Our Team
Chris Strohmaier
Mr. Chris Strohmaier is in his sixteenth year of teaching, including six years at Waukee High School before becoming the founding director of the Northwest Band program. Under his direction, the Northwest and Waukee bands will appear in the 2022 Tournament of Roses Parade and he has had two different jazz bands win the High School Large Ensemble category of the Student Music Awards sponsored by Downbeat Magazine. Mr. Strohmaier is currently the president of the Iowa Bandmasters Association, is published in the Teaching Music for Performance in Band book series by GIA Publications and serves on the Partners in Music Education committee for Des Moines Civic Music.
An active trumpet player, Mr. Strohmaier is a member of the Des Moines Big Band, the Turner Center Jazz Orchestra and the Metropolitan Brass Quintet. After graduating from Drake University, Mr. Strohmaier performed professionally on the Holland America and Crystal Cruise Lines. In addition to attending graduate school at the University of North Texas, he holds a Master of Music Education from Boston University. Mr. Strohmaier is an avid runner, and lives in Johnston with his lovely wife Phaedra and their cat Schrodinger.
Chad Friesleben
Mr. Chad Friesleben comes to Northwest High School after 27 years of instrumental and vocal music instruction in both Iowa and Minnesota, including the past 12 years as Visual and Program Coordinator for the Waukee Warrior Regiment. Prior to his appointment to Northwest, he served as brass arranger for River City Rhythm Drum and Bugle Corps, and is an active composer, arranger, and designer for both instrumental and vocal music programs. Mr. Friesleben is a frequent adjudicator for marching bands and indoor drumline, presents leadership, team-building, and drum major clinics, and is an active clinician for both bands and choirs throughout the Midwest.
Mr. Friesleben holds a Bachelor of Music Education degree from Drake University and a Juris Doctorate from the University of St. Thomas School of Law, where he served as Senior Editor for the St. Thomas Law Journal and graduated Cum Laude. He is a member of the Iowa Bandmasters Association, the Jazz Education Network, Jazz Educators of Iowa, and Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia. Mr. Friesleben lives in West Des Moines, Iowa with his wife, Kelly, and their beautiful children, Caitlyn and Nicholas.
Program Staff
Travis Hattery
Travis Hattery was born and raised in Davenport, Iowa. In 2015, he earned a B.S. degree from Iowa State University in Chemical Engineering as well as a minor in Biomedical Engineering. He is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology at Iowa State University. Travis is an endorsed Percussion Educator with Innovative Percussion.
Travis’ performance experience includes The Colt Cadets Open Class Drum and Bugle Corps (Tenors 2008-2009, Drum Major 2010), The Colts Drum and Bugle Corps (Tenors 2011), The Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps (Tenors 2012, Tenor Section Leader 2013-2014), and Gateway Indoor Percussion (Tenors 2012-2013).
As an instructor, Travis has worked with several ensembles as a battery music technician, including The Govenaires (2015, 2016), and Gateway Indoor (2016). He has also served on several world-class visual teams, including The Boston Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corps (2015), and The Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps (2016).
Every Summer, Travis serves as a guest clinician at the Cyclone Marching Academy, a camp for Iowa high-school marching band students. Travis currently serves as the Visual Coordinator for the Iowa State University Marching Band, under the direction of Christian Carichner.
Annie Pelka
Annie Pelka, originally from Chicagoland, studied the art of movement at the University of North Texas, receiving a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Dance. While in school she four years at the Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps, which grew into a long teaching career at the same corps. After graduating she moved to Atlanta, GA as a performer and teacher. Studying hands-on bodywork and deciphering common movement patterns proved to be the foundation for her massage practice after becoming a Licensed Massage Therapist.
Annie has had the great honor of working with many marching band, winter guard and percussion programs in various design and instruction capacities; some of these programs include Paramount Winter Guard, Odyssey Percussion Theatre, Harrison High School, Kell High School, Mill Creek High School, Pope High School, Mt. Juliet High School, Chantilly High School, Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps, and Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps.
Currently living in Ames, Iowa, Annie teaches at Iowa State University, Graceland University, and Waukee High School. She continues to grow a private practice in myofascial and sports rehab techniques in Ames, while also teaching at Body Wisdom Massage School in Urbandale.
Ashleigh Wright
Ashleigh Wright, originally from Waterloo, IA, received her Bachelor's Degree in Elementary Education and a Minor in Special Education from the University of Northern Iowa. She now lives in Waukee with her husband (Tyler), daughter (Thea-born on leap day of 2020), dog (Ganon), and cats (Zelda and Navi). She loved teaching kindergarten and special education in the Waukee Community School District. Now, she loves being a stay at home mom with her daughter.
She started her color guard experience as a performer with the Waterloo West High School color guard from 2005-2008 under the direction of William Martin. In 2008, Ashleigh got the opportunity to march with the Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps. From there, Ashleigh has had the privilege of directing and choreographing for several different programs around Iowa and Missouri. Some of these programs include Waterloo West High School, Winterset High School, Dallas-Center Grimes High School, Waukee High School, and Odessa High School. Ashleigh has also been a guest instructor at the Cyclone Guard Academy and is an instructor at the Iowa Central Color Guard Camp, as well.