The New Mexico Pageant of Bands panel of marching band adjudicators (judges) for the 2022 competition consists of:
Lance A. Coochyouma
Lance A. Coochyouma (he, him, his) is a self-declared Super Fan Adjudicator- Joyful to Remain Involved and Enthusiastically Proud to Contribute to the Advancement of the Marching Arts. As an Arizona Native, Lance enjoyed a performers experience at both the high school, collegiate, and open class drum corps levels; no matter if it was with a trumpet, flag, or whistle in hand- on the field, on the floor, or the podium- he appreciates and seeks to foster the exuberance of performance excellence.
Lance is thankful to be afforded opportunities to serve as a working adjudicator for WGAZ, AzMBA, and WTCA, adjudicating primarily the Visual General Effect, Ensemble, & Auxiliary Captions; and is honored to have been named the current serving Judges Coordinator for AzMBA. He holds membership in the National Band Association and is also a proud Life Member and Current Serving District Governor for Kappa Kappa Psi and an Honorary and Life Member of Tau Beta Sigma, the National Honorary Band Fraternity and Sorority.
Professionally, Lance brings clinical and directional leadership to the healthcare industry, serving as a voice and champion within the Critical Care Telehealth patient care delivery system. Named a Healthcare Professional Who’s Who, Lance holds memberships in the National Association of Heath Unit Coordinators, American Association of Critical Care Nurses, and American Telemedicine Association.
Lance lives in the suburbs of Phoenix, Arizona and can be found taking short get-away trips, anticipating new movie releases, or enjoying the foodie scene when possible.
Dean DeKemper
Mr. Dean DeKemper from Salem, Indiana, is a seventeen-year member of the Tri-State Judges Association, specializing in General Effect, Visual Performance and Color Guard. He is a former American Musical Ambassador, a Charter and three-year performing member of the Star of Indiana Drum and Bugle Corps of Bloomington, Indiana, a Drum Corps Midwest All-Star Corps member, former Visual Coordinator for Evansville Central High School, and former Visual Caption Head for Ubiquity Winterguard, a consistent Tri-State Marching Arts Finalist Medalist and Winter Guard International Regional Finalist Medalist. He was formerly the Director of Pep Band at the University of Southern Indiana. He has consulted with many outstanding high school and independent programs in Indiana and Kentucky and has adjudicated marching bands and winter guards throughout the United States. He is a twenty-four year Early Intervention Specialist and System Supervisor for First Steps, Indiana’s Early Childhood Development Intervention Program, and holds a Bachelor of Science in Education from the University of Southern Indiana.
Doug Fulwood
Doug Fulwood is currently the Director of Fine Arts for Royse City ISD in Royse City, TX. He served as the Director of Bands for Royse City ISD from 2013 to 2020. He has completed over 20 years in public school fine arts education in conference 2A to 5A school districts in Texas. In addition to Royse City, he has worked with programs in Devine, Boyd, Decatur, and Bastrop. Mr. Fulwood’s instrumental ensembles have been consistent UIL Sweepstakes winners, as well as finalists in the Association of Texas Small School Band’s Outstanding Performance Series and the TMEA State Honor Band competition.
Mr. Fulwood is an active clinician, consultant, drill designer and adjudicator throughout the state of Texas. His clinic entitled “Flipping a Band: From Director to Superintendent to School Board” was presented at the 2017 Texas Music Educators Association convention in San Antonio. His collaborative article co-written with Dr. Brian Zator entitled “Program Transformation: Navigating Complex Change to Rebuild a Music Program” appeared in the September 2017 issue of the “Southwestern Musician” magazine. Mr. Fulwood also operates a service oriented professional development community and podcast entitled “Band Hacks” to serve the needs of younger or less experienced music educators. Mr. Fulwood holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from Tarleton State University and a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership from Lamar University.
Ronnie LaGrone
Ronnie is a music educator, freelance percussion instructor, music arranger, consultant, and adjudicator throughout the northwest and all over the country. His passion for music teaching, writing, and arranging was cultivated in Tupelo, MS through public school music programs. Over the past 30 plus years, he served in the capacities as consultant, percussion arranger, and caption head of percussion with numerous high school programs, several drum and bugle corps, college drum lines, and other independent music ensembles. He received his Bachelor of Arts Degree in 1995 from the University of Mississippi where he majored in Percussion Performance, minored in Computer Science, and attended the University of Oregon Graduate School for further studies in music education and percussion performance. Ronnie plays professionally in the Portland metro area and is the band director in the Scappoose School District. Ronnie is a Mapex/Majestic, REMO, and PROMARK artist.
