Sara Bowden (they/them/theirs) is excited to begin their fourth season with the 7th Regiment in a new role (visual caption manager). Bowden is a Los Angeles-based music theorist and marching arts scholar-practitioner. They bring four years of drum corps coaching experience in the visual (7th Regiment – 2019, 2021, and 2023 seasons) and brass (Crossmen – 2022 season) captions into the caption manager role. While living in Chicago, Bowden studied intermediate contemporary and modern dance and continues to do so in Los Angeles. Bowden’s award-winning dissertation research on the marching arts examines approaches to ensemble timing, tracks the acquisition of schematic vocabulary related to visual design, and models sources of synchronization interference. 

As a graduate worker at Northwestern, Bowden completed the Inclusive Teaching Practicum and served as a Reflective & Effective Teaching Guide at the Searle Center for Advancing Learning and Teaching. They approach educational work in the drum corps activity as an invaluable professional development opportunity for marching arts educators, and they look forward to mentoring a staff of educators who share their respect for youth education, our activity’s unique artistry, and the 7th Regiment’s commitment to excellence. 

They will complete their PhD in music theory and cognition at Northwestern University in June 2024. They have an MM in music theory and cognition (Northwestern, 2019) and a BM in music theory (University of North Texas, 2018). 

Bowden is grateful for the opportunity to work with such a motivated and talented group of developing performers in a learning environment where students of all experience levels can thrive. Please email visual@7thregiment.org to get in touch, or read more on their website. 

Kobe is a native of the Southeast-Texas area, where he graduated from Lamar University with a bachelor’s degree in Music Education. During his time in college, Kobe began his higher pageantry arts career by playing baritone in the hornline at Crossmen Drum & Bugle Corps, and as a visual cast member for Monarch Independent Percussion. Through these endeavors, Kobe found a passion for instruction in the marching arts, and would go on to work with several high school band and colorguard programs in the Southeast-Texas area as a visual technician, choreographer and visual designer.

Kobe has previously served as the Assistant Band Director and Colorguard Director at Brazosport High School in Freeport, Texas, and currently serves as the Assistant Band Director at Waller High School in Waller, Texas.

Kobe is incredibly excited to be returning to the visual instruction staff for the 7th Regiment this summer!

Natalie Brady (she/her) is thrilled to join 7th Regiment’s Visual Staff as the Movement Coordinator for the 2024 season. Natalie is a visual designer, choreographer, and educator in the Greater Cincinnati/Dayton areas, and studied visual design and choreography as a 2023 Bluecoats Fellow with mentor Jim Moore. She has been teaching in the marching arts since 2015, working with a variety of scholastic and independent ensembles.

Currently, Natalie works on the visual team for both Cap City Percussion World and Open Class ensembles and visual/choreography team for Valhalla Winds, an Independent Open-Class Winds Ensemble. She is also the Director and Visual Coordinator/Designer for the Oak Hills Indoor Percussion Ensemble; Visual Caption Head/Choreographer for the Oak Hills High School Marching Band; works on the visual/choreography team for Miamisburg Winds; and serves as a visual consultant for other local high school programs.

Previously, Natalie worked as the Visual Caption Head for Cincinnati Tradition Drum & Bugle Corps and Assistant Marching Band Director/Visual Caption Head for Highlands High School Marching Band.

Natalie is excited to get the 2024 season started with 7th Regiment!

Bobby, originally from Mount Prospect, IL, currently lives in Rockford, IL and is a social worker by day. As a performer, he began with the Prospect Marching Knights in high school and continued performing with the Indiana University Marching Hundred in college, Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps in DCI, and Rhythm X Winds in WGI. Bobby has previously worked with high school marching bands across the midwest in ISSMA, MCBA, and BOA circuits and most recently at Chromium Winds in WGI. Bobby is very excited to join the 7th Regiment visual staff this summer. He is eager to join a collaborative space of instructors focused on giving students the tools they need to be successful in the marching arts and beyond.

