Misty olmstead
EXECUTIVE DIRECTORExecutive Corps Director and co-founder of Northern Lights Drum and Bugle Corps, Misty has an HR and music background with experience on clarinet, and as drum major. She has performed with the Kalamazoo Junior Symphony Orchestra from 2003-2005, joined Western Michigan University Marching Band annually from 2002-2007, competed in the Western Michigan University Jazz Festival in 2003, and attended Drum Major Camp at Michigan State University in 2004, Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp in 2005, and has sat in with several small ensembles over the years. In adulthood, Misty has a strong background in Human Relations and will sit at the helm as Corps Director, managing corps relations, heading fundraising and community partnerships. She sits on the Northern Lights board of directors as President, and actively plays bass clarinet in the community with the Coopersville Community Band and Beer City Winds. |
DOUG "DUNKLE" OLMSTEAD
OPERATIONS/BRASS DIRECTORAffectionately called "Dunkle", Doug provides an operations and brass direction for the corps. He brings with him a solid foundational brass experience, having studied tuba performance at Grand Valley State University and music education at Aquinas College. He has served as an assistant band director, brass coach, or winds caption head for area high schools including Fruitport HS, Kent City HS, Allendale HS, St. Xavier HS, and Spring Lake HS. As a performer, Doug was drum major for DCI Open Class Finalist Dutch Boy Drum & Bugle Corps in 2008, marched contra for the Kilties Drum & Bugle Corps in 2012, tuba for Cincinnati Tradition Drum & Bugle Corps in 2022, and was Northern Lights' horn sergeant, baritone section leader, and treasurer for our inaugural season in 2023. He played sousaphone as section leader and a featured soloist for the GVSU Laker Marching Band from 2011-2015, where he was also a member of the Rho Xi chapter of the Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia music fraternity, seated as treasurer and music director. Doug also served for 7 years as a corporal, team leader, staff arranger/conductor, and career counselor for the 126th Army Band playing low brass and percussion. He sits on the Northern Lights board of directors as our Assistant Executive Director and Vice President. |
Jordan roberts
PROGRAM DIRECTORJordan Roberts studied at the University of Alabama in Huntsville and Davenport University, and is currently studying at Grand Valley State University where he also works as an arranger for GVSU Athletic Bands. He has been in the United States Army since 2006 (Active Duty 2006-2017, Michigan National Guard 2017-present). He has also been playing tuba professionally during this time and has performed with Grammy winning artists Tom “Bones” Malone, Ellis Marsallis, and Rebirth Brass Band as well as performing with the Seoul (Korea) Philharmonic, the Battle Creek (MI) Symphony Orchestra, Huntsville (AL) Symphony Orchestra, and the United States Army Band where he is a staff arranger, regular soloist, and guest conductor. Jordan sits on the Northern Lights board of directors as our treasurer. |
albert "Aj" olmstead
SUPPORT DIRECTOREmail Albert
Albert (AJ) is an Muskegon Community College Alumni with a love for community music. Currently he plays with MCC’s Student Winds, Northern Lights, and Bells Of Glory, and is an alumni of Dutch Boy Drum & Bugle Corps, Kilties Drum & Bugle Corps, and the GVSU Laker Marching Band. As a performer, he's played at Carnegie Hall with the West Michigan Concert Winds, and has served as a low brass coach for local high school programs such as at Allegan HS and Allendale HS. It’s been his dream to start a drum corps with his brother, and Northern Lights has been a massive blessing for him and the community. He considers himself a "forever student", enjoys both learning and teaching, and will probably be taking classes here and there for the rest of his life. AJ sits on the NLDBC Board of Directors as our Secretary, and Support Director. |
Chase Kapteyn
VISUAL COORDINATORChase Kapteyn studied Music Education and Trumpet at Central Michigan University and has been an active performer and instructor in the marching arts since 2008. He marched mellophone with Pioneer Drum and Bugle Corps in 2015. Chase currently serves as the brass caption head with the Belding High School Marching Band and writes drill for several schools in Southwest and Mid-Michigan. He will be serving a role on visual staff for Northern Lights, assisting with drill writing and designing the marching style. |
Jacob Kamradt
PERCUSSION COORDINATORJacob Kamradt is close to finishing up his Information Technology degree at GVSU. He has been involved in the marching arts since around 2015. He started with auxiliary percussion and timpani for his first two years at Belding High School. Then, he switched to bass drum for his last two years. After high school, he spent 4 years at G2, playing Synth, Auxiliary Percussion, and finally Bass Drum. He even led G2's Bass Drum Section in 2020. During college, Jacob was heavily Laker Marching Band's drumline from 2019 - 2021 and served as section leader from 2020 - 2021. He came back from a brief hiatus for this current season where he switched to snare drum. He's also an active member of the Grand Rapids Gold drumline, playing Snare, Tenors, or Bass Drum. Beyond marching, Jacob started teaching in 2019 at Belding High School, his alma mater. He was a bass drum technician there until recently and now instructs at Hudsonville High School for the Fall and Winter percussion season. Jacob's love for marching arts also extends to arranging percussion music. He's arranged percussion parts for Belding High School, GVSU Athletic Bands, and Hudsonville High School. Excitingly, Jacob is stepping up as the percussion coordinator for the upcoming Northern Lights season. With his enthusiasm, years of experience, and passion, he aims to elevate the percussion section at Northern Lights Drum & Bugle Corps. |
Issa Lewis
COLOR GUARD COORDINATOR
Issa Lewis has been a member of the marching arts community for almost 30 years as a performer and instructor/designer. As a performer, she was a member of the Coachmen Drum and Bugle Corps, the Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps, Capital Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps, and Crescendo Winter Guard. As an instructor, she currently serves as the color guard caption head at Otsego High School and directs the Allegan County Ensemble (ACE) Winter Guard. Additionally, she serves on the Board of Directors of the Michigan Color Guard Circuit and is a member of the Evoke Performance Collective, which assists other instructors and designers to grow in their craft.
Wherever she teaches, her goal is to create a space that is welcoming to all, regardless of experience or skill, where anyone can learn and grow to love this activity! She aims to help her performers find confidence, joy, and creativity while instilling a strong work ethic, healthy competitiveness, and attention to detail.
When not writing and teaching fun twirls, Issa is an Associate Professor of English and Communications at Davenport University, a loving wife, and the proud (and tired) mama of two boys.
We're extremely excited to have Issa as #NLCG's Color Guard Coordinator to help build our guard program!
Wherever she teaches, her goal is to create a space that is welcoming to all, regardless of experience or skill, where anyone can learn and grow to love this activity! She aims to help her performers find confidence, joy, and creativity while instilling a strong work ethic, healthy competitiveness, and attention to detail.
When not writing and teaching fun twirls, Issa is an Associate Professor of English and Communications at Davenport University, a loving wife, and the proud (and tired) mama of two boys.
We're extremely excited to have Issa as #NLCG's Color Guard Coordinator to help build our guard program!
High Brass Staff:
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Brittany Holmes-Roberts: Travel Manager
Brian & Carole Olmstead: Meal Volunteers
Brian & Carole Olmstead: Meal Volunteers