2022 Panel of Judges
General Effect Visual: Michael Higbe
General Effect Music: Greg Basham
Ensemble Music: Tonya O'Malley
Individual Music: Jeff Mills
Ensemble Visual: Ron Coleman
Individual Visual: Jonathan Bearint
Percussion: Sean Phillips
Color Guard: Jamie Dyer
Timing/Pen: Gary Bartelt
Judges Bios
Michael Higbe – General Effect Visual
Michael Higbe has worked in the marching arts industry for over 32 years as a Designer, Choreographer, and Adjudicator. He worked for twenty-two years as the guard caption head at Orange Park High School, WGI SA silver medalist and Open Class Finalist. He also taught Fletcher HS, WGI SA Gold Medalist, Ancient City Ensemble, WGI IA Silver Medalist and Open Class Finalist, and for the last seventeen years, Fleming Island High School, WGI SA Gold Medalist. Mr. Higbe has been a WGI Judge since 2009, an adjudicator for over twenty years in the FFCC, and served seven years as it’s Chief Judge. Michael currently serves the FFCC as its President. In addition, he served the FBA community as an adjudicator and the the former chair of the Twirling and Auxiliaries Committee. He is also a member of the FFCC Hall of Fame. Mr. Higbe is a ceramic artist working and teaching from his home studio in Orange Park, where he lives with his wife of 31 years, Julia.
Greg Basham – General Effect Music
Greg Basham grew up in St. Petersburg, FL and graduated from Northeast High School. Dr. Basham earned his Bachelor's Degree in music from East Tennessee State University, his Master's Degree from the University of South Florida, and his doctorate in Educational Program Development with a concentration in Innovation from USF as well. Currently he serves as the Principal of Rodgers Middle Magnet School in Riverview, Florida. Previously he served as the Supervisor of Leadership Development for the Hillsborough County Public Schools. Prior to his appointment, Dr. Basham was the Assistant Principal of Magnet Curriculum at Howard W. Blake Magnet High School for the Arts. For thirteen years he was a band director at Newsome High School in Lithia, FL, Halls High School in Knoxville, TN and E.C. Glass High School in Lynchburg, VA. Dr. Basham serves as a show designer and a consultant for several band programs across the Southeast. He was on staff at the Magic of Orlando Drum and Bugle Corps from 1993 to 1997. He began his tenure as a marching technician and served as Visual Coordinator in 1995 and 1996. He served as the Program Coordinator in 1997. He is a regular guest on the Marching Roundtable podcast and he served as the Director of the Florida Ambassadors of Music. Dr. Basham is a member of Music Educators National Conference, Florida Music Educators Association, Phi Beta Mu and the Hillsborough Association of School Administrators.
Tonya O'Malley – Ensemble Music
Tonya O’Malley, originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, moved to Florida in 2006, after earning a bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Bowling Green State University. Tonya also holds a master’s degree in Music Education with an emphasis in Teaching Artistry from Bowling Green State University. Tonya worked for three years as a middle school band and chorus director while working with various high school marching band programs, the Blue Stars Drum and Bugle Corps, and the Teal Sound Drum and Bugle Corps as a visual technician. For eight years, Tonya was the band director at Sunlake High School in Pasco County. Tonya has been an adjudicator in the FMBC circuit since 2016 and has had the opportunity to adjudicate visual and music captions. In the FFCC circuit, Tonya has had the opportunity to adjudicate the visual and music captions for both winds and indoor percussion ensembles. Tonya also spent three years as an Elementary Music Specialist in Hillsborough County Public Schools and was blessed with the opportunity to work at the same school that her son, Trace, attended. Currently, Tonya is happily living the life of a full-time self-employed business owner. Tonya is the founding owner of Good Vibes Tribe Boutique in Brandon, FL.
