JMB Faculty and Staff

Dr. William H. Petersen

Director of Bands, Director of Athletic Bands

Dr. Will Petersen was appointed to the faculty of the University of South Alabama in 2012.  In his position as Director of Bands at the USA, he oversees all aspects of the University Bands program.  In addition to conducting the USA Wind Ensemble, Dr. Petersen teaches courses in music education, conducting, as well as applied tuba and euphonium. Dr. Petersen serves as Director of the Jaguar Marching Band and Director of Athletic Bands, having previously served in the role from 2013-2019.  He is active as an guest conductor, adjudicator, and clinician of concert and marching bands throughout the country.  [Read more about Dr. Petersen]

Dr. Laura Moore

Chair, Department of Music

Dr. Laura Moore is the Director of Choral Activities at the University of South Alabama, where she directs the Concert Choir and Chorale. She also teaches music history and instrumental and choral conducting. She received her doctorate in Choral Conducting from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. Other earned degrees include the BA from Davidson College, a Master’s degree in Piano Performance from the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University, and a Master’s degree in Choral Conducting from UNC Greensboro. [Read more about Dr. Moore]

Mrs. Marsha Foster

Director, USA Color Guard

Marsha Foster has instructed High School and College color guards in the Southeastern United States for more than 25 years. Some of the award winning guards include: Collierville H.S. in Collierville, TN., Briarcrest H.S. in Memphis, TN., Halls H.S. in Halls, TN., Theodore H.S. in Theodore, AL., Louisiana Tech University in Ruston, LA., and Georgia Southern University in Savannah, GA. Currently Mrs. Foster is the instructor at Daphne H.S. in Daphne, AL for both the fall and winter guard programs. Under her direction the DHS guard has won numerous Best in Class/Show awards at marching band contests. The DHS winter guard is the GCGC Class A Champion from 2006 – 2009 as well as a WGI semi-finalist at the 2008 & 2009 WGI World Championships. They are the WGI Pensacola Regional Class A Champion for 2010. Mrs. Foster graduated from Memphis State University, now the University of Memphis, with a Bachelor of Music degree. At MSU she was the color guard captain for 3 years and choreographed all flag and rifle routines. In 1982 she was a member of the rifle line with the Memphis Blues Brass Band drum and bugle corps. Mrs. Foster has been married to Mark Foster for 25 years and they have two daughters.

Mr. Jared Messinger

Director, USA Jaguar Drumline

Jared Messinger is in his fifth year of teaching and currently resides in Daphne, Alabama.  He serves as the Instructor for the USA Jaguar Drumline where he oversees all aspects of the marching percussion program with the Jaguar Marching Band. In the Fall of 2016, the Fairhope High School graduate went on to study at the University of South Alabama where he received his Bachelor’s degree in Music Education. Messinger’s teaching experience began in 2017 when he taught and arranged for multiple drumlines in Mobile County. While at USA, he marched on the drumline and served as a Student Assistant Conductor/Marching Percussion Arranger in his final year. As a student, Messinger studied with Joe Fant, Luis Rivera and Matthew Greenwood. In Daphne, Messinger the Director of Audio/Visual at a prominent Church.

Dr. Thomas Rowell

Voice of the Jaguar Marching Band

Dr. Thomas L. Rowell, tenor, is the Coordinator of Vocal Studies and directs USA Opera Theatre. He teaches studio voice, vocal pedagogy and song literature. His vocal and choral teachers include George C. Martin, Joseph Blass, Sharon C. Mabry, David Robinson, George Mabry, and C. David Keith. Vocal coaches/artists and conductors Dr. Rowell has worked with include Amy Johnson, Vernon Hartman, Mark Thomsen, James Taylor, William Cotten, Jim Caraher, Hugh Keelan, Jerome Shannon, Kamal Khan, Michael Borowitz, Hal France, Andy Anderson, Jeffrey Rink, Xiaolun Chen, and Danielle Orlando. [Read more about Dr. Rowell]

Mrs. Allison Harris

Secretary, Jaguar Marching Band
Ensembles Secretary

Mrs. Allison Harris serves as the Secretary for the Jaguar Marching Band and Ensembles Secretary for the Department of Music. She joined the Department of Music in 2014 and is involved with all aspects of administration for the Jaguar Marching Band.  She and her husband Marty live in Mobile with their children Camdon and Avarie.  

Mrs. Peggy Doyle

Secretary, Department of Music

Mrs. Peggy Doyle, Department Secretary, has been employed at the University of South Alabama since 1998 and has been an integral part of the Department of Music since 1999. She attended Davidson High School and lived and traveled to a number of states after graduation. Having owned her own business in Alaska for five years, she returned to Mobile in 1993 where she met and married her husband, Bob.

Mr. Sean Grizzle

Photographer, Jaguar Marching Band

I was born and raised in Mobile, Alabama.  I joined the band in 5th grade at Mobile Christian School and continued in band all throughout college.  After attending several marching honor bands, I decided to attended The University of Southern Mississippi and joined The Pride of Southern Mississippi Marching Band while working on studies in TV and Communications (JMB was not around back in 2000!).  I spent 5 years with the Pride.  I was also involved in SOMISPO (the Southern Miss Steel Pan Orchestra) and while there, I was fortunate enough to meet Ellie Mannette, creator of the steel drum and also meet and play in ensemble with Robert Greenidge (famously known steel pannist for Jimmy  Buffett).  After USM, I worked in TV for a couple of years, then as an insurance adjuster/instructor before going back to school for Paramedicine.  

I am currently a FireMedic since 2015 with Mobile Fire Rescue, currently assigned to Engine 22.  I have a successful business going on 4 years in real estate, creating photo, video, drone, and 3D interactive content for real estate agent listings in Baldwin, Mobile, Escambia Counties and even back in his old stomping grounds of Hattiesburg via Grizzled Productions.  I have a wife employed by the USA Health System and a 5 year old son, Benjamin.  When not working, I am an avid scuba diver and enjoys underwater photography and videography.  When not under the water, I enjoy sitting under an oil rig, waiting to hear the line scream off a reel from a redfish or king mackerel that has just taken the bait.  I enjoy a good Jimmy Buffett album and many of the artists that frequent Hair Nation, and I am a huge DCI fan.  I have expressed my excitement for being asked to be a part of the in this capacity and to be part of a marching band again. Future plans are to finish out my Bachelor in EMS in the next couple of years, looking forward to becoming a Jag alumni. I am looking forward to watching, listening, and capturing this fantastic group of musicians.  I hope that current and future members will have this content going forward to remember their time at USA and with the JMB.  Go JAGS! 

Mr. Chester Bean

Videographer, Jaguar Marching Band 

Chester Bean serves as videographer for the Jaguar Marching Band, a position he has held since the band's founding in 2009.  A graduate of the University of South Alabama, Mr. Bean served for over 40 years as a high school and middle school band director in the Mobile County Public Schools.  Many of his former students currently march in the JMB or are alumni of the program.