Danielle Collins

President, CEO

Danielle co-founded Pulse Percussion, Inc. in 2009 and has served in many roles with Pulse including Performer, Director, Executive Director, and on the board of directors. Danielle is the Director of Art, Media, and Entertainment for Inspire EDU. Danielle has taught adjunct at CSULB and CSULA, consulted with the Los Angeles County Office of Education, and taught high school commercial and traditional music for almost 20 years. She is a board member with the Technology in Music Education (TI:ME) association and has served on boards for the Career Technical Education Sector (California Department of Education), the California Band Directors Association, and the Innovations Council for California Music Educators Association. She has worked with many thriving DCI groups and WGI groups in the training and development of their organizations and has presented professional development across the country. Danielle was named one of Yamaha’s 40 Under 40 in 2022 and was awarded a NAfME Grant in 2018. As a friend of Yamaha and a teaching artist of Vic Firth and Zildjian, she currently works with state popular music groups around the country, advises arts apprenticeships, and supports state standards design in Career Technical Education.

She began as a charter member of Pulse in the battery in 2005 and never left. 

Danielle has a Master's Degree and Bachelor’s in Music Education and a CTE Credential in Professional Music. Danielle lives with her husband, Doug, and their sons, Bennett and Jackson, in Long Beach, CA.

Danielle@pulsepercussion.org

CARRI buffington

Carri is a teacher for the Chino Valley School District area and is a professor of study skills at Mt San Antonio College. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Anthropology from University of California, Riverside and worked as an archaeologist for many years. She then returned to school to get a master’s degree in education and teaching credential from Chapman University and has been working as a teacher since. 

Carri performed throughout high school in marching band and color guard. After high school she was a member of Pacific Crest Drum and Bugle Corps and marched independent colorguard for several seasons. This inspired two of her children to join and perform in both the Townsend Jr High School marching band and drumline and the Chino HS marching band and drumline. Her love for the activity led to her wanting to give back to music students by helping in the band boosters. She has served as the Townsend JHS and Chino Hills HS Band Booster President for ten years which led her to join the Pulse team to continue helping people in the activity she loves. 

Alfredo Alamillo

POW Percussion Director

Alfredo is a SoCal based musician and educator. He has marched with Santa Paula High School, Elan Percussion, Gold, POW Percussion and has been a member of the media and admin teams for Pacific Crest. He has also gigged with bands across LA and made his international debut premiering music for chamber ensembles in Duino, Italy.

Alfredo earned undergraduate degrees in music and communication studies, and comlpeted his masters in music composition with an education focus from the California Institute of the Arts. His work in education includes serving as a graduate lecturer at CalArts, the former Director of Education & Administration at the California College of Music, and conducting scholarly research on the music of ancient Mexico. He currently works as a category manager in the musical products industry, forecasting sales and corporate purchasing for pianos, keyboards, and synthesizers. When he’s not working in or academia, Alfredo loves teaching kid’s music classes and coaching his niece’s T-Ball team.

Jessica DuBose

Merchandise Designer & Merch Manager

Jessica joined the Pulse family in 2015 as a visual performer. She has a Bachelor’s in Marketing and she is a teacher in the Santee Unified School District. She also coaches both cymbals and visual at Del Notre High School and cymbals at Borderline Percussion. Jessica has worked with Pulse as an assistant director, social media content creator and manager, photographer, merchandise designer, and merchandise manager since her time ended as a performer.

TiBet leon

Pulse Percussion Ensemble Assistant

This is Tibet's second year working with Pulse. He worked as an assistant director for POW last year. Tibet grew up in Arizona before moving to Southern California to pursue higher education in music. Tibet has performed with Phenom Soundsport, Odyssey Indoor Percussion, Golden Empire Drum and Bugle corps, POW Percussion, and Breakthrough Indoor Percussion. He has also worked with Carolina Crown and Santa Clara Vanguard as a Tour Administrator and previously at Gilbert High School (AZ) and Phoenix Union Indoor as a Front Ensemble tech. Tibet is currently the Front Ensemble caption head at Portola High School.

Luis Vega

Pulse Percussion Ensemble Assistant

Jayden Heddon

POW Percussion Ensemble Assistant

Born and raised in Lakewood, California, Jayden is currently studying Music Education at San Diego State University with an anticipated graduation in 2025. He has marched with Mayfair High School, Tri-City Percussion, Gold Drum and Bugle Corps, and Gold Indoor under the direction of Eric Shriver.

Omar Mondragon

POW Percussion Ensemble Assistant

Omar grew up in Colton, CA and has performed with Velocity Percussion, Catalyst Percussion, Gold Indoor Percussion, Gold Drum & Bugle Corps, and the Riverside City College Marching Tigers. He marched his ageout season with POW Percussion in 2023. He is currently the Percussion Caption Head at Valley View High School. Outside of the Marching Arts, Omar graduated from the University of California, Riverside with a Bachelor of Arts in History and is currently pursuing his Master's in Education in the UCR Teacher Education Program.