Faculty

Meet the SLA Team

The instructional staff at SLA includes accomplished leaders and teachers from some of the premier university marching band programs in the United States. Our staff has extensive experience as drum majors and senior staff members from programs including Baylor University, the University of Michigan, and Western Michigan University.

Our goal is to pour into each student at SLA and empower them with the tools to succeed as a leader in their program this school year and beyond.

Click names to view biographies.

Dr. David Montgomery

Dr. David Montgomery is founder and director of Serviam Leadership Academy. He is Associate Professor of Instrumental Music Education at Baylor University where he teaches courses in band music education, observes student teachers, and conducts the Central Texas Youth Wind Ensemble. Prior to his appointment at Baylor, Dr. Montgomery was Associate Director of Bands at Western Michigan University from 2004-2018 where he was Director of the Bronco Marching Band, taught courses in music education and conducting, and conducted the University Concert Band. Under his direction, the 320+ member Bronco Marching Band performed in many high profile venues including the 81st Goodyear Cotton Bowl, ESPN’s College Game Day, and halftime of the Detroit Lions. His public school teaching experience includes being Director of Bands at East Gaston High School in Mt. Holly, NC where he built a Grade VI concert band program and an award winning marching band.

Professional Achievements

Dr. Montgomery is an accomplished teacher and was recognized as a finalist for the “University Distinguished Teaching Award” at WMU in 2017, and was recipient of the “Dean’s Teaching Award” in the College of Fine Arts at WMU in 2012. In addition to his teaching duties, Dr. Montgomery frequently serves as an adjudicator and clinician across the Southwest, Midwest, and Southeast. He has also worked internationally giving performances in Europe and China. He is published in The Instrumentalist, The National Band Association Journal, Texas Bandmasters Review, Southwestern Musician, and The Journal of Band Research as well as given numerous presentations at professional and state music conferences across Texas, Michigan, Ohio, Florida, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, and North Carolina, including the College Band Directors National Association and The Midwest Band and Orchestra Clinic. Additionally, he serves as State Chairperson of the Texas chapter of the National Band Association.

Education

Dr. Montgomery holds the Bachelor of Music degree in Instrumental Music Education from the University of North Carolina–Greensboro (1998) and the Master of Music degree in Wind Conducting from Kansas State University (2004). He earned the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Wind Conducting from the University of South Carolina (2011). His professional memberships include the National Association for Music Education, the National Band Association, Texas Bandmasters Association, Texas Music Educators Association, the Michigan School Band and Orchestra Association, and College Band Directors National Association. He also holds memberships in Pi Kappa Lambda music honor fraternity, Phi Kappa Phi interdisciplinary honor society and honorary memberships in Kappa Kappa Psi, Tau Beta Sigma, and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia.

Want to schedule a clinic with Dr. Montgomery?

Walter Aguilar

Walter Aguilar hails from Grand Rapids, Michigan, where he graduated from Lee High School. At Lee, Walter served as Section Leader of the trumpet section and Drum Major of the Rebel Marching Band. Walter then attended the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, where he served as Rank Leader, Fanfare Band Conductor, and Drum Major of the Michigan Marching Band. Additionally, Walter has been an instructor at Lee High School’s band camp since 2018, working with the Low Winds and Drum Majors.

He is excited to join the amazing staff at SLA. Walter has been an instructor for SLA since 2023.

Hannah Bentley Walker

Hannah Bentley Walker is from Clio, Michigan. She is a proud Western Michigan University alumna where she graduated in 2020 with a BBA in Human Resources. While at WMU, she was a member of the Bronco Marching Band for four years where she performed in the alto sax section and then served as drum major for three seasons. During her time at WMU, she was also a member of Kappa Kappa Psi honorary band service fraternity.

Currently, Hannah works as the supervising events manager for a chain of wedding venues throughout West Michigan. Hannah has been an instructor for SLA since its founding in 2017.

Concetta Brehmer

Concetta is from Traverse City, Michigan, where she graduated from West Senior High. In 2024, she graduated from Western Michigan University with a Bachelor of Music Education and Clarinet Performance. In her time at WMU, she served as a clarinet section leader of the Bronco Marching Band for one season, and a drum major for two. In addition, Concetta completed her student teaching at Three Rivers middle school and high school. Starting in Fall 2024, Concetta will attend the University of North Carolina Greensboro to pursue a Masters in Clarinet Performance.

She is very excited for this year’s SLA and is looking forward to making new connections with strong leaders! Concetta has been an instructor for SLA since 2022.

Chris Broene

Chris Broene is a phlebotomist at Holland Hospital working with patients during both inpatient and emergency department care. He is currently completing prerequisites for nursing school, with aspirations to be an emergency or intensive care nurse in the coming years, then as a nurse practitioner soon after that.

