CENTRAL BALDWIN
Middle School Bands
OUR STAFF MEMBERS
DAVID COLLINS
Central Baldwin Middle School
Director of Bands
dcollins@bcbe.org
Mr. David Collins has been the Director of Bands at Central Baldwin Middle School since 2022. His duties consist of teaching the 7th and 8th grade bands at Central Baldwin Middle School, and assisting with the Robertsdale High School Band. Mr. Collins graduated from Oak Mountain High School in Birmingham, AL in 2013, and after attended the University of South Alabama, where he was a member of the Jaguar Marching Band and graduated with his Bachelors in Instrumental Music Education. He served as section leader and undergraduate assistant for the Jaguar Marching Band, and was the principal saxophonist for the Wind Ensemble. Mr. Collins arranged music and wrote drill during his time as teaching assistant for the Jaguar Marching Band at USA.
Prior to CBMS, Mr. Collins taught private lessons throughout both Baldwin and Mobile County Public Schools, and also served as the Band Director at Summerdale School, and as Assistant Band Director at Elberta High School. Mr. Collins is a member of the National Educators Association (NEA), Alabama Education Association (AEA), National Association for Music Education (NAfME), the Alabama Music Educators Association (AMEA), the Alabama Bandmasters Association (ABA), and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity of America. Mr. Collins resides in Daphne, AL with his wife, Mrs. Callie Collins.
LEE HUGHES
Robertsdale High School
Director of Bands
lthughes@bcbe.org
Lee T. Hughes has been the Director of Bands at Robertsdale High School since 2017. He teaches Marching Band, Wind Ensemble, AP Music Theory, Jazz Band, and oversees all other ensembles. Mr. Hughes earned a Bachelor of Music Education from the University of South Alabama. While there, he served as a trumpet section leader, as well as, teaching assistant in the acclaimed Jaguar Marching Band and was principal trumpet player with the Wind Ensemble, USA Symphony/Opera Orchestra and Jazz Band. After graduation he has since taught at many award-winning band programs, such as Baker High School in Mobile, Alabama, Daphne High School in Daphne, AL, and now Robertsdale High School in Robertsdale, AL. He is also an avid clinician and performer along the Gulf Coast. In Spring of 2016, he was chosen to be an honor band clinician with the Mobile County Middle School Honor Band. Mr. Hughes is a member of the Alabama Bandmasters Association (ABA), Alabama Music Educators Association (AMEA), National Association for Music Educators (NAfME), and the International Trumpet Guild (ITG). He also has served on the Alabama Bandmasters Association Election and Music Committees since 2020. Mr. Hughes lives in Loxley, AL with his son Weston, and his beautiful wife Kristen.
JEFFREY LEPA
Robertsdale High School
Associate Director of Bands
Director of Choirs
jlepa@bcbe.org
Jeffrey Lepa has been at Robertsdale High School as Associate Director of Bands and Director of Choirs since 2021. He formerly served as Associate Director of Bands at Baldwin County High School for 4 years and Director of Bands for 12 years. Mr. Lepa graduated from Graceland University in Southern Iowa with a Bachelor of Arts in Secondary Music Education. While there, he served as student assistant to the band, choir, and orchestra programs and served on the student senate. Locally, he can often be found performing with the City Rhythm Jazz Band out of Loxley. Mr. Lepa is a member of the Alabama Bandmasters Association (ABA), Alabama Music Educator’s Association (AMEA), and the National Association for Music Education (NAfME). He lives in Loxley with his wife and 2 children.
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JESSICA FOSTER
Associate Director of Bands
Robertsdale High School
jffoster@bcbe.org
Jessica Foster has been at Robertsdale High School as an Associate Director of Bands since 2023. She is a band director from Fairhope, AL. that received her Bachelor of Music Education from the University of South Alabama. She began her career in 2010 teaching percussion at various high schools in the Baldwin County area, including Baker HS, Fairhope HS, and Spanish Fort HS. Jessica worked next as a percussion and music instructor for Marcus Whitman HS and Director of Marcus Whitman Indoor Percussion and Guard in Rushville, NY for three years. She then moved to Eugene, OR in 2017, and had the privilege of being on the percussion staff for the University of Oregon Marching Band for two years, as well as an instructor at Sheldon HS. She became a founding instructor for the Willamette Indoor Percussion group in Eugene, OR before moving back home to Fairhope, AL where she was middle school band director and high school percussion instructor from 2020-2023.
MARK FOSTER
Percussion Instructor
Mark Foster has been the Director of Percussion at Robertsdale High School since 2018. He has been a music educator for over 30 years and retired from Daphne High School as the Associate Director and Percussion Instructor. He received his Bachelors of Music Education degree from Memphis State University and his Master of Arts Degree in Music Education from Louisiana Tech University. He was a charter member of the Memphis Blues Brass Band in 1980 and 1981 as a tenor player. His organizational activities included the ABA District 7 Chairman from 2001 - 2003, Executive Director of the Gulf Coast Color Guard and Percussion Circuit from 2010 to 2012, and a member of the WGI Percussion Advisory Committee in 2006 and 2007. Mr. Foster is a member of the Alabama Bandmasters Association, NAFME, and the Percussive Arts Society. Individual accomplishments include: Daphne High School Teacher of the Year, Daphne High School Hall of Fame, the Gulf Coast Color Guard and Percussion Circuit Hall of Fame, and was awarded the National Band Association Citation of Excellence Award.
DEANNA LEPA
Mrs. Lepa graduated from University of West Florida with a Bachelor of Science in Music Performance. She then did her graduate work at the University of Florida. While there, she performed in the Wind Symphony, Symphony Orchestra, Clarinet Ensemble, and New Music Ensemble. She has performed with various orchestras and in many pit orchestras for musicals. She is currently the band director at Loxley Elementary School, Rosinton Elementary School, Delta Elementary, Baldwin County Virtual School, and Stapleton Elementary School. She lives in Loxley with her husband and 2 sons.
CRYSTAL TOMECEK
Ms. Tomecek earned a Bachelor's of Music Education and Master of Science in School Counseling from Mississippi State University. Her primary instrument is the flute. Although she is from Mississippi, an Alabamian stole her heart. Her husband is from the Fairhope area but initially started school at Silverhill his first year. After they graduated Mississippi State University , they both found work locally and she happened to land a job teaching at her husband's original home school! With each year she hopes to improve as a teacher, educator, band director, musician, wife, and person. She believes this is exactly where she needs to be and appreciates this community's support and dedication to the arts.
MELISSA WHITE
6th Grade Band Director
Silverhill Elementary
mdwhite@bcbe.org
Melissa White graduated from the University of Mobile with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Music Education. She plays all instruments, but specializes in oboe and piano.