CWEA Announces Changes to Color Guard Judge Coordination Team
Published May 23 2018

The Carolina Winter Ensemble Association Board of Directors has accepted the resignation of Judge Coordinator Frank Miller, effective immediately. CWEA President Cody Crawford expressed his gratitude toward Mr. Miller, saying, "We thank Frank for his years of service helping to grow CWEA and the judging program to what it is today! Our organization's success over recent years is partly due to Frank's tireless efforts for CWEA. We wish him well in his future endeavors."

The Board approved a plan to divide the Judge Coordinator role among three leading figures in the adjudication community: Mike Stone of California, Tim Landess of Indiana, and Christine Clayton of Florida. Mr. Stone and Mr. Landess will work together as Color Guard Judge Coordinators, ensuring that a wide variety of well-qualified judges are selected for each event. Ms. Clayton will work directly with local color guard judges to facilitate training of established and aspiring judges and ensure that judges are meeting CWEA's expectations and requirements. She will also coordinate travel and hotel arrangements for all circuit judges.

"We are very excited about the addition of Mike, Tim & Christine to our team," expressed Cody. "We are looking forward to what the group brings to the table and their help in continuing the growth and development of the organization."

Michael Stone has been involved with music and the pageantry arts since 1984. A graduate of San Diego State University, Michael began judging for the Winter Guard Association of Southern California in 1997. After holding multiple positions within the WGASC, he is now the Director of Personnel. In 2001, Michael began judging for Winter Guard International, where he is recognized as a top level General Effect judge. Michael has also been judging for Drum Corps International since 2003 and was this year named to the Visual Judge Liaison team for Drum Corps International.

Tim Landess began his judging career in 2003, becoming a WGI judge in 2007. He is a member of the Florida Federation of Judges. Since 2003 he has judged winter guard and marching band contests throughout the country, including for Bands of America. Tim served as a Visual Designer/Color Guard Director for winter guards and marching bands across Indiana for nearly two decades. His units were perennial state and national marching band finalists in the Indiana State School Music Association and Bands of America Regional and Grand Nationals competitions. In winter guard he has produced WGI finalists and Indiana High School Color Guard Association finalists and champions. As a performer he marched with the Madison Scouts and the Bluecoats.

Christine Clayton recently moved to Tampa, FL, after stints in Portland, OR, Nashville, TN, and Southern California. She spent her college years as a color guard performer with the University of Southern California and the Sacramento Freelancers Drum and Bugle Corps before spending 15 years teaching high school and college color guard in the Los Angeles area. After moving to Nashville in 2005, her primary pageantry focus moved to judging. Christine has served as the Director of Education for the Winter Guard Association of Southern California, the Judges Liaison for the Southeastern Color Guard Circuit and the Movement Caption Manager for WGI. She is currently responsible for local judges' education for the Florida Federation of Judges Association and is the Judges Liaison for the NWAPA.

Article written by Brad Martin