CENTRAL BALDWIN
Middle School Band
OUR STAFF MEMBERS
NATHAN LEE
Central Baldwin Middle School
Director of Bands
wlee1@bcbe.org
Mr. Nathan Lee is currently in his first year teaching band at Central Baldwin Middle School. His duties consist of leading the 7th and 8th grade bands, assisting with the Robertsdale High School Band, and recruiting beginning band students from the feeder schools in the area. Mr. Lee graduated from Chelsea High School in 2021, and after attended Auburn University. There, he was a member of the Auburn University Marching Band and graduated with a Bachelors in Music Education and in Music Performance. He served as section leader of the tuba section in the AU Marching Band and was the principal euphonium player for the Auburn University Symphonic Winds.
In addition to his education, Mr. Lee is a self-taught arranger/composer. He has written commercially available arrangements of pop songs for marching bands of varying ability levels and collaborated with the arranger for the Auburn University Marching Band on various projects.
ANDREW ELLIS
Robertsdale High School
Director of Bands
aellis@bcbe.org
Mr. Ellis brings a wealth of experience, leadership, and musical excellence to Robertsdale. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Music from Auburn University and a Master of Education in Music Education from Troy University. A graduate of Enterprise High School, he has dedicated his career to developing outstanding student musicians and building successful band programs across Alabama.
Most recently, Mr. Ellis served as Director of Bands at Spain Park High School, where he led the Pride of the Park Marching Band, Chamber Winds, and Shades of Blue Jazz Ensemble. His previous experience includes serving as Assistant Director of Bands at Saraland High School and Director of Bands at Samson Middle/High School. Under his leadership, ensembles have consistently earned superior ratings and best-in-class honors throughout the state.
Beyond the classroom, Mr. Ellis is an accomplished drill writer and arranger for marching bands across Alabama. He also proudly served our country for twelve years in the Alabama National Guard, including ten years as a commissioned officer, concluding his military service as Commander of Battery C, 1-117th Field Artillery.
Mr. Ellis is actively involved in numerous professional organizations, including National Association for Music Education, the Alabama Music Education Association, the Alabama Bandmasters Association, the Alabama Educators' Association, and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia.
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 ROE
Associate Director of Bands
Robertsdale High School
jffoster@bcbe.org
Jessica Roe 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.
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.