Chris often uses the leadership and teaching skills that he gained while in the Bronco Marching Band at Western Michigan University. He was a part of the BMB for six years in various positions, including serving as a Drill Instructor, Section Leader, Senior Field Assistant, and Equipment Coordinator. Chris has been an instructor for SLA since its founding in 2017.

Zach Glanzer

Zach Glanzer is a middle school band director at McKamy Middle School in Flower Mound, Texas near Dallas. He graduated from Baylor University in 2021 with a Bachelor of Music Education, summa cum laude. During his time at Baylor, Zach participated in the Baylor University Golden Wave Marching Band as a section leader and drum major, and performed with the Baylor Wind Ensemble. He also served in a men’s non-profit organization on campus and spent four summers working at Pine Cove Summer Camps in various leadership roles.

Zach grew up in Stevensville, Michigan, where he was a drum major in the Lakeshore Lancer Marching Band. He lives in Richardson, Texas and enjoys spending the weekends hanging out with friends, reading, listening to music, and playing pickleball. Zach has been an instructor for SLA since 2022.

Lauren Hill

Lauren Hill is currently the 6th – 12th grade band director at Parchment School District, just northeast of Kalamazoo, Michigan. She earned the Bachelor of Music Education degree and a minor in Nonprofit Leadership from Western Michigan University in 2022. Her primary instrument is the saxophone. During her time at WMU, Lauren served as a Drill Instructor, Section Leader, and Drum Major for the Bronco Marching Band. Additionally, she served on the executive board for WMU’s National Association for Music Education (NAfME) chapter for four years, as well as the executive board for the Michigan Collegiate NAfME chapter. She has worked with students from multiple schools across West Michigan to strengthen their conducting, leadership, and musicianship skills.

Lauren is incredibly passionate about servant leadership and is excited to be a part of the SLA staff. Lauren has been an instructor for SLA since 2021.

Jaron Kirshenbaum

Jaron Kirshenbaum graduated from Western Michigan University with a Bachelor of Music Education in 2019. While at WMU he participated in several high performing ensembles, and was a clarinet Section Leader and Drum Major of the Bronco Marching Band. Jaron is a middle school band director in Port Huron, Michigan, and is the Assistant Director of the Port Huron Norther Thunder Winter Drumline. In the summers, he has worked as an instructor and Drum Major coach for the Bloomfield Hills High School marching band and the Quincy High School marching band.

Jaron is a huge supporter and advocate of student leadership, and is extremely excited to be on staff at SLA. Jaron has been an instructor for SLA since 2018.

Kelli Kwiatkowski

Kelli Kwiatkowski graduated from Western Michigan University in 2021 with a Bachelor of Music Education. While at WMU, she was involved in many music ensembles, including Bronco Marching Band, Symphonic Band, and Pep Band. Kelli held leadership roles in WMU’s chapter of Sigma Alpha Iota, serving as the Vice President of Membership, WMU’s chapter of the National Association for Music Education, serving as President and Secretary, and WMU Residence Life, serving as a Learning Community Assistant.

Kelli is currently employed at St. Clair County Community College in the Experience Center. Kelli has been an instructor for SLA since 2021.

Brody Roland

Brody Roland is originally from Watervliet, Michigan and currently lives in the Kalamazoo, Michigan area. He graduated from Western Michigan University in 2020 with a Bachelor of Music Education degree. He has varied teaching experiences ranging from early childhood special education through high school band. A percussionist by heart, he has over 15 years of personal growth and experience as a musician.

Whether he is teaching music or not, Brody lives to demonstrate that life is a proper balance between our work, personal, and relational lives. Brody has been an instructor for SLA since 2019.

Mai Lan Vo

Mai Lan Vo has worked with Three Rivers Community Schools as a Middle School/High School Assistant Band Director for 11 years, and as an Elementary Music teacher in 2023-24. She is passionate about connecting with people and helping them grow into their best selves. A graduate of Western Michigan University with a Bachelor of Music Education degree, Mai Lan held many leadership and service roles for the band program—Senior Assistant, Drill Instructor, and Music Librarian to name a few. Her primary instrument is bass trombone.

Mai Lan is originally from Muskegon, Michigan and is a graduate of Reeths-Puffer High School. Mai Lan has been an instructor for SLA since 2019.

Tyler Walker

Tyler Walker is from Plainwell, Michigan. He is a graduate of Western Michigan University with a Bachelor of Elementary Music Education in 2021. While at WMU, he was a member of the Bronco Marching Band for five years. In the BMB he served as the euphonium Section Leader for two years and as Drum Major for two years. He has also worked as a low brass instructor for high school bands and as a counselor for theater camps.

Currently, Tyler works as an Education Coordinator leading community classes in various forms of media including working with students doing film and media literacy workshops for the Grand Rapids Community Center. Tyler has been an instructor for SLA since 2019.