Christy Hobby- Executive and Program Director
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Christy graduated from the University of South Florida with a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education and a Minor in General Business. She began color guard in 2005 and would later become a member of the University of South Florida Herd of Thunder and USF Winterguard from 2009-2014, with leadership roles from 2011-2014. She also marched with the Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps from 2011-2013.
Christy has worked for the Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps, Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corps, and Carolina Crown Drum and Bugle Corps. She is currently the assistant Color Guard Captionhead for Carolina Crown. She has taught at many high schools in the Tampa and Orlando areas since 2010, and teaches clinics across the state of Florida. Currently, Christy teaches at Tarpon Springs High School. She is the director of the Tarpon Springs High School Arts Guard and is on instructional staff for the World Guard and marching band program. She is a founding staff member of the Tampa Independent organization and this will be her 11th year on staff with the program. |
Brittanie Dittman- Open Guard Director
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Brittanie Dittman graduated from the University of South Florida with her degree in Psychology and is currently an ESE Teacher in Pasco County. Brittanie has performed with the USF Herd of Thunder Colorguard from 2013-2014, University of South Florida A Winterguard from 2014-2015, Spirit of Atlanta Drum and Bugle Corps in 2015, and U.S.F World Winterguard from 2016-2017. Brittanie has taught multiple high schools in Hillsborough and Pasco Counties and has been on staff with Tampa Independent since 2020.
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John Lemire- World Guard Designer
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John Lemire has been designing and instructing in the color guard activity for over two decades.
From 2001 to 2020, he served as the Visual Designer for Trumbull High School’s Color Guard and Winter Guard programs. In addition to winning multiple fall Color Guard Championship titles during his tenure, Trumbull was the 2006 WGI World Championship Scholastic Open Class Bronze Medalist and an 11-time WGI Scholastic World Class Finalist. In 2018, Trumbull High School Winter Guard was the WGI World Championship Scholastic World Class Silver Medalist. John was also the Visual Designer for Alter Ego Independent Open in 2008 and served as both the Visual Designer and Director of Alter Ego Independent World from 2009 to 2018. Alter Ego was the 2008 WGI World Championship Independent Open Class Gold Medalist and a 9-time WGI Independent World Class Finalist. Following his time at Alter Ego, John served as the Visual Designer for Origins Independent Open from 2018 to 2020, and Origins Independent World from 2022 to 2024. Currently, John is the Artistic Director for Bellbrook High School (2024-present), and the current Show & Visual Designer for Little Elm High School (2016-present), Keller Central High School (2018-present), West Milford High School (2019-present), and Tampa Independent World (2023-present). The 2025 season will mark his first year as Show & Visual Designer for Norwin High School Winter Guard. Outside of our activity, John holds a Master’s Degree from the University of Hartford and works as a Sr. Accounting Manager for the Subway Corporation. He currently resides in Connecticut. |
Eric Babula- World Guard Design and Choreographer
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Eric Babula, a New Jersey native, has over 25 years of experience in the marching arts. From 2015 to 2020, he directed and choreographed at Trumbull High School, leading the program to multiple WGI Scholastic World finalist appearances, including a Scholastic World Silver Medal finish in 2018.
He has also served as caption head and choreographer for The Cadets, a 10-time DCI World Champion, and collaborated with notable ensembles like Tampa Independent, Norwin High School, Flower Mound High School, Alter Ego, Cypress Independent, and Billerica Memorial Combined Schools. As a performer, Eric has spent six summers with The Cadets and performed with The Hawthorne Caballeros, Innuendo Winter Guard, and Black Gold Winter Guard. He was also a cast member at Tokyo DisneySea in Japan from 2005 to 2006. Eric currently resides and works in Connecticut and is looking forward to returning to TI for another exciting winter season. |
Brian Franco-Winn- Open Guard Design and Choreographer
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Brian Franco-Winn is a designer, choreographer, an educator in the marching arts and dance fields. He is the director at Étude Winter Guard and Wando High School and a choreographer at Carolina Crown, among other local groups in the Carolinas. Outside of the marching arts, Brian is an Assistant Professor of Dance at Winthrop University. He is in his 11th season with the Tampa Independent organization and looks forward to another great experience with the staff and members!
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Emma Boyce- Open Guard Designer
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Emma Boyce is a native of Rock Hill, South Carolina, and currently lives in Dayton, Ohio, where she works as the Participant Relations Manager for Winter Guard International. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology with a minor in dance from Winthrop University.
She has worked as a designer and choreographer for programs throughout the country and is proud to have been on the TI design team since 2017 |
Zane Franco-Winn- Open Guard Design and Choreographer
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Zane stays very active in the performing arts community. He is on the instructional and design team for Étude Winter Guard, The Wando High School Marching Band and Color Guard, and The Fort Mill High School Marching Band. He is on the instructional team at Carolina Crown Drum and Bugle Corps, and several other programs.
