Instructional Staff
Who's teaching each World Class corps in 2026, the who behind the scores. Sourced from corps announcements, social media, and official program listings.
Staff Moves Tracker
Who is teaching and designing where, tracked year-round. Staff moves are the off-season's real scoreboard: the book a corps performs next summer is being written by these hires now.
New Arranger/Caption Manager alongside Scott Johnson (who remains Arranger/Caption Head) on Blue Devils percussion — a staff addition, not the takeover a fan video claimed.
SourceNew Arranger/Brass Caption Head for Blue Devils 2027. (A circulating fan video spelled this 'Ronin' and claimed Chip Kratz moves to an advisor role — Kratz does not appear on the official staff page at all; that claim is unconfirmed and not included here.)
SourceVisual Caption Head for Blue Devils 2027, alongside Jaime Holly (Caption Head/Designer).
SourceVisual Caption Head/Designer for Blue Devils 2027, alongside Peter Beckhart.
SourceBrass Caption Head for Phantom Regiment 2027. (Fan video spelled this 'Brian Warfield'; corrected from regiment.org's official design-team post.)
SourceVisual Caption Head for Phantom Regiment 2027. (Fan video rendered this 'Noah Wy'; corrected from regiment.org.)
SourceNew Battery Arranger & Coordinator, added to Troopers percussion alongside continuing Percussion Arranger/Caption Manager Lauren Teel (not a joint 'promotion' of both — Teel already held the caption role; Cavazos is the new addition).
SourceNew Visual Caption Manager as Vanguard fills the seats their departures created.
SourceNew Movement Caption Manager alongside Brenneis.
SourceBlue Devils and Phantom Regiment drill credits; joins Troopers' otherwise-returning design team.
SourceFrom Cavaliers and Madison Scouts; Troopers' other new hire in a mostly-continuity year.
SourceA decade as SCV's Visual Caption Manager; promoted to run Regiment's program and staff.
SourceBuilt Mandarins' visual identity as Creative Director; now leads Regiment's creative direction for 2027.
SourceFive Fred Sanford Awards and a 2018 title from SCV percussion; now runs Regiment's front ensemble.
SourceA decade in SCV's battery moves to Regiment's battery book.
SourceSCV's Movement & Choreography Caption Manager joins Regiment's design team.
SourceMarched SCV; designed for Mandarins and Pacific Crest. Now Regiment's sound designer.
SourceFrom Bluecoats music design and Mandarins brass arranging — steps in as JD Shaw's successor, not a promote-from-within.
Source17 years, two rings (2008 Regiment, 2018 SCV), three corps. No internal successor — Regiment brought in Vince Oliver instead.
SourceBlue Knights' drill designer since 2024, ex-Regiment visual assistant and SCV assistant visual caption head — the Cavaliers' only staff change for 2027.
SourceGenesis cite rising operational costs and will not field a corps for the 2027 season.
SourceGeorgia Tech administrator named Corps Director.
SourceNamed Executive Director at Hawthorne Caballeros (DCA).
Senior Director for the 2027 return. The corps sat out 2026 on a strategic hiatus; the board voted in July to begin the process of returning to the field, and the leadership that will carry it is already named.
SourceMandarins alum leading the Drum Corps Steering Committee that is planning the 2027 return to competition.
SourceMusic Coordinator, Composer and Brass Arranger. DCI Hall of Fame (2019), on the Blue Devils brass staff since 1994 and still arranging for the BD A, B and C corps. The strongest Concord-to-San-Antonio design pipeline the Crossmen have ever had.
SourceColts install a new percussion team led by Peterman (ex-Carolina Crown / Cadets). Fresh battery direction. watch the percussion caption trend through July.
SourceColts reset their visual staff for 2026 under new caption head Chowning. Expect a cleaner visual read once the new drill language installs.
SourceWith Keith Potter gone to Carolina Crown, the reigning World Champion elevates longtime guard/choreography chief Michael Townsend to Design & Artistic Lead. Boston's 2026 program now runs through an internal hand.
SourceDaughtrey returns to lead Madison's visual program (prior Crossmen visual designer), joined by alumni co-caption heads. a visual-staff reset for the Scouts.
