Josh Byrd is Director of Bands and Assistant Professor of Music at the University of West Georgia. Dr. Byrd received his Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Conducting from the University of Georgia and a Master of Music degree and Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and the University of Georgia, respectively. Dr. Byrd studied saxophone with Kenneth Fischer while working on his bachelor’s degree and his conducting teachers include John Lynch, Tom Dvorak, Dwight Satterwhite and John Culvahouse. After graduating from UGA in 2000, Dr. Byrd taught for three years in the Atlanta area at Norcross High School and Lanier Middle School. Following his masters studies he served as the Director of Bands at Arrowhead High School in Hartland, Wisconsin from 2005-2008. Dr. Byrd remains active in the southeast as a clinician, adjudicator, and arranger. His professional affiliations include the College Band Directors National Association, the National Band Association, Pi Kappa Lambda, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia and Kappa Kappa Psi. In addition to band activities, Dr. Byrd teaches orchestration & arranging, technology & improvisation, percussion techniques, and instrumental music education courses.

Mr. Jeff Harper is currently in his fifth year as Associate Director of Bands at Lassiter High School in Marietta, GA. Prior to his appointment at Lassiter, Mr. Harper served as the Director of Bands at McEachern High School in Powder Springs, GA. While at McEachern, the band program was selected as a feature group for the 2012 University of Georgia High School Music Festival and selected as a feature group at the 2013 Georgia Music Educator’s Association. Before his appointment at McEachern High School, he was the Associate Director of Bands at Kennesaw Mountain High School from 2000 to 2009 and Director of Bands at the West Cobb School (1998-2000). While teaching at Kennesaw Mountain High School, the band program received acclaim through national and regional performances including the Midwest Band and Orchestra clinic, Bands of America, and Winterguard International. Mr. Harper received a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Georgia and a Master of Music Education Degree from the University of Illinois. While at UGA, Mr. Harper studied trumpet with Albert Ligotti, Moffit Williams, and Fred Mills. His conducting teachers include Dr. Dwight Satterwhite, Dr. John Culvahouse, and Mr. James Keene. Also, Mr. Harper was Drum Major of the University’s Redcoat Marching Band. Mr. Harper was a member of the Cadets of Bergen County Drum and Bugle Corps from Bergenfield, New Jersey in 1996 and In 1998, was a staff member with the Cadets, who won the Drum Corps International World Championship. Mr. Harper serves as a guest clinician throughout the country for presenting sessions to marching bands, concert bands and leadership seminars. In 2002, Mr. Harper began judging for both Drum Corps International and Bands of America and continues to judge throughout the United States and abroad. Mr. Harper has recently served as an adjudicator/clinician for Drum Corps Japan (2009/2011) and the Japan Marching Band Association (2010). In 2012, Mr. Harper was inducted in to Phi Beta Mu and became a four-time recipient of the Citation Excellence Award presented by the National Band Association in 2012, 2013 and 2018. In addition to judging, Mr. Harper has held annual leadership camps and clinics for students at the University of Georgia and Georgia State University. Mr. Harper currently resides with his husband and son in Kennesaw, Georgia.

This will be Jeff Harper’s tenth year serving on faculty for the Summer Leadership Institute.

Matthew M. McCord is an accomplished attorney who has helped many clients in the Atlanta area with both criminal defense and personal injury cases. The Law Office of Matthew M. McCord, P.C. is based in McDonough, Georgia. McCord provides clients in Atlanta, Jonesboro, Fayetteville, and the surrounding cities and counties with aggressive, passionate, and informed representation. After receiving his law degree from Georgia State University College of Law, McCord worked as a prosecutor for the government as well as a defense attorney for insurance companies. He spent two years working for the Clayton County solicitor general and one year as an assistant district attorney for Newton County. These experiences gave him the well-rounded perspective he brings to his practice today. Matthew McCord also holds a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of South Carolina, Columbia.

Dr. Tonya Mitchell is the Assistant Director of Bands and Associate Director of Athletic Bands at the University of South Carolina. There, she assists with the Carolina Band, directs the women’s basketball band, and conducts the University Band. Dr. Mitchell also teaches courses in the music education department and oversees student teachers. Prior to her appointment at USC, Dr. Mitchell served as interim Director of Athletic Bands at Valdosta State University in Valdosta, GA, and spent 4 years as band director at Chamblee Charter High School in Chamblee, GA.

Dr. Mitchell is a frequent adjudicator, clinician, and speaker. As a proponent of new music, she led the consortium and premiere of Aaron Perrine’s Beneath a Canvas of with the University of Kansas Wind Ensemble to complete her doctoral studies. Her research on Joan Tower’s Fanfares for the Uncommon Woman is published in the Alta Musica journal; she also presented this research at the International Society for the Promotion of Wind Band in Oberwölz, Austria. Additionally, Dr. Mitchell serves as New Music Editor for the Women Band Director’s International Journal. As a champion for women in music, she was honored to speak in the 2018 Tau Beta Sigma Women in Music series.

