Coaching Staff
Head Coach: Lucia Garcia
Lucia began dancing in 7th grade when she chose Beginning Dance as an elective class in middle school. When it was time to move on to high school Lucia auditioned and was selected to be a part of the David Douglas Scottish Tams. In addition to dancing with the Tams during high school Lucia also continued to take dance classes every semester as her choice electives. Since graduating in 2006 Lucia has danced for the Portland Terminators, ELXR Dance Company and cheered for the Vancouver Vipers. Lucia has participated many times in the annual Tams Alumni performance as well as being a coach and choreographer for the Alumni team a handful of times.
Outside of dance, Lucia enjoys going on walks with her fiancé Justin, 5-year-old daughter Lily and two dogs: a pug named Doobie and a chihuahua named JJ.
Assistant Coach: Keagan O'Toole
Keagan took a couple dance classes when she was younger. In third grade she decided that she wanted to do something different and play some sports. She did Basketball, Volleyball and Softball. It was not until middle school that she wanted to dance again. Keagan tried out for David Douglas Scottish Tams Dance Team in 2003 and made the Varsity Team Freshman Year.. She was on the team for four years and became a captain her senior year. After graduating in 2007 Keagan became an assistant coach for the Tams and did that for a year. In 2008 she went to Reynolds High School and became an assistant coach there to coach 1 ½ Years. She went to Mt. Hood Community College and took Ballet and Jazz/Hip Hop classes each semester. In 2010 she was on the Portland Terminators with coach Lucia for a year. She also has been working as one of choreographers for the Tams Alumni team for the past 14 years. She is now teaching Hip Hop, A Mommy and Me Classes & A Pre 1 (Ballet/Tap) Class at Deborah Messinger School of Dance. She was so excited when coach Lucia asked her to help coach again.
In the day, Keagan works as an Account Specialist at Propel Insurance in Downtown Portland. She is a proud mom of two beautiful children (Carter & Kylee). She is engaged to her Fiancé’ Chris and they enjoy family and outdoor time together.
Assistant Coaches:
BriAnne Dillard
BriAnne is a native of Portland, OR and a graduate of DDHS. She has been dancing since the age of two, specializing in Tap, Jazz, Ballet, Polynesian, and Scottish Highland Dance. She was a Scottish Tam Freshman through Senior year, and was nominated Captain by her peers her Senior year.
BriAnne is entering her 16th year of coaching and choreographing in the DDCA. She coached at Reynolds High School for many years and is now headed into her third season back with the Scottish Tams. BriAnne has helped in achieving the rebuilding of the Reynolds Dance Team and now with the Tams. BriAnne also currently sits on the Dance and Drill Coaches Association(DDCA) Oregon Board of Directors, as a part of the Communications Team, and as the New Coach Liaison. Her philosophy has always been the same: Work Hard, Make it Happen, and Always Be the Best You Can Be.
She loves her Scottish Tams family. In high school BriAnne was on the Scottish Tams Dance Team with Lucia, Mary and Keagan, and has also coached Mary, Keagan, Lynette and Kim.
She loves the sport and art of dance, and plans to be with the program forever ❤️
In her spare time Bri enjoys time with her Husband and 3 kiddos, Bryce, Cody and Bailey. They love to go on adventures, and explore the PNW. Bri has been in healthcare for 10 years, and is currently in Healthcare Management.
Mariah O'Neill
Mariah started dancing at Marvel School of Dance when she was three. She stopped dancing for a while and started back up in 8th grade when she took classes at Deborah Messinger School of Dance. Her junior year she tried out for the Scottish Tams dance team and made Varsity. She then became Captain her senior year! She graduated in 2018 and has decided to come help coach the Tams this year as an assistant coach because she loves to dance and wants to help the Tams succeed.
During the week she is a Daycare Teacher at Kids Incorporated. She is also starting college classes at Portland Community College to continue a career in Early Childhood Education. During her free time she spends time with her boyfriend Wyatt and her dog Avery.
Mary Fakhoury
Coach Mary grew up in SE Portland and is a proud graduate of David Douglas High school. While in school, she took as many dance classes as she could as well as spent 3 years as a Scottish Tam. During her senior year, she was chosen as one of the team captains which was a huge honor. After high school, Mary still continued to dance and helped choreograph many of the alumni routines. When she’s not dancing, Mary spends most of her free time with her family. Mary comes to us with a heart for young people and a passion for dance.
Lynette Morales
Lynette Grew up in the Troutdale /Wood Village area in Oregon. Lynette was part of a Baile Folklorico Dance group from age 11-15. She joined the Reynolds Dance Team junior year of high school and returned senior year as well. She graduated from Reynolds high school in 2012. Lynette has been dancing her whole life. Learning from her dad and brother who taught her many different styles of Latin dances. Lynette Joined the Reynolds Dance Team coaching staff as Assistant Dance Coach in mid 2013 all the way until 2019. Lynette also started choreographing routines for Quinceñeras beginning in 2015. Outside of dance Lynette is an Intake Coordinator for a mental health and addictions agency and she enjoys spending time with her little puppy named Ghost.
Kim Truong
Kim grew up in SE Portland and joined the Scottish Tams her freshman year. She was on the Scottish Tams dance team for all 4 years. Kim is now a DD alumni, graduating in 2020. Her favorite genre of dance is jazz and pom! She is now an Assistant Instructor at Deborah Messinger’s School of Dance in Gresham.. This will be her first year as a Volunteer Assistant Coach for the Tams.
Outside of dance she attends Linfield University and plans to major in Nursing! She also enjoys hiking and spending time with friends and family.