Carrie Musick Cottriall has served as the executive director of the San Diego Children's Choir since 2015. She has spearheaded remarkable growth, expanding the Choir’s reach countywide to hundreds of children. Prior to her current role, Carrie served for eight years as deputy director at the Timken Museum of Art in Balboa Park. With over two decades of experience in nonprofit leadership, she has honed her strategic acumen and demonstrated exceptional managerial skills. Carrie is recognized for her ability to foster collaboration and achieve mission-driven results. She holds a bachelor's degree from the University of California, San Diego. She is passionate about enriching the lives of children and our community through music.

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.

Paula Charlize Esquillo A transfer from Fullerton College after one year of music, Paula Charlize Esquillo was one of very few students to complete a Bachelor of Music Education from San Diego State University (SDSU) in two years and with full-tuition scholarships. While at SDSU, Esquillo became the Choral Executive Board President, ACDA historian, and a Chamber Choir section leader. She organized the first ever SDSU Choir Banquet and created Choir Corner, a bi-weekly newsletter on all things choir.

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.

Jessica Hubbard earned associates degrees in music - classical studies and university studies - communications and language arts from Grossmont College. She went on to earn her bachelors of music with an emphasis in voice from San Diego State University (SDSU). While enrolled at Grossmont College, Hubbard sang in the Gospel Choir and the Grossmont College Master Chorale and began her musical career as a DJ and church musician. During her time at SDSU she discovered her love of teaching and began her journey as a developing educator. Hubbard teaches private voice and piano lessons and K-12th grade music classes. She is also a current member of the San Diego Master Chorale who performs regularly with the San Diego Symphony. Hubbard is passionate about the arts and truly enjoys sharing her love of music with her community and anyone who is willing and eager to learn.

Lu Liu earned her Master's Degree in Arts and Cultural Management from Pratt Institute. She is an award-winning pipa (Chinese Lute) musician and experienced performing arts producer. In the past ten years, she worked with arts organizations and diverse talents on various projects both nationally and globally.

Alexis Luna earned a bachelor’s in Music from San Diego State University. As a San Diego local, he has been active as the choir director for the Norwegian Men’s Chorus, an instrumentalist for the Bonita Vista High School’s Vocal Music Foundation, and an actor for the annual Bonitafest Melodrama. Luna has been able to teach choir and voice lessons to a wide range of age groups through different ensembles and private lessons. Luna also engages in composing music for video games and for other general uses of background music.

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.

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.

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.

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. 

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.

Emma Schopler is a first-generation high school/university graduate, immigrant, award-winning music educator, and multi-award winning singer/songwriter. Emma advocates for Arts Education in several volunteer capacities: California Music Educators Association Southern Border Section (CMEA-SBS), San Diego Kodaly, San Diego Orff, Organization of American Kodaly Educators (OAKE), and more importantly, Emma founded San Diego Kids All Sing, a volunteer community project that welcomed over 100 children in grades 3 - 6 for a children's music festival in 2022. Emma recruited 16 teachers and 20 parents to support the initiative of creating equitable opportunities and access to quality music instruction. Emma’s contributions were recognized in 2018 as the CMEA State Award Winner for Outstanding Music Educator-Southwestern Section, and in 2022, Southern Border Fortissimo Outstanding Elementary Music Educator recipient. Emma’s Elementary, Middle and High School choirs have performed at Hollywood Bowl, Walt Disney Concert Hall, Knott’s Berry Farm, UAE Children’s Peace Conference, OAKE National Conference, Southern California Vocal Association, and more.

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.

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.

Michele Tondreau West has worked in nonprofit operations for 10+ 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.