Visual

The Connecticut Hurricanes are excited to welcome Henry Flores back as our Visual Caption Head for the 2026 season!

Henry brings a wealth of experience and a reputation for building a program that achieves excellence and is rewarding for members. He began his marching career as a tuba player with Brien McMahon High School and has been part of the Hurricanes since 2008, marching consecutively through 2017 and serving on both the instructional and administrative teams since then.

Henry’s teaching career includes roles as a visual technician and instructor at Westhill High School and Brien McMahon High School, eventually becoming Visual Caption Head. He has also contributed to Hurricanes management as Membership Activity Coordinator, helping shape the program both on and off the field.

Mateo Acosta is a visual designer and educator from Elizabeth, New Jersey. He currently serves as the Visual Caption Head for the Elizabeth High School Marching Band, a role he has held for the past four years.

Mateo began his drum corps career with the Hawthorne Caballeros Drum and Bugle Corps, marching three seasons (2018, 2019, 2021). He also performed two seasons with Pegasus Independent A Winter Guard, further expanding his knowledge of performance and design within the indoor activity.

With several years of experience across drum corps, winter guard, and high school marching programs, Mateo is dedicated to developing performers through creativity, precision, and passion for the activity.

Natalia Arcieri is a dedicated music and visual instructor from Elizabeth, New Jersey. She currently serves as a visual and music technician for the Elizabeth High School Marching Band.

In 2024, she expanded her teaching experience as a visual instructor with the Jersey Surf Drum and Bugle Corps. Her performance background includes aging out with the Sacramento Mandarins in 2023 and performing with Pegasus Independent A Winter Guard in 2023.

In addition to her teaching roles, Natalia is an accomplished trumpet player. She performed with the Montclair State University Symphonic Band, trumpet ensemble, and various chamber groups within her school and local community.

She is currently pursuing a degree in music education at Montclair State University, with the goal of educating and contributing to a variety of indoor and outdoor performance ensembles.

lan joins us for his third year on visual staff, and he is very excited for the 2026 season!

lan started his marching journey at Brien McMahon High School, marching mellophone. He joined the Hurricanes in 2013, becoming a welcome addition to the tuba line. He has continued to march every year since, including filing a late season hole after his DCI tour with the Oregon Crusaders in 2016.

lan has taught at Brookfield High School 2013-2017 and currently is on staff with Brien McMahon High School since the 2017 winter season.

Abby Rahn is looking forward to her second season working with the Hurricanes! She grew up watching DCI on PBS while folding section shirts for her older brother’s high school marching band, and couldn’t wait to march despite being an oboist.

Abby marched mellophone with the Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corps 1999-2003 and again with the 50th anniversary alumni corps in 2024. She was part of the visual staff of the Reading Buccaneers in 2005, the Crossmen in 2006, and has been a band director at the elementary and high school level.

Abby holds a BMus in Music Education from the University of Michigan and MMus in Wind Band Conducting from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She is currently a higher ed administrator in Boston, a USBands event staffer, an avid baker, and an appreciator of a good foot placement into a direction change.

After many years away, Kate is excited to return to the Connecticut Hurricanes as a Battery Visual Technician.

Kate has extensive experience in the drum corps activity.  She was a founding member and Drum Major for 7th Regiment in 2004.  She was a Drum Major for the Connecticut Hurricanes from 2005-2010, received the Hurricane of the Year Award in 2008, and then marched in the bass line from 2011-2012. She moved to New Jersey and became a Visual Technician and Drum Major for Fusion Core from 2013-2015.  Most recently, she was a Visual Technician at Jersey Surf from 2018-2022 and was the Assistant Visual Caption Head at Jersey Surf from 2023-2024.

Kate currently teaches Band, Music Theory and AP Music Theory at Hamden High School (CT) where she also serves as the Marching Band Director and Drill Designer, Musical Conductor, and Tri-M Music Honor Society Co-Advisor.  She has previously taught middle school general music in CT and high school band and general music in NJ.

Kate received a Bachelor of Arts in Music and a Bachelor of Science in Education from the University of Connecticut, a Master of Music Education from the University of Florida, and recently received her Sixth-Year Certificate in Educational Leadership from Quinnipiac University.