Meet the QCS Committee

Now in its 14th year, Gumucio began the festival series out of the BORDERS books and music cafe before bringing it out in to a full city event along the venues of historic C-street. After a full virtual online festival during the pandemic, QCS grew out into live again covering greater SGF along C-Street, Downtown, Rountree and Galloway.

Continually moving forward, QCS2025 promises to be a memorable good time.

An acoustic singer/songwriter, Brian has been involved as a Queen City Shout performer since the early days when it was a month-long music showcase at Borders Books & Music. He has continued his on-stage involvement throughout the move to C-Street and on into the current weeklong, full-city format. With a career in marketing and nonprofit management, he is also happy to put his intersectional experience to use as the Marketing Chair of the QCS Event Committee. 

Coming Soon...

Landyn Block is so excited to be joining the Queen City Shout committee for her second year as the dance chair. Landyn is a dance instructor and a digital archivist with a deep commitment to both preserving our local history and sharing the joy of dance. She earned her Bachelor's degree in History with a minor in Dance from Missouri State University, followed by a Master's in Museum Studies from the University of Kansas. Landyn’s dance journey began at the age of six, and over the years, she has developed her craft through various channels. As a proud member of the MSU Sugar Bears Dance Team, she contributed to the team’s success, including their 3rd place finish in Jazz at the UDA National Competition. Her love for dance continues as a member of the Springfield Dance Alliance, where she nurtures her own practice and engages with a community of dancers. Landyn’s favorite styles of dance include Jazz, Lyrical, and Tap, and she is deeply committed to sharing the joy of dance with her students, inspiring them to discover their own passion and creativity.

Jared Durden is a dedicated educator and community leader based in Springfield, MO. With over 11 years of experience as a physics instructor at Ozarks Technical Community College, Jared brings his passion for organization and collaboration to Queen City Shout. As Volunteer Chair, he oversees the efforts that ensure the festival runs smoothly, celebrating art, music, and community. Outside of the festival, Jared previously fronted the musical group The Theorists, which has performed at Queen City Shout in the past. He is now an active faculty member, podcast co-host, CACCD board member, and a passionate advocate for student engagement and academic innovation. He is excited to contribute to the mission of Queen City Shout, supporting its vision of compassion and unity through creative expression.

Christopher Bell and Lindsey Dumas-Bell have enjoyed being part of Queen City Shout for a number of years as attendees, volunteers, and later as part of the planning committee. They both work for Ozarks Area Community Action Corporation (OACAC), a local non-profit focused on helping people move from poverty to empowered self-sufficiency.

Tim Datema has been involved with Queen City Shout since the inception of the festival. This year, Tim is lending his talents to the position of Merchandise Chair to provide additional opportunities to make an impact. Tim is a passionate advocate for poverty relief and is eager to work with the wonderful nonprofit partners. Tim will also be performing this year with festival founder, Eddie Gumucio. 

Keisha McMillen is excited to serve as the Art Chair for the 2025 Queen City Shout Festival. With extensive experience across various disciplines, McMillen has dedicated her career to promoting and nurturing the arts in Springfield, MO. As the Chair for the Artists Empowerment Collective from 2020-2023, McMillen co-curated multiple exhibitions showcasing local artists of color contributing to Springfield's vibrant art scene. With recognition from the Springfield NAACP and the state of Missouri, McMillen has made significant contributions to the community with a career encompassing arts administration, theatre, film, curating, modeling, and community engagement through non-profit work. McMillen brings a wealth of creativity and passion to the role of Art Chair for the Queen City Shout Festival.

Rex Ybañez is a queer Filipino American poet, musician, and community organizer based in Springfield, Missouri. A two-time Pushcart Prize nominee and a finalist for the 2020 Moon City Press Poetry Award, his work has appeared in Interim Poetics, The Margins, and Doubly Mad. He founded Poets’ Corner SGF, a local open mic event for poets, and currently serves as the Poetry Committee Chair for Queen City Shout and Director of Communications for Springfield Tenants Unite. He works as the University Writer/Editor for Drury University and plays guitar for Death Jackets and Unessential Jane.

Clayton Moser is a digital artist raised in missouri that specializes in graphic design and illustration. Alongside this position for Queen City Shout, Clayton also does design work for the non-for-profit Tremendicon convention hosted in Springfield.