Roger Marquis

Visual Caption Coordinator

Roger Marquis, graduate of Stephen F. Austin State University, is in his fourteenth year as a band director and currently an Assistant Band Director at Tomball Memorial High School in Tomball, Texas. 

Roger has been involved in the drum corps activity for over fifteen years and has led the Blue Stars visual program as a Visual Co-Caption Head and Visual Caption Coordinator since the 2016 season. He began as a member of Revolution Drum & Bugle Corps and aged out after multiple seasons with the Bluecoats Drum & Bugle Corps. As a drum corps instructor, he has had a variety of responsibilities with Genesis, Blue Stars, Crossmen, Boston Crusaders, and the Troopers.

Roger is a founder and current Board Member of Monarch Arts Education where he previously served as Visual Coordinator of Monarch Independent Percussion, a perennial Winter Guard International World Class Finalist. Additionally, Roger is a consultant, clinician, and adjudicator for high school marching band programs across the country.

Luke Zamprelli

Visual Caption Head

Luke Zamprelli is a resident of Houston, Texas where he is a full-time designer and program coordinator for pageantry groups across the United States.  He is also the visual coordinator for Monarch Independent Percussion, a perennial WGI World Class Finalist.

Luke has been involved in the drum corps activity for over a decade.  He was a member of the Phantom Regiment, and he served on the visual staff of the Boston Crusaders beginning in 2013.  Luke joined the Blue Stars in 2016, becoming Caption Head in 2021.

Prior to designing full-time, Luke held band director positions at Morton Ranch Junior High and, most recently, at Paetow High School in Katy ISD.  Luke has been involved in the marching arts as a designer, clinician, and adjudicator with groups all over the United States and Europe.  His groups have earned numerous accolades such as Bands Of America Class Champions and multiple state recognitions including Texas UIL Area Champions and State Finalists.  

Tyler Propfe

Assistant Visual Caption Head

Tyler currently resides in West Chester, PA where he is an elementary music educator. He is also a designer, choreographer, instructor, and drill writer in the mid-Atlantic.

Tyler’s marching career began with the Connecticut Hurricanes Drum & Bugle Corps from 2006 to 2015 and served as horn sergeant in 2015. Tyler spent 2013 and 2014 with the Bluecoats Drum & Bugle Corps.

Tyler has been a part of the Blue Stars organization since 2023. Outside of the Blue Stars he has been with United Percussion since 2019, is the program coordinator and drill designer for Downingtown East Winter Percussion, and is the visual caption head for the Downingtown East High School Marching Band. He has previously served as visual co-caption head for the Jersey Surf in 2016 & 17, served on the Cadets2 staff in 2018, and the Academy visual staff from 2019 to 2023. He has also had roles as caption head, choreographer, designer, and program coordinator for multiple marching bands and indoor ensembles throughout southeastern PA.

Tyler attended West Chester University where he received a dual degree in Music Education and Vocal Performance as a baritone.

Jonny Zollo

Visual Caption Consultant

With over 32 years of experience in visual instruction, I have dedicated my efforts over the years shaping young performers in both drum corps and high school marching bands.  For the past 22 years, I have served as the Lead Visual Coordinator for the Tarpon Springs Leadership Conservatory for the Arts, where I focus on developing innovative visual programs that inspire students to achieve their fullest potential.  

Throughout my journey, I have had the privilege of working with prestigious drum corps, including Spirit of Atlanta, Colts, Boston Crusaders, Blue Stars, Carolina Crown and The Cavaliers.

My professional career spans the last 28 years, helping clients and small businesses navigate their financial journeys and build lasting wealth.  I am a managing partner in a generational Wealth Managment practice and a practicing Certified Financial Planner

Brad Donoris

Visual Caption Consultant

Brad Donoris has been an active educator of the marching arts for over 20 years at the scholastic and independent level. Some of his previous educational endeavors include: Jersey Surf, Lehigh Valley Knights, Teal Sound, The Magic, The Academy, Boston Crusaders, and The Crossmen

Brad is also an active visual designer, consultant, and adjudicator. He has written for various outdoor and indoor ensembles throughout the country, most recently as the drill designer for Pecos High School, (TX). He is currently the Visual Manager for WGI finalist United Percussion, and in addition, serves as the Visual Designer & Coordinator for United Percussion 2.

This is Brad’s 7th season with the Blue Stars.

Jacoby Taylor

Movement Coordinator

Jacoby Taylor’s marching arts career started at Klein Collins high school in Spring, TX. Following graduation, Taylor continued to develop his education and pursue his passion for the activity by performing with various independent groups. He also spent four summers with the Madison Scouts, three of them as the captain of the color guard.

Jacoby has worked with various programs throughout the state of Texas as a director, designer, choreographer and clinician. He currently is the colorguard director at Cypress Springs High School and Paetow High School. He is also the founder and director of Undaunted an independent open colorguard based in Houston.

 Taylor continues to reside in Cypress, TX with his two dogs and along with his color guard career, is studying for his realtors license.

