Meet the Guard staff.

Patrick Nolen Kava
GUARD CAPTION HEAD & DESIGNER

Billy Pacifico
GUARD STAFF

Aaron Kava
Assistant Guard Caption Head

Brandon Cornelison
GUARD STAFF

Marquan McCoy
Guard Staff

Emma Turner
GUARD STAFF

Carlos M Alicea Quiñones
GUARD STAFF

Jordan Looney
GUARD STAFF
Patrick Nolen Kava
GUARD CAPTION HEAD & DESIGNER

Patrick Nolen Kava began his color guard career in 2011 as a performer in UAB Marching Blazers Color Guard and Amor Winter Guard. Since, he has gained over 10 years of experience directing, teaching, and performing in the color guard and marching band community. Currently, he is the Founder and Executive Director of Divenire Winter Guard – two-time WGI Finalist – and Co-Director of Thompson High School Winter Guard – 2021 WGI Virtual Finalist. He has played a crucial role in Winter Guard International and local circuits, working with programs across the southeast. Patrick has performed with Atlanta CV Drum and Bugle Corps for 5 years (2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021) – winning two high color guard awards. Patrick continues to design and stage programs across the South while serving on the Board of Directors for the Southeastern Color Guard Circuit.
Billy Pacifico
GUARD STAFF

Billy Pacifico is an active educator and choreographer currently living in Suwanee, Georgia. He is proud to be co-program coordinator and choreographer for the Carolina Colorguard. He is well known as the director and choreographer for Collins Hill HS. Under his direction Collins Hill HS was a WGI Scholastic A Class Finalist, a WGI Scholastic Open Class Finalist, and SAPA State Champions in 2010 & 2011.He is currently the Artistic Director for Edge Independent in Atlanta, Georgia. Billy Has been with the Divenire Winterguard out of Birmingham, Alabama for three seasons now and continues to work with the program. Other programs Billy currently works with include Mill Creek HS (WGI SA and Open class Finalist), Paramount A (WGI IA World Champion), and Paramount Open (WGI IO Finalist). Billy has also choreographed for Stoneman Douglas HS Open (WGI SO Silver Medalist), Stoneman Douglas World (WGI SW Finalist & BOA Atlanta Super Regional Finalist), Gainesville Independent Open (WGI Finalist), Fahrenheit World, Alliance of Miami World, Greater Johnstown (NY) Open, Western HS, Coral Glades HS, and many more. As a performer Billy is an alumnus of The Cavalier Drum and Bugle corps in 2002. For his indoor experience Billy was accepted as a member of The Alliance of Miami Winter Guard. His membership at Alliance began during high school at the age of 15 and continued through his age out in 2002.
Aaron Kava
Assistant Guard Caption Head

Aaron began his color guard career as a Freshman at Georgia State University for the 2016 Winter, Fall 2016, and Winter 2017 seasons. Immediately following, Aaron became a member of the Atlanta CV Drum and Bugle Corps in 2017, 2019 and 2021, where he was a part of the color guard when they won the High Color Guard award in his first two seasons. The winter of 2018 was his first season as a part of Divenire Youth Performing Arts family as a staff member, then as a member for 2019, and on staff again for 2020. Aaron is now the Co-Director of Divenire’s Independent A Winter Guard. He is also the director of the Thompson High School Color Guard, a 2021 WGI Virtual Finalist, 3 time SCGC Champion and 2 time Alabama State Champion.
Brandon Cornelison
GUARD STAFF

Brandon Cornelison began his color guard career in 2004 with Jacksonville State Marching Southerners and Center Stage Performance Ensemble. Throughout the years Brandon has performed with Spirit of Atlanta, Carolina Crown, Phantom Regiment Winter Guard, Crown Guard, and Atlanta CV. Having almost 18 years of experience performing, teaching, and choreographing, Brandon currently works as a choreographer for Divenire Winter Guard, drill designer/choreographer for D2, and one of the head coaches for Thompson High School Winter Guards. He has also worked with several other independent and scholastic units throughout the southeast. Brandon is looking forward to joining the staff at Southwind Drum and Bugle Corps and having an amazing summer!
Marquan McCoy
Guard Staff

Marquan McCoy is from Tupelo, MS and he is the colorguard instructor for South Pontotoc High School in Pontotoc,MS. Marquan studied Music Education at Itawamba Community College. During his time at ICC, he was a member of the ICC All American Marching Band for two years and served as captain of the colorguard his second year. He has previously taught and choreographed at: Tupelo High School, Mooreville High School, Lafayette High School, Itawamba Agricultural High School and South Pontotoc High school. Marquan has also performed with groups such as: Itawamba Community College All American Band, Magnolia Independent, Paramount A Winterguard, Colibri Independent, Atlanta CV and Etude Winterguard.
Emma Turner
GUARD STAFF

Emma Turner is a native of Atlanta, Georgia and has been doing colorguard for 10 years. She graduated form East Paulding High School in 2015 and Georgia State University in 2020 where she was a part of both their fall and winter groups. She has also been a part of other WGI and DCI groups such Paramount Open and World, and Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps. She has taught color guard around Georgia for Paulding County High School and Carrollton High School and is currently a part of the staff of the Edge Independent Winterguard.
Carlos M Alicea Quiñones
GUARD STAFF

Carlos M Alicea Quiñones is from Puerto Rico and recently graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Music Education and a major in woodwinds at the Interamerican University of Puerto Rico. The performing arts changed his life when he started in 2013. Colorguard is one of his biggest passions and Carlos loves to share his knowledge to help people grow in the marching arts. He is the Director and Founder of Puerto Rico Royalty Winterguard, the first indoor organization in Puerto Rico and in the Caribbean since 2019; in 2021 the team made it into finals for WGI’s virtual season and the 2022 season marks the program’s competitive season in Dayton, OH. Carlos marched in Music City Drum and Bugle Corps as a Colorguard member (2018-2019) and started teaching Southwind Drum and Bugle Corps in 2019 and spent the summer of 2021 teaching at Madison Scouts Drum and Bugle Corps.
Jordan Looney
GUARD STAFF
