Mike Kehoe : Ensemble Director

Since graduating from Ball State University in 2018 with a degree in Music Education, Mike has been an active percussion educator, arranger, and clinician in the Indianapolis area. He had the pleasure of working with the Blue Knights Drum & Bugle Corps from 2020-2023, serving as the Battery Co-Manager for the 2023 summer. Mike has worked with several high school and collegiate programs in the area, most recently including Brownsburg High School, Fishers High School, and Butler University.

Mike spent his performance career with the Spirit of Atlanta Drum & Bugle Corps and Phantom Regiment Drum & Bugle Corps. He also spent six years in the independent WGI circuit performing with multiple ensembles, with his last season being at Veritas as the ensemble & battery section leader for their inaugural year in 2019.

Mike has served as the Program Director for Veritas since the Fall of 2023; since then, Veritas attained their first WGI PIO Finals appearance in 2024 and their first WGI gold medal in 2025. He has been involved with the organization since its inception, and cannot wait to begin the 2026 season with this incredible team of administrators, designers, and educators! He is proud to be endorsed by Innovative Percussion.

Jesse Backes : Ensemble Specialist/Consultant

 Jesse Backes currently resides in Indianapolis, Indiana and is an active designer, consultant, and judge for marching percussion groups around the US. He has been a member of the percussion community for more than 20 years and is so excited to continue that journey with Veritas! 

Jesse has been actively involved in the drum corps community since 2010. He was a member of Colts (2010) and then The Cavaliers (2011-13). During his tenure with The Cavaliers, the corps earned the Fred Sanford High Percussion Award in 2011 and performed at PASIC in 2013. Further as a performer, he was a member of Green Thunder percussion (2007-09) and Gateway Indoor Percussion (2011) and received a degree in Music Education from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. 

After aging out in 2013, Jesse joined the percussion staff at Phantom Regiment from 2014-16 where he served as a battery visual instructor, snare technician, and battery coordinator. In 2017, he returned to The Cavaliers to work with the snareline and in 2019 became battery coordinator. He continued in that role through the summer of 2022 which included aiding in the production and presentation of the group’s 2020 virtual PASIC clinic.

Outside drum corps, Jesse worked with Cavaliers Indoor Percussion from 2012-2018 as a snare technician, battery coordinator, and music ensemble director, and has worked with many wonderful programs around the country as an educator and a designer. These include Fishers HS, St. Ambrose University, Southport HS, Mahomet-Seymour HS, Veritas, Crystal Lake Thunder, Marian Catholic HS, Northern Illinois University, Batavia HS, Lake Central HS, and numerous others. He is proudly endorsed by Innovative Percussion. 

Jesse enjoys spending quality time with his lovely wife Alison, his two spunky dogs, Charlie and Goomba, and his other loves; traveling, cooking, and disc golf. 

Justin Heasley : Battery Coordinator

Justin is a lifelong member of the 317 organization, having marched from 2019 - 2022 and having taught the group in various capacities since then. 

Alongside his indoor experience, he marched drum corps with the Madison scouts and Blue Knights while receiving his Bachelors degree in music education from Butler University.

Justin served as the percussion director at Fishers high school from 2022 - 2025 and has since moved on to work in the music business field with Music Travel Consultants.

As 317 Performing Arts moves into a new era of success, Justin is excited to lead the battery to support the ensemble and the organization as a whole.

Isaac Merriweather : Front Ensemble Co-Coordinator

Isaac Merriweather (Ike) is a percussion instructor born and raised in Indianapolis, Indiana. As a performer, Isaac was the timpanist for the Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps (2017-2019), Legacy Indoor Percussion (2017-2018), and Veritas Indoor Percussion (2019-2020). 

Isaac has worked with the Chapel Hill 7th and 8th Grade Center as a percussion instructor and has worked with multiple high schools as a front ensemble technician including Ben Davis High School (2017-2018), Pike High School (2021), and Hamilton South-Eastern High School (2019-2023). Isaac is a worship service coordinator for Chapel Rock Christian Church (2018-Present), and has been the drummer for multiple worship bands including The Porch Live Indianapolis, and Revision. Isaac is also a brand ambassador for Everybody’s Somebody. 

This will be Isaac’s fifth season as an instructor with the ensemble!

Lorianne Dougall : Front Ensemble Co-Coordinator

Lorianne began her marching career at Penn High School which sparked a passion that she has carried with her ever since. She pursued a degree in Music Education at Ball State University, graduating in the fall of 2023.  During her time there, she performed with various ensembles including the Pride of Mid-America Marching Band, the Ball State Percussion Group, and Ball State’s Wind Ensemble. 

Throughout her academic career and since graduating, she has had the privilege of leading many high school front ensembles, instructing middle school percussion classes, and providing private lessons. Her marching career includes time with Legends Drum Corps in 2019 and Blue Knights Drum Corps in 2023.  This experience led her to join Veritas in 2020, where she marched there until her age-out in 2024. Now in her second year on staff, Lorianne is excited to continue contributing her expertise and passion to the organization!