Meet the FFCC Board of Directors (Updated November 10, 2016)!!

Bio Coming Soon!

(Marketing/Sponsorship)

Kelly Ross is a native of Southern California, who currently resides in Valdosta, Georgia.

She has been involved in the marching arts for over 20 years and a dancer since childhood. During high school she was selected to be a member of the Tournament of Roses Honor Band Color Guard, performing in the 2000 parade. After high school, Kelly was a member of the Blue Devils Drum and Bugle Corps and a cast member with Fantasia Winter Guard from 2001-2004. During her performance career, Kelly won 3 World Championships, 3 silver medals, and 2 bronze medals. In addition she was a color guard member of the Riverside Community College Marching Tigers from 2000-2002, where she served as a Color Guard Captain in 2002.

As an instructor, Kelly has taught many successful color guards in Southern California, New York, Utah, Florida, and Georgia. In 2005 she was a color guard instructor for Teal Sound Drum and Bugle Corps. From 2010-2014, Kelly served as the Auxiliary Coordinator for the Color Guard and Dance Line of the Valdosta State University Blazin’ Brigade Marching Band.

Kelly has been with the Lowndes High “Georgia Bridgemen” Auxiliary since 2009, and helped to create the Winter Guard program in 2011. In six short years, the “Show Pony” winter guards have earned several circuit championship medals (2 Gold, 2 Silver, 1 Bronze), have been WGI Regional Finalists 4 times, and were the WGI Atlanta Regional “SRA” Champions in 2014. In 2016, the Lowndes HS Varsity Winter Guard made their very first appearance at WGI World Championships, earning 8th place in “Scholastic A” Finals! Kelly has served on the FFCC Board of Directors since 2014.

Kelly graduated from Valdosta State University with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology in 2009. In addition, Kelly is a member of four honor societies; Phi Beta Kappa, Psi Chi, Pi Gamma Mu, and Chi Sigma Iota. Most recently, she graduated from Valdosta State University with a Master of Education (ME.d.) degree in School Counseling. She is working at Parker Mathis Learning Center in Valdosta, Georgia as a Professional School Counselor. She is also a National Certified Counselor, and would like to work toward becoming a Licensed Professional Counselor in the future.

Kelly is married to Joe Ross (from Dayton, Ohio). They have two dogs (Chewy and Bob). In their free time, they like to travel and especially enjoy road trips.
Tom Slaughter – vicepresident@ffcc.org

(Vice President)

Tom Slaughter has been involved in the pageantry arts for 36 years as a performer, instructor, designer, and adjudicator. His past performance experience includes the legendary Suncoast Sound Drum and Bugle Corps as a Euphonium player. Tom has taught for numerous bands and drum corps, including a 3 year term as Visual Caption Head for the Teal Sound Drum and Bugle Corps from Jacksonville, Florida during the summers of 2009, 2010, and 2011. Tom also was a member of the Visual Staff for the Blue Stars Drum and Bugle Corps during 2012. Currently, Tom is the visual designer for numerous bands throughout the State of Florida, including Sunlake High School in Land O’ Lakes, Florida and J.W. Mitchell High School in New Port Richey, Florida. Tom’s judging experience began as a local winter guard judge for the Florida Federation of Color Guards Circuit (FFCC) over 20 years ago. Tom was appointed Chief Judge of the FFCC in 2001 and has served in that capacity ever since. Tom has been a member of the Winter Guard International judging roster since 2005. He regularly judges marching bands in the Florida Marching Band Coalition, Indiana State Scholastic Music Association, and the Northwest Marching Band Circuit.

During the week, Tom is a Geometry and Algebra Teacher at Woodrow Wilson Middle School in Tampa, Florida. He also serves as the Math-Subject Area Leader. He graduated from the University of Tampa in 1989 with a degree in Accounting and worked as a Certified Public Accountant specializing in small business computer consultations, before becoming a teacher. He has been married to his wife Rene for 25 years. They have two sons Brandon (23), a Music Education Graduate from the Florida State University who is the Assistant Director of Bands at Sunlake High School, and Ryan (18), a current Mathematics Education major at Florida State University, and a member of the Marching Chiefs.

Alan Smith – Alan@ffcc.org

(Colorguard Member Team Liaison)

Alan Smith has been involved in the pageantry arts for over 35 years. He has been involved with the Seminole High School Band program since 1978, first as a student and later as an instructor. He has served as a marching technician, drill designer, and visual staff coordinator. During his time at Seminole, the band has been a 27-time Bands of America Regional Finalist, 2-time BOA Regional Champion, 5-time BOA Regional Class Champion, 3-time BOA Grand National Semi-Finalist, and a 3-time BOA Grand National Finalist. The band has also been the Southeastern United States Champion and a 3-time FMBC State Champion.

Alan has been involved in the drum corps activity as the drill designer/staff coordinator for the DCI Open Class Finalist Suncoast Sound from Tampa Bay, Florida, DCI Open Class Silver Medalist Capital Regiment from Columbus, Ohio, and from 1995-2001, was a marching technician, drill designer, and staff coordinator for the DCI World Class Finalist Colts Drum and Bugle Corps from Dubuque, Iowa.

Mr. Smith has been involved with the Seminole Winter Guard program since its beginning in 1991. The guard has had success at every level of competition. They have been FFCC Champions and WGI World Championship Finalists in all scholastic classes. The guard was a WGI Scholastic A Class Bronze Medalist in 1993 and a WGI Scholastic Open Class Bronze Medalist in 2007. The guard is currently a WGI Scholastic World Class unit, having finished as high as 5^th place at the World Championships. Mr. Smith was also director of the Seminole Middle School Guard for several years. In that time, the program won 8 consecutive FFCC Cadet Class Championships.

Mr. Smith, while retired from teaching color guard, remains involved in the activity. He is on the board of the Florida Federation of Color Guards Circuit and is on the WGI announcing staff for regionals and World Championships. Mr. Smith is an AP Human Geography Teacher and Social Studies Department Chair at Seminole High School. He is a teacher for the Center of Educational Leadership Academy and the iHawk Academy for Personalized Learning.

Andy Snow – Andy@ffcc.org

(Marketing Team, Merchendise, Website Updates)

Andy is a native Floridian, born and raised in Valrico, outside of Tampa, FL. He graduated from Durant High School in 2002 where Andy performed in numerous ensembles including the Wind Ensemble, Indoor Drumline, Winter Guard, and Marching Band.

Having cultivated a love for the marching arts, Andy toured with the Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corp from Rosemont, Illinois where he earned a World Championship in 2002. Andy has also performed with such groups as the USF Winter Guard, Northeast Independent Winter Guard, and has worked as a performer at Disney Sea in Tokyo, Japan.

Professionally, Andy has designed and teched for numerous groups around the Southeastern United States including the WGI Finalists Robinson High School, Lowndes High School, USF Winter Guard, University of South Florida Winter Guard, and the 2016 WGI Winds Scholastic A Gold Medalist, Jackson County Comprehensive High School. Andy has also works with other such groups as Melbourne High School (FL), Spanish Fort High School (AL) , Durant High School (FL), South Ponotoc HS (MS), and numerous other FFCC, SAPA, and SCGC medalists.

Andy is also employed as a Hospital Social Worker at Lakeland Regional Health Systems. In his personal life, Andy enjoys spending time with his family and friends, playing with his two dogs, and reading.