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Ben Henley- World Guard Choreographer
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Benjamin Henley is originally from Charlotte, NC and is currently the Colorguard Director at Nation Ford High School in Fort Mill, SC. Benjamin is a choreographer and a member of the design team for Etude Independent World from Rock Hill, SC, who were the 2024 WGI World Class Silver Medalists. Benjamin is also on staff with the Carolina Crown Colorguard serving as a choreographer and tech. In addition, he choreographs for James F. Byrnes HS and Catawba Ridge HS. He has an extensive background in dance and musical theater having been on The North American Tour of Dirty Dancing and the 2nd National Tour of Finding Neverland where he served as Dance Captain and Swing. He is an alumni of the Phantom Regiment Colorguard, First Flight (IW), The Cast (IO), and Etude (IO). His love for teaching comes from giving back to an activity that gave him the confidence to pursue all facets of his dreams.
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Darren Mickens- World Guard Choreographer
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Darren returns to the 2025 staff as a choreographer and brings a wealth of marching and teaching experience. From 2005 - 2012, Darren was a member of groups on both WGI and DCI stages, including Etude Independent, Phantom Regiment Winterguard, Zydego Independent, the Pride of Cincinnati, and Carolina Crown Winterguard and Drum and Bugle corps. He has spent several years as an educator, designer and choreographer for many programs in the Midwest and Texas areas including Avon High School, Dripping Springs HS, Decatur Central HS, Flower Mound HS, William Mason HS, Emerson HS, Grand Oaks HS, Allegoria, Etude Winterguard, Juxtaposition, Visual Theater WG, Elevate WG, Legends Drum and Bugle Corps, Crossmen, The Cadets and Carolina Crown Drum and Bugle Corps.
During the time that Darren is not being creative, you can find him working as a Chef in Cincinnati OH. He has worked at some of the best restaurants in the country and continues his passion to open up a restaurant of his own. |
Evan Black- Open and World Guard Choreographer
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Evan has been involved in the marching arts industry for many years. He has experience in the member and educator sides of both DCI and WGI. Evan has a passion for sharing his knowledge with all ages of performers and is looking forward to another great season with Tampa Independent
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Ricardo Robinson-Shinal- Performance and Acting Specialist
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Ricardo Robinson-Shinall is in his second year as Colorguard Caption Head for The Academy Drum & Bugle Corps from Tempe Arizona, and has been the Colorguard Director and Fine Arts Department Chair at Braden River High School in Bradenton, Florida where he taught dance and theatre. In his 15 years at Braden River, the Marching Band of Pirates has been FL Class AAA State Champions 6 times! The Braden River Winterguards are consistently in the top of their respective classes in the FFCC and have been WGI Regional Finalists. In 2021 the Braden River JV Winterguard was a WGI Virtual Finalist. Ricardo is also a member of the FFCC Board of Directors and is the Assistant Director of the Pageantry Arts Honor Society. As a theatre teacher, Ricardo has produced many top large-scale productions at Braden River that had total involvement from all fine arts programs on campus. Thespian Troupe 8474 has received multiple accolades at both the district and state levels receiving superior ratings and several Highest Honors Awards.
Ricardo is originally from Mississippi where he attended the University of Southern Mississippi and was both Colorguard Captain/Coordinator and Drum Major for the Pride of Mississippi Marching Band. While in Mississippi, Ricardo was the Colorguard Director for the Petal High School Marching Band which won numerous state and regional Championships in band and color guard. He served for 10 years as the Colorguard Director/Coordinator for the East Central Community College Wall O’ Sound Band in Decatur, MS. In addition to colorguard duties, Ricardo served as a choreographer in residence to the Southern Opera and Musical Theatre Company. He directed and choreographed productions for Hattiesburg High School Theatre, Laurel Little Theatre, and Hattiesburg Civic Light Opera Company. Ricardo has numerous choreography, design, and consultation credits for color guards and bands throughout the world including Spirit of Atlanta Drum and Bugle Corps, U.S.F. Winterguard and University of South Florida Winterguard, McEachern H.S. (GA), Jackson Academy (MS), Columbia H.S. (MS), Denham Springs H.S. (LA), Amor Independent Winterguard (AL), Optemystic Independent Winterguard (MS), eMenience Indoor Percussion Theatre (MS), Lafayette H.S. (LA), the University of Louisiana at Lafayette (LA), and Tampa Bay Thunder Drum and Bugle Corps. Ricardo was the color guard designer for the 2-time DCI Soundsport Champion the Medellin Gran Banda from Medellin, Colombia. As a member of the Gulf Coast Judges Association, Ricardo has judged and critiqued top programs from all across the country. He has served on the Bands of America/Music for All Summer Symposium color guard staff since 2003. In addition to color guard and band, Ricardo is an active show choir, musical theatre, and dance company choreographer and director. His performance credits include the Spirit of Atlanta Drum and Bugle Corps Colorguard 1998, Optemystic Independent Winterguard (1999-2003), eMenience Indoor Percussion Theatre (2004), Pride of Cincinnati (2008) and the 2001 DCI World Champions the Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps. |
Armando Loney- Instructor
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Originally from Florida, Armando began his color guard career as a performer in 2007 and later became a member of the University of South Florida Herd of Thunder and USF Winterguard from 2009-2014. He has worked with numerous organizations within the FFCC, WGI, and DCI including The Cadets, Colts and USF Winterguard.
