Director of East Forsyth Bands

Liz Savage is the Director of Bands at East Forsyth High School, Gainesville, GA. Following being awarded the William D. Revelli Award through Bands of America in 1998, Mrs. Savage earned her Bachelor of Arts in Music Education from Jacksonville State University in 2002. Since 2002, She has also served as Director of Bands, Colquitt County High School, Moultrie, GA; Director of Bands at Eighth Street Middle School, Tifton, GA as well as Director of Bands at Handley Middle and High School in Roanoke, Al. in 2007, Mrs. Savage was recognized as Teacher of the Year at Eighth Street Middle School. Under her direction, the Colquitt County High School “50th Regiment” Band grew from 100 members to 160 members in her final years. Her bands have received consistent superior ratings at all marching and concert band events. Under Mrs. Savage’s Direction, the 50th Regiment participated in a Mass Band at the Daytona 500 in 2013, Dunkin Donuts Thanksgiving Day Parade in Philadelphia in 2014 and 2019, and the Fiesta Flambeau Parade in San Antonio in 2017. Mrs. Savage’s ensembles are committed to performing at community events.

Liz has been a Guest Lecturer at Valdosta State University for the Tau Beta Sigma “Women in Music” Celebration in February 2020, a Guest Lecturer at Virginia Tech for students about to enter the Student Teaching Field, as well as a guest to the spring 2022 trombone studio at the University of Georgia discussing entering the classroom and opening a new school. In 2022, Mrs. Savage Presented a Clinic Entitled "Pumps on the Podium" Advocating for the Female in the Band Room at the National Association for Music Education National Convention in Maryland alongside three other powerful women in music education. She is a sought out Adjudicator and Clinician in the Southeast. Mrs. Savage is a member of GMEA, PAGE, and NAFME. Liz is married to Aaron Savage, and they have two sons; Jaxon Rylie, and Cooper Miles.

Mrs. Bearden is the color guard director and a world history teacher at East Forsyth High School. She began her color guard career in 2012 at North Forsyth High School and continued on to march with the color guard at the University of North Georgia and Reverie Independent Winter guard.

She began teaching color guard at Dawson County High School in 2017 and has additionally worked as a color guard staff member at Johnson High School, West Forsyth High School, and East Hall High School in varying capacities. Mrs. Bearden joined the East Forsyth team as color guard director for its inaugural marching band season in 2021 and has since led the color guard through their first winter guard season in 2022. Mrs. Bearden is so proud to call herself a Bronco and to be a part of the Thundering Herd!

Hannah Bobo is the Color Guard Technician at East Forsyth High School. She graduated from West Forsyth High School in 2020 and began to work there as a color guard staff member for the following two years. Hannah has been working with the East Forsyth Color Guard and Winter Guard since January 2023, and is proud to be a part of the Thundering Herd.