Carrie Musick Cottriall has served as Executive Director of the San Diego Children’s Choir since 2015. During her tenure, the organization has experienced remarkable growth, expanding its countywide reach to serve thousands of children through transformative choral music education.

Prior to joining the Choir, Carrie spent eight years as Deputy Director of the Timken Museum of Art in Balboa Park, where she deepened her expertise in arts administration and nonprofit leadership.

With more than 20 years of experience in the nonprofit sector, Carrie is recognized for her strategic leadership, collaborative approach, and ability to drive mission-focused results. She holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of California, San Diego, and is passionate about enriching the lives of children and strengthening community through the power of music.

Ruthie Millgard has a bachelor's degree in music education from Western Washington University (Dr. Leslie Guelker-Cone) and a master of music in choral conducting from the University of Oregon (Dr. Sharon Paul). Millgard started out in children's choirs as a girl, and after completing her undergraduate degree, she taught as a public school music teacher in New York City, New York. During her undergraduate and graduate training, Millgard sang at regional and national American Choral Director's Association (ACDA) conventions and in various venues across Europe. The chamber ensemble she sang in at the University of Oregon won first place in the Fleischmann International Trophy Competition in 2013 in Cork, Ireland, competing against professional choirs from around the globe. Continued professional development includes successful completion of Kodaly Level Three credit hours from Holy Names University.

Since moving to San Diego in 2014, Millgard has enjoyed serving the larger choral community. She is a member of the California Choral Directors Association's (CCDA) Children and Youth Community Choirs Committee. She conducts district honor's choirs and serves regularly as clinician at K-12 choral festivals, and in January 2022 presented on choral improvisation at the ACDA National Children and Community Choirs Retreat. In Most recently, Millgard appeared as workshop leader and guest conductor at the Promotora de las Bellas Artes in Tijuana, Mexico and as guest conductor for the California Association of Independent Schools Honors Choral Festival Treble Choir.

Millgard is past Board President of the Choral Consortium of San Diego, a network of over 80 San Diego/Tijuana area choirs. She has also volunteered as rehearsal director for Voices of our City Choir, serving San Diegans living with housing insecurity. Millgard, with SDCC’s Chamber Choir, won Music and Memory’s 2018 Volunteer of the Year Award for the workshops Millgard created highlighting the value of singing for those living with dementia. Millgard and members of Chamber choir volunteer regularly at a local memory care facility, leading singing classes for those with dementia/Alzheimer’s Disease. Millgard has been a teacher/conductor with the San Diego Children’s Choir since 2014 and lives near San Diego with her husband and two young sons.

Emma Schopler is a dynamic music educator, multi-award-winning singer/songwriter, and dedicated leader driven by her journey as a first-generation immigrant and university graduate. She founded San Diego Kodály and created San Diego Kids All Sing, a volunteer community initiative that brought together over 100 children for a successful music festival in 2022. Recognized for her impact in the field, Emma is a two-time California Music Education Association (CMEA) award winner, including the State Award for Outstanding Music Educator (Southwestern Section). Her choirs have performed at the Hollywood Bowl, Walt Disney Concert Hall, and the UAE Children’s Peace Conference. With extensive experience as a clinician, Emma has shared her expertise at major conferences, including CASMEC, NAfME, Hawai’i MEA, and CCDA. She holds degrees in Music and Educational Administration and, most recently, conducted 137 choristers at the 2023 San Diego Unified Honor Choirs Festival.n text goes here

Michele Tondreau West has worked in nonprofit operations for 15+ years. She is experienced in streamlining processes and implementing cost-effective technological solutions to improve operations. Tondreau West previously served as operations coordinator for four years at Catholic Charities Diocese of San Diego where she monitored contract and budget activities, provided program evaluations, and fundraised. Tondreau West has a BA in Theatre Arts from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. She has been with the San Diego Children’s Choir since 2016.

Jake Millgard has a BA from Western Washington University and an MFA from The Old Globe/USD Shiley Graduate Acting Program. He has been a professional actor for the last 18 years and has spent nearly a decade working in the nonprofit world as a teacher and administrator. He has a passion for working with and bringing arts to underserved parts of the community.

Abby Greathouse holds bachelor’s degrees in piano performance (BM) and music education (BA), graduating summa cum laude from Point Loma Nazarene University (PLNU); in 2024 she earned a Master of Music in choral conducting from Messiah University. As a lifelong musician, Greathouse has experience as a choral section leader, vocal coach, and collaborative accompanist — performing with various choral and instrumental ensembles throughout San Diego. Highlights from her musical background include being featured as a concerto soloist with the PLNU orchestra, conducting the SDUSD High School Honors Band at Jacobs Music Center, and performing at Carnegie Hall in 2023 with the PLNU Concert Choir.

Greathouse initially directed choir at Point Loma High School and more recently conducted middle and high school choirs at a local private school. She completed the standards to receive the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) Professional Certification credential and was granted status as a Nationally Certified Teacher of Music (NCTM) in 2010. She has since received Permanent Professional Certification after 10 years of collaboration and teaching. She is a member of MTNA and the California Association of Professional Music Teachers (CAPMT), as well as an affiliate of the Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM). Greathouse has worked with the San Diego Children’s Choir in various programmatic capacities since 2012. She currently maintains a private music studio in North County where she teaches piano, voice and theory.

