Staff Introductions

Get to know our staff.

Director of Bands

Mrs. Ashley Deane

Ashley Deane (she/her) is a bass clarinetist, conductor, and educator originally from Fayetteville, Arkansas. She holds a Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Arkansas and a Master of Music in Instrumental Conducting from Florida State University, where she studied under Dr. Patrick Dunnigan and Dr. Rodney Dorsey.

While at FSU, Deane served as a graduate teaching and conducting assistant, working with a variety of collegiate ensembles, including the World-Renowned Marching Chiefs. She also supported the training of future music educators through classroom instruction and rehearsal leadership. Prior to and during her graduate studies, she taught middle school, junior high, and high school ensembles across Arkansas and Florida.
Deane is a proud sister of Sigma Alpha Iota, an honorary member of the Alpha Omega chapter of Tau Beta Sigma, and a member of the Pi Kappa Lambda National Music Honor Society.

The 2025–2026 school year marks her ninth year of teaching and her first as Director of Bands at Queen Creek High School. Outside the classroom, she enjoys paddle boarding, crocheting, and spending time with her husband, Ian, and their two dogs, Miley and Pancho.

Staff

All of the Bands & Groups have phenomenal Staff. This page will showcase a few of them.

Assistant Marching Band Director

James Hutchins

Mr. James Hutchins is excited to work with the Queen Creek High School Bulldogs this year as the Assistant Marching Band Director! He is a graduate of Arizona State University where he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education spring of 2012. He also earned a Masters in Educational Leadership from Northern Arizona University, Graduating with Distinction, in the spring of 2022.

Prior to coming to Queen Creek, Mr. Hutchins taught for three years in the Washington Elementary School District where he taught band, orchestra, general music, and mariachi. He started the only mariachi in the district and more than tripled the sizes of the band and orchestra program. He has also taught private lessons for over fifteen years.

Mr. Hutchins has performed in many venues throughout the valley. He performed as a first violinist for the Chandler Symphony, was a member of the AZ Pro Arte Ensemble, and was a member of Mariachi Corazon de Phoenix for 5 years. He is currently a member of Mariachi Phoenix, and has been for eight years.

Outside of school, he is clinicing student orchestras and student mariachis around the valley, rehearsing and performing with Mariachi Phoenix, or spending time with his wife, Virginia, his daughter, Nayla, and their three dogs: Nico, Mendez, and Sam.

Color Guard Caption Head

Alyssa Harper

Alyssa Harper is a seasoned coach with a passion for the marching arts, specializing in colorguard and winterguard. With 10 years of coaching experience at the high school and collegiate level, Alyssa has dedicated her career to nurturing young talent and fostering excellence in performance.

Alyssa graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in International Affairs from Northern Arizona University, bringing a unique perspective to her coaching philosophy. She advocates for the profound impact of the arts in cultivating discipline, teamwork, and creativity among her students.

Alyssa has led her performers to success year after year, emphasizing technical precision, artistic expression, and a deep understanding of musicality and movement. Her approach combines rigorous training with a supportive environment, encouraging each performer to reach their full potential. She is committed to continuous improvement both for herself and her students, striving to create memorable and impactful performances year after year.

Alyssa is actively involved in the marching arts community, attending clinics and professional development to stay in touch with the latest trends and techniques. Beyond coaching, Alyssa is happily married to Visual and Brass Tech Logan Harper and shares their home with their fur baby, Hiccup.

Music Instructor

Logan Harper

Logan Harper is the Queen Creek Marching Band Brass and Visual Tech for the 2024 season. Mr. Harper has two Bachelor’s Degrees in Music Education and Performance from Northern Arizona University.

He has been teaching marching band since 2018 and has previously marched 8 seasons on the field. This includes high school, college, and the Academy Drum and Bugle Corps. Mr. Harper has served as the Band and Orchestra Director at Desert Wind Middle School in Maricopa, Arizona since 2019.

Mr. Harper prides himself on nurturing his students to strive for excellence in all they do and has helped several programs to achieve success both on and off the field. Mr. Harper is excited to start in a new program with Queen Creek High School and to work alongside his friend and former classmate from NAU Mr. Tucker Rother.

This season looks to be the best one yet for Queen Creek High School and he is looking forward to developing a love of music within each student. GO BULLDOGS!!

Color Guard Tech

Taylor Peters

Taylor Peters is a dedicated individual currently pursuing her degree in secondary education at Arizona State University. Alongside her academic pursuits, Taylor passionately coaches colorguard and winterguard, bringing her expertise and enthusiasm to the Queen Creek Band Program. Taylor also loves spending her time spinning at Oasis Ensambles during Winterguard season!

Color Guard Tech

Chayla Holloway

Chayla Holloway is a dedicated and passionate coach for high school colorguard and winterguard teams. With two seasons of coaching experience, she has already made a significant impact on her students, fostering both their technical skills and their love for the art. Chayla's coaching style is characterized by her enthusiasm, creativity, and commitment to excellence.

In addition to her coaching responsibilities, Chayla is pursuing a degree in education at Central Arizona College. Her academic journey is driven by a desire to inspire and educate the next generation, both in the classroom and on the field. Balancing her studies with her coaching duties, Chayla exemplifies hard work and dedication, setting a positive example for her students.

Outside of her professional and academic pursuits, Chayla enjoys spending time with her puppy, Sirius, and immersing herself in a good book. Whether she's coaching, studying, or relaxing at home, Chayla is always striving to grow and learn, bringing a personal touch to everything she does. Her vision is to continue growing as an educator and coach, helping her students achieve their full potential while nurturing a supportive and dynamic learning environment.

Color Guard Choreographer/ Assistant

Mikaela Stover

Mikaela Stover is an accomplished coach and choreographer with five seasons of coaching experience in colorguard and winterguard. Her dedication to the performing arts is evident through her innovative routines, commitment to her teams' success, and focus on fostering teamwork. She is devoted to continuous self-improvement to better her teaching for her students, regularly engaging with other coaching professionals and attending clinics to enhance her skills.

Holding a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), Mikaela combines her strong organizational skills and leadership abilities with her passion for teaching. Mikaela’s unique blend of talents, advocacy for her students, and emphasis on teamwork make her an influential presence in the colorguard and winterguard community. She is committed to inspiring her teams to achieve excellence while fostering a supportive and inclusive environment. In her personal time, Mikaela enjoys reading, exploring new interests, and cherishing moments with her family and three dogs, finding balance and joy outside of her professional pursuits.