Color Guard Staff

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Jeffrey Capponi

Jeffrey Capponi began his pageantry career in 2004 at Century High School in Portland, Oregon and through the years performed with Oregon Crusaders, Cascades, The Madison Scouts, The Blue Devils, North by Northwest Winter guard and Oregon Crusaders Indoor percussion. He has worked with numerous high school Color guards, marching bands and drum corps which include Oregon Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corps, BOA and WGI Finalist O’Fallon Township HS, WGI Finalist Dartmouth HS, WGI Finalist Friendswood HS, WGI Finalist Oregon Crusaders Independent (Director and Designer), Maui High School, Lux Independent Winter guard and Juxtaposition Independent Winter Guard. Jeff currently resides in Eagle, Idaho as a full time designer and choreographer for programs throughout the United States. Outside of the activity you can usually catch Jeff traveling, playing with his gorgeous pup Georgia or supporting his local wineries and breweries. Jeff is ecstatic to be back with the Mandarins as Color Guard Designer and Caption Head for the 2023 season.

Jeffrey Capponi

Color Guard Caption Head/ Choreographer

Allison Petro

Allison is originally from Plainfield, IL and is a 2020 graduate from The Ohio State University with a B.S. in Public Health.

Allison’s color guard performance career spans a total of 15 seasons between marching band,drum corps, and winter guard. Her performing career began at Plainfield North High School in the marching band, and continued into the indoor season with Plainfield Winter Guard 2012-2015. Allison went on to perform with Carolina Crown Drum and Bugle Corps from 2015-2018, serving as color guard captain in 2017 and 2018. She performed with Juxtaposition in2016, as well as Onyx in 2017, 2018, and 2022.

Allison has taught and choreographed at multiple organizations during and following her performing years. She has worked with multiple scholastic and independent programs around the country, including programs in Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, and Texas. Currently living in Leander, TX, Allison is the Color Guard Director at Leander High School.

This will be Allison’s third summer with the Sacramento Mandarins, and she could not be more excited to be back on staff with this incredible organization!

Allison Petro

Color Guard Staff

Anna Smith

Anna began her pageantry career in 2008 at Dixie Heights High School in Fort Mitchell, Kentucky. Through the years she performed with O2, The Phantom Regiment, and Onyx.

Anna has worked with a number of groups including Campbell County, Dixie Heights, Northmont, Onyx, and is starting her third season with The Mandarins.

Anna is from Fort Wright, Kentucky, and is currently in school at the University of Dayton working on a second degree in Music Therapy.

Anna Smith

Color Guard Staff

Ja'malh Wallace

Ja’Malh Wallace is excited to be working with the staff and students of the Sacramento Mandarins for a third season.

Currently residing in Ohio, Ja’Malh has been a performing artist, choreographer, and instructor for 17+ years.

As an instructor and choreographer, Ja’Malh has most recently worked with Onyx A and World (2018-2023), Northmont High School (2018-2023), And the Sacramento Mandarins (2021-2022). He has also worked with many scholastic and independent groups in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin and Texas.

As a marching artist, he performed with Onyx Independent World, beginning in 2008 and then returned to the group for the 2012-2016 & 2018-2022 seasons.

During the 2022-2023 winter season he will continue instructional work at Onyx World, Northmont High School, and Nomad Indoor Percussion.

Ja’malh Wallace

Color Guard Staff

Conner Adams

Conner Adams is a second year staff member for the Mandarins Color Guard. Conner is from the gulf coast of Florida but resides in Houston, Texas. Conner currently works as color guard director for Tomball High School while choreographing and designing for scholastic programs throughout the country. Conner’s performance experience includes Paramount Winter Guard, Carolina Crown Drum and Bugle Corps and The Boston Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corps. He is incredibly excited and enthusiastic for the upcoming drum corps season at The Mandarins.

Conner Adams

Color Guard Staff

Gwyneth Quitorio

Gwyneth Quitorio’s instructional experience began her senior year of high school as Kastner Intermediate’s guard tech and Clovis West High School’s “A Guard” tech. She has since continued educating high school students for five more years at Buchanan High School, where she still helps today. Gwyneth recently began working at Sacramento State (stingers up!) with the marching band, and will continue to work with Sac State through the winter season.

Despite her work in the Sacramento area, Gwyneth is currently pursuing her Master’s of Science Degree in School Counseling with an option in Marriage and Family Therapy at California State University, East Bay, where she expects to graduate with her degree in 2024.

This will be Gwyneth’s second season on staff with the Sacramento Mandarins, and she is excited to see what this new season will bring!

Gwyneth Quitorio

Color Guard Staff

Michael Espinoza

Michael’s pageantry career began in 2013 with the South East High School Marching Band and Winterguard. After graduating in 2017, Michael went on to perform with Vessel Drum and Bugle Corps in 2018. Michael began performing with the Mandarins in 2019, 2020 remotely, and just recently aged out with the organization in 2021. Besides Drum Corps, Michael also performed with Diamanté Independent World for the 2020 season.

After graduating from his high school, Michael returned and taught for the 2018-19 season. This past summer, he began educating performers at the Mandarins for the 2022 season. Michael is very grateful for the opportunity to continue his passion of teaching at the Mandarins. Michael Espinoza currently resides in Los Angeles, CA and is attending California State University Los Angeles plans to obtain B.A. in Psychology Spring 2023.

Michael Espinoza

Color Guard Staff

Meredith Faivre

Meredith Faivre is a recent 2022 ageout of the Mandarins after marching with the organization since 2019. Her marching experience began in 2013 and includes Trumbull high school, El Segundo high school, Gold drum corps, Diamante winterguard, and the Mandarins. Aside from teaching at El Segundo high school, this will be Meredith’s first experience on staff at an independent level. She is very excited for the opportunity to return to the Mandarins and be a part of the incredible color guard instructional staff and organization once again. Meredith resides in Southern California and is a senior at UCLA studying psychology.

Color Guard Staff

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Jeffrey Capponi

Color Guard Caption Head/ Choreographer

Allison Petro

Color Guard Staff

Anna Smith

Color Guard Staff

Ja’malh Wallace

Color Guard Staff

Conner Adams

Color Guard Staff

Gwyneth Quitorio

Color Guard Staff

Michael Espinoza

Color Guard Staff

Meredith Faivre

Color Guard Staff

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