Board of Directors

Board Officers

At Large Board Members

Board Officers

President:

Rich Nordin, Baritone, 1971-1976
Executive Committee Chair
Spent over 40 years in nonprofit development and administration, 17 years on staff at USC and as vice president at two other local universities. Credits Art Bartner with being his first nonprofit boss when he was appointed band manager in 1975-76, the year of the second trip to Notre Dame and the Liberty Bowl. Lives in DTLA with his partner, Chris Reyes. A different side of Rick: His love for LA history. Author of the local history book “The Iron Fist,” an immigrant’s story to wealth and power.

First VP:

Marty Lichtmann, Baritone, 1972-1976 1st Vice President, Membership Committee Chair Former manufacturing business CEO; married his band sweetheart and one of their sons become a member of the TMB, he was drum major for two years and married his band sweetheart. Dr. B accused him of not knowing his right foot from his left… he was probably correct.

Second VP:

Betsey Dillon, Clarinet, 1977-81
Entrepreneur, product designer and merchandiser. Mom of a Trojan and a Husky. Took my USC business degree and started my own apparel label at 28. Many of our designs were featured in movies and television: “Fight Club,” “MTV,” “Friends,” “The Bachelor,” “Gilmore Girls,” “Beverly Hills 90210,” “The Nanny,” etc. Ready to lend my collegiate licensing experience to developing TMBAA merchandise to support TGMBITHOTU! Favorite TMB memories: Chatting with Stevie Nicks inside Fredrick’s of Hollywood before playing for the Fleetwood Mac Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony; performed live at the Forum for the Tusk! tour; back-to-back Rose Bowls ’79 and ’80. More likely to be on the Study Bus than playing Roller Band.

VP of Young Alumni:

Elizabeth So, Cymbals/Drumline, 2003-2007 Young Alumni Committee Chair Alumna of Alpha Omega Epsilon, and former editor of Illumin Magazine. In addition to the Trojan Marching Band, I’m a proud alumna from the Viterbi School of Engineering; earned my B.S. in Biomedical/Biochemical Engineering. Currently working for the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

Treasurer:

Howie Szabo, Trombone, 1977-1981
Treasurer, Finance Committee Chair
Real estate investor, attorney and broker.

Secretary:

Jan Berkeley, Silk, 1983-1986, 1998-2000
Secretary, Homecoming Committee Chair
Returned to the TMB in 1998 to become the silk TA and lead the alumni silks. Worked in systems and computer engineering. I also perform dance with an over 50s dance team and with my high school alumni drum section.

At Large Board Members

Daniel Barcenas

Trombone, 1979-1981
Global Supply Chain Management Consultant

Dan Beintema

Trumpet, 1979-81
Fundraising Committee Chair
Former Naval Officer and carrier aviator. Retired from City of Chula Vista as an executive manager; career continues as President of the USS Midway Foundation. Prepared and finalized the field charts for half-time shows for Dr. ‘Arc’ Bartner during tenure, and was a member of the tiny group who initiated the iconic lyrics to the end of “Tusk”, dishonoring the cross-town wannabes.

Christina Burcelis

Silk 2012-2014, Squad Leader,
I’m an alumna from the Annenberg School of Communication and am currently pursuing master’s in management at Pepperdine. I spent 10 years as a director of nonprofits throughout California and Canada. Currently working as an account manager at Keurig Dr. Pepper. I grew up watching the band since I was 2 years old and because my father attended USC. My greatest memory: Walking down Trousdale parading to the Coliseum for the first time and hearing my dad screaming, “That’s my daughter!” with a big photo of me on his shirt.

Raymond Camacho

Horn, 1982-1986

Robert Campos

Trumpet, 1979-1984
Known as “Rob” by Dr. Bartner. Actually went to see Dr. Bartner during his senior year of high school and told him he wanted to join the TMB. Former Laker Band, Disneyland Band and performed five nights at the Forum with Fleetwood Mac.

Richard Cox

Trumpet, 1981-84, TMB Assistant Director
Started with the band in 1981 and never left, although I did graduate from USC in 1984 with a Bachelor of Arts in Trumpet Performance. Was a squad leader, section leader, and TA. Also:10-piece director from 1986-1998; member of the Lakers Band from 1981-1986; director of the Lakers Band in 1986. Performed in the 1984 Olympic band (including the venue band for boxing and basketball) and in the All-American College Band for President Reagan’s second inauguration in Washington, D.C. Performed in the opening ceremonies for Euro Disney in France and have appeared in numerous TV shows and movies. My most recognizable role is the close up of my foot stepping on the remote in “The Naked Gun.”

