Staff

Director of Athletic Bands

Aaron Burkhart

Aaron Burkhart is the Director of Athletic Bands at Butler University where he is in charge of the Butler University Marching Band and the Butler University Basketball Band. Professor Burkhart also teaches classes in the music education curriculum.

Mr. Burkhart previously served as the Director of Bands and Chair of the Performing Arts Department at Pike High School in Indianapolis, IN. In this role, he oversaw all aspects of the high school’s performing arts program and served as primary director for the Wind Ensemble, Jazz Ensemble 1, Pep Band, and Pit Orchestra. He also taught AP Music Theory, IB Music.

Throughout his career Burkhart has served in similar positions at Lincoln Middle School (2012-2015) and Eastern Greene School (2006-2010). Mr. Burkhart has presented clinics, guest-conducted, or adjudicated for IBA, ISSMA, IMEA, OMEA, MBA, The Midwest Clinic, as well as several school districts and colleges throughout the midwest.

Mr. Burkhart has been named Indiana Music Educator of the Year by the Indianapolis Youth Symphony (2017) and has been honored seven times as a Top 30 Influential Educator by Pike Township (2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2024 and twice in 2025). He holds professional memberships in IBA, JEN, CBDNA, IMEA, and NAfME.

Mr. Burkhart earned both his Bachelor of Music Education (Instrumental) in 2006 and his Master of Music in Wind Conducting in 2012 from the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music where he studied trombone with Carl Lenthe, conducting with Stephen W. Pratt, and jazz with David Baker, Pat Harbision, and Dr. Lissa May.

Aaron Burkhart resides in Indianapolis with his wife, Dr. Nora Burkhart, and their three children– Rebecca, Cecilia, and Eliza– all of whom love being involved in musical theatre.
Email: aburkhart@butler.edu
Phone: 317-940-6134

Color Guard Instructor

Lauren McCullough

Lauren McCullough is the Color Guard Instructor for the Butler University Marching Band.

Lauren attended Butler University and graduated in 2014 with a degree in Psychology. During this time, Lauren became a member of the Butler Color Guard and served as captain from 2011 until 2014.
During and after college, Lauren focused on elementary education, working in several schools in the Indianapolis area.

Lauren worked as the Color Guard Instructor for Cathedral High School’s Pride of the Irish Band from 2014 until 2023.
During this time, Lauren wrote and choreographed all of the Guard’s routines. She would also adapt the marching band drill to incorporate the Color Guard.

Throughout her tenure with the Pride of the Irish Band, her Color Guard had opportunities to perform in many locations – including Chicago Navy Pier, Nashville at the Grand Ole Opry, Hollywood Walk of Fame, Disney Festival of Fantasy Parade, Honolulu, Hawaii at the USS Battleship Missouri Memorial, and even three times in the Dublin, Ireland St. Patrick’s Day Parade!

Lauren began as the Color Guard Instructor at Butler in 2021 following in the footsteps of her mom, Kathy McCullough, who served as Butler’s Color Guard Instructor through the 90’s.

Lauren and her husband, Isaac, currently live in Indianapolis with their dog (Nilus) and cat (Styx). Nilus makes appearances at the occasional Butler Band practice to cheer on the Color Guard!

Email: lmccullo@butler.edu

Drumline Instructor

Javier Ramirez

Javier Ramirez is the Drumline Instructor and principal arranger for the Butler Drumline.

Javier is a member of the IPA Board of Directors and has served on that board in various capacities since 2023.. He is currently the Percussion Director at Hamilton Southeastern High School in Fishers, IN.

Javier attended the University of Indianapolis, and began working with several high school percussion sections around the state.

As a performer, Javier marched tenors at Pioneer Drum and Bugle Corps in 2012 and Legacy Indoor Percussion from 2014-2016. He also had the opportunity to teach at Pioneer in 2018 and Legacy Indoor (later Veritas) from 2018-2022.

Javier is a current performing member of High Octane Entertainment which includes being part of the official drumline for the Indiana Pacers, Indiana Fever, and Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

He has also performed with the Indianapolis Colts Drumline. Javier is active in percussion arrangement and composition, having written and consulted for many Indiana high school percussion programs over the years.

Javier and his wife, Kaitlin live in Indianapolis.

Email: jramirez7@butler.edu