Katy Wilson-Fields, Director of Bands

Katy Wilson-Fields is in her first year as Director of Bands at Lanier High School in Sugar Hill, GA in 2025. Mrs. Wilson-Fields served nine years as Director of Bands at West Hall High School in Oakwood, Georgia. She taught grades 9-12 concert band, jazz band, percussion ensemble, marching band, chamber music, theory, and symphonic band. The West Hall band program consistently received superior ratings at GMEA evaluations and marching competitions. West Hall students were consistently represented in District 14 Honor Band and the Georgia All-State Band. Mrs. Wilson-Fields had the privilege to serve as the 2022-2023 West Hall Teacher of the Year.

Mrs. Wilson-Fields served as the Director of Bands at Riverside Military Academy in Gainesville, Ga. from 2010 until 2016. Under her direction, the band grew from 20 students to more than 100 and the program expanded to include three concert bands, military marching band, pep band, jazz band, percussion ensembles, battalion bugle corps, and various chamber ensembles. In 2014, the Riverside Military Marching Band represented Georgia in the Pearl Harbor Memorial Parade in Hawaii. 

Mrs. Wilson-Fields holds a Master of Arts in Band Conducting from Sam Houston State University and Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Georgia. While at UGA, Mrs. Wilson-Fields studied trumpet with Fred Mills, former and founding member of the Canadian Brass. Her conducting teachers include Dr. John Lynch, Mr. Mark Cedel, Dr. Mitos Andaya, and Dr. Michael Robinson. While at the University of Georgia she served as Battle Hymn Soloist, Trumpet Section Leader, and Drum Major for the Redcoat Marching Band. She also performed as a member of the UGA Wind Ensemble, UGA Symphony Orchestra, and the Georgia Brass Ensemble. 

Mrs. Wilson-Fields graduated from Leadership Hall County in 2014 through the Hall County Chamber of Commerce. Her professional affiliations include the National Association for Music Education, Georgia Music Educators Association, and Women Band Directors International. She resides in Gainesville, GA with her wife, Lydia, who owns a small business called Pipe Dream Prints, along with their two sons, Parker (5) and Miles (3).

Contact Email: katy.wilson-fields@gcpsk12.org

Lindsey Foster, Assistant Director of Bands

Lindsey Foster is in her eighth year of teaching, and her first as the Assistant Director of Bands and Lanier High School. She served for seven years as the Director of Bands at West Hall Middle School, where she has built a reputation for excellence in music education. Under her leadership, the band programs have flourished, offering a comprehensive range of musical experiences. She teaches 3 concert bands, the Longhorn Marching Band, Piano, and A.P. Music Theory, and helps facilitate percussion ensemble and jazz band. Ms. Foster is dedicated to preparing students for honor band auditions and curating chamber music opportunities. Her students perform at multiple yearly adjudicated festivals, where they consistently receive high marks for their performances. Her students’ musical achievements have been recognized through consistent representation in the District 14 honor band and First Year Honor Band.

Even as a middle school band director, Ms. Foster’s involvement extended to the West Hall High School band, where she provided sectional leadership, served as a guest conductor, and worked closely with the Band of Silver marching band to ensure continuity and alignment between the two programs. Her ability to foster strong relationships across multiple levels of the band program has contributed to the program’s consistent growth and retention, and now she is taking this skillset to foster a 6th-12th grade cohesive Lanier Band program.

In addition to her work as a director of bands, Ms. Foster has provided clinics, lead sectionals, and staffed marching bands at a variety of schools in North Georgia. She has also completed apprenticeships in instrument repair, broadening her expertise in the technical aspects of music education. Ms. Foster has contributed to the musical community through event coordination roles at the Georgia State School of Music, the Atlanta Youth Wind Symphony, and Atlanta Saxophone Day, where she worked behind the scenes to ensure the smooth operation of events that foster the development of young musicians.

Ms. Foster’s professional affiliations include the National Association for Music Education (NAfME) and the Georgia Music Educators Association (GMEA), where she continues to engage with fellow music educators and stay current with best practices in the field.

As part of a “people-first, music-second” team, Ms. Foster is committed to providing her students with not only the skills necessary to become accomplished musicians, but also the character and discipline that will serve them well beyond the classroom.

Contact Email: lindsey.foster@gcpsk12.org 

Trisha Bernstein, Band Coach

Coach Bernstein has dedicated over 20 years to education, with the past 8 years proudly spent at Lanier High School. A passionate educator and coach, she thrives on helping students grow, succeed, and find their path—both in the classroom and beyond.

At Lanier, Coach Bernstein wears many hats. She currently teaches Health and Physical Education for grades 9–12 and serves as the Head Girls Track and Field Coach and Flag Football Coach. She also contributes her time and energy to the school's Marching Band program. Previously, she led teams in Volleyball and supported the Relay for Life initiative, always finding ways to uplift the student body and school spirit.

Coach Bernstein deeply values her Lanier family and community. Outside of school, she enjoys life with her husband, David, and their three sons: Jerimiah, Benjamin, and Andrew.

Celeena Corbin, Director of Percussion

Celeena Corbin is a percussionist, educator, and author active in the southeast. Before all else, she is an artist musician capable of working in a wide range of styles from new art music, to classical, to pop/rock and jazz. The breadth of her skillset is broad and commanding-Celeena is as comfortable in the concert hall as she is in the pop music venue. Her ability to bridge styles, genres, and percussion disciplines with ease and fluidity is nothing short of remarkable. Whether on drum set or hand drums, behind marimba or timpani, or delivering soulful solo performances on vibraphone while she sings, Celeena’s musical presence is authoritative.

As an educator, Celeena has worked with high school, university, and Independent World WGI marching ensembles, percussion ensembles, and concert groups by providing engaging, effective, and efficient instruction. Additionally, her writing and arranging for marching and concert percussion ensembles is interesting, musical, and instructional-facilitating successful/competitive performances for the ensembles for which she composes.

Celeena completed her Masters in Percussion Performance in 2021 at Middle Tennessee State University and studied with Lalo Davila, Julie Davila, Brian Mueller, and Russell Wharton. Celeena also received her B.A. in Performance from University of North Georgia in 2018. Celeena is a proud endorser of Innovative Percussion.

Contact Email: lanierpercussion@gmail.com

Melvin Robinson, Jazz Band Instructor

Detrick Tilley, Guard Instructor