Leadership
Lakeside Pride leadership is divided up into two segments: Strategy and Artistry. Overall organizational strategical leadership is coordinated by the Board of Directors. Overall organizational artistic leadership is coordinated by the Artistic Directors. Each Artistic Director not only oversees their primary ensemble (Jazz Orchestra, Marching Band, Pops Ensemble, or Symphonic Band), but also each chamber ensemble that falls under their purview, each of which is outlined below.
Board of Directors
The Lakeside Pride Music Ensembles Board of Directors functions as the governing body of the organization.
These dedicated volunteer leaders help ensure the LGBTQ community continues to connect with audiences everywhere through music.
Brandon Strawn
(He/Him)
Board Chair
Aimee Faller
(She/her)
Vice Chair
TG Warford
(He/him)
Treasurer
Greer Anderson
(they/them)
Secretary
Emily dodd
(she/they)
Member Resources
abdo timejardine-zomeño (he/him)
Public Relations
adrienne price
(She/hER)
Operations
jordan franciso
(he/him)
Marketing
logan henderson
(he/they)
Development
Michael ConnOrs (He/Him)
Member-at-Large
jon dulaney (he/him)
Member-at-Large
Saraa Koga (sHe/they)
Member-at-Large
Wendy liu (sHe/her)
Member-at-Large
Kaitlyn Nelson (sHe/they)
Member-at-Large
jamie schoffstall (sHe/they)
Member-at-Large
Alex tsaparis (he/him)
Member-at-Large
ashley whitaker (sHe/her)
Member-at-Large
Artistic Directors
The individual artistic directors help our ensemble members express themselves through music as members and friends of the LGBTQ+ community.
Scott Malinowski, Jazz Orchestra
Scott Malinowski (He/Him) holds a Bachelor of Music from Millikin University with an emphasis in Commercial Music. He studied trumpet and jazz performance with Randall Reyman, Ronald Romm, Mark Hammelev, and Chip McNeil, as well as music composition and recording production with David Burdick and Mark Rubel. Scott is grateful for the opportunity to lead and perform with the jazz orchestra and chamber ensembles, sharing the vibrancy of the LGBTQ and allied community through music.
Artistic Director since Spring 2013.
Stephen Carey, Marching Band
Stephen Carey (He/Him) is a native of Northwest Pennsylvania and holds a degree in Hospitality Management from Mercyhurst University in Erie, PA. His music influence comes from Elementary, Middle, and High School Music Educators in the Wattsburg Area School District.
As a percussionist and section leader, Stephen performs regularly with the Lakeside Pride Symphonic Band, and has performed with the Blazing River Freedom Band, Lesbian and Gay Band Association, Cleveland State University Symphonic Band, Western Reserve Community Band, Erie Playhouse, and several high school orchestras in Northwest Pennsylvania. He has also had the opportunity to conduct the Erie Playhouse Orchestra for Fame! the Musical and A Night of Glee.
In addition to music, Stephen has non-profit experience with the Blazing River Arts Group, Inc. as a Member At-Large on the Board of Directors working on recruiting, fundraising, event planning, and communication. Professionally, he is a Revenue Optimization Manager for White Lodging Services in the hospitality industry.
Artistic Director since Spring 2017.
Kyle Rhoades, Symphonic Band
Kyle Rhoades (He/Him) has been the Artistic Director of the Lakeside Pride Symphonic Band since 2008. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a Master’s Degree in Music Education from VanderCook College of Music. His conducting influences and teachers include Professors Craig Kirchhoff, Mallory Thompson, Peter Griffin, H. Robert Reynolds, Charlie Menghini, and Joseph Manfredo.
As a trumpet player, Kyle performs regularly with the Northshore Concert Band, and has performed with the Wheaton Municipal Band, the Prairie Brass Band, and Mariachi Fenix of the University of Chicago. He is a high school band director, general music teacher, and musical producer in School District 401.
As a music arranger and chamber musician, Kyle has prepared more than sixty pieces for brass quintet. In addition to the concert and marching band arrangements he’s created for his own students, Kyle has been commissioned to arrange works for the West Towns Barbershop Chorus, Downers Grove North Bands, and the Chancel Ringers Handbell Choir.
Artistic Director since Fall 2008.