Doug Hall

Performance Coach/Visual Instructor

Doug Hall was a marching member with the Blue Stars, 2002-2004. He continued his involvement with the Blue Stars as a visual tech 2005-2008 and 2015-2022. Doug was also active with high school marching band and winter drumline programs in Indiana, including Tri-West High School, Franklin Central High School, Ben Davis High School and Center Grove High School.

Outside of the marching arts community, Doug is a full-time performer at Walt Disney World, performing in multiple shows and parades. He attributes his success at the "Happiest Place on Earth" to the mentality and work ethic he gained from being a part of the Blue Stars.

"I have been a part of the Blue Stars family in some capacity since 2002 and am thrilled to be a part of the 2022 visual team. I look forward to providing a positive experience for our current members and to instill the values and work ethic that this organization has taught me! FCO."

Chris Hardesty

Visual Instructor

Chris Hardesty is in his 11th year as a music educator and is currently the Band Director at Northwest Cabarrus High School. Prior to this appointment, Chris taught at Marvin Ridge Middle School where he co-directed the 6th-7th-8th grade bands and other performing ensembles offered within the band program. He was also an assistant director with the Marvin Ridge High School Band.

Chris graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Music (Music Education) from East Carolina University. Expanding his instructional opportunities, Chris has worked as a technician/consultant with several notable bands throughout North Carolina including: Croatan High School (Newport), East Carteret High School (Beaufort), Green Hope High School (Cary), Northwest Cabarrus High School (Concord), and Butler High School (Matthews).

During his drum corps career, Chris marched with the Carolina Crown Drum and Bugle Corps (2005) and the Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps (2007). Chris has previously taught as a visual technician with the Blue Stars Drum and Bugle Corps and is excited to start another year with the organization.

Matt Katafiasz

Visual Instructor

Matt Katafiasz joins the Blue Stars visual staff after many years of involvement in the marching arts. His performance experience includes Plymouth Canton Educational Park Marching Band, the Eastern Michigan Marching Band, and four seasons with the Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps. 

 He also has extensive experience as a DCI, WGI and Scholastic Visual Instructor. Some groups he has instructed recently include Northcoast Academy, Monarch Independent Percussion, Genesis, Guardians, Troopers, and the Lake Orion Marching Band. 

Aaron Spiegel

Visual Instructor

Aaron Spiegel joins the visual staff after several seasons as a marching member of the Blue Stars. Originally from St. Louis, and he currently resides in Charlotte where he is completing his collegiate work at The University of North Carolina, Charlotte, where he will graduate with his BSBA in Operations and Supply Chain Management in May, 2022. Additionally, he is in his third year assisting with the marching band and indoor programs at Northwest Cabarrus High School. Aaron marched with the Blue Stars from 2017-2021 and he is excited to enter his first year on the Blue Stars Visual Staff.

Matthew Hurtado

Visual Instructor

​​Matthew Hurtado is an active performer, judge and music educator in Asia. Hurtado most recently worked as a trombone entertainer at Universal Studios Japan in Osaka with the Hello Kitty Happiness Brass Band, winner of the IAPPA (International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions) 2022 "Brass Ring" award for outstanding show in its category amongst all major theme parks in the world. Hurtado is also a music teacher at international schools and often plays with various groups ranging from classical euphonium ensembles to pop/jazz bands. Hurtado was a judge in 2019 and 2022 for the Thailand World Music Championships in Thailand. In 2017 he was cast in "One Piece: Oto Utage", a "blast-like" stage adaptation of the popular anime "One Piece" as a trombone performer.

Prior to moving to Japan, Hurtado was a band director and private instructor in his home state of Texas. Hurtado was on the Crossmen visual staff for their 2019 season and he marched Crossmen from 2009-2011 and Blue Devils from 2012-2013 as a baritone/euphonium player.

"I'm looking forward to a great season! よろしくお願いします"

Cheyanne Dougherty

Movement Specialist

​​Cheyanne Dougherty is a performer and marching arts educator from Palm Desert, California.

As a performer, Cheyanne was a colorguard member of The Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corps (2018-2023), Fantasia Winterguard (2020), and The Academy Drum and Bugle Corps (2017) as well as a visual soloist for POW Percussion (2022). She has served for 4 years as an instructor for multiple marching band and colorguard programs around Southern California, including her alma mater, Palm Desert High School and Palm Desert Charter Middle School.

Cheyanne is a current student at The University of California, Los Angeles and is working towards a Bachelor of Arts in Communications.

Adara Joiner

Movement Specialist

Following her graduation from Klein Oak High School, Adara Joiner studied at Sam Houston State University for a B.S. in Health Care Administration and a minor in Dance. 

She is the Color Guard Director at Patricia E. Paetow High School in Katy, TX and concurrently a technician at Friendswood HS. Along with that she techs and choreographs at various schools throughout the Houston area. 

