Ricardo is currently a Visual and Performing Arts Specialist for the School District of Manatee County and Colorguard and Musical Theatre Director at Braden River High School in Bradenton, Florida and returns to The Academy for his second season as Color Guard Caption Head and assisting in the visual design elements for the corps.. His theatre students consistently receive superior ratings at both district and state Thespian festivals, and have several Top Honors performances at both. In his 12 years at Braden River, the Marching Band of Pirates has been FL State Champions 6 times. The Braden River Winterguards are consistently in the top of their respective classes in the FFCC and have been WGI Regional Finalists. In 2021 the Braden River JV Winterguard was a WGI Virtual Finalist.
Ricardo is originally from Mississippi where he attended the University of Southern Mississippi and was both Colorguard Captain/Coordinator and Drum Major for the Pride of Mississippi Marching Band. While in Mississippi, Ricardo was the Colorguard Director for the Petal High School Marching Band which won numerous state and regional Championships in band and color guard. He served for 10 years as the Colorguard Director/Coordinator for the East Central Community College Wall O’ Sound Band in Decatur, MS.
Ricardo has numerous choreography, design, and consultation credits for color guards and bands throughout the world including Spirit of Atlanta Drum and Bugle Corps, Horizon Winds, U.S.F. Winterguard and University of South Florida Winterguard, McEachern H.S. (GA), Jackson Academy (MS), Columbia H.S. (MS), Denham Springs H.S. (LA), Amor Independent Winterguard (AL), Optemystic Independent Winterguard (MS), eMenience Indoor Percussion Theatre (MS), Lafayette H.S. (LA), the University of Louisiana at Lafayette (LA), and Tampa Bay Thunder Drum and Bugle Corps. Ricardo was also the color guard designer for the 2-time DCI Soundsport Champion the Medellin Gran Banda from Medellin, Colombia.
Ricardo has judged and critiqued top programs from all across the country. He has served on the Bands of America/Music for All Summer Symposium color guard staff since 2003. In addition to color guard and band, Ricardo is an active show choir, musical theatre, and dance company choreographer and director. His performance credits include the Spirit of Atlanta Drum and Bugle Corps Colorguard 1998, Optemystic Independent Winterguard (1999-2003), eMenience Indoor Percussion Theatre (2004), Pride of Cincinnati (2008) and the 2001 DCI World Champions the Cavaliers Drum and Bugle Corps.
Ricardo also currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Florida Federation of Colorguards Circuit, is the Assistant Director for Pageantry Arts Honor Society, serves on the Advisory Board for Our Marching Counts, and is on the Planning Committee for The Cookout.