Our Directors and Staff

Phil Chumley, Freshman Director and Assistant Director at Lakota West, is a graduate of the University of Maryland.  He received his Bachelor’s degree in Music Education and pursued his Master’s Degree in Music Performance.  He was Band Director at the Robert Goddard Junior High School in Lanham, MD where his bands consistently received Superior Ratings at County Band Festivals.  In 1998, he joined the music faculty at Northern Kentucky University where he was Adjunct Professor of Clarinet. Mr. Chumley became band director at Lakota Plains Junior School in 2003. During his 7 years there, the 8th Grade Bands performed in Class A and consistently receiving Superior Ratings at District contests.  In 2006, the 8th Grade Band performed in a clinic session at the OMEA Convention, and, in 2008, the band was invited to perform in concert at the OMEA Convention. Mr. Chumley came to the Lakota West High School Band program with a desire to continue the great traditions that have helped Lakota West Band become one of the top bands in the United States.  He is a sought after private instructor for clarinet performance with a studio of as many as 37 students. [more]

Todd Hartman, Jazz Studies at Lakota West and Lakota East. A Summa Cum Laude graduate of the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM), Mr. Hartman earned a degree in Music Education with a specialization in Jazz Studies. He holds a Masters Degree in Educational Leadership from Miami University. He is the co-founder/co-coordinator of the Lakota Summer Jazz Band Clinic. Jazz ensembles under his direction have been selected to perform at the Monterey Next Generation Jazz Festival, the University of North Texas Jazz Festival, the Savannah Music Festival Swing Central Competition, and the OMEA State Conference. Mr. Hartman resides in Liberty Township, Ohio with his wife, Susan, and their two children. [more]

David Thomas, Jazz Studies at Lakota West Freshman School, teaches 2 Freshman Jazz Bands at the West Freshman School, assists with the Freshman Concert Bands and Jr. High Bands at Plains Jr. and Ridge Junior Schools.  Mr. Thomas grew up in Pleasant Hill, Ohio, and earned his Bachelor degree in Music Education from Miami University as Clarinet Major in 1982.  Prior to Lakota, Mr. Thomas taught in Shelby County, Ohio at the Hardin-Houston High School and then 11 years at the Oak Hills Local School District in Western Cincinnati.  In 1993, he began teaching at Hopewell Junior School and the elementary feeders to that school. As the district has grown, his duties changed as new buildings came into being. He has been the assistant director of the Lakota West Marching Firebirds, Junior School band director at Hopewell and Lakota Ridge Junior Schools, and beginning band director at every Elementary School.  He continues to perform with the Southwest Ohio Symphonic Band as well as church.  He is a member of the National Band Association, the Music Educator’s National Conference and the Ohio Music Education Association.

Joe Tignor, Plains Junior School, earned a Master of Music degree from Eastern Illinois University and a Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Kentucky. He is currently in his twenty-seventh year of teaching and his twenty first year in the Lakota School District, West Chester, Ohio.  During his tenure in the Lakota School District, Mr. Tignor has been assistant director for the Lakota High School Thunderbird Marching Band and later, for the Lakota East High School Thunderhawk Marching Band. Prior to teaching at Lakota, Mr. Tignor was director of bands at Franklin High School, band director at Vail Middle School and assistant director at Middletown High School.  Mr. Tignor has hosted OMEA Large Group Adjudicated Events, Solo and Ensemble and has judged District XIII Honor Band auditions. He performs regularly with the Southwestern Ohio Symphonic Band. He is a member of Ohio Music Education Association, Music Educators National Conference, and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia.

