El Ritmo Winter Percussion Staff
Interested in joining the El Ritmo Percussion Education Team?
We are always looking for energetic, talented individuals to assist with our program.
Fill out the form below and we will contact you ASAP.
Administrative Staff
Zach Black
Winter Percussion Director
Marshalla Valenzuela
Program Coordinator
Kendra Villareal
Staff Coordinator/Member Liason
Ruben Amavisca
Winter Programs Director
Battery Staff
Randy Villegas Caption Head
Battery Team - Randy began his marching arts career in high school with the Bakersfield College indoor drumline, marching snare drum from 2012-2017, where he spent the last 2 years as center snare/section leader. During this time Randy also performed with a variety of other groups including the Fresno State BMB, and the 2013 Open Class Champions, the Vanguard Cadets. After graduating high school Randy began teaching with several different schools in the Central Valley and Santa Cruz. Randy has also competed in several solo competition circuits and notably was the 2015 P.O.P. Unplugged Drum Madness Champion. Currently, he is a battery tech at Mission Oak HS, and snare tech at Valley Independent Percussion. Outside of the marching arts, Randy is a professor of Political Science at College of the Sequoias and an elected Trustee for the Visalia Unified School District Board of Education.
Chris McKie
Snare Tech
Miguel Rojas-Flores
Tenor Tech
Miguel started his independent marching arts career marching quads at Impact Percussion in 2015 & 2016. He then marched Bakersfield College Indoor Drumline in 2017, and Golden Empire Drum and Bugle Corps in 2017 & 2018. Miguel was a battery tech at El Capitan High School in Merced and caption head at Atwater High School. He is currently a battery tech at Tulare Union High School.
Outside of the marching arts, Miguel works in various environmental justice spaces, and enjoys going on hikes y compartiendo un cafecito con buena compañía.
Fernando Vazquez
Tenor Tech - Fernando Vazquez is based out of Bakersfield, CA and has been teaching drums for 16 years. Fernando Has taught at Ollivier Middle School(first gold medal in PPAAC), Highland High School, North High School, Independence High School(multiple time gold medalist in PPAACC / WGI winner/finalist in CA), Ridgeview High School, Liberty High School(multiple time CSBC finalist/nor Cal 4A champs), Golden Valley High School(first gold medal in PPAACC). Fernando has performed with Valley Independent Percussion and Bakersfield College Drumline. Fernando Co-started FP drums(drum refurbishing company), and builds props for various programs throughout So-Cal. In his spare time Fernando likes working on cars, woodworking, solo backpacking(Thailand(2x), China, South Korea, Taiwan, and Japan(2x)), and everything computers.
Marissa Ramos
Bass Tech
Front Ensemble Staff
Alicia Valenzuela
Front Ensemble Team - Front Ensemble Team - Alicia is a Tulare Union Alumn. Former instructor at Monache High School, and Golden West High School. Current instructor at Mission Oak High School and Exeter Union High School. Outside of instructing Alicia works in agriculture management and is working toward obtaining a qualified applicators license.
Cesar Gonzalez
Front Ensemble Team - Chicano writer and Percussionist in the San Joaquin Valley. Former instructor at Tulare Western High School 2015-2020. Currently instructing Hanford West since 2022, Mission Oak High School, and El Ritmo Independent Percussion.
Visual Staff
Armando Villareal
Drill Design/Visual Coordinator
Ariell Ampad
Visual Design Team
Tesla Franco
Visual Design Team -
Since 2018, Tesla has been an educator across the Central Valley, advocating for students to have an enjoyable experience in the matching arts while being the best in their abilities. She currently is a battery instructor at Lemoore High School and is the Visual Caption Head at El Diamanté High School.
As a performer, she was a part of the Fresno State Bulldog Marching Band from 2015-2018. In her WGI career, Tesla started with Valley Independent Percussion in 2016 and then became charter of Red Wave Indoor , performing with them from 2017-2020.
Tesla graduated from California State University, Fresno with a B.S. in. Criminology with an emphasis in Victimology in hopes to ensure the marching arts is a safe place for everyone involved.
Ruben Amavisca
Visual Design Team - Ruben has been a visual designer for Marching bands, Scholastic and Independent Winter Guards and Percussion units throughout the state of California.
Earning numerous championship medals at local circuits with Scholastic and Independent winter guards and percussion units, and has medaled at WGI World championships with Ventura Winter Guard from San Jose and VIP from Tulare, CA.
Ruben is currently the Guard Director at Exeter High School and Visual Caption head at Mt. Whitney High School. in Visalia.
Ruben is also an Adjudicator with SWJN, CCGC, and NNIA from Northern Nevada.
Ruben is a founding Board Member of the SVWAA and the El Ritmo Drum and Bugle Corps.
Andy Montejano
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