David Kehler currently serves as Music Director and Conductor of the Atlanta Wind Symphony, a position he has held since 2017. During his tenure, the AWS has increased its profile creating collaborations with high school musicians and ensembles, accompanying professional soloists, and creating the AWS High School Concerto Competition. In addition, the Atlanta Wind Symphony is enjoying an increased and robust membership, which include music educators, professional musicians, and an unlimited diversity of business professionals, teachers, lawyers, pilots, researchers, engineers, and community leaders. Under his musical leadership, the AWS has also performed as a featured ensemble at the 2020 Georgia Music Educators Association Conference in Athens, Georgia, and at the 2021 Midwest International Band and Orchestra Clinic in Chicago, Illinois.

In addition to his role with the Atlanta Wind Symphony, David Kehler is Director of Bands and Professor of Music at the Bobbie Bailey School of Music at Kennesaw State University. A position he has held since 2009, Professor Kehler serves as Music Director and Conductor of the KSU Wind Ensemble in addition to teaching courses in instrumental conducting, symphonic repertoire, and twentieth century music. An advocate of new music, Dr. Kehler has commissioned more than two-dozen composers, including several Pulitzer Prize winners to write new compositions for wind ensemble. Performing music beyond the KSU campus, the KSU Wind Ensemble can also be heard frequently on 90.1, Atlanta Public Radio, along with being featured at the College Band Director's National Association Southern Division Convention (two times), and at the 2016 GMEA State Conference, in Athens, Georgia. In 2013, the KSU Wind Ensemble won the American Prize for best university wind ensemble/concert band recording in the United States. Professor Kehler is also the recipient of several awards including the KSU College of Arts 2020 Teaching Award, and the 2021 Research and Creative Activity Award.

David Kehler has conducted throughout Europe and China and continues to serve as a guest conductor and clinician throughout the United States for high school bands and ensembles. In addition, he currently serves the College Band Directors National Association as a Board Member and President of the CBDNA Southern Division.

Previously, David Kehler served as Associate Conductor of America's Premiere Windband; The Dallas Winds and served as Founder and Conductor of the Greater Dallas Youth Orchestra Wind Symphony. Previous academic appointments were at Southern Methodist University, the University of Rhode Island, and Bay City Western High School, in Bay City, Michigan. Growing up in Michigan, Dr. Kehler received his Bachelor of Music Education and Master of Music in Conducting degrees from Michigan State University, followed by his Doctor of Musical Arts degree in instrumental conducting from the University of Texas at Austin.

Director of Bands at Milton High School in Milton, Georgia. Prior to his appointment at Milton, he spent five years as the inaugural band director at Woodland High School in Henry County and previously taught for three years at Jonesboro High School in Clayton County. Originally from Alliance, Ohio, he holds a Bachelor in Music Education from Bowling Green State University, and both Master’s and Education Specialist’s degrees from The University of Georgia.

Ensembles under his direction have consistently received superior ratings at GMEA concert and marching band events and the Milton Band has been awarded the Georgia Music Educators Association Exemplary Performance Award and the National Band Association's Blue Ribbon Program of Excellence. In recent years, groups he has led have received invitations to perform at the University of Alabama Honor Band Festival, The University of South Carolina Band Clinic, The University of Georgia’s January Music Festival, Georgia State University’s “Bands of Distinction” Honor Clinic, the Georgia Music Educators Association In-Service Conference in Savannah, the Kennesaw State University Band Invitational and the Music for All Southeastern Concert Band Regional at Georgia State University. In recent years, the Milton Wind Ensemble has been named a Commended and State-Level Winner in the Foundation for Music Education’s Mark of Excellence National Wind Band Honors. Mr. Shumick is an eight-time recipient of the National Band Association’s Citation of Excellence, and, as the conductor, was the recipient of the Shuler Hensley award for “Best Pit Orchestra” at the Georgia High School Musical Theater Awards.

In addition to frequently serving as an adjudicator and clinician for marching and concert band events in the Atlanta area, he has served as a staff member for the Georgia Ambassadors of Music European tours, and is a member of the Georgia chapter of Phi Beta Mu Bandmasters' Fraternity. In addition to his duties at Milton, Mr. Shumick also holds the position of Associate Conductor for the Atlanta Wind Symphony.