Chris White: General Effect

Mr. White has been the Director of Bands at Hickory Ridge High School in Harrisburg, NC since the school opened in the fall of 2007. Mr. White’s duties at Hickory Ridge include overseeing a comprehensive band program which consists of Concert Band, Symphonic Band, Wind Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble, Marching Band, Musical Pit Orchestra, Winterguard, Winter Percussion, and several small ensembles. Mr. White was selected as Hickory Ridge High School Teacher of the Year in 2015, and was a top five finalist for Cabarrus County Schools Teacher of the Year. He has previously received recognition as Charlotte-Mecklenburg New Band Director of the Year in 1999, the 2001 E.E. Waddell High School Teacher of the Year, and received the Horace Mann Crystal Apple Award for outstanding teaching. He has served as clinician, adjudicator, and guest conductor for many marching band and concert events. He served as Chair of the South Central District Bandmasters Association and board member of the North Carolina Bandmasters Association from 2018-2020, and received the South Central District Bandmasters Association Award of Excellence in 2021.

Connie Grantham: Music Performance

Mrs. Connie Grantham is a graduate from the University of South Carolina with a Bachelor’s of Music Education Degree and an Associate Degree in Business. Mrs. Grantham is a National Board Certified Teacher in Music Education and enjoys serving as adjudicator, clinician, and consultant. Currently, Mrs. Grantham serves as the Executive Secretary/Treasurer of the South Carolina Band Directors Association. She is also the co-conductor of the Catawba River Winds, a community band in York County.
Bands under Mrs. Grantham’s direction have received numerous superior ratings at state and regional concert festivals, performed at the SCMEA In-service Conference, and has received the SDBDA Outstanding Performance Award thirty times. Mrs. Grantham has also been honored by receiving the National Band Association’s “Citation of Excellence”, and the Women’s Band Director International “Scroll of Excellence”.
Mrs. Grantham is a Hall Of Fame member of the South Carolina Band Directors Association and the Theta Chapter of Phi Beta Mu International Music Fraternity.
Mrs. Grantham’s professional affiliations include: National Association for Music Education (NAfME), South Carolina Music Educators Association, South Carolina Band Directors Association, National Band Association, Phi Beta Mu International Music Fraternity, Women Band Directors International, and American School Band Directors Association (ASBDA).

Ashleigh Cook: Visual Performance

Ms. Ashleigh Cook is the band director at Northwest School of the Arts in Charlotte, North Carolina. Ms. Cook earned her Bachelor's Degree in Music Education from Western Carolina University where she graduated with honors. Prior to her appointment at Northwest School of the Arts (Fall 2021), she served as the Assistant Band Director at Porter Ridge High School for three years, and as the Band and Chorus Director at Cherryville High School for seven years. Both Porter Ridge and Cherryville Bands regularly earned excellent and superior ratings at MPA, marching contests, and solo & ensemble. Ms. Cook’s students are regularly seated in county, district and state honor bands. While at Cherryville Ms. Cook was awarded Kia Outstanding Educator of the Year, Teacher of the Year, Band Director of the Year for Gaston County Schools, and the Young Band Director of Excellence Award for the South Central District Bandmasters Association. In 2018 Ms. Cook earned her National Board Certification for Professional Teaching Standards in Music and she is currently pursuing a masters degree in music education through East Carolina University. She has served as an honor band clinician, and site host for Solo & Ensemble MPA and All District Auditions for the South Central Bandmasters Association where she also serves on the board. Ms. Cook’s professional memberships include National Association for Music Education (NAfME), Women Band Director International (WBDI), American School Band Directors Association (ASBDA), North Carolina Music Educators Association (NCMEA), and South Central District Bandmasters Association (SCDBA).

Jonathan Moore: Percussion

Jonathon Moore is currently the Percussion Caption Head for the Grays Creek High School Marching Band in Hope Mills, NC. He holds a Bachelor's in Music Education from the University of North Carolina at Pembroke and a Master's in Music Performance from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Mr. Moore taught at South Brunswick High School in Southport, NC for 7 years where he consistently led his ensembles to high achievements in concert band, marching band, indoor percussion, and winter guard. He has been adjudicating marching band competitions since 2012 and provides music arranging and drill writing services for several groups in North Carolina. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his wife and two boys traveling the country.

Zakia Ruffin: Colorguard

Zakia Ruffin is originally from Queens, NY, and currently resides in Concord, NC. She found her passion for Colorguard in high school, performing with Concord High School's Colorguard & winter guard programs. After graduating from Concord, she continued to grow in the Colorguard activity through performing with Drum Corps and Independent Winterguards; which included Phantom Regiment (2001-2004), Carolina Visual Productions (2001-2004), The Study (2005), Croatan World (2007-2009), and First Flight World (2010). Zakia has been a Colorguard Instructor working with many programs in Charlotte and surrounding areas since 2005.
Zakia was honored to participate in the CWEA Advisory Council from 2019 to 2022 and be on the WGI Advisory Board for 2019 & 2020.   And is currently the President of the Carolina Winter Ensemble Association. She hopes to use her knowledge and experience to participate further in this amazing activity.

David Rivero: Drum Major

David Rivero is one of the Directors of Bands and Chorus at Hickory Ridge High School. Mr. Rivero was born in Hackensack, New Jersey, but has lived in North Carolina since the early 2000s. As a graduate of Hickory Ridge High School, Mr. Rivero is excited to be back and teaching in the community that gave him support and opportunity. A graduate of UNC-Chapel Hill, Mr. Rivero holds a degree in K-12 Music Education, spent 4 years in the Pride of the ACC Marching Tar Heels, and had the honor of serving as Drum Major in his senior year. He studied saxophone under Matthew McClure and conducting under Dr. Evan Feldman during his time at UNC. Mr. Rivero is also a proud member of Kappa Kappa Psi, National Honorary Band Fraternity (KKΨ).