Manic Maxxie, Pops Ensemble
Manic Maxxie (She/Her) is the drag persona of classical musician Cleo Goldberg. Cleo (they/them/theirs) is regularly involved as a music educator, conductor and percussionist. They teach K-8 music at Alexander Graham Bell School and are also the founder and director of the Millennial Chamber Players. As a percussionist, they have performed at festivals and competitions across the United States as well as in the United Kingdom, Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Russia. They have studied conducting at the New York Conducting Workshop, the International Conducting Workshop & Festival (Lviv, Ukraine), the Pierre Monteux School, and the Juilliard Evening Division. They are also a published arranger through Keiser Southern Music. Cleo received their Bachelor of Music degree in percussion performance from Manhattan School of Music and their Master of Music Education and Certification degree from VanderCook College of Music.
Manic Maxxie was born in November 2019 and has been the Artistic Director of the Lakeside Pride Pops Ensemble since the spring of 2021. Her drag allows her to celebrate black artists and let out a type of energy that she rarely shows in her day-to-day life. Maxxie is Cleo in their boldest, wackiest, and most feminine form.
Artistic Director since Spring 2021.
Assistant Artistic Directors
The individual assistant artistic directors help our artistic directors by carrying out their vision and lending their expertise to create a music experience for our community.
Danny kent, Jazz Orchestra
Danny Kent (he/they) holds a Bachelor's Degree in Music Education from Eastern Illinois University and Master's Degree in Music Education from VanderCook College of Music in Chicago. While at Eastern, they played clarinet in the Wind Symphony, Symphony Orchestra, and Woodwind Quintet and alto saxophone in the Jazz Lab Band, University Band, and Panther Marching & Basketball Band. Danny has studied clarinet with Dr. Maggie Beck ( Smith) and alto saxophone with Dr. Sam Fagaly and Mai Sugimoto. Danny has also studied flute with Mary Christine Stingley at VanderCook and Bassoon with Dianne Ryan at Elmhurst College. Conducting mentors are Dr. Milton Allen, Barry Houser, and Dr. Stacey Larson Dolan.
Travis cuckler, Marching Band
Travis Cuckler (He/Him) has been the Assistant Artistic Director since 2014. Travis is originally from Southern Ohio and moved to the Chicago area in 2008 to attend The VanderCook College of Music where he received his Bachelor's of Music Education. Travis has been the Director of Instrumental and Choral Music at Gallistel Language Academy on Chicago's Southeast Side since 2013 where he instructs the Band, Choral, Orchestral, General Music and Guitar programs and is currently enriching over 600 student's lives with a fully rounded music education. Travis has been the director of the Chicago Public School’s premier All-City Program’s Symphonic Band I, bringing together students from across the city into one ensemble.
Travis joined Lakeside Pride Music Ensembles Symphonic Band in 2012 and since has been a guest conductor for the Band on four occasions, he is an original member of the Brass Buttons Brass Quintet since 2014. Travis also serves as principal trumpet for the University of Chicago’s Wind Ensemble since 2021.
Assistant Artistic Director since Summer 2014.
Jackie Fischer, Symphonic Band
Jackie Fischer (She/Her) has been Assistant Artistic Director of the Lakeside Pride Symphonic Band since 2021. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from Northern Illinois University and a Master’s Degree in Teacher Leadership from Concordia University Chicago. Her musical influences and teachers include Maria Pahati, Michael McManis, Ronnie Wooten, Colin Holman, Greg Barrett, and her junior high and high school band teachers.
Prior to her work in edtech and current role at the Modern Classrooms Project, Jackie taught middle school and beginning band for twelve years in LaSalle, Westmont, and Naperville, Illinois. Jackie performs regularly as a clarinetist with the Naperville Winds and the Lakeside Pride Symphonic Band, where she also served as clarinet section leader from 2018 to 2021. She has previously performed with the Illinois Valley Community College Wind Ensemble, DeKalb Municipal Band, and Wheaton Municipal Band.
Assistant Artistic Director since Fall 2021.
Inga Augustaitis, Pops Ensemble
Inga Augustaitis (She/He) has been the Assistant Artistic Director of the Lakeside Pride Pops Ensemble since November 2021. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
As a music educator, Inga enjoys working as a private horn instructor, a competitive marching band instructor, and an ISYM (Illinois Summer
Youth Music) Hip Hop Camp instructor-volunteer.
Inga is the general music teacher at Grove Junior High School and loves teaching all students that anyone can be a musician, even if they did not previously consider themselves musicians. He sponsors the school's Music Club and SAGA (the Sexuality and Gender Alliance), which provides a safe space and a voice for the LGBTQ+ students of the school.
Artistic Director since Fall 2021.