Staff

Adrian Caswell, Director of Bands

Adrian Caswell started his career in 2007 at Austin High School and is thrilled to return home again. While at SFA, the band was a two-time Bands of America Grand National Finalist and three-time Bands of America Houston Regional Champion. He is excited to continue the legacy of excellence and work to provide life-changing experiences for our student performers.

Prior to returning to SFA, Mr. Caswell taught at the Tarpon Springs Leadership Conservatory for the Arts, Coppell High School, and Wakeland High School. Under his direction, his ensembles have been BOA Grand National Finalists, UIL State Marching Contest Finalists in class 5A and 6A, BOA Super Regional Finalists, BOA Super Regional Class Champions, BOA Regional Champions, have received a perfect visual score at the UIL State Marching Contest, and have been consistent UIL Concert and Marching Sweepstakes award winners.

Mr. Caswell received his degree in music education from The University of Texas at Austin. He performed in the Wind Ensemble, under the direction of Jerry Junkin, and was a featured soloist in the Longhorn Band as well as The Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps. Mr. Caswell marched for five years with The Cadets and served as the horn sergeant in 2004 and 2005, later joining the visual staff in 2009.

Mr. Caswell holds professional affiliations with the Texas Music Educators Association, Florida Music Educators Association, Texas Bandmasters Association, and Kappa Kappa Psi. He is elated to rejoin the SFA family with his wife, Jenny, and children, Lilah and Will.

Jay Lopez, Associate Director of Bands

Mr. Lopez graduated with honors from the University of North Texas in May of 2020 with his Bachelor’s degree in Music Education. His collegiate mentors include Dr. Nicholas Williams, Dennis Fisher, and Dr. Andrew Traschel. Mr. Lopez studied Bassoon with Kathleen Reynolds, bassoonist in the Dallas Opera/Dallas Symphony. He performed as a bassoonist in the UNT Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band, Wind Orchestra, Concert Orchestra, and multiple chamber ensembles. In the Fall of 2020, Mr. Lopez completed his student teaching at Coppell HS and Coppell MS West.

Before his arrival at Stephen F. Austin High School, Lopez was the Associate Director of Bands at John B. Connally High School in Pflugerville ISD. His responsibilities included running the visual program for the marching band and instructing the Symphonic Wind Ensemble. Connally HS has been a consistent UIL Concert and Marching Sweepstakes Award recipient.

Mr. Lopez was a member of UNT’s Green Brigade Marching Band, where he participated as field instructor. His responsibilities included teaching visual and movement to over 400 members of the Green Brigade. During his time at UNT, Mr. Lopez was the President of UNT’s Marching Arts Forum, which brought out world-renowned designers, instructors, and creatives in the marching arts to present to the UNT study body.

Mr. Lopez has developed a passion for the marching arts, throughout his years of experience. He has worked as a technician for Hebron HS and Fossil Ridge HS where he was able to contribute to a 3rd place finish at UIL Texas State Marching Contest, 4th place finish at BOA San Antonio in 2018 and a 3rd place finalist at BOA Grand Nationals in 2019. Mr. Lopez also taught as a private bassoon instructor for Denton ISD and Keller ISD. Additionally, he has worked for the Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps and mostly recently with the Boston Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corps.

Mr. Lopez professional affiliations include Texas Music Educators Association, Texas Bandmasters Association, Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia, and the National Association for Music Education. He is excited about joining the SFA community and contributing to the continued success of the program and the development of every student.

Lee Willis, Associate Director of Bands – Percussion

Lee Willis is the newly appointed Director of Percussion at Stephen F. Austin High School. He directs all percussion related ensembles as well as co-directs the marching band and concert ensembles.

Prior to his appointment at SFA, Willis served as the Director of Percussion at Alvin High School. Under his direction, the Alvin High School Percussion section achieved noteworthy local and state-wide success including two top-10 finishes in the Lone Star Classic drumline competition. Additionally, Mr. Willis founded the Alvin High School Steel Band, which has recently shared the stage with world renowned steelpan artists, Liam Teague and CJ Menge. Prior to his appointment at Alvin, Mr. Willis served as the Associate Director of Bands at Monterey High School in Lubbock, Texas. In addition to multiple “High Percussion” scores at marching contests, he mentored students to perform with the Texas All-State Bands and the Texas State Solo & Ensemble Contest.