Jeff Mills – Individual Music
Mr. Jeff Mills has been an adjudicator in the indoor and outdoor marching activity for 25+ years and resides in Jacksonville, Florida. Mr. Mills is currently an academic administrator with Digital Academy of Florida. His training and experience began in the Florida Federation of Colorguards Circuit where he was mentored by top WGI professionals. He is a current member of the Florida Federation of Judges Association and is active in winterguard, percussion, and winds adjudication in the area of general effect and design analysis. Mr. Mills is honored to serve as a current rostered adjudicator for Drum Corps International in the music and effect captions. Mills hails from San Jose, CA where he attended Independence High School, a BOA Summer National Champion in the 1980’s. After high school, Mills attended the University of North Florida in Jacksonville and earned the Bachelor of Arts in Education degree. He also earned the Master of Music degree from Valdosta State University. His teaching experience includes middle school band, high school band, college band, drum corps, applied trumpet, conducting, and elementary general music. He has performed and recorded with several different styles of ensembles from rock to jazz to classical and beyond. Mr. Mills is a performing member of the First Coast Wind Symphony and the Director of Music at Crossroad Lutheran Church. Mr. Mills enjoys playing jazz and commercial trumpet and works as a freelance trumpeter throughout the North and Central Florida area.
Ron Coleman – Ensemble Visual
Ron Coleman has worked in South Florida for over 36 years as a music instructor, teaching both private instrumental music as well as full ensembles. Ron Coleman is a graduate of Miami Beach High School; he also attended Broward Community College and the University of Miami where he studied music education, his principal instrumental studies were bassoon and euphonium. Mr. Coleman has worked as a visual designer and consultant for high school marching bands, indoor color guard as well as drum and bugle corps across the united states. Mr. Coleman is a certified adjudicator for the Florida Federation of Judges Association and for the Indiana State Scholastic Music Association.
Jonathan Bearint – Individual Visual
Born and raised in Land O Lakes Florida, Jonathan Bearint started his career when he first attended Sunlake High School with nothing other than a few skills on his French Horn. He quickly picked up the rest of the brass family along with percussion, becoming a part of the Jazz, Wind, Marching, and Indoor percussion ensembles. Following a successful high school career in both the FMBC and FFCC circuits, he quickly became a Visual Technician at both Durant and Newsome High School. Those schools have not only received Superior ratings at Marching MPA as well as Newsome becoming a finalist for the FMBC State Marching Competition and Gold at the FFCC Circuit Championships. Teaching Visual for both Schools’ Marching Bands and Newsome’s Indoor ensemble since 2021, He continues to work with his students towards a fun, productive, and successful environment.
Sean Phillips – Percussion
Sean Phillips is a veteran high school percussion instructor and adjudicator who currently resides in Woodstock, Georgia. As creator of the “Teaching that STICKS” workshop, he has helped in the development of high school percussion instructors throughout Florida. He is currently a percussion instructor at Lassiter High School (GA).
Jamie Dyer – Color Guard
Jamie Dyer was born and raised in Tampa, Florida. Jamie has been involved in the marching arts for the past 20 years as a performer, instructor, designer, and judge. His marching career began in 2002 with the University of South Florida H.O.T. Marching Band and he was a member from 2003-2006 with the USF Winterguard. He has since worked with many programs directing and designing in Florida and neighboring states. He has designed/directed for many high schools in the Tampa Bay area such as Newsome High School, Northside Christian, Wesley Chapel, Robinson High School and many more. He took over as the director of University of South Florida Colorguard/Winterguard from 2012-2017 after being on staff since 2007. He was most currently the director/designer of colorguards at Newsome High School in Lithia, Florida up until April of 2022. Jamie is currently serving in year 7 on the Florida Federation of Colorguards Circuit Board of Directors and has managed the Education initiatives and support for the circuit. Jamie has been proactive in bringing many initiatives into the circuit and rebranding education with new supports and learning for all involved from directors, staff, and students. Jamie is a reading coach in Hillsborough County and resides in Brandon, Florida with his husband Carlos and two twin sons.
Gary Bartelt
Mr. Bartelt first got involved with band in 2000 when his son joined his high school color guard. A stint as the concession stand manager for the band led to five years as the band booster president. He then helped with the USF color guard, and after going with them to Dayton, Ohio for WGI Championships, he began volunteering for WGI and locally with FFCC. He began judging timing and penalties with FMBC twelve years ago and continues to enjoy giving back to all the members of the band and color guards.