Drum Corps International announced the creation of the DCI Student Leadership Advisory Committee, a collection of drum majors from World, Open and All-Age Classes. The purpose of the committee is to create a forum where performers within the activity have direct access to DCI headquarters staff and CEO Nate Boudreaux.
“We created this advisory committee because we felt it was important for the performers in our activity to have a voice,” Boudreaux said. “The DCI board of directors get to hear a presentation on key topics that they would like to see addressed by corps and the DCI office from the drum majors each January, but I didn’t think that was enough. I wanted to continue that conversation throughout the season.”
The group held its first meeting via Zoom on May 15, discussing key topics for the upcoming 2025 DCI Summer Tour. These included strengthening inter-corps connections, expanding encore performance opportunities, and improving mental health resources and emergency preparedness, including training in the use of automated external defibrillators (AEDs).
The committee plans to meet again in late June prior to the start of the season and in July to address any spring training and on-tour concerns.
“This group is among the best and brightest student leaders in our activity and I look forward to hearing their suggestions on how we can improve as an organization,” Boudreaux said. “It’s important all of our stakeholders, including the performers, are represented with their voice when the DCI board of directors or voting membership makes decisions on the direction of the activity.”
2025 DCI Student Leadership Advisory Committee
Carissa Blumka is in her fourth year as drum major with Colts. She has been a visual technician for the Independence Mustang Marching Band in Iowa and an indoor winds technician at Webb City High School in Missouri. Originally from Downers Grove, Illinois, she served as a drum major for the Trojan Marching Band at Downers Grove North High School. Blumka is graduating in 2025 from the University of Northern Iowa with a degree in Music Education, and looks forward to starting her first job as a band director job in the fall.
Wes Booker (Boston Crusaders) is entering his fourth season as a drum major and his third with the Boston Crusaders. A native of Coppell, Texas, he began his marching arts career at Coppell High School is currently a Music Education major at the University of Texas at Austin. He began his DCI career as an assistant drum major for the Cadets in 2022 and has been a drum major at the Boston Crusaders since 2023. At the Crusaders, he has been honored with the Unsung Hero Leadership Award in 2023 and the Michael J. Woodall Leadership Award in 2024. He was also the recipient of DCI’s Jim Jones Leadership Award in 2024 and looks forward to being a high school band director in Texas upon graduation.
Sophia Fenske (Govenaires) has previously been a drum major for both the Madison Scouts and River City Rhythm. She is from Duluth, Minnesota, where she was both a drum major and undergraduate director of the University of Minnesota Duluth Athletic Bands before receiving her music education degree. She is currently starting her teaching career and hopes to continue teaching band and marching with the Govenaires. Sophia was named the 2024 “Govie of the Year” after leading her corps to first place in All-Age Class A.
Mattie Kleespies (Blue Stars), from Dallas, Texas, graduated in May 2025 from the University of Texas at Austin with a B.A. in Human Dimensions of Organizations. As a scholar within the Liberal Arts Honors Program, she earned a spot on the Dean’s List every semester, and graduated with Highest Honors as a distinguished graduate in her major. Mattie is set to march her fourth and final season of drum corps with the Blue Stars in 2025, serving her third season as head drum major. After aging out, she will relocate to Wisconsin to begin a career in Healthcare IT at Epic Systems.
Amari Lewis is a second-year drum major with Mandarins. She attends Michigan State University and is majoring in Conservation Ecology with a minor in Military Science. Aspiring to branch into a career as a Conservation Law Enforcement Officer, Amari currently serves as a Michigan State ROTC cadet and is enlisted in the Michigan National Guard. In addition to her service and leadership, she also works with Silent Command LLC to empower future leaders in the marching arts community.
Maya McBrayer (Mandarins) grew up in San Antonio, Texas where she graduated from Smithson Valley High School in 2021. Maya is entering her fourth year and age out season as a drum major for the Sacramento Mandarins Drum and Bugle Corps, where she earned the “Mandarins Member of the Year, Joe Fong Perpetual Award” in 2023. She currently attends Texas Tech University where she plans to graduate in December 2025 with degrees in both Instrumental Music Education and Flute Performance.
Lex Rodrigues Monteiro (Madison Scouts) of Orange Park, Florida, is entering his fifth year with the Madison Scouts. Rodrigues Monteiro attends St. Johns River State College where he is pursuing a Bachelors of Arts degree. With five years of DCI and WGI experience, Lex works as an educator and arranger through multiple ensembles and sources, most notably Oakleaf High School (Orange Park, Fla.) and Silent Command LLC.
Ana Carolina Silva (Spartans) was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and attends the University of Massachusetts Amherst as a full-time student majoring in Management. She started marching band as a freshman in high school and has continued through college with the UMass Minuteman Marching Band. She began her drum corps career with the Spartans Drum and Bugle Corps in 2023, and returned in 2024 as drum major, earning our second consecutive Open Class Champion title. In 2025, she will be continuing her role as drum major at Spartans for her age-out season. Following her college graduation, she plans follow a career in HR consulting and grow in the business industry.