Adara has competed in the Scholastic A and Scholastic Open classes in which she has obtained a gold medal and made Open Class finals in the annual Winter Guard International championships, respectively. Adara has performed with various Independent Winter Ensembles including Undaunted Open and Origins World.  Her World Class Drum Corps experience comes from her time with the Phantom Regiment, in which she served as captain in one of two years of membership.

Jorden Charles

Visual Instructor

With a passion for movement cultivated since childhood through dance, Jorden Charles embarked on her journey in the world of marching arts as a trumpet player at Oviedo High School in 2007. Following her graduation, Jorden's dedication led her to assume the role of visual technician at her alma mater, where she flourished from 2011 to 2018, ultimately serving as the visual caption head from 2015 to 2018.

Expanding her influence, Jorden extended her expertise to various institutions, including University High School, Olympia High School, Windermere High School, and Infinity Percussion I and II. Her commitment to excellence earned her a place in the prestigious Boston Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corps in 2012, where she honed her skills as a trumpet player until 2015.

Jorden's journey as an educator and mentor continued to evolve as she joined the Infinity II visual staff in 2016, progressing to the visual staff of Infinity I in 2019. Her exceptional leadership qualities led her to assume the role of visual caption head at Infinity II for the 2020 season. Despite a brief hiatus to traverse the Atlantic, Jorden returned to Infinity I as the Visual Ensemble Coordinator, further enriching the program with her expertise.

Presently, Jorden's influence extends across multiple platforms, as she dedicates herself to nurturing talent at Infinity Percussion I, Blue Stars Drum and Bugle Corps, and Windermere High School. Through her unwavering dedication and passion for the arts, Jorden continues to inspire and shape the next generation of performers and educators alike.

Will Carroll

Visual Instructor

Will Carroll is a brass musician and educator hailing from Dallas, Texas, where he currently imparts his passion for music as a middle school band director in the Plano Independent School District. Prior to his tenure in Plano, Will served as a middle school band director in various schools within Dickinson ISD.

Will's journey in music began at Stephen F. Austin State University, where he pursued a degree in Music Education. There, he had the privilege of studying under the mentorship of Dr. Charles Gavin. During his time at Stephen F. Austin, Will actively contributed to several ensembles at the University, including the Wind Ensemble, Orchestra of the Pines, and Opera Orchestra.

Beyond the academic realm, Will Carroll extended his expertise as a music and visual technician to various schools in the Houston and Dallas-Fort Worth areas. His journey has been marked by excellent achievements as a performer. Before entering the Drum Corps scene, Will performed with the Hebron High School marching band and Wind Ensemble. After, he dedicated five summer tours to the Bluecoats Drum and Bugle corps, contributing to three top-three placements and a coveted World Championship title in 2016. His musical journey also took him across international boundaries when he performed with the Bluecoats international ensemble, embarking on an unforgettable experience in Hong Kong in 2017.

Ryan Stratford

Visual Instructor

Ryan lives in Southeast Michigan where he is an independent visual coordinator, choreographer and educator. Ryan marched trumpet with the Blue Stars from 2014 through 2018 and joined the visual staff after aging out through the 2023 season.

As a drum corps instructor, Ryan has also had a variety of responsibilities with the visual teams at Seattle Cascades and Genesis.

He is excited to rejoin the team for the 2025 season!

Jason Schmidt

Visual Instructor

Jason Schmidt is a native to Granger, IN, and currently resides in Indianapolis, IN. He is currently the assistant director and visual designer of the Plainfield Red Pride Marching Band where he has been teaching since 2014. He has also been the visual designer for various other Indiana-based ensembles in both fall and winter seasons.

Jason began his music journey in the Penn-Harris-Madison schools where he was blessed with an immense amount of opportunities, namely performing in the Midwest Clinic in 2008. He then obtained his B.S. in Music Education from Ball State University, and has since remained involved in the performing arts in many capacities. 

Jason was a performing member of the Blue Stars from 2010-2012. Aside from being in the ensemble, he also competed in the I&E competitions and was runner-up in 2011 and champion in 2012 on solo trombone. He then joined the Blue Stars admin team in 2013. More recently he taught on the visual staff at The Academy in 2023 and Music City in 2024.

Outside of the marching arts, Jason has been a trombonist with the Indiana Wind Symphony since 2021. He has enjoyed his experiences with the ensemble and having the opportunity to perform in the beautiful venue of The Palladium in Carmel, IN for the regular concert season.

Jason is thrilled to be joining the Blue Stars in 2025, coming full circle to his drum corps beginnings!

Yukari Nakazawa

Visual Instructor

Yukari began her marching career as a tuba player when she was High school Student at Shijonawate Gakuen High School Burning Bravers. Afterwards she joined the Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps in 2010-2013.

After aging out, Yukari start to teaching Shijonawate Gakuen High School Burning Bravers(Osaka,Japan) as Brass and Visual Staff.she is also a choreographer, and drill writer. Yukari has been instrumental in continuing to compete in All Japan Marching Band National Championship for over 10 years.