Dr. Mitchell received her Bachelor of Music Education degree with a minor in wind conducting from Indiana University where she was also drum major of the Marching Hundred. She holds a Master of Music Education degree from the University of Georgia, and a Doctor of Musical Arts in Wind Conducting degree from the University of Kansas. Dr. Mitchell is a member of Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Band Fraternity, and an honorary member of Tau Beta Sigma.

Dr. Mitchell is the newly appointed Director of Wind Band Studies at Penn State University, where she will begin this fall.

David Roth joined the faculty at Kell High School as the Assistant Director of Bands in 2008 and was named as Director of Bands in 2011.  As Assistant Director of Bands at Kell, he had the honor of conducting the Kell Wind Symphony during their performance at the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago and assisted with the marching band program as they won two back-to-back BOA Regional Championships in 2010.  Prior to joining the Kell program, he was the Assistant Director of Bands at Kennesaw Mountain High School, where he was the primary conductor of the Concert I and Concert II Bands and assisted with the Marching Band, Wind Symphony, and Symphonic Band.  In December 2006, he had the honor of conducting the Kennesaw Mountain Wind Symphony during their performance at the Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic.

A native of Marietta, Georgia, Mr. Roth graduated magna cum laude from the University of Georgia in December 2003 with a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education and Music Composition and received his Master’s degree in Music Education from the University of Illinois in August 2007.  While at UGA, Mr. Roth studied conducting with Dr. John Culvahouse, clarinet under Drs. Dannene Drummond, D. Ray McClellan, and Theodore Jahn, and studied composition with Dr. Leonard V. Ball, Jr.  In addition, he has studied at the University of North Texas with Dr. Cindy McTee (composition) and under Professor James Keene while at the University of Illinois.

Mr. Roth was a member of the Carolina Crown Drum and Bugle Corps from 2000-2003, serving as the corps’ drum major from 2001-2003.   While a member of Carolina Crown, he helped found the Carolina Crown Student Leadership Task Force, an initiative aimed at enhancing the level of student leadership within the corps and still in effect today.  Since “aging out” of drum corps, Mr. Roth has continued to support Carolina Crown by helping teach their annual student leadership camps and Drum Major Symposium, and by serving as Vice President of their newly formed Alumni Association.

He is currently active as an adjudicator, clinician, and music arranger, and teaches private lessons for students interested in either clarinet or conducting.  His professional affiliations include the National Band Association, Pi Kappa Lambda, Georgia Music Educator’s Association, Music Educator’s National Conference, and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia.

Kim Shuttlesworth is the newly appointed Director of Bands for Tom Glenn High School located in Leander, TX.  Glenn High School opens this fall as the 6th high school in the Leander Independent School District. Prior to Glenn, Shuttlesworth served ten years in the Austin Independent School District, teaching at Small MS and most recently Director of Bands at James Bowie High School.   Ms. Shuttlesworth holds a Bachelor of Music Education Degree from The University of Texas at Austin.

While at Bowie HS, her ensembles received superior ratings at UIL Marching Contest, UIL Concert & Sightreading Contest, and Texas State Solo & Ensemble Contest.   The Outdoor Performing Ensemble is a premiere group in the nation, consistently being a finalist at UIL State Marching Contest and Bands of America Regional and Super Regional Championships, and receiving the John Philip Sousa Foundation’s Sudler Shield in 2013 under her direction.

Ms. Shuttlesworth has worked with summer programs over the past 15 years including Music for All Summer Symposium and other performing arts camps. She is also an active clinician across the county, presenting Music for All Summer Symposium Director Track as well as other clinics around the country.  She is an active adjudicator and consultant across Texas, as well as the country.

Ms. Shuttlesworth holds professional affiliations with the Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Bandmasters Association, and Tau Beta Sigma.

Bridget Wildes is currently in her sixth year as the Assistant Director of Bands at Mill Creek High School. Her ensembles have been invited to perform at the Kennesaw State University Concert Band Invitational, the Music for All Southeastern Regional Concert Band Festival at Georgia State University, the Georgia Music Educators Association In-Service Conference, the University of Georgia January Music Festival, the University of Alabama Honor Band Clinic and the 2019 Music for All National Concert Band Festival as a featured ensemble.

The Pride of Mill Creek Marching Band has been a Bands of America Regional and Super Regional finalist, as well as Class AAAA Champion. The marching band has also performed in the 2014 and 2018 London New Year’s Day Parade. The Mill Creek Winds were named the Winter Guard International, Winds Scholastic A World Championship Silver Medalists in 2016 and Scholastic Open Silver Medalists in 2018.

Bridget Wildes is an active clinician, adjudicator and freelance musician, as well as a member of the Georgia Music Educators Association and the National Band Association.  She is the current District 13 Band Chair, and plays an active role in the organization of District 13 events. She recently co-presented her first session on developing and maintaining student leadership at the 2019 GMEA In-Service Conference and will be completing her Masters of Music Education at Kent State University in July. Bridget and her husband Jacob, a band director as well, reside in Suwanee with their two year old son, Caleb.

Bridget is recently appointed the Fine Arts Assistant at Buford High School and will begin there this fall.