SourceTroy University music-ed professor added as Brass Caption Supervisor. a 'teacher of teachers' hire aimed at steadier brass-staff consistency.
SourceNew Battery Caption Manager for the Blue Stars' 2026 percussion staff.
SourceVeteran visual designer joins Spirit's 2026 design team for the corps's 50th-anniversary year. added visual depth for a program on the rise.
SourceWGI Hall of Famer (2019) joins Spirit as design consultant; pedigree includes Carolina Crown, Bluecoats, The Cavaliers and Troopers.
SourceThe headline move of the offseason: the Artistic Director who led Boston to its first-ever 2025 World Championship leaves the champion to run Crown's program. Crown's design ceiling jumps; Boston must prove the title wasn't Potter-dependent.
SourceVisual Design Advisor added to Crown for 2026. WGI executive, former Crown guard caption head, and architect of Carmel HS's WGI/BOA dynasty. Strengthens Crown's visual/guard design alongside Potter.
SourceFormer Madison Scouts Program Coordinator, now Troopers' Production Coordinator (joined 2024 as a design consultant). continuity in Troopers' design direction.
SourceOn the wire
- 2026-09-27 Mandarins Mandarins 2027 Design Team
- 2026-09-26 Mandarins Mandarins 2027 Admin Leadership
- 2026-09-23 Blue Devils The Blue Devils Welcome Peter Beckhart as 2027 Visual Caption Head Meet Peter Beckhart,
- 2026-09-22 Colts Colts Tap Current Instructional Staff To Lead Captions
- 2026-09-18 Colts Tony Hall Joins Colts Design Team In 2027
- 2026-09-17 Crossmen We’re excited to welcome reid griffin to the 2027 crossmen staff as our visual caption head
- 2026-09-17 Blue Devils John Mapes Joins the Blue Devils Percussion Team for 2027
- 2026-09-15 Colts Ballard Named Colts Corps Director
- 2026-09-14 Blue Knights Blue Knights Announce 2027 Design Team
- 2026-09-11 Blue Knights Blue Knights Name Mike Jackson Percussion Designer and Music Coordinator
- 2026-09-11 Blue Knights James Barnes named Executive Director of Blue Knights Drum and Bugle Corps
- 2026-09-11 Troopers Troopers Announce Caption Management Team
Items here come straight from corps and league announcements and have not yet been verified into the tracker above.
- Director Joe Roach
- Program Coordinator Keith Potter 🔄 NEW from Boston Crusaders
- Program Coordinator Reid Atkinson
- Brass Michael Klesch
- Percussion Joe Hobbs
- Visual Designer Jeff Sacktig
- Visual Designer Rosie Miller Queen
- Color Guard Tyler Edrington
- Director Jeff MacFarlane ⚠️ unverified
- Director Kathleen Ballard ⚠️ unverified
- Director Vicki MacFarlane
- Program Coordinator Don Click
- Brass Chad Miller
- Percussion Alan Kiser ⚠️ unverified
- Percussion Travis Peterman 🔄 NEW from Carolina Crown
- Visual Designer Zac Chowning
- Color Guard Fernando Rodriguez
- Director David Lofy
- Program Coordinator Mark Waymire
- Brass Scott Boerma
- Brass Susan L. Smith
- Percussion James Sparling
- Visual Designer Blake Daughtrey 🔄 NEW from Crossmen
- Color Guard PJ Tankard
- Director Chris Moore
- Program Coordinator Gilles Ouellette
- Brass Michael Martin
- Percussion Adam Wiencken
- Percussion Andy Filipiak
- Visual Designer Bradley Klemmensen
- Visual Designer Daniel Wiles
- Visual Designer Richard Hinshaw 🔄 NEW from Colts
- Color Guard Korey Craven
- Director Michael D. Gough ⚠️ unverified
- Program Coordinator Jason Robb 🔄 NEW from Madison Scouts