Brian Botdorf, Ridge Junior School, received a bachelor of music degree from Bowling Green State University and a master of education degree from Ashland University. He started at Lakota Schools (East) in the Fall of 2001 and has been at Ridge since the Fall of 2003. He works with the Ridge concert bands and jazz bands and directs the all-Lakota trombone ensemble. Previous teaching experience in Ohio includes Clearview Local Schools, North Baltimore Local Schools, and Willard City Schools. Mr. Botdorf teaches private trombone and baritone lessons in the evenings. He is also active in the West Chester Church of the Nazarene’s orchestra. He lives in West Chester with his wife, Susan. [more]

Tom Racic, Percussion Director at Lakota West, came to Lakota West High School in 2008 after serving as director of bands at Mt. Healthy High School (Mt. Healthy, OH).  He received his Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education form Northern Kentucky University. Mr. Racic was also a member of the percussion staff at Capital Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps and Magic of Orlando Drum and Bugle Corps. His responsibilities at Lakota West include director of percussion for the six high school concert bands and Marching Firebirds, assistant marching band director, and percussion arranger. He also directs the seven high school percussion ensembles. Mr. Racic is a member of Music Educators National Conference, Ohio Music Education Association, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, the Percussive Arts Society, and the Vic Firth Education Team. He lives in West Chester with his wife Amy and son Van.

Clint Fisher, Color Guard Director, is a native of Springfield, Ohio although he currently resides in Centerville, Ohio.  He received his B.A. in Music, Communications Management and English from the University of Dayton as well as a Masters degree in Education with a concentration in School Counseling. Currently, Clint works as an elementary school counselor in the Beavercreek City School district.  Clint started his marching career in 2004 and has had the amazing opportunity to march several winter seasons. He has performed with Zydeco, Pride of Cincinnati and Onyx. Clint also taught for Fred J. Miller inc. Summer Clinics for 13 summers.  He has consulted and choreographed for several programs across the country and throughout the state.  Clint has also choreographed for several independent organizations in the past including Consortio and Zydeco Open.  Currently Clint is a movement choreographer for Zydeco World colorguard and dances with Mam-Luft & Company in Cincinnati, Ohio.  Clint is thrilled to return for his 6^th season teaching the Lakota West Fall Guard and Winterguard. [more]

Eric Jones, Color Guard Director, is originally from Scottsville, Kentucky and currently resides in Florence, Kentucky.  Eric has been one of the colorguard and winterguard directors at Lakota West since 2006. He began his performing career in 2004 with Onyx World Winterguard from Dayton, Ohio. After three successful seasons with Onyx, Eric went on to teach Zydeco Colorguard out of Dayton, Ohio, where in their first inaugural year they received the silver medal at Winter Guard International (WGI) World Finals. During his career at Onyx and Zydeco, Eric also marched two seasons in 2005 and 2006 with the Carolina Crown Drum and Bugle Corps. Since then he has been the director of Consortio Colorguard, a 4th place finalist in 2010 at WGI Championships, as well as Zydeco Open who received the bronze medal in 2011 at WGI Championships.   Eric is now the co-director of Zydeco World colorguard.  Eric also holds a Bachelors Degree from Northern Kentucky University in Public Relations and works as the Marketing Coordinator for Fath Properties. [more]

Alison Hunyady, Color Guard Director, currently resides in Dayton, Ohio and holds an Associate’s degree in communications from Sinclair Community College. Alison attended Northmont HS  and was an active member of their color guard and winter guard program. Since then Alison has continued with the activity marching with the Cadets drum and bugle corps in 2005 through 2008. Alison aged out of the Cadets as the captain of the color guard in 2008. In addition, she marched Onyx World in 2006 and 2007; followed by Zydeco World in 2008 and 2009. She finished her marching career as the captain of Zydeco in 2009. Alison has been on staff with the Lakota West HS color guard program since the summer of 2007. She has also taught other area high schools and independent organizations including Zydeco. [more]

Megan Vandusen, Technician, hails from Novi, Michigan.  Though she started her colorguard experience in Michigan, she finished her experience in West Chester.  Megan is a graduate of Lakota West High School where she not only participated in the colorguard and winterguard but was also the Captain her senior year.  After graduation, Megan went on to teach Fred J. Miller Summer Clinics for several summers and perform with Zydeco colorguard.  Megan is currently pursuing a degree in Communication Management at the University of Dayton and is thrilled to be a member of the colorguard staff.  [more]