Our Mission

The IMPA sponsors percussion and indoor winds competition and education throughout the Intermountain Region. The organization is run by volunteers from within the local music community who dedicate their time to creating a better experience for all the musicians involved.

IMPA is established for the benefit of the percussion and marching ensembles that participate in the activity at all levels of achievement. Our purpose is to provide a venue for young people to achieve the extraordinary through education, performance, and competition. We seek to foster positive experiences for all who participate, by promoting education, creativity and freedom of expression through the unification of marching, music and performance education.

Get in touch

The Board of Directors at IMPA would love to hear from you! If you have questions, concerns, ideas, or need help with your ensemble please reach out.

Executive Director

Tyler Hess

Tyler Hess is a musician, educator, and designer residing in Ogden, Utah. In 2008 Mr. Hess began his teaching career when he took the job as Percussion Caption Head at Bonneville High School. Under his direction Bonneville grew from obscurity into an award-winning ensemble, winning multiple Outstanding Percussion trophies in the Utah marching band circuit. In 2010 Mr. Hess accepted the position of Program Director for Weber State Indoor Percussion. From there, Weber State Indoor Percussion grew from a small ensemble into a flagship program in the Intermountain Percussion Association, winning two WGI Regional Championships and four Intermountain Percussion Association Championships. Mr. Hess now takes this heritage into the future with the newly formed Gold Spike Percussion.

Mr. Hess has served as a clinician and instructor for numerous high schools and performing arts organizations throughout the intermountain region. Mr. Hess currently serves as Executive Director of Performing Arts Weber, an arts and education based non-profit in Ogden, UT. He also serves as Percussion Supervisor and Visual Designer for the Weber State Wildcat Band, Battery Instructor and Program Coordinator at Davis High School, Program Director for Gold Spike Percussion, Percussion Consultant for Roy and Riverton High School, and Tour Manager for the Battalion Drum and Bugle Corps. Mr. Hess the Exectutive Director for the Intermountain Percussion Association and is an active clinician, instructor, consultant and designer. He dedicates his time to expanding educational, performance, and competitive opportunities for percussionists in the Intermountain West region.

Mr. Hess is a proud endorser of Pearl/Adams Percussion, Pro-Mark Drumsticks, and Evans Drumheads.

Email Tyler at thess@im-pa.org

President

Sarah Jennings

Sarah Jennings has been deeply involved in the marching arts for over 27 years as both a performer and educator. She attended Northern Arizona University, where she majored in Education, while also performing in the symphonic band under Dr. Rick McEnaney and joining the marching band drumline under Dr. Steve Hemphill. Sarah began her instructional career in 1998, teaching marching, music, and leadership with various Arizona marching bands, and has since worked with influential educators in Arizona, Kansas, and Idaho, including Dr. Keith Preston, Sharon Woodard, Ed Protzman, and Jason Bull.

Sarah’s commitment to advancing music education and the marching arts is evident through her leadership roles in various organizations. She helped establish Centennial Indoor Percussion Theatre in Arizona and co-founded North Star Independent, which earned a bronze medal in the Independent A division at the 2023 WGI World Championships. In 2014, she became the Assistant Director of Troopercussion Indoor in Idaho. Beyond performance and instruction, Sarah has actively contributed to the music community by serving on the Board of Directors for Snake River Youth Performing Arts since its inception in 2017. She also serves as President of the Board for the Intermountain Percussion Association in Utah, having been an active member since 2014.
 
Currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Secondary Education, Sarah balances her professional and academic pursuits with family life, raising three children and two dogs. In her spare time, she enjoys exploring her family history, playing games, and spending quality time with her loved ones.

