Staff - Design Team

Rob Lewis

Rob Lewis has been involved in teaching the marching activity since 1989, most recently as director of the Mead High School Marching Band and Color Guard. He has enjoyed working with and arranging for drum corps and high school programs around the country. Ensembles under his instruction and leadership have been recognized as some of the finest in the Pacific Northwest as well as attaining a few national accolades. His students have appeared on stage with Grammy Award Winner Shania Twain, and have collected numerous awards in the marching, concert, and jazz arenas. Rob has also enjoyed many opportunities as an adjudicator for a variety of ensembles included solo & ensemble percussion, concert band, and jazz band. We are very proud to have Mr. Lewis as a member of our team!

Eric Parker

Eric Parker will continue his role as the Visual Designer for the Spokane Thunder Drum and Bugle Corps for the 2012 season. Eric has been the Visual Designer for Spokane Thunder from 2006 - 2007, 2010 - 2011. He currently serves as the Visual Designer and Director of Bands for the 2011 Northwest Association of Performing Arts (NWAPA) Open Class Champions, Central Valley High School in Spokane Valley, WA. Central Valley also was crowned 2010 NWAPA AAA Class Champions as well as winning awards for high visual. Eric began designing for Central Valley in 2000 and has shared his talent with designs for the Cascades Drum and Bugle Corps, Hermiston High School, Shadle Park High School, Tumwater High School, Mount Spokane High School and East Valley High School. He is excited for the 2012 season to begin an exciting process of building an unforgettable design for students to perform and grow through.

Chris Grant

Chris Grant graduated cum laude from Eastern Washington University with a degree in Music Education. He is an in demand performer, educator and music arranger and composer who maintains two percussion studios in the Spokane area. Chris is fortunate to keep a busy performance schedule with such groups as the Spokane British Brass Band, Coeur d’Alene Symphony, Kari Marguerite and The 76, Don Goodwin’s Instant Superpower and his Percussion Ensemble, Purely Percussion. Chris has served as a percussion specialist for many schools and organizations such as Eastern Washington University Marching Band, Spokane Youth Symphony, Cascades Drum and Bugle Corps and Thunder Drum and Bugle Corps. Chris’s musical arrangements and compositions have been performed by numerous schools and universities throughout the country.

Kathryn Lagge

Kathryn Lagge began her colorguard career in St. Augustine, FL with the 1996 Cadets of Sebastian. Other performance experience includes WGI Scholastic World Finalist Coast One World Winterguard (1998-2001), Carolina Crown Drum and Bugle Corps (2002), Florida International University Winterguard (2005), and WGI Independent Open and World Finalist Northeast Independent (2002, 2003, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010), where she received the 2002 Independent Open silver medal and the 2008 Independent World bronze medal. Kathryn’s instructional experience includes St. Augustine High School, Pedro Menendez High School, Gamble Rodgers Middle School, Coast One Kids Ensemble, Spruce Creek High School, Miami Coral Park Senior High School, Felix Varela High School, Madison County High School, and Central Valley High School in Spokane. During the summers she served as a clinician for the Formations Performance Company, The Colorguard Academy and Camp N.E.I. She also was the Colorguard Caption Head for The Teal Sound Drum and Bugle Corps (2006) and Spokane Thunder Drum and Bugle Corps (2008). She is very excited to be back home with her drum corps working alongside such an extremely talented staff and hardworking members.

Staff - Executive Team

Mike Koch: Executive Director

Mike brings over 30 years of business leadership to the corps and is currently employed as an executive with a regional bank in Spokane. Mike and his wife Sheryl have 6 children and 5 grandchildren and he serves with Thunder simply because he loves the activity and our youth.

Rob Lewis: Artistic Director

We are extremely excited about the addition of Rob Lewis to the Executive Team. Rob leads all of the corps artistic, design and teaching functions. He is responsible for the product we offer to our members and other constituents. Additional detail is available in the Design Team Biographies.

Chris Grant: Associate Director – Logistics

We are grateful for the history of service Chris Grant brings to the 2012 Executive Team. There are thousands of details that must be organized to effectively field a corps and Chris is already busy working out every detail. Additional information about Chris is available in the Design Team Biographies.