Summit Band Directors
Beth Hermanson
Director of Bands
Beth Hermanson serves as the Director of Bands at Summit High School in Mansfield ISD. Before joining the Summit team, she spent a decade teaching in the Deer Valley Unified School District in Phoenix, Arizona. Her career began teaching elementary band at Bellair and Mountain Shadows Elementary Schools, later expanding to include general music and choir at Bellair. Ms. Hermanson then transitioned to Deer Valley Middle School, where she taught band, choir, orchestra, and general music for seven years. She also spent eight years as the Assistant Marching Band Director at Barry Goldwater High School, working with the marching band, winter guard, and indoor percussion ensembles.
Ms. Hermanson holds a Master of Music in Wind Band Conducting from Texas Tech University, where she studied with Dr. Sarah McKoin, and a Bachelor of Music Education from Northern Arizona University, where she studied euphonium with Pete Vivona, David Vining, Dr. Christian Carichner, Dr. Kent Eshelman, and Dr. Alex Lapins. During her time at NAU, she performed as a euphoniumist in the top wind ensemble and played trombone and tuba in various other ensembles. While at Texas Tech, she was inducted into Pi Kappa Lambda, the national music honor society. As an undergraduate, she was actively involved in leadership roles with Sigma Alpha Iota and the collegiate chapter of the National Association for Music Education, and participated in NAU’s chapter of the International Tuba/Euphonium Association.
When she’s not in the band hall, Ms. Hermanson enjoys exploring DFW’s coffee scene with a good book in tow, hanging out with her two cats, Duke and Gus, and geeking out over Disney and Harry Potter.
Gabriel McQuade
Associate Director of Bands
Gabriel McQuade is currently serving as Assistant Band Director at Mansfield Summit High School. Originally from Wylie, Texas, Mr. McQuade holds a Bachelor of Music Education degree from the University of North Texas. While at UNT, he studied saxophone with Dr. Eric Nestler and performed in the Wind Symphony under the direction of Eugene Corporon, Coordinator of Wind Studies. He also performed with the renowned UNT Lab Bands and was selected as a finalist in the prestigious UNT Concerto Competition.
Mr. McQuade is passionate about helping students grow as musicians and individuals, and he is excited to contribute to the continued success of the Summit Jaguar Band.
Outside of teaching, he enjoys composing music, gaming, exercising, and spending time with family and friends.
Caleb Woodard
Director of Percussion/Assistant Director of Bands
Mr. Woodard was born and raised in Irving, Texas, before he went out east to East Texas Baptist University. While attending ETBU he got to be a part of many ensembles including Jazz band, percussion ensemble, a part of many musicals, and performed with the Marshall Symphony. After his time at ETBU, he became the assistant percussion director at West Mesquite High School. In his free time, Mr. Woodard loves to go to coffee shops and play board games with his wife. He is excited to get started at Summit and continue the great work already happening!
Aiden Cornelius
Director of Colorguard
Meet Mr. Aiden Cornelius, Director of Color Guard at Summit High School. This will be his first year as a director after helping teach at other schools across DFW for the last three years. He has been a part of many competitive color guard groups, including: UNT Green Brigade, The Cadets, Black Gold, and Menage. From his love for color guard, he is committed to helping students expand their knowledge of dance and become passionate about the activity, allowing them to achieve goals that seem impossible at first. Outside of band, he enjoys playing video games, cooking, making art, and being with his dog at home.
TA Howard and Cross Timbers
Band Directors
Kenneth Thompson
Director of Bands
Mr. Kenneth Thompson is in his 18th year in education and beginning his 4th year as the Head Director of the T. A. Howard Middle School Band. In 2006, Mr. Thompson graduated with a bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M - Commerce in Music Education. At Commerce, he performed in the top Wind Ensemble as the Principal Saxophonist, jazz band, saxophone quartet, and was Drum Major of the Pride Marching Band.
Mr. Thompson has a vast knowledge with high school marching band and drum and bugle corp. In 2003 and 2004, he marched baritone with the Southwind Drum and Bugle, and after meeting the age limit, he spent three seasons as a staff member with the Southwind Drum and Bugle Corps. As a staff member, Mr. Thompson was an instructor of both the visual and brass staff and later joined the Memphis Sound Drum and Bugle Corps as a caption head for two seasons.
Prior to working at T.A. Howard Middle School, Mr. Thompson began working as a band director in Duncanville ISD, where he conducted the Kennemer Symphonic II band. He assisted with the Kennemer Symphonic 1 band, which placed 10th in the state at the Texas State Honor Band competition. Mr. Thompson also worked with the Duncanville High School marching band which qualified for the state marching contest every year since 1988. Following his time in Duncanville, Mr. Thompson became the Head Director at Reagan Middle School in Grand Prairie ISD for 3 years. While at Reagan Mr. Thompson was named the district’s Secondary Teacher of the Year. Mr. Thompson’s bands have consistently earned Superior ratings at UIL and various contests and festivals.
