2000 Staff

Ken Henry
Ken Henry, Director of Bands for Portsmouth East High School, is in his twenty-fifth year of teaching. Mr. Henry received his Bachelor's degree from Eastern Kentucky University and his Master's degree from Morehead State University. He is a member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Music fraternity. In addition, he has performed extensively over the past several years with the Southern Ohio Light Opera (S.O.L.O), The Portsmouth Community Orchestra, Shawnee State University, and numerous high school musicals. He also teaches privately at Noteworthy Studios in Wheelersburg, and is the founding member of the "Noteworthy Brass Quintet".

Luvada Smith
Luvada Smith is a 1980 graduate of Portsmouth East High School. She also holds a degree in computer operations from Phillips College. Mrs. Smith has been affiliated with the East Band since 1988 in the following capacities: Color Guard Instructor, Marching Instructor, and Drill Writer. Her current position is Assistant Band Director. Mrs. Smith also works with the Band Booster Organization and serves as the organization's Vice-President.

Mitzi Carpenter
Mitzi Carpenter is a 1992 graduate of Portsmouth East High School. During high school, Mrs. Carpenter was actively involved in Marching, Concert, Jazz, and Pep Bands. She was also a member of the East Color Guard, and served as Drum Major. Mrs. Carpenter was a member of the Canton, Ohio based Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps and was a staff member with the Fred J. Miller colorguard camps. Mitzi Carpenter currently serves as the East Color Guard Instructor.

Bill Burroway, Ph.D.
Bill earned a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from the University of Cincinnati. Over the last 16 years he has worked as a Visual Technician for some of the top drum corps, marching bands, and winter guards in the country. Included in this list are the DCI World Champions Cadets of Bergen County and The Star of Indiana; The BOA Grand National Champions Centerville High School and Center Grove High School; and WGI National Champions Kings High School.

Dennis Johnson
Dennis graduated from Portsmouth High School in 1997 where he was drum major for 3 years. Dennis also played several instruments in the band and was involved in arranging music and teaching drill. He is currently majoring in music at Shawnee State University and is presently a drill instructor for Portsmouth East.

Joshua David Ramsey
Joshua is a 1997 graduate of Portsmouth East High School, and has been composing, arranging, and performing music of highly varied styles for 5 years. In addition to having been a 6 year student of the East Marching Band,, Mr. Ramsey has also performed with several music ensembles ranging in style from classical to jazz. Joshua is currently performing his own musical works, on both guitar and trumpet, with a classically influenced progressive fusion band. Joshua has also maintained the Portsmouth East Marching Band Website for 3 years. Starting out as an unofficial project detailing the band's 1997 competition season, the website is now recognized as the premiere source for Portsmouth East Marching Band information on the Internet. This year, Joshua is a trumpet instructor, as well as a general music and drill instructor.

James Meadows
James was a member of the Portsmouth East Marching Band from 1991 to 1996 in which he performed with the drum line. This year is James' first year as an instructor for the Portsmouth East Marching Band's percussion.

These bios were taken verbatim from the Eighteenth Annual Blue and White Invitational Marching Band Festival program. Staff members whose bios did not appear in the program should feel free to email me their bio at joshuadramsey@hotmail.com. Also, if you feel that you were misrepresented, feel free to email me as well with any corrections or additions that you would like me to make.