Marching Band Staff

Ann Dorgan - Assistant Director, Low Brass Instructor
Ms. Dorgan is a graduate of the Stoughton Public School System, and returned to Stoughton to teach instrumental music for grades 4-12 in 2012. She is a graduate of UMass Amherst (B. Mus. summa cum laude with a concentration in Music Education, Commonwealth Honors College Highest Distinction). While at UMass, she was an active member of the Minuteman Marching Band, Chapel Jazz Ensemble, Wind Ensemble and Concert Band. She has competed two of three summer semesters of her Masters Degree through the America Band College of Sam Houston State University, held in Ashland, Oregon. She occasionally performs with the Defenders Alumni Corps with her father. In her free time, she loves camping, skiing, reading and hanging out with her cat, Gracie.

Brad Conant - Battery Instructor, Percussion Arranger

Bill Heffernan - Visual Staff

Jennifer Walden - Assistant Guard Instructor
Mrs. Walden has been the assistant color guard instructor for the Stoughton Marching Black Knights since 2013. She is an alumni of Bridgewater State University where she earned her bachelor's degree in English with a minor in Secondary Education. Mrs. Walden is finishing her master's degree in Education and currently teaches English at King Philip Regional High School. She has marched for the Citations Drum and Bugle Corps., the Spartans Drum and Bugle Corps., St. Ann's IA and Open Class Color Guards of Neponset, and Sacred Heart World Class Color Guard of Roslindale.

John Mange - Director
Mr. Mange has been a music teacher at Stoughton High School since 2012 and K-12 Director of Fine Arts since 2016. He is a graduate of the University of Hartford's Hartt School of Music (M.M.Ed., Pedagogy Emphasis, with a Minor in Composition) and UMass Amherst (B. Mus. summa cum laude with concentrations in Music Education, Trumpet Performance, and Music Theory), former founding member of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia - Sigma Alpha Chapter, and a former Drum Major of the UMass Minuteman Marching Band. He has been a staff member at Drum Major Academies in Tuscaloosa, AL; West Chester, PA; and Amherst, MA. He is also a mean Mario Kart player when he’s on his A-game.

Danielle Horan - Flute/Clarinet Instructor, Visual Staff
Mrs. Horan has been a music teacher for the Stoughton Public Schools since 2013. She is a graduate of the University of Connecticut (Bachelor of Arts in Music and Bachelor of Science in Education, summa cum laude) and a former Section Leader of the University of Connecticut Marching Band- go Huskies! She loves being organized, cooking, and listening to music of course! She is also the mother of the most adorable one year old girl!

Nicholas DeFrias - Front Ensemble Instructor
Mr. DeFrias is entering his second year as an instrumental music teacher for Stoughton Public Schools. He is a graduate of Rhode Island College (Bachelor of Music in Music Education cum laude ‘15) where he studied clarinet and a former member of the world renowned Dartmouth High School Indoor Percussion Ensemble. He was previously a visual/percussion staff member for three years at Cranston High School East before coming to Stoughton. Mr. DeFrias keeps up his playing with the Our Lady of Angels Portuguese-American Band in New Bedford, Ma. He also has been known to have a filthy curveball on the baseball field.

Lindsey Heffernan - Guard Instructor
Ms. Heffernan is a Stoughton High School graduate, class of 2009. She was a member of the color guard for five years, and captain her senior year. Throughout high school Ms. Heffernan participated in a number of different winter guard programs including; St. Johns of Beverly, St. Ann’s of Neponset and Sacred Heart of Roslindale. Since graduating high school, Ms. Heffernan has been a color instructor at SHS for six years and graduated from Bridgewater State University with a Bachelor’s of the Arts in History.

Neal Smith - Drill Writer
Neal Smith began his journey in the Marching Arts as a member of the Boston Crusaders Drum and Bugle Corps at the age of 12. He would march for 9 years as brass soloist and drum major.
As a Visual Designer he has designed shows for Drum Corps, Marching Bands, Color Guards and Percussion Ensembles throughout the United States, Canada, The United Kingdom and Europe. His designs have won numerous Regional, National, International and World Championships.
His trade mark style of coordinating all the elements of Sound, Color and Movement have made his designs entertaining, engaging and effective.
In addition to designing, he is a consultant and clinician and has worked on Marching Arts Task Forces in developing programs in inner cities.
Mr. Smith is a member of the Massachusetts Judges Association and judges Regional, National and World Championships for Bands of America, US Bands, NESBA,MICCA,MAC, DCA and various independent judging associations.
He has been inducted into the World Drum Corps Hall of Fame, The Massachusetts Music Educators and Drum Corps Hall of Fame, the Boston Crusaders Hall of Fame and the Connecticut Hurricanes Hall of Fame.
He continues to design shows for many Marching Bands, Color Guards and Percussion Ensembles throughout the United States.