Email Sarah at sjennings@im-pa.org

Vice President

Mark Hartman

Mark Hartman has been involved in the marching arts for more than 25 years as a performer, instructor, and designer. Mark is one of the co-founders of The Battalion Drum & Bugle Corps from Salt Lake City, Utah, where he served as corps operations director in 2023 after serving as program director and brass caption head from 2014 to 2022. Mark began his drum corps career with the Blue Knights from Denver, Colorado, as a member of the mellophone section in 2003. In 2008, he was on the visual staff for Revolution from San Antonio, Texas, and was on the support staff for the Blue Knights in 2009, serving as the public relations intern and working in event management.

Originally from El Paso, Texas, Mark graduated from Brigham Young University in 2012 where he was a member of the Cougar Marching Band, serving as drum major and band president in his final year. Following his time at BYU, Mark spent seven years as the assistant director for the award-winning Westlake High School Marching Band from Saratoga Springs, Utah. During his tenure Westlake was the Utah 4A State Champion in 2012 and 2013, was a seven-time Bands of America Regional Finalist in Utah and California, and represented the state of Utah in the 2018 Rose Parade in Pasadena, California.

Mark is currently the assistant director of athletic bands at Farmington High School in Farmington, Utah, where he helped lead the program to competitive success as the Utah 3A State runner up in 2018, back-to-back undefeated Utah 5A State Champions in 2019 and 2020, the Utah 6A State runner up in 2021, and five Bands of America Regional Finals appearances in 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024. Mark also serves as Vice President of the Board of Directors for the Intermountain Percussion Association and a timing and penalties judge for both WGI and IMPA. He is an active clinician, designer, and program consultant for many groups across the western United States.

Email Mark at mhartman@im-pa.org

Secretary

Kenton Nielson

Kenton is the the Director of the Utah Valley University Drumline (UVU Green Man Group) and CEO of the Battalion Drum and Bugle Corps in Salt Lake City, UT.

He marched as a member of the Troopers Drum & Bugle Corps where he had the opportunity to study marching percussion under the direction of such great music educators as Pat Amon, Nick Angelis, Thom Hannum, Jeff Queen, and Colin McNutt. 20 years after marching in Drum Corps International he remains very involved with the Troopers where he currently sits as an elected member of the Troopers TAA Board of Directors. Kenton is very active in the performing arts and music education communities. Five years prior to becoming the musical director of the UVU Green Man Group, he worked as the Associate Conductor of the Wasatch Chorale conducting alongside Dr. Dyanne Riley. Over the past 15 years, he has directed and or worked as a visiting clinician for numerous high school drumlines and marching bands. 

Kenton is graduate of Utah Valley University. He holds degrees in Music (with an Emphasis in Conducting), Secondary Music Education (with a Choral/Wind Composite), and History. While in college, he served as the President of the Collegiate Music Educators National Conference. He also served as the Associate Conductor of the University Chamber Choir. In 2003, he was honored as the Outstanding Academic Student of the Year from the School of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences. While at UVU he represented student interests as member of the University's Academic Senate. He was also a 3-year winner of the Collegiate Aria & Concerto Competition. 

Kenton currently lives in Orem with his wife Janna and their 3 children Scott, Emily & Daniel.

Email Kenton at knielson@im-pa.org

Board Member - at large

Nick Jackson

Nick is an avid educator, clinician, and leader in the Utah percussion community. He completed his Bachelor of the Arts in Music Education from the University of Utah under Dr. Mike Sammons. He currently works as the Percussion Specialist at Maple Grove Middle School, Mapleton Jr. High School, and is the Percussion Director at Maple Mountain High School and the Maple Mountain High School Marching Band. Nick teaches percussion classes from grades 6-12 and is an extremely diverse educator that reaches many age groups and backgrounds. He is also the director of Nebo District Indoor Percussion which currently holds the silver medal in the PSA division in the IMPA Utah Circuit.

Nick is the Battery Coordinator for the Battalion Drum and Bugle Corps and has previously taught for many other marching ensembles including: Riverton High School, Davis High School, American Fork High School, Herriman High School, Gold Spike Indoor Percussion, and the Blue Knights Percussion Ensemble. His list of educators include: James Sparling, Lee Beddis, Derek Fields, Mike Sammons, George Brown, Doug Wolf, Kelly Wallis, and Nick Molenda. His service to the marching arts continues to grow with each passing season. 

