Our Board of Directors

President

Dr. Gayle Bentley brings over two decades of professional musical expertise and a lifelong passion for performance to her role as President of the Laguna Community Concert Band. With a career spanning 23 years as a Music Director for PK-12 in public schools, Gayle has dedicated her life to fostering musical growth and excellence in students of all ages.

A clarinetist since her early years, Gayle performed through college before taking a hiatus to focus on her career in education. Her return to the instrument through the Laguna Community Concert Band has been a personal "homecoming," fueling her commitment to the vital role community ensembles play in the lives of adult musicians.

In addition to her musical background, Gayle holds a Doctorate in Education, which informs her strategic approach to nonprofit leadership and community engagement. As President, she is energized by the band’s rich history and looks forward to leading the organization into the future by expanding its reach, strengthening its community ties, and ensuring the joy of live music continues to thrive in Laguna.

Treasurer

Ann joined the Laguna Concert Band in 2008.  She began playing oboe in the sixth grade.  She played in band and orchestra throughout her junior high, high school and college years.  She graduated with a degree in Hotel and Restaurant management from Washington State University.  She has worked in various accounting jobs. In retirement, she enjoys playing in the band and in an orchestra, as well as singing in her church choir.  She and her husband Randy ,also a trombone player in the band, enjoy their time with their family and grandchildren.

Secretary

Shelli began playing clarinet in grade school and continued through the wind ensembles, pep, and marching bands at Palos Verdes High School and UCLA. She holds a J.D. from Loyola Law School and built a career practicing business and real estate law across Los Angeles and Orange counties. Most recently, she served as General Counsel for IHP Capital Partners, a private real estate investment firm, where she continues to consult on a part-time basis.

Outside the office, Shelli is an avid traveler, bridge player, and volunteer mediator for a local charity. She is also active in environmental initiatives connected to her family’s Wisconsin lake house. She and her husband Richard have two daughters who share their passion for exploration and adventure.

Shelli is delighted to serve on the Laguna Community Concert Band Board of Directors and looks forward to making music, building community, and supporting the band’s vibrant future for years to come.

Board Member At Large

Bill Schroeder started playing clarinet in 5th grade and went on to pursue music as a graduate of California State University, Long Beach with a Bachelor of Music. After three years at La Palma Junior High School in Anaheim, and two years at Laguna Hills High School in Saddleback Valley, he began a twenty-nine-year tenure at his alma mater, Loara High School, in Anaheim as Department Chairman, Instrumental Music. Bill’s wife, Debbie, is the founding director of Vibrant Minds Elementary Charter School in Anaheim, where she has developed and maintains the school’s Visual and Performing Arts program. Bill is also active as a clinician and adjudicator and loves playing in community groups like the Laguna Beach Community Band.

Board Member/Publicity & Website

Ms. Sandra Hench is a dedicated music educator, conductor, and freelance woodwind musician whose distinguished career spans more than four decades. She served as Instrumental Music Director at Western High School AUHSD, Pacifica High School GGUSD, and served as Director of Bands at Bishop Montgomery High School in Torrance, California.

Ms. Hench holds a Master of Music degree with an emphasis in Flute Performance, along with a California teaching credential in Music, from California State University, Long Beach. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Music from the University of California, Santa Barbara, where she pursued dual emphases in Flute Performance and Conducting.

Ms. Hench has contributed extensively to the Southern California music community. She has taught string orchestra classes at Cypress College and served as Orchestra Manager and Associate Director of the Orange County Youth Symphony Orchestra. In addition, she has been a Woodwind Instructor and Conductor at Arrowbear Music Camp.

A strong advocate for music education and student development, Ms. Hench has been actively involved with the Southern California School Band and Orchestra Association (SCSBOA), providing flute audition coaching for All-Southern California High School and Middle School ensembles. She has also served as a High School Jazz All-Stars Manager and Field Adjudicator.

An accomplished multi-instrumentalist, Ms. Hench’s performance experience includes playing French horn with the Kingsmen Alumni Drum and Bugle Corps, bass drum with the Long Beach Pipe Band, and serving as Principal Flutist with the So Cal Pops. She has also performed on clarinet and saxophone with the Laguna Beach Community Concert Band. Currently, she performs as a flutist with the Laguna Concert Band and is a member of Laguna Flutes.

Board Member and Social Media Coordinator

Rhett is a passionate clarinetist, conductor, and music educator with over 20 years of experience. Originally from Michigan, Rhett studied music at Grand Valley State University, Oakland University, and the Interlochen Center for the Arts, and has performed with groups such as the University of Michigan Youth Band and the Warren Michigan Community Band. In addition to his love for music, Rhett holds a Master’s degree in Clinical and School Counseling from Central Michigan University and runs a private psychotherapy practice in Orange County. He provides counseling for children and teens, as well as parent consultations across the region. Rhett believes in the power of both music and mental health to build stronger, more connected communities.

Board Member At Large

Jim began playing trombone in high school in his native city of Glasgow, Scotland and played in the school orchestra. During high school, he joined various local brass bands and orchestras around the city. On graduating from high school, he chose a career in engineering and obtained a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering from Herriot-Watt University in Edinburgh.

After graduating from university, he was hired as a Design Engineer by the City of Glasgow Public Works Division and continued to play his trombone in a local orchestra and a swing band.

On moving to the U.S., Jim spent more than forty years in the design and marketing of concrete pipelines and stormwater pollution mitigation throughout California and the Western States. 

In retirement, he continues to play in several local brass and jazz ensembles, including the large trombone choir, Bones West, the Laguna Community Concert Band and the Laguna JaZz Band of which he has been a member since 2005. Jim and his wife, Nancy, have been married for 50 years, and live in Laguna Woods. They enjoy spending time with their family and grandchildren. 

Board Member

David is a native to Southern California and has enjoyed playing clarinet since elementary school.  He played in honor bands in Jr High/High School in the Glendale San Fernando Valley area, pit orchestras for Glendale College drama productions, and various jazz bands.  In college at UCLA, he played Alto sax in the marching and pep bands, graduating in 1985 with a degree in Sociology/Demography.  A unique musical opportunity, he played Alto sax in the opening and closing ceremonies for the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. 

David recently retired after more than 30 years in Corporate Real Estate, where he managed a Title and Valuation group for a major utility.  Having played off and on with the Laguna Beach Community Band for many years, he is grateful for the opportunity to get more involved playing challenging music and serving an appreciative community.