Troopers Announce Color Guard Caption Head

The Troopers are pleased to announce that Dr. Chelsea Toner will continue on as Color Guard Caption Head. After a successful member experience delivered for the Color Guard in 2024, we are excited to maintain consistency going into 2025. Guard participants can plan on a wonderful season this summer, under the continued leadership of Chelsea Toner.

"We are so excited to have Chelsea back for another season! The energy, positivity, and expectation that she brings to our members is a huge asset to the Guard Caption and the Troopers as a whole! " -Mary Duerkop, Troopers Corps Director

Dr. Chelsea Toner - Color Guard Caption Head

Chelsea Toner is a born and raised Austinite from Texas and has been involved with color guard since 2008, marching ATX Winterguard in Independent A class until 2015. During this time, Chelsea was also a color guard member of Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corps (2011-2014).

Since being an active performer in color guard, Chelsea has instructed many scholastic guards around Texas, such as McNeil High School (2013-2019) and Cedar Ridge High School (2017-2018). She just completed her 7th year with Origins Performing Arts, working recently with the World team as a lead technician. Origins has had three successful years in the World classification, having placed in Finals during every year at WGI Championships, however this upcoming season they will be inactive. Chelsea had the pleasure of joining the Troopers Drum and Bugle Corps as one of the Colorguard Co-Caption Heads for the 2024 season with Kevin Monteiro. She is very excited to continue this journey with the Troopers for the upcoming 2025 season!

Chelsea graduated from Texas State University with two bachelor's degrees in Biochemistry and Microbiology. She has since moved to Denver, CO where she completed her Ph.D. in Biochemistry at the University of Colorado at Boulder in Spring 2024. She currently is working as a Lecturer in both the Biochemistry and Chemistry Departments at the University of Colorado at Boulder. During her doctorate, Chelsea helped develop the Biochemistry Outreach program Science Community Outreach Program and Education (S.C.O.P.E.), which increases accessibility of science to underrepresented middle schools in the Boulder, CO area. Within S.C.O.P.E., Chelsea also helped to incorporate a board of directors, which increased experiences for other students within leadership, curriculum development, and funding.

Outside of work, Chelsea is usually hanging out with her partner and her dogs. Her dogs love to go out on hikes, play frisbee golf, or go mountain biking. When Chelsea isn’t spending time outside, she enjoys playing a wide variety of video games and is actively part of multiple Dungeons and Dragon campaigns. Overall, Chelsea strives to learn from all the experiences she has had the opportunity to access and to share the wealth of that knowledge as much as possible.

"Our goal for the Color Guard in 2024 was to build the most positive member experience in years. Thanks to the team, led by people like Chelsea, that goal was not just achieved, but exceeded. Now, we have a strong foundation to build a truly remarkable Color Guard program. The sky is the limit!" -Michael Gough, Troopers Executive Director

"Chelsea brings a much-needed energy to our team that is infectious and just awesome for our members. Since she has been working with our guard we have seen improvements in every facet of our team. I'm so glad to have her back leading our guard. " -Tim Snyder, Program Coordinator

Be a part of the ever-growing phenomenon. Become a Trooper today at www.TroopersDrumCorps.org.