given master classes at Boston University, Northwestern University, and the University of Texas.
Michael Martin is a Yamaha Performing Artist.
Andrew Ebert, Drill Designer
Andrew Ebert is a full-time designer and clinician for the marching arts-based out of Greenville, SC where he lives with his wife and two children. He has a degree in secondary education from Western Michigan University.
Andrew began his marching career with the Glassmen Drum and Bugle Corps in 2000 and aged out of the Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corps in 2004. Following his age-out season, he joined the staff of the Carolina Crown. Since 2005, Andrew has worked with Carolina Crown, the Madison Scouts, and the Troopers in a variety of roles. 2019 will be Andrew’s third year with the Crossmen, serving in the role of Visual Designer.
Outside of drum corps, Andrew has been a part of programs all around the country including state champions, BOA Regional champions, BOA Grand Nationals class medalists and champions, and BOA Grand National Finalists. Andrew is also involved within WGI Percussion, most notably as a Co-Founder and designer for Redline Percussion starting in 2008 and more recently as a member of the design team with Infinity Percussion.