Michele Whalley Mignogna
Athletic Bands -Color Guard Director/Instructor
SDSU
Bio
Michele Whalley Mignogna has trained in the preforming arts for more than 25 years. She has extensive experience in contemporary, modern, ballet, jazz, gymnastics, and musical theatre styles. She has also performed and competed with vocal music, theatre, and color guard ensembles.
Michele was a member of the Esperanza de Luz World Guard and Drum Corps, the Santa Clara Vanguard Drum Corps, and won the WGI Independent World Class gold medal with Fantasia. She performed at Walt Disney World’s EPCOT in Blast! and has been seen on TV performing in the Hollywood Christmas Parade, the Rose Parade, and the Super Bowl. In addition to her performance experience, she has choreographed and directed numerous stage productions including Guys and Dolls, Legally Blonde, The Producers, Wicked, and more.
While earning her Bachelor of Science in Business Management from CSU San Marcos, Michele founded a cheer and dance team for the So Cal Scorpions called the Venom Girls. During this time she trained in new genres such as Latin, Ballroom, Tahitian, and Capoeira, instructed at several dance studios in San Diego, and worked as a technician, choreographer, clinician, and designer for several color guard programs.
Michele has fifteen years of experience coaching dance and color guard including the Scholastic World guard of Rancho Bernardo High School for 8 years. She has taught at all levels from WGI Independent World Class to the 3rd graders of her WGASC Independent Regional A All Stars. She served as a board member of nonprofit performing arts organizations in the capacities of Director and Vice President. Michele has worked with countless guards and drum corps in California and Nevada as well as WGASC and Yamaha Sounds of Summer Camps and the National After School All Stars program. She is an adjudicator for the NNIA circuit and is working toward judging for WGASC and SCSBOA.
In December 2014, Michele completed her Master of Arts in Leadership and Organizational Studies from Azusa Pacific University. Michele has worked as a marketing and management consultant with clients ranging from a north county craft coffee roaster to a $2 billion business intelligence firm. She has also taught the guard at Mt. Carmel High School, the show choir at Rancho Bernardo High School, and has designed shows for eNVision winter guard and drum lines. Michele is currently the Assistant Student Life Advisor for the SDSU Associated Students / Student Life and Leadership department.