- Program Coordinator Justin Ratcliff ⚠️ unverified
- Program Coordinator Justin Shelton ⚠️ unverified
- Program Coordinator Ritika Deivasigamani ⚠️ unverified
- Brass Matt Stratton ⚠️ unverified
- Brass Tim Snyder
- Brass Tim Snyder ⚠️ unverified
- Percussion David Cavazos ⚠️ unverified
- Percussion Lauren Teel
- Percussion Paul Rennick
- Percussion Sandi Rennick
- Visual Designer Andrew Ebert
- Visual Designer Chris McCarthy ⚠️ unverified
- Visual Designer Dr. Taylor Winkler ⚠️ unverified
- Visual Designer Mark Moreno ⚠️ unverified
- Color Guard Chris McCarthy
- Color Guard Heather Stone ⚠️ unverified
- Program Coordinator Scott Chandler
- Brass Cameron "Chip" Crotts
- Brass Dave Glyde
- Percussion Brian Dinkel
- Percussion Scott Johnson
- Visual Designer Jay Murphy
- Color Guard TJ Doucette
- Director Mark Arnold
- Program Coordinator Jed Weeks
- Brass Felix Cruz III
- Brass Jay Bocook
- Brass Leslie Gilreath
- Brass Thomas Hubel
- Percussion Taha Ahmed
- Visual Designer Trevor Stojanovich
- Color Guard Brandy DuBose
- Director Brad Harris
- Program Coordinator Michael Shapiro
- Brass Travis Larson
- Percussion Jacob Gall
- Visual Designer Luke Zamprelli
- Color Guard John Kregler
- Program Coordinator Jonathan Vanderkolff
- Brass Doug Thrower
- Brass Dr. Drew Dickey
- Brass Dylan Toombs ⚠️ unverified
- Brass Kevin LeBoeuf
- Percussion Allen Justus
- Percussion Jacob Koch ⚠️ unverified
- Percussion Roger Carter
- Percussion Tom Rarick
- Visual Designer Jarrod Huntley
- Visual Designer Willie Veenstra
- Color Guard Ian Lewis ⚠️ unverified
- Color Guard Jaycee Wilson
- Color Guard Jim Moore
- Director Chris Holland
- Program Coordinator Michael Townsend
- Program Coordinator Ryan George
- Brass Gino Cipriani
- Percussion Colin McNutt
- Visual Designer Aaron Bailey
- Visual Designer Leon May
- Director Rico Gomez
- Program Coordinator Michael Hardiek
- Brass Connor Vaughn
- Brass John Meehan
- Percussion Noah Avelar
- Visual Designer Tony Mencio
- Color Guard Rachel Montanez
- Director Chris Magonigal
- Director Edward Gobbel
- Brass Dillon Junkin
- Brass Timothy Leonelli
- Percussion Jonathan Anderson
- Visual Designer Peter Bates
- Visual Designer Sam Spidle
- Color Guard Ali Martinez
- Program Coordinator Shane Gwaltney
- Brass Michael J. Miller
- Percussion CJ Barrow
- Percussion Dr. Brian Tinkel
- Visual Designer Jason Palmer
- Color Guard Brandon Smith
- Director Stuart Pompel
- Program Coordinator Christopher Drew Dickey
- Brass Matt Owen
- Percussion Eric Shriver
- Color Guard Chadd Hartman
- Director Dwight Emmert
- Program Coordinator Matt Hartwell
- Brass JD Shaw
- Percussion Tyler Sammons
- Visual Designer Steven Estudillo
- Color Guard Eryn Boone
- Director Giovanna Bastante-Siegelman
- Program Coordinator Dan Morrison
- Brass Dr. Daniel Cook
- Brass Evan VanDoren
- Brass Taylor Smith
- Percussion Paul Rennick
- Percussion Sandi Rennick
- Visual Designer Andy Toth
- Visual Designer Bart Woodley
- Visual Designer Conrad Isenhour
- Visual Designer Michael Gaines
- Color Guard Daniel Riley
- Color Guard Tyler Richards
- Director Josh Thye
- Brass Michael Weber
- Percussion Dakota McConnell
- Visual Designer Andrew Gregory
- Visual Designer Robert Peterson
- Color Guard Jared Littleton
- Color Guard Roxy Lazaro
- Director Daniel Belcher
- Brass Jay Bocook
- Percussion Josh Brickey
- Visual Designer Peter Weber
- Color Guard John Leonard