Faculty

Meet our dedicated team of directors and instructors.

Colleen Marin   

Band Director

Mrs. Colleen Marin was born in San Diego, California and raised in Marietta, Georgia. She graduated from Alan C. Pope High School and attended the University of Georgia where she graduated in 2014 with a Bachelors Degree in Music Education. While at the University of Georgia, she participated in the University of Georgia Redcoat Band, the University of Georgia Symphony Orchestra, as assistant principle, and the University of Georgia Wind Ensemble. She received the HOPE Grant Scholarship, Hodgson School of Music scholarship and the Olin G. and Melba Joy Parker Scholarship.

During college, Mrs. Marin worked with after school band programs in elementary schools to teach students band fundamentals and numerous high school marching bands. She student taught at Riverwatch Middle School under the guidance of Mr. Matthew Koperniak and at Northview High School, under the guidance of Mrs. Kelly Dickerson.

Her professional affiliations include Collegiate National Association for Music Educators and Kappa Kappa Psi National Honorary Fraternity for College Band Members. She has attended the Georgia Music Educators Conference five consecutive years and participated in the All College Band for one of them.

Mrs. Marin enjoys teaching high school marching band and private lessons. Her hobbies include outdoor activities, reading and spending time with family and friends. She resides in Sandy Springs with her husband, Allan, daughter Joan, and her cat, Kal.

Brian Ely 

Assistant Band Director

Mr. Brian Ely has been the assistant marching band director for the past 14 seasons.  He is a graduate of Chamblee High School where he played trumpet in the marching band and was drum major his senior year.  He then went on to play four years in the University of Georgia Redcoat Band. 

Sarah Shillinger

Color Guard Instructor

Sarah Schillinger grew up in Dacula, GA and graduated from Mill Creek High School. She attended Georgia Gwinnett College and earned a B.S.Ed in Special Education. 

Sarah has been involved with the pageantry since 2005, but her love for performance and marching band started before then. Sarah grew up taking dance lessons primarily in ballet and modern and played saxophone in concert band throughout middle and high school. Sarah spun with her high school color guard and winter guard and served in leadership positions as an upperclassman. After high school, Sarah also spun with Georgia State University ('11-'12 and '14-'15) and Alliance Drum and Bugle Corps('14). While with Georgia State University, she had the opportunity to be part of the inaugural winter guard as well as perform in the 2014 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. In addition to her marching experience, Sarah has been working with various color guards including: Dacula HS (2009), Mill Creek HS (2009-2014), Archer HS (2012), North Forsyth HS (2015-2017), and Chamblee HS (2017-present). 

Outside of color guard and teaching middle school, Sarah enjoys crafting and spending time with friends and family.

Michelle Gibson 

Woodwind Instructor

Michelle Gibson is a native of Atlanta, Ga., graduating from Campbell High School in Smyrna in 2008. Ms. Gibson began her musical career at an early age, singing in the alto section alongside her mother in the church choir. She began her studies in flute performance in middle school, attending Davidson Fine Arts Magnet School in Augusta, Ga. In high school she took her love of music to a new level, serving as drum major for her high school marching band and performing in District Honor Band. Ms. Gibson graduated from the University of Georgia with a Bachelor's Degree in Music Education in 2013. While at UGA, she performed with various ensembles such as the Redcoat Marching Band, UGA Wind Symphony and Symphonic Band, and the African American Choral Ensemble. Ms. Gibson joined the Chamblee Middle School family in 2016.

 Following graduation from UGA, Ms. Gibson taught elementary general music in Fayette County Public Schools for three years where she directed an extra-curricular children's chorus. She also served as a woodwind instructor with the Fayette County High School Marching Band and private flute instructor.  

Deondric Mack

Brass Instructor/ Music Arranger

Deondrick Mack was born in Ansbach, Germany and grew up in Fayetteville, NC and graduated from E.E. Smith High School. He attended Norfolk State University and earned a B.S in Chemistry. He has been teaching Biology and Chemistry at Chamblee High School since 2016. 

Mack first got interested in band around 3rd grade and became interested in music composition in 5th grade. He began arranging songs off of the radio that he would hear played by marching bands, and worked on becoming one of the main student arrangers going through high school. After high school he marched in the Norfolk State Marching Spartan Legion for four years, filling multiple rolls.  He spent one year on trumpet (primary instrument), one year on trombone, and two years as Drum Major.  

Outside of marching band he participated in the university Jazz Band, Brass Choir, Pep Band, and Symphonic Band. 

Sarah Glass

Front Ensemble Instructor/ Percussion Instructor