Leadership Team

Jeff has built a history rich with experience in the marching arts for over 35 years. In addition to teaching in the drum corps activity with the Chieftains, Sunrisers, Jersey Surf, Dutch Boy and Crossmen, Jeff has worked with many state champion high school marching bands, as well as several 

WGI finalist indoor ensembles including Aftermath, United Percussion, East Coast Percussion, and a crowning achievement of a World Championship with Hatboro-Horsham HS. Jeff spent the 2019 season as the Director of the Bushwackers Drum and Bugle Corps as well. He is presently on the board of directors for Imperial Dynasty Arts.

Jeff’s resume includes roles as adjudicator and clinician for Winter Guard International, Rocky Mountain Percussion Association., Indiana Percussion Association., Michigan Color Guard Association, Cavalcade of Bands, US Bands, Atlantic Indoor Association and Tournament of Bands. Jeff is also a founding member of the Mid Atlantic Percussion Society (MAPS) and served as their Vice President for 20 years.

Jeff has presented at state music educator conventions and has had several articles published in various music periodicals and websites Jeff has worked for over 20 years in the school music industry with Zeswitz Music, Music & Arts, and is currently employed in Educational Business Development for Steve Weiss Music.

Jeff is active at Riverside Community Church in the Men’s Ministry as well as the Café Ministry near his home in Horsham, PA. He enjoys Fishing, Cooking and time with his family.

Tonia Asel Kaufman is a public high school band director and music educator in suburban Philadelphia. Earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Music Education and Saxophone Performance, and a Master's in Educational Administration, she currently is pursuing a Ph.D. in Music Education at Temple University. She was awarded the 2014 Pennsylvania Music Education Association (PMEA) Citation of Teaching Excellence and named a Colonial School District Master Teacher. 

She is a frequent presenter and panelist at local, state, and regional music education conferences. Serving in a variety of additional roles, she has been an adjunct professor of music education, guest conductor, music arranger, visual designer, and a conductor on the American Music Abroad Bronze Tour to Europe. She maintains National Board Certification in EA/YA Music, and is a certified life coach. 

In her free time she enjoys traveling, reading, listening to live music, and spending time with her nieces and nephews.

Bill “Woody” Woodward, has been responsible for instilling the love of the Marching Arts into many people’s lives. From Percussion Director, Marching Band Staff Member, Band Director and judge, he has selflessly helped many young people realize their potential and go on to become amazing human beings in and out of the marching arts. 

Woody’s experience began in the early 80’s  including his long-time involvement, 1985 – 2000 with the Hatboro Horsham High School instrumental programs. He has also worked with and arranged for countless program in the northeastern US and beyond. 

Bill has been a performer, caption head, composer and arranger for the Black Watch Drum and Bugle Corps, Jersey Surf Drum and Bugle Corps, Bushwhackers All Age Drum and Bugle Corps, United Indoor Percussion and Riptide Indoor Percussion. Through the indoor percussion arena, Woody is the first and only director to bring a Winter Guard International (WGI) Percussion World Championship home to Hatboro Horsham High School in 1995.

Bill has brought his creative and energetic approach to thousands of students especially in the General Effect Music area. Giving back in this capacity is just one of the many ways he has touched many lives of so many students, directors, staff, judges and parents.

Kate is a percussion and movement instructor from the Lehigh Valley, Pa. She began her marching arts career in 2009, performing with Garnet Valley High School Indoor Percussion, followed by Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s The Legend, Penn State Indoor, and ended her marching career with United Percussion, aging out in 2016.

Kate’s teaching experience began with the Homer Center High School 2013, where she helped them earn their first gold medal at TIA Championships, and has instructed cymbals at various other high school band programs in the eastern Pennsylvania area. She was the visual coordinator at Upper Dublin High School and Aftermath Percussion in 2017, and then Plymouth-Whitemarsh High School and East Coast Percussion in 2018, carrying all of her competitive visual programs to finalist status. Following her time with East Coast Percussion, she instructed the front ensemble for Bushwackers Drum and Bugle Corps, and worked as Assistant Director and front ensemble technician at Imperial Dynasty at both the Open and World class levels.

Between her marching and teaching career, Kate has been fortunate to have been a part of every level of the activity, from the scholastic novice class to independent world class, and credits this wide range of teaching and learning experiences for her unique and adaptable approach and teaching style.

Kate is excited to join the experienced educational staff at Mission Independent and looks forward to working with new members for the 2024 indoor season.

Leah is a southeastern PA Front Ensemble Technician with 10 years of experience in the marching arts, and 15+ years of experience in orchestral percussion. She specializes in mallet percussion, and front ensemble movement.

Leah has performed in multiple award winning ensembles such as Aftermath Percussion, The Bushwackers Drum and Bugle Corp, Imperial Dynasty, The Kutztown University Marching Unit, and the Hatboro-Horsham Marching Unit and Indoor Percussion Ensemble. 

As a performer Leah has won multiple indoor and outdoor state and regional championships, and was a two time WGI finalist. She has gone on to both teach and direct multiple high school ensembles, winning state championships, high percussion accolades, 1st place in multiple WGI regionals, and receiving a WGI bronze medal in the Scholastic Concert A division her first year as director. 

When she’s not teaching, she is furthering her career in the beauty industry, finding a new recipe to perfect in her home kitchen, or watching Grey’s Anatomy at home with her husband and two cats.

Mr. Tom has been involved in the marching and musical arts for over 25 years with ensembles at all levels in the tri-state area. While the marching arts has been a large part of his teaching and directing experience, he has also been known to sit in for studio kit gigs when time allows.

He currently judges in the tri-state, NY, and New England areas, and enjoys odd metered rhythms and clever vertically aligned and designed moments between the front ensemble and battery. 

Tom is a proud member of the Vic Firth Education team and is excited to be joining the Mission Independent family!

TJ marched with the award-winning Hatboro-Horsham Marching Unit from 2010-2013 playing baritone and sousaphone. He continued with the Hatboro-Horsham Indoor Percussion Ensemble as a performer in both the front ensemble and battery. TJ also has independent indoor experience having marched bass drum for the innaugural season of Field of View Indoor Percussion.

When not enjoying the marching arts, TJ can be found as a solo performer singing and playing guitar at various local venues. He also loves sports, food, and spending time with his loved ones.

Rainee Wright is a communications major with the focus and strategic communications at Eastern university. She focuses on how organizations operate as well as their social media coronation. 

Her role within the organization here at Mission Independent is to communicate information to those within the group, and coordinate the social media platforms.

Rainee spent her youth within the world of music, playing the upright string bass for 8+ years, as well as baritone and tuba for 5 years.