DIRECTORS & STAFF

STEPHEN BOND

Director

Stephen Bond has served as Director of Bands at Tompkins since the school opened in 2013. Prior to coming to Tompkins Mr. Bond served as an assistant band director at Morton Ranch High School, Santa Fe High School and Santa Fe Junior High School. He received his Bachelors of Music Education from Sam Houston State University and his Master’s Degree in Educational Administration from Lamar University. Mr. Bond marched in the Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps and Carolina Crown Drum and Bugle Corps and is an alumnus of Klein Oak High School in Spring, Texas. He is an active clinician and adjudicator and his professional affiliations include the Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Bandmaster’s Association, Texas Music Adjudicator’s Association and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia. Mr. Bond currently resides in Katy with his wife Beth and two daughters Isabel and Evelyn.

KEN BROWN

Associate Band Director

Kenneth Brown will be joining the Tompkins High School band staff as an Associate Band Director for the 2022-2023 school year.

Mr. Brown has been teaching Texas high school bands for the past 15 years, including Kempner High School, Clear Springs High School, Cedar Park High School, and mostly recently at Pearland High School.

Mr. Brown has taught Drum Corps at The Troopers and marched with The Cadets performing with the baritone section. His primary instrument is the bassoon and he was an Ohio All-State musician; he still enjoys playing whenever time allows. He also holds a Masters of Music degree in instrumental conducting from Western Michigan University and a Bachelor of Music in music education from Youngstown State University.

Mr. Brown’s professional affiliations include The Texas Music Educators Association and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Music Fraternity.

Gino Hernandez

Associate Band Director

Mr. Hernandez is in his fifteenth year as a music educator and is in his third year as assistant director of the Band at Tompkins. Prior to joining the staff at Tompkins, Mr. Hernandez spent eight years as assistant director of bands at Pearland High School in Pearland, Texas where he was the visual coordinator for the Pride of Pearland Marching Band and conducted the symphonic band and concert bands. While at Pearland the marching band has been a Bands of America Regional Championship finalist, Bands of America San Antonio Super Regional Championship finalist, qualified for the UIL State Marching Band Contest, has consistently received the U.I.L. Sweepstakes Award, and participated in the 2020 Tournament of Roses Parade. The concert bands under his direction have also earned consistent U.I.L sweepstakes. Prior to his years at Pearland, he was an associate director of bands at W.B. Ray High School in Corpus Christi, TX. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Texas A&M University - Corpus Christi.

Mr. Hernandez’s experience in the drum corps activity spans over twenty years. He began his performance experience with the Lone Star Drum and Bugle Corps and completed it with the Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps. Mr. Hernandez has been on the educational staff with various successful drum and bugle corps including Revolution, Blue Stars, Bluecoats, and the 2013 DCI World Champion Carolina Crown. Currently he is on visual staff with the 7-time DCI World Champions Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps.

Mr. Hernandez is an active clinician, adjudicator, designer and visual instructor for the marching arts throughout the United States. His professional affiliations include the Texas Music Educators’ Association and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia. Mr. Hernandez currently resides in Katy TX with his wife, daughter and three dogs.

Michael Spooner

Percussion Director

Originally from Minnesota, Michael attended Middle Tennessee State University, where he studied under Lalo and Julie Davila, and Matt Jordan. While at MTSU, he performed in numerous ensembles, including world percussion, steel band, orchestra, symphony band, percussion ensemble, and drumline, as well as teaching the MTSU drumline. He was also a member of The Blue Stars Drum & Bugle Corps (2007-2009) and The Cavaliers Drum & Bugle Corps (2010-2011), earning The Fred Sanford Award for Best Percussion in 2011.

On the educational side, he has worked with several high school programs throughout Minnesota, Tennessee, Indiana, and Texas as well as numerous independent groups. Currently, he is on staff with The Bluecoats Drum & Bugle Corps and Monarch Independent as a battery instructor. Over the past 15 years, Michael has had students and groups in BOA, WGI, DCI, Midwest Clinic, Music For All Festival, Texas All-State, and state marching band finals (MN, TN, IN, and TX).

Michael currently resides in Houston, TX with his dachshund Huxley. He is the Percussion Director at Tompkins High School and is also an active writer/arranger, clinician, and performer. Michael is a proud endorser of Pearl/Adams instruments, Zildjian cymbals, and Vic Firth sticks/mallets.

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Kat Latshaw

Color Guard Director

Growing up in Florida, Katrina began her colorguard journey in high school, where she served on the leadership team and laid the foundation for her future in the performing arts. Her marching career includes the Troopers Drum and Bugle Corps from 2014 to 2018, where she served on the leadership team for three seasons, and the Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps in 2019. Additionally, Katrina performed with UCF Pegasus Open in 2016 and UCF Pegasus World in 2017 and 2020.

In addition to her extensive experience in colorguard, Katrina holds a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Central Florida and has a successful career as a 5th grade Reading and Social Studies teacher, earning the Rookie Teacher of the Year award in 2022. Over the past eight years, she has taught colorguard with high school programs in Florida and Texas, bringing her leadership skills and passion for the art form to new generations of performers.