Aside from his service in education, Nick is a current board member for the IMPA indoor percussion circuit in Utah, the Vice President of the Utah PAS Chapter, and a member of the Nebo School District Fine Arts Leadership Team. He continues to serve the Utah percussion community in many ways including being a host for marching and indoor percussion shows around the state. 

Nick lives in American Fork with his wife, daughter, and yorkie poodle, Baguira. 

Email Nick at njackson@im-pa.org

Board Member - at large

Stephen Tullis

Stephen, a Utah native, has been involved in the marching arts as a performer, educator, and designer since 2008. His performing career includes the Orem High Marching Band, South County Percussion, Impact Percussion UT, and UVU's Green Man Group, as well as various community bands and orchestras.

As an educator, Stephen has worked as a tech with several programs along the Wasatch Front, including Westlake High School, Wasatch High School, American Fork High School, Gold Spike Percussion, and the Battalion Drum and Bugle Corps.

In 2016, Stephen joined the Lehi High School marching band staff, where his role expanded to assistant director and percussion director from 2019 to 2023. His contributions to design and education at Lehi led the marching band to state titles in 2018 and 2021, as well as the ensemble's first-ever appearance as a finalist at the BOA St. George Regional. Stephen also founded the indoor percussion program at Lehi, which earned an Open Class Gold medal in its fourth year.

Stephen is currently studying music education at Utah Valley University and is serving his second term as a member of the IMPA Board of Directors.

Email Stephen at stullis@im-pa.org

Board Member - at large

Albert Williams

Albert Williams Has been a member of IMPA since 2013. He is currently the Director of Percussion for Farmington High School. He has previously performed, written, taught, and adjudicated in Florida, Georgia, the East Coast, Europe, and Utah, for over 30 years. He has worked with several schools in Utah, including Farmington, Westlake, and Bingham High. 

He helped guide Impact Percussion, UT, through its wildly successful 4 season run, which included a WGI Regional Championship in 2016, 4 consecutive Intermountain Percussion Association Circuit Championships in P.I.O. & P.I.A, and 6th Place finish at the 2019 WGI World Championships in Dayton, OH.

He has studied under, and worked for, DCI Hall of Famer Frank T. Williams III. He is an alumnus of Suncoast Sound and Spirit of Atlanta Drum & Bugle Corps. He is a U.S. Army Veteran, and was a member of the 434th Army Band while stationed at Fort Gordon, GA.

While living in Germany he has worked with Percussion Ensembles from all over Europe, including Germany, France, Holland, England, Italy, Turkey, South Korea and Japan, as an arranger, clinician, and judge. He has also performed at the North Sea Jazz Festival.

Email Albert at awilliams@im-pa.org

Event Coordinator

Meagan Holyoak

As Event Coordinator for the Intermountain Percussion Association, Meagan manages the operation of events throughout the season. She has been a supporter, performer, and educator in IMPA since she moved to Utah Valley in 2014. Currently teaching at Mountain Ridge High School, she’s taught and volunteered for the last 6 years in the Utah marching arts community. Meagan’s performance background extends beyond percussion having danced at Utah Valley University, Brigham Young University, and competed in the Utah Color Guard Circuit and Winter Guard International Circuit.

With a professional background in operations management, Meagan currently works for a tech startup as a Program Manager. Twelve years of experience in logistics, asset management, project execution, and her world-class time management and organization keeps IMPA events running smoothly. 

Meagan prioritizes creating an environment of kindness, learning, safety, and grace for her students while building authentic and supportive connections with her colleagues. As a fierce advocate for community, she is committed to cultivating a space where everyone feels seen and heard. 

Meagan currently resides in Lehi, UT and enjoys spending her precious free time with her dog, friends, and Kindle.

Email Meagan at mholyoak@im-pa.org