Outside of colorguard, Armando holds Master’s Degrees from Northwestern University and the University of Tampa. He currently resides in Washington, D.C., where he works in education as a music teacher. He is a founding staff member of the Tampa Independent Organization and will be entering his 11th year with the program. |
Mitchell Weber- Instructor
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Mitchell Weber graduated from the University of South Florida with a degree in Elementary Education, and is currently the Magnet Lead Teacher at a Magnet school in Tampa, Florida. Mitchell has previously performed in the Herd of Thunder Colorguard at USF (2010-2012), USF Winterguard (2011-2014), Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps (2012-2013), and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade with the Madison Scouts Colorguard (2014). He was the former Director of Colorguards at Wiregrass Ranch High School for eight years (2014 - Spring 2021), designed and choreographed for multiple high school programs in the Tampa Bay area, and is one of the founders and current staff members of Tampa Independent (2015-present).
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Lynel Marín-Curd- Instructor
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Originally from Cincinnati, Ohio, Lynel Marín-Curd began color guard at Muncie Southside High School in Muncie, Indiana. Lynel participated in the band and color guard program at Muncie Southside from 2002-2008. While still in high school Lynel joined the Cavalier Drum and Bugle Corps in 2007 as member of the color guard. Lynel performed with the Cavaliers from 2007-2011. Lynel’s winter guard experiences includes Pride of Cincinnati 2010, 2012, 2013, 2015, and Zydeco Color Guard in 2011. Lynel’s teaching experiences spans across the midwest including programs such as Muncie Southside High School, Muncie Central High School, Hamilton Southeastern High School, Greenfield Central High School, Greenwood Community High School, Lake Central High School, and Northview High School. Lynel currently teaches at Cy- Fair High School in Cypress, Texas and Tarpon Springs High School in Tarpon, Florida. Lynel is very excited to return to the Tampa Independent staff for a second season.
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Nicholas DeBadts- Instructor
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Nicholas DeBadts is a Retail Store Manager in Valrico, FL and is a graduate of the University of South Florida. He has performed with the USF Herd of Thunder Colorguard (2009-2012), USF WinterGuard (2010-2014), and the Boston Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corps (2011-2013). Over his career, Nicholas has choreographed and designed for many high school programs across the Tampa Bay area, and was the Color Guard Director at Riverview High School for 4 years. Nicholas has been a staff member with Tampa Independent Winterguard since 2015, and is one of the founder's of the organization.
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Juan Brito- Instructor
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Juan Brito has been a part of Tampa Independent since 2021. He has marched with the organization up until this current year, where he is joining the organization as a staff member. Juan has also marched at Spirit of Atlanta and Carolina Crown. He currently is a weapon choreographer at The Academy and is the Director of Colorguard at Newsome High School. He is super excited to be able to give back to an organization that has given so much to him!
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Hannah Brady- Instructor and Social Media
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Hannah Brady graduated from the University of Florida with her Bachelor's in Psychology and is currently attending UF for her Ed.S. in School Psychology. Hannah performed with the Florida Visual Ensemble (2020-2022), Tampa Independent (2021-2024), Spirit of Atlanta (2019), and Carolina Crown (2022). She is currently working in Pasco County Schools as a school psychology intern and teching for the Riverview HS color guard.
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Abigail Malloy MacLeay- Instructional Clinician
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Abby MacLeay has had many years of color guard experience as both a performer and educator.
Born in Miami, she attended G. Holmes Braddock High School and joined the winter guard, thus beginning her color guard career. After only one season, Abby became a member of Braddock Independent World where she marched from 2005 to 2009 and again in 2011. Abby’s drum corps career began in 2005 when she marched in the Magic of Orlando Color Guard, and again in 2006. In 2007, she joined The Cadets Color Guard, where she marched through her age-out summer in 2010. She transitioned onto The Cadets Color Guard staff in 2014 and continuously taught there through 2019. Currently, Abby is on the visual staff at Santa Clara Vanguard. She began teaching the visual program at John A. Ferguson High School in 2006 and the movement program at Cypress Bay High School in 2011. She kept both positions until 2013 when she moved to Massachusetts. Since then, she’s run the movement program for Billerica Memorial High School (2014-2024), taught Alter Ego (2016-2018), and choreographed for Summerville High School (2015-2018). Outside of our activity, Abby holds a bachelor's in elementary education from Salem State University and works as a People Operations Manager for Crayon, Inc. |
Rett Johnson- Social Media, Marketing and Photographer
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Photography — From events to Portraits, and the Marching Arts (both indoor and outdoor) -- taking pictures isn't a job, it's my passion! I have been photographing the marching arts since 2018, and have been shooting photography since 2010. My goal as a photographer is to capture moments otherwise gone forever and impossible to reproduce!
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