Staff
Paul Marimon
Paul Marimon is the Directors of Bands at Marietta High School. Mr. Marimon is from Caracas, Venezuela, but grew up in Marietta where he graduated from Kell High School in 2009. Mr. Marimon attended Reinhardt University, where he earned two degrees, Cum Laude, in Music Education as well as Music Performance. During his time at Reinhardt, Mr. Marimon served as the CNAFME President, a Resident Assistant, and received the prestigious Phi Beta Mu Outstanding Music Education Student Award and worked with surrounding band programs. Since graduation, Mr. Marimon taught in Cobb County at both Lindley Middle School and North Cobb High School, and Douglas County and Atlanta Public Schools where he served as the Director of Bands at Fairplay Middle School and Sutton Middle School. Additionally, Mr. Marimon actively works with Music For All National Festival as an Ensemble Host. He holds memberships in the National Association for Music Education & Georgia Music Educators Association.
Outside of teaching, Mr. Marimon spends a lot of time with family, serves at Passion City Church, and enjoys hiking, and traveling. He also attends Atlanta United games, loves watching the Philadelphia Eagles win, as well as watching many other sporting events. He also spends some of his free time playing video games.
Mr. Marimon is incredibly excited to join the Blue Devil family at Marietta High School!
Ross Amend
Ross Amend is an acclaimed and award-winning conductor and educator hailing from Atlanta, Georgia. He currently serves as the esteemed Associate Director of Bands at Marietta High School in Marietta, Georgia. Under Mr. Amend’s guidance, the ensembles he directs consistently achieve superior ratings at Large Group Performance Evaluations, showcasing the exceptional musicality and precision fostered under his leadership. Moreover, the marching bands he leads regularly attain top honors in local and regional competitions, reflecting Mr. Amend’s ability to inspire excellence in his students. In 2016, Mr. Amend’s outstanding contributions to the field of music education were honored with the prestigious National Band Association Citation of Excellence, a testament to his unwavering commitment to artistic growth and achievement.
Prior to his role at Marietta High School, Mr. Amend served as the Director of Bands at River Ridge High School for an impressive six-year tenure. During this time, he curated a vibrant and diverse music program encompassing three concert bands, two winter guards, two jazz bands, a percussion ensemble, several chamber wind ensembles, and the highly regarded River Ridge Marching Band. In 2023 the River Ridge Wind Ensemble, under Mr. Amend’s direction, was selected as one of the distinguished eight ensembles to participate in the esteemed Southeastern Regional Music for All Concert Band Festival.
Before his tenure at River Ridge High School, Mr. Amend contributed his talents as the Associate Director of Bands at South Forsyth High School in Cumming, Georgia, for six impactful years. His transformative leadership played a pivotal role in expanding the program from 100 students upon his arrival to a thriving community of over 250 students during his tenure.
Mr. Amend’s distinguished educational background includes a Bachelor of Music Education degree from the esteemed Schwob School of Music at Columbus State University, as well as a Masters of Music Education degree from the prestigious University of Georgia. As a conductor, he has had the privilege of participating in masterclasses led by revered figures in the field, such as Eugene Corporon, Steve Davis, Craig Kirchhoff, Jamie Nix, Kevin Sedatole, Mallory Thompson, and other esteemed leaders.
Alongside his dedication to music education, Mr. Amend maintains active memberships in esteemed professional associations, including the National Association for Music Education (NAfME), Georgia Music Educators Association (GMEA), Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Music Fraternity, and the Boy Scouts of America, where he proudly earned the esteemed rank of Eagle Scout. Still an active clarinetist, Mr. Amend often performs around metropolitan Atlanta and as a member of the nationally renowned Cobb Wind Symphony.
Coach Laura
Laura began her color guard career in 2014 with the Alpharetta High School Winter Guard, and continued with the program year-round until she graduated in 2018. She then performed with the Kennesaw State University Color Guard from 2018-2020, serving as head captain for 2 years. She dedicated her winter seasons to Reverie Open competing internationally from 2019-2022 & becoming an Open Class Finalist in the 2022 season. Laura also marched with Atlanta CV in 2021. Most recently, she performed with Edge Independent in 2023, making semi-finals in world class at WGI Championships. Laura is currently a senior at Kennesaw State University earning her B.S. in Biology and MAT in Secondary Biology Education dually. Her love for education has led her to several high school & independent programs across the southeast, and she is very excited to be a part of the Blue Devil family!
Carrie Anderson
Ms. Anderson serves as the director of bands at the Marietta Sixth Grade Academy. Prior to her position at MSGA, Ms. Anderson was the music specialist at Norton Park Elementary for 1 year, Director of Bands at North Cobb Christian School for 6 years, 5th Grade teacher at Vaughan Elementary for 1 year, and Associate Director of Bands at Peachtree Ridge High School for 3 years. Ms. Anderson is a member of the Georgia Music Educators Association. In the past, Ms. Anderson directed the three-time nominated and two-time award winning Shuler Hensley Pit Orchestra. She has a Master’s degree and undergraduate degree from the University of Georgia where she was a member of the Redcoat Marching Band. She has been a resident of Cobb County since 1985 graduating from Harrison High School. Ms. Anderson also maintains an extensive private studio. Ms. Anderson attends Due West Methodist Church and is an exercise enthusiast actively running and playing tennis.