Rylee Epperson

Alto Sax, 2014-2018

Gretchen Heffler

Trumpet, 1974-1981

Member Outreach Chair

I found it hard to leave USC. After grad school, I worked almost 10 years in Annual Giving and then spent most of my career as a major gifts officer with The Salvation Army, Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation, California Outdoor Heritage Alliance, Ducks Unlimited, and the capital campaign company, MSGI Direct. Pursuing my love for music, I’ve produced International Music Festivals and performance tours all over the globe, even touring with the TMB in 2000 to Australia and New Zealand. TMB highlight: I was kicked out of the band just once. Keven Cartwright and I were bounced for staying an extra week in Hawaii, right before the Rose Bowl. But we came back to rehearsal and marched.

Natalie Innocenzi

Silk, 2013

After earning my bachelor’s degree in human development and aging, I continued my studies to obtain a master’s in social work and in science in gerontology. I am currently working on my LCSW and am a medical social worker at LA Care Health Plan. My favorite memories from band: The Notre dame game in Chicago and marching at Homecoming with my mom, who is also a band alum.

Azya Jackson

Clarinet, 2000-2006

Member Outreach Chair

John Patrick Lopez

Drumline, 1990-1994

Kirk Lynch

Clarinet, 1984-1988, 2019
Clinical pharmacist for large managed health care organization. Enjoy travel, rock concerts and games. Eternally young at heart having just marched the Holiday Bowl. Does that make me the oldest person ever to march on the field in uniform?

Joan Mullins

Silk, 1981-1982
Retired Catholic School Principal ADLA. Named child Troy Thomas and he was born on the day that OJ was cruising the freeway.

Javier Ortega

Trumpet, 2001-2005
Southern California native with 15 years’ professional service experience in banking, mortgage lending, credit analysis, and tax compliance. I am a CPA at a global professional service firm in Los Angeles. I joined the TMB at the beginning of the Coach Carroll Trojan football era. It was a tremendous privilege to march under the direction of Dr. Bartner for four years. One of my favorite memories is performing the National Anthem at the 2004 Rose Bowl, directed by John Williams, after marching a six-mile parade.

Steve Ortiz

Tenor Sax, 1987-1992, Section Leader/Band Manager
Events Committee Chair
Finance and accounting professional for over 25 years. Currently controller at Walton Isaacson. Perpetual thorn in Dr. Bartner’s side until Dr. Bartner grudgingly made him band manager. Only tenor sax on the trip to Pullman, Washington, in 1989 that began the streak of the TMB attending every USC Football game, home or away.

Lisa Rapp

Baritone and mellophone, 1975-1979

Received my bachelor’s degree in civil engineering in 1979 and have nearly 40 years of public works experience. I’ve served the city of Lakewood, Calif., for 30 years, with 25 as public works director. Met my husband Richard (trumpet) while getting on the bus to go to band camp as freshmen in August, 1975. I was one of the members who had to change instruments when Dr.Bartner eliminated baritones, so I switched to mellophone. We’re very proud to have two sons who are USC TMB trumpets. A devoted Trojan for life, I’m an active mentor for civil and environmental engineering and public policy students at USC and a member of Town and Gown.

Rhonda Rogers

Alto Sax, 1972-75
Volunteer Relations Chair
Former broadcast journalist and later technology sales professional. Mother of Ashley (Kuhnert) Hatcher, second generation TMB alumni. Learned miracles happen while raising money for the first Notre Dame trip in 1973, and the come-from-behind football game of SC over Notre Dame, 55-24 in 1974.

Michael Runzler

Clarinet, 1971-75
Communications Committee Chair
Semi-retired communications consultant. Former reporter and corporate communications professional. Annoyed Dr. Bartner with tell-all stories about TMB road trips that appeared in the Daily Trojan.

Steve Smith

Trombone, 1973-77, Band Manager 1976-77
I’m an attorney for a federal banking agency; married a flag.

Craig Steele

Trombone, 1980-1984
Personnel Committee Chair
Attorney. Parlayed four years in the band into 32 years of marriage and an offspring who is currently marching in the band.

Don Townswick

Trumpet, 1985-1988
Head of equities at Conning Inc. in Hartford, CT. My team and I invest stock portfolios for our clients. I transferred into USC and missed the Olympic band, but did get to play a fanfare horn at the Opening and Closing Ceremonies in 1984. As for memories: All the bay area trips were awesome! I remember watching the Bears crush the Patriots in 1986 on a trip to San Fran while drinking with friends out on Fisherman’s Wharf. The Citrus Bowl and Rose Bowl trips in 87-88 were highlights too, along with the Notre Dame trips!

Kevork Zoryan

Trombone, 1990-1994

Trojan Marching Band Alumni Association