At Howard, Mr. Thompson teaches the UIL Varsity Ensemble (Honor Band), assists with the UIL Non-Varsity Ensemble (Symphonic Band), the sub Non-Varsity Ensemble (Concert Band) and teaches beginning saxophone and french horn classes. Mr. Thompson is extremely excited to continue working with the Howard family and looks forward to continuing his work with the Howard band students and parents.
Open Position
Assistant Director of Bands
This position will be filled soon!
Stephanie Bonebrake
Fine Arts Academy Band Director
Cross Timbers IS Beginner Band Teacher
Stephanie received a Bachelor of Music and Master of Education with Administrative certification both from the University of Texas at Arlington. A band director for over 20 years, Mrs. Bonebrake was most recently a Data/Instructional Specialist for Mansfield ISD. In addition, Mrs. Bonebrake began her NTCA career in 1998 bringing her first Texas winterguard to compete. Since that time she has been an instructor of several units including Fossil Ridge and Summit High Schools, NTCA contest coordinator, contest host, board member, and launched the NTCA Circuit Administrator position in 2005. In her initial six year tenure as Circuit Administrator, the circuit grew from 120 units to over 200. She then returned to serve as mentor/consultant for the 2011 and 2013 seasons, and returned full time to the Circuit Administrator position in 2015. Now at over 360 units, Stephanie is looking forward to continuing serving the circuit alongside NTCA performers, instructors, directors, board members and stakeholders.
Currently she resides in Mansfield, Texas with her husband Brad and daughter Reagan. In addition to NTCA, Stephanie also serves as a Contest Administrator for Winter Guard International (WGI). Her professional affiliations include Texas Music Educator's Association (TMEA), Texas Bandmasters Association (TBA), Women's Band Directors International (WBDI), Tau Beta Sigma (TBS), and she is in the NTCA Hall of Fame Inaugural Class of 2013.
Brooks Wester and Asa Low
Band Directors
Nathan Wood
Director of Bands
Mr. Wood came to Wester as Associate Director in 2003 and moved into his present position as Director of Bands in 2005. During his tenure at Wester, groups under his direction have earned the UIL Sweepstakes Award and “Best in Class” at invitational contests. The 2005-2006 Wind Ensemble and 2008-2009 Honors Band both advanced to the state level of the TMEA Honor Band Contest. Teaching responsibilities at Wester include the Honors Band, Concert Band Brass, Beginner Class, and Jazz Band.
Mr. Wood received a Bachelor of Music Education from Baylor University and a Master of Music in Trombone Performance from the University of Michigan. He has performed with groups including the Michigan Symphony Band, UM Symphony Orchestra, Baylor Wind Ensemble, Baylor Symphony Orchestra, Waco Symphony and Michigan Chamber Brass. As a music educator, he has served as Assistant Band Director at Gunn JH and Arlington HS in the Arlington ISD and as an instructor at the Baylor Summer Music Camps. While completing his degree at Baylor, he also taught band at a private school while teaching low brass lessons in several school districts. While completing his degree at Michigan, he served as a Graduate Student Instructor in the music education department and with the Michigan Marching Band. In addition, he also served as a music staff instructor for the highly acclaimed Plymouth-Canton Educational Park band program in Canton, MI.
Mr. Wood’s professional affiliations include Texas Music Education Association, Texas Bandmasters Association, International trombone Association, and Kappa Kappa Psi Honorary Band Fraternity. Mr. Wood and his wife Shannon have been married for 19 years and live in Mansfield with their sons Garrett and Jackson.
Katrina Benecasa
Assistant Director of Bands
A native of DFW, Mrs. Benecasa’s love of music began when she was young, participating in an honor choir in elementary school, then joining band in junior high and high school. She served as a drum major in the LD Bell High School Blue Raider Band when they took the Eagle home from the Bands of America Grand National Championships in 2007, one of only four Texas bands to be named Grand National Champions since the event’s conception.
Before to coming to Wester, Mrs. Benecasa taught for five years at Martin High School, three years in Wichita Falls ISD as an Assistant Band Director. Under her direction, the Freshman Band at Rider HS received its first ever sweepstakes. Prior to this, she taught in Springfield, MO, as an Assistant Band Director at Glendale High School, served as a marching tech at Kickapoo High School, and was an adjunct faculty member at Evangel University. Mrs. Benecasa received her Master of Music in Wind Band Conducting from Missouri State University, where she served as principal flautist in the Wind Ensemble and was inducted as an honorary member into Kappa Kappa Psi. She received her Bachelor of Music Education from Evangel University.
When not doing band, Mrs. Benecasa enjoys spending time with her ridiculously good-looking and talented husband Jimmy, snuggling her doggos Buzz and Hobbes, repeatedly tearing down and rebuilding her Animal Crossing island, and being better than her students at Super Smash Bros.