Mike Lewis
Mike Lewis has been a music educator for 42 years, a judge for USBands the last 12 years and the Texas University Interscholastic League (UIL) for 29 years. He retired as the Head Band Director and Fine Arts Supervisor for the Burnet CISD in Burnet, Texas. Bands under his direction were awarded First Divisions in UIL marching 24 times and advanced to UIL Area marching contest 9 straight times in Texas class 4A and 5A. Marching bands under his direction advanced to the Texas State Marching Contest 5 times. Mr. Lewis studied at Howard Payne University and Wayland Baptist University where he received his Bachelor of Music Education degree in 1980. He earned a Masters of Science degree from Texas A&M University in Commerce in 1990. He was presented the “Marabou B. Lamar Educator of the Year” award in 1999. In 2001 Rotary International named Mr. Lewis an honorary “Paul Harris Fellow.” In 2010 he was recognized as the “Outstanding Educator of the Year” for the Burnet CISD. Mr. Lewis is a member of Texas Music Educators Association (TMEA), Association of Texas Small School Bands (ATSSB), Texas Music Adjudicators Association (TMAA), and the Texas Bandmasters Association (TBA). He is an active marching and concert band clinician, as well as a judge for the Texas University Interscholastic League and USBands. He and his wife Judy have been married for 38 years and have two adult sons.
Greg Miller
Greg Miller is a retired music educator who taught 40 years in public schools in Texas. He has served as a band director at W. F. George Middle School in Iowa Park, Roscoe ISD, and then Iowa Park High School. Bands under his direction earned consistent Sweepstakes Awards as well as placing at the UIL State Marching Contest and the TMEA Honor Band competitions.
Mr. Miller graduated with a BME degree from Howard Payne University and a MM degree from East Texas State University, now Texas A&M at Commerce. He is still a member of TMEA, TBA, ATSSB, TMAA, and Phi Beta Mu. While teaching, he served as the TMEA Region 2 secretary and vice-president, and he also served as the ATSSB Region 2 coordinator and Area North coordinator. Mr. Miller continues to serve as an active adjudicator at UIL Region and Area contests.
Brian Youngblood
Brian Youngblood is the Associate Director of Bands and Assistant Professor of Music at TCU. He received his Bachelor of Music Education degree from Abilene Christian University and his Master of Percussion Performance degree from East Texas State University. Before coming to TCU, he taught in the public schools for twelve years. He began teaching in 1987 and spent his first ten years teaching at L.D. Bell High School in Hurst, Texas and followed with two years as Director of Bands and Fine Arts Director at Brewer High School in White Settlement. In 1999, Mr. Youngblood joined the faculty at TCU. During his time at TCU, he was Director of the TCU Horned Frog Marching Band for two decades. He also led the TCU Symphonic Band to the group’s first selection and performance at a regional CBDNA Conference. His ensemble responsibilities at TCU include the TCU Symphonic Band, and assistance with the TCU Concert Ensembles and TCU Athletic Bands. In addition to his work with the bands, he also teaches music education classes, music technology classes and assists with the supervision of student teachers.
Mr. Youngblood is a leading drill designer, arranger and program coordinator for marching band. He regularly consults with and writes shows for high school and university bands across the nation. His shows have won many state championships, a Bands of America National Championship and placed in the finals of numerous competitions. Mr. Youngblood is a Co-developer for V-Drill Drill Design Software. He is also a managing partner with B&B Design Concepts LLC for the distribution of the software.
Mr. Youngblood is an active member of the Texas Music Educators Association, The Texas Bandmasters Association and the College Band Directors National Association. He is a member of the Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honor Society and the Alpha Chapter of the Phi Beta Mu International School Bandmaster Fraternity.
Mr. Youngblood is a product of public school music education in the state of Texas. Before playing in the L.D. Bell High School Band under the direction of Roger Winslow, he was in the junior high bands of Marion West, Earnest Repass and Danny Prado. His undergraduate studies with John Whitwell and Gary Lewis, then at Abilene Christian University, furthered his training in Music Education. His percussion training began with Jim McGahey and Warren Dewey and continued with Allen Teal at Abilene Christian University. His percussion professors at East Texas State University were Robert Houston and Jimmy Finney.
Mr. Youngblood is a frequent clinician and adjudicator in Texas and the Southwest. He enjoys working as a clinician with bands from every age level. He is married to Karin Youngblood and they are the parents of Sarah and Joshua Youngblood. The family attends Trinity Bible Church in Weatherford, Texas.
George Strickland
Mr. Strickland has been the Assistant Director of the Texas University Interscholastic League Music Office since 2009. Before his tenure at UIL, he taught instrumental music in the public schools for twenty-nine years. Bands under his direction were awarded consecutive UIL Sweepstakes honors. Individual members of his bands were recognized with All-Region, All-Area, All-State, and UIL Regional and State Solo and Ensemble awards. George has been an adjudicator for marching bands, concert and sightreading band events, and instrumental solo and ensemble events in Texas. He has also adjudicated events in Colorado, Tennessee,Indiana, New Mexico, and Texas festivals held in Dallas, Denton, San Antonio, Corpus Christi, and Houston.
Mr. Strickland has served as President of the Association of Texas Small School Bands, Region President of Texas Music Educators Association Region 2 and 7. He is currently a member of the National Federation of High Schools Activity Association, serves as Chair Pro-tem and Treasurer for the Texas Coalition for Quality Arts Education, and member of the State Board of Directors of the Association of Texas Small School Bands. George is an active adjudicator of the Texas Music Adjudicators Association, member of Texas Bandmasters Association, Texas Music Educators Association, and Phi Beta Mu International Bandmaster Fraternity.