Marielena Teng earned a bachelor’s in Music Education from San Diego State University (SDSU). She has held positions such as the Music Education Fellowship Assistant from SDSU, Vocal and Acting Coach from SDSU’s Filipino Organization AB Samahan and lead roles in productions such as Massenet’s Cendrillon and Torke’s Strawberry Fields from SDSU’s Opera Program. As a San Diego local she started her career as a Choir Director in the San Diego Unified School District and since then has taught choir and beginning orchestra at Wangenheim Middle School for her teaching credentials and at Solana Santa Fe Elementary as a general music teacher. Teng is currently the Mira Mesa High School Choir Director and has arranged choral field trips, collaborative concerts with local churches and has taken on the Music Director position for the musicals. With a passion and drive to provide choir programs to her community in Mira Mesa, Teng has advocated for the choral arts and has reestablished choir at Challenger Middle School which has not had choir for more than a decade.

Rodnalyn Sese earned a bachelor’s in Music from San Diego State University (SDSU) where she was Section Leader/Choir Manager for the SDSU Concert/University Choir and Volunteer Coordinator for the SDSU Vocal Department: NUOVE VOCI (NEW VOICES). She previously served as Section Leader, Youth Music Leader for First Presbyterian Church of El Cajon. Sese is primarily a singer but she also plays the guitar, piano, ukulele and bass. She is still currently expanding her knowledge of more instruments as well as taking up conducting lessons in the interest of being a conductor one day. As a performer, she has been in choir almost all her life from middle school to college and performed in bands as a guitarist, bassist, and drummer. She has always been interested in teaching as her passion is to spark interest in students to generate appreciation of music.

Margie Orem is an award-winning choral director who is devoted to music education for children and teachers alike. Since 1975, she has taught music at every level, from preschool through college. Orem received her bachelor's degree in music education and a master's in the art in teaching. She has completed all three levels of Orff and completed level one of Henry Leck’s Creating Artistry choral conducting program. Orem conducted the San Diego Unified School District's (SDUSD) honor choir in 1992, 1999, 2007, 2010, and the Tennessee All State Treble Choir 2017. She was honored as the Choral Director of the Year, SDUSD, 1999 and 2005 MENC/CMEA-SBR Outstanding Elementary Music Specialist. 

Orem served in many capacities for the San Diego American Orff-Schulwerk Association including president and local conference chair. She is a local and national presenter for the American Orff-Schulwerk and Kodaly Associations. She was a classroom music teacher at Jerabek Elementary School (1990-2017) teaching pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. Orem has been a teacher/conductor with the San Diego Children’s Choir since 2004.

Reyna Calvert is a third-generation mariachi performer, vocalist, violinist, and music educator. She holds a BA in Music Education from California State University, Long Beach and earned associate degrees in Music and Performing Arts from Citrus College. She also studied music at Mount San Antonio College, performing with the Chamber choir and Jazz ensemble, Singcopation. Reyna is Kodály certified in Level I and II from Brigham Young University's Intermuse Academy and is pursuing a Level III certification. 

In Fall 2025 she began her Single-Subject Music Credential at San Diego State University. Reyna has served as an assistant editor for Mariachi Education Press and was a member of the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square. She has taught music to students ranging from young children to adults and has worked as a vocal coach for recording sessions. 

Reyna joined the San Diego Children’s Choir in 2025 and shared that she is thrilled and honored to teach fun music as one of the Outreach Music Specialists.

Melody Ebner earned a bachelors in music education from San Diego State University, where, through rigorous and extensive practicum classes, she was able to observe several of the best music teachers in San Diego. These educators taught her Orff and Kodály techniques, as well as other methodologies, which align with many of her own teaching philosophies.

As a professional musician and singer, Ebner’s approach to music comes from a place of personal and field experience. Whether it be as part of numerous academic choir ensembles, performing her own compositions, creating unique lesson plans, or singing at special events, music has provided Ebner with opportunities to expand and enrich her life. It is with great joy that she is now able to share her expertise and impart an appreciation for this most important form of the arts to young, formative minds.

Maarika Karns received her BA in Music Education with a choral endorsement from Washington State University. There, she sang with WSU's advanced Concert Choir, Madrigal Chamber Singers, and Opera Workshop. She was invited to participate in numerous masterclasses at WSU, including ones for Musical Theatre singing, cross training between classical voice and musical theatre techniques, and a music education masterclass. She sang as a section leader with her local United Church of Christ and was later promoted to direct the choir.

She has her Kodály Level I and II certifications with the Seattle Kodaly Levels Program, and is working towards her Level III certification. She has her World Music Pedagogy certification from the Smithsonian Folkways Institute with the University of Washington, and her International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme certification. Having taught in public schools for the last 8 years, she has worked with students from grades K-12, teaching general music, choir, and musical theatre classes. 

Christy Paty earned her Music Education degree at San Diego State University and has completed Levels I and II in Orff Schulwerk at Northern Arizona University. She has been teaching music for over 30 years, most recently at Bernardo Elementary in Escondido. She has also volunteered as a music teacher at Mason Elementary in Mira Mesa and has provided after school enrichment instruction teaching keyboard, beginning drama, beginning guitar, recorder and choir. Paty teaches piano privately. She is honored to be a part of San Diego Children’s Choir Outreach program.

Deb O’Neill is the owner and director of Deb O’Neill Music, where she has taught vocal and instrumental music education for over twenty five years. O’Neill is the founder of both the Rancho Santa Fe Elementary and Middle School Choir and Band and the Mission Bay Montessori Academy Select Choir and instrumental music program. Her vocal and instrumental groups have ranked in the top ten percent of the nation for fifteen consecutive years at national adjudication festivals in Southern California. O’Neill is currently the director of music at Curie and Hawthorne Elementary Schools in San Diego.