Prior to teaching public school in Texas, Mr. Willis compiled a wealth of collegiate teaching experience in Texas and South Carolina. Mr. Willis served as the Battery Coordinator of the Coastal Carolina University Marching Band and Assistant Band Director at Conway High School. Before his hiring at CCU, he served as the primary instructor for the Texas Tech University Drumline, Steel Band II, and Percussion Ensemble II. Mr. Willis is a proud graduate of Texas Tech University, where under the tutelage of Dr. Lisa Rogers and Mr. Alan Shinn, he completed his Bachelor’s Degree in Music Education and Master’s Degree in Percussion Performance. 

During his time at Texas Tech, Mr. Willis was a member of the top Percussion Ensemble and Steel Band ‘Apocalypso Now’. With these ensembles, he performed at PASIC, TMEA, ISME, NCPP, the PAS Canada Day of Percussion, and the International Kodaly Symposium. In 2012, he finished 4th in the Texas Tech University Concerto Competition. Mr. Willis was a member of the Wind Ensemble under the direction of Dr. Sarah McKoin, and the Symphony Orchestra under Dr. Andrew George and Dr. David Becker. Mr. Willis was also a part of the famed Goin’ Band from Raiderland as section leader of the tenor-line.

In his spare time, Mr. Willis enjoys playing basketball, golf, and disc golf. He is an extremely passionate fan of the San Antonio Spurs, Texas Tech Red Raiders, New York Yankees, and San Francisco 49ers. He and his wife, Avery, have two wonderful dogs named Harley and Remo.

Mysha Baldwin, Angels Dance Team Director

Mysha Baldwin is the Director of the Austin Angels Dance Team at Stephen F. Austin HS in Sugar Land, TX. She began her full-time teaching career as the Assistant Director for the J. Frank Dobie Lariaettes. During her five years at Dobie HS, she helped grow the dance department and won multiple awards, such as: Crowd Pleasers 1st Runner Up Overall Grand Champion Team, 2016; ADTS WOW Award for Team Pom, 2016; ADTS Best of the Best Overall Team, 2015; ADTS WOW Award for Team Kick, 2015; Champions Most Inspirational Team, 2014; ADTS Super Division National Champion Officers, 2014; TDEA D.E.A.L. Rating I, 2014.

Mysha is from Sugar Land, TX where she grew up dancing in a local studio. As a teenager, she attended the Houston Ballet Academy and was chosen to perform in the Houston Ballet’s Nutcracker in 2001 as a Clown. She realized her passion for teaching after leading the Kempner Cougar Brigade for two years as an Officer. She graduated with a Bachelors of Science in Dance Education from Stephen F. Austin State University. Her senior year, she was a Presenter in the Undergraduate Research Conference 2010 and a Performer in the Matt Mattox Jazz Presentation at the ACDFA South Central Conference 2010. She was also a member and 2-year Captain of the SFA Pom Squad, receiving honors such as: NDA All-American for 3 years; NDA Top Gun Leaps Winner; NDA Collegiate Division I National Champion.

Her professional affiliations include the Texas Dance Educators Association, and formerly served as a Choreographer, Head Instructor, and Adjudicator for the National Dance Alliance for eleven years.

Ashlee Williamson, Angels Dance Team Associate Director

Ashlee Williamson is a 2003 graduate of The High School for the Performing and Visual Arts in Houston and more recently a graduate of Point Park University.  During her time in Pittsburgh, PA,  she had the opportunity to study with many renowned choreographers and be cast in the first ever off Broadway production of Contact.  Mrs. Williamson first began working with the Angels in 2008 as a choreographer between her contracts as an International Singer and Dancer for Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines.

Matthew Caballero, Color Guard Director

Mr. Caballero is a passionate individual whose life has been shaped by the art of design, dance and the mesmerizing world of color guard. His professional background includes Architecture and Interior Design as well as many years of dance studies. With patience, grace, and precision, he has honed many of his skills in these disciplines, seamlessly blending the elegance of dance with the dynamic and expressive movements of color guard.

His dedication to the sport and to his students has taken him to captivating performances on many stages. Some of his credits include: WGI Houston finalist, WGI Austin finalist, WGI San Antonio Regional Champion, TCGC Bronze medalist, and First place for Future of Transportation Exhibition. His professional design work has been featured in New York City (Fordham University), Philadelphia (AIA Philadelphia) and Miami (SCOPE International Design Exhibit).

Through his unwavering commitment to his craft and his students, Mr. Caballero hopes to continue inspiring others to embrace the transformative power of perseverance and to express their innermost emotions through dance and the vibrant tapestry of the color guard sport. He is excited to be a part of the SFA community and to contribute to the growth of all our students.