Staff

Lauren Duncan, Director of Bands

Heath Hopper, Assistant Band Director

Heath Hopper is in his 25th year of teaching as a band director with stops in Georgia for five years, Mississippi for thirteen years, and four years in Tennessee before coming to Center Hill. Mr. Hopper holds a Bachelor of Music Education degree from the University of Mississippi and a Master of Music Education degree from Florida State University. After graduating from South Panola High School in Batesville, Mississippi, Mr. Hopper marched with Phantom Regiment Drum and Bugle Corps from 1993-1996. His accomplishments with the Phantom Regiment are being named the euphonium soloist for the 1995 show and winning the first DCI World Championship with the group in 1996. After aging out in 1996, he toured with groups such as Magic of Orlando, Phantom Regiment, Spirit of Atlanta, Atlanta Corpsvets, and Bluecoats. He is a drill writer and consultant for various high schools and indoor groups throughout the Southeast. Mr. Hopper has been married to Varina for 25 years, and they have one daughter, Samara, who is a senior in high school.  They have two dogs named Olive and Lucy. 

Mr. Hopper began working at Center Hill in 2022. 

Kristin White, Middle School Director of Bands and High School Assistant 

Kristin White is a native of Saltillo, MS. She graduated from Saltillo High School in 2015. She specialized in brass methods. She received her Associates Degree in Music Education from Northeast Mississippi Community College in Booneville, MS. While attending Northeast MS Community College she was a member of the "Show Band from Tiger Land" marching band, jazz band, wind ensemble, and NEMCC choir. Ms. White was voted Most Outstanding Student: Fine Arts Division and inducted into the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society. She was also nominated to receive the H.E.A.D.W.A.E. (Higher Education Appreciation Day; Working for Academic Excellence) Student Honoree Award for NEMCC in 2017. She went on to receive her Bachelor of Music Education degree from Mississippi State University in Starkville, MS and graduated summa cum laude. While at MSU, she was a member of the Famous Maroon Band where she served as section leader. She also served as co-principal trumpet, for the University's Wind Ensemble and performed in various small ensembles. She is currently in pursuit of her Master of Music Education degree from William Carey University.

Ms. White began her teaching career as the Band Director at Ethel High School in the Spring of 2020, immediately following her graduation from MSU. During her time at Ethel, she taught beginner band, junior high band, and high school band. She also was an assistant coach for the volleyball team.

Ms. White began teaching at Center Hill in 2022. 

Spencer Davis, Assistant Director and Percussion Coordinator 

Mr. Davis is from Summit, Mississippi. He graduated from North Pike High School. He received his Associate of Arts in Music Education from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College. While at MGCCC, Mr. Davis performed with the Band of Gold as the drum-line captain, numerous percussion ensembles, and the wind ensemble.  He was also the recipient of the Sam P. Jones Memorial Scholarship. He went to receive his Bachelors degree in Music Education from the University of Southern Mississippi. There he participated in numerous ensembles, some of which included The Pride of Mississippi marching band, the USM Wind Ensemble, the Southern Miss Percussion Ensemble, and the Southern Miss Steel Pan Orchestra (SoMisPO). During the summers he also got experience marching DCI with Spirit of Atlanta and Louisiana Stars drum and bugle corp.  Most recently, he was the battery caption head and battery arranger for St. Martin Independent, an independent indoor percussion group based out of Ocean Springs, MS. 

Mr. Davis began working at Center Hill in 2022.