Born and raised in Laredo, Texas, Simon Elizondo is a Music Education major with a concentration in Euphonium performance at the University of North Texas studying under Dr. David Childs. Simons’ performance experience ranges from WGI Indoor winds to DCI to semifinalist in International Competitions as a performing soloist.
Simon performed with the 2019 cast of the Laredo Independent Indoor Winds where he serves as baritone soloist. He began his Drum Corp. career with the Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corp. in 2019 as a Euphonium player. In 2022, he earned a spot as a lead baritone player with the Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corp. for his age-out season where he also served as a trombone player in that years’ trombone ensemble. In 2021, Simon competed in the Leonard Falcone International Tuba and Euphonium Festival in the Euphonium artist division where he advanced into the semifinals portion of the competition.
Simon works as a marching instructor at Grapevine High School and has also formerly worked at Lyndon B. Johnson High School, his alma mater, as a marching instructor in his hometown of Laredo.

Emma DiMiceli is an active trumpet player and educator based in Western Connecticut and is very excited to be joining the staff for her first year on the 7th Regiment visual team!

Emma is a graduate of the University of Connecticut and holds B.As in Music and Speech Language and Hearing Sciences. Emma has been playing the trumpet for 13 years and began her marching career with the University of Connecticut Marching Band in 2019. She then went on to march trumpet with the Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps in 2022 and 2023. As an instructor, Emma was a visual technician with the Trumbull High School Marching Band in 2023 and has assisted with various programs and clinics throughout her time at UConn.

AK (They/Them) is a color guard and movement educator from West Chester, Pennsylvania and is excited to join the 7th regiment visual team this season.

AK started their marching career at Burlington Township High School in 2013 and over the last 10 years they’ve been a member numerous ensembles including The Raiders Drum and Bugle Corp (’16-’18), The Academy Drum and Bugle Corp (’19), and Main Line Independent (’20-’22). AK began their teaching career at Boyertown Area Senior High School in 2019 and is currently the color guard director at East High School in West Chester, PA.

Outside of the marching arts, AK holds a BS in Marketing from West Chester University and is a LGBTQ+ youth advocate as well as a Pennsylvania local titleholder for Miss America.

AK is excited and grateful to be part of the 7th regiment staff this year and for the opportunity to foster growth in the marching arts.

Kaitlyn Colyer (she/her) is a marching arts educator and designer based out of Chicago, IL. Kaitlyn’s performance credits include seasons with the Madison Scouts, Rhythm X Percussion Ensemble, Onyx, the Michigan Winter Ensemble, and the Michigan Marching Band. As an educator, Kaitlyn specializes in movement and visual fundamentals for new and emerging talent within the activity. In the past, she has been a visual and woodwind technician at her alma mater, Coldwater High School, a visual and movement technician at Chromium Winds, and a guest technician at winter guards in the midwest region. Kaitlyn is currently the Director of the Color Guard program at Maine West High School in Des Plaines, IL. She is also a proud member of the admin team at Rhythm X, working to ensure performer safety and risk management education.

Kaitlyn graduated from the University of Michigan in 2022 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Organizational Studies with a concentration in Organizational Misconduct Theory. Professionally, Kaitlyn is a paralegal specializing in antitrust law. In her free time, she volunteers with MAASIN to support and educate the next generation of instructors and members on participant safety and positive educational culture. She also serves as an on-call Crisis Counselor and Medical Advocate for a survivor non-profit in the Chicagoland area. Outside of working, teaching, and volunteering, you can usually find her taking pictures of her two cats, Cannoli and Pierogi. Kaitlyn is so excited to join the visual team at 7th Regiment this year!

Austin has been a member of the 7R visual team since 2019. A former member of several New England based marching arts organizations, including The Seventh Regiment, Austin takes great pride in how dedicated his fellow staff is to creating a positive learning environment for the members of the corps. He takes even greater pride in the determination and spirit of the students he is fortunate enough to teach at The Seventh Regiment. While not teaching at 7R, Austin teaches Elementary Music in Massachusetts.