Staff

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Michael Clark brings more than 20 years of passion, leadership, and service to the marching and performing arts community.  His musical journey began his freshman year in high school in Federal Way, Washington in 1977 where he began playing trumpet.  After moving to Plano, Texas in 1979, he joined the high school band program and marched the sousaphone.  This was where he developed a lifelong appreciation for performance excellence and visual artistry.

After dedicating several years to college, career, and family life, Michael’s passion for the activity was reignited in 2006 when his oldest daughter, Shelby, joined the Union High School Color Guard program. What began as volunteer support through prop construction quickly evolved into a role in visual production and program support. He became the primary prop designer and builder for the Union High School Renegade Regiment Marching Band and Winter Guard programs until 2010.  From 2012 to 2023, he served in the same capacity for the Jenks High School Trojan Pride Marching Band and Winter Guard programs.

Michael’s service and leadership within the winter guard community have been both extensive and impactful. From 2013 to 2015, he served on staff with Eclectix Independent Winter Guard, contributing to the ensemble’s success as it earned the bronze medal in Independent Open Class at the 2015 WGI World Championships. He also served as Treasurer of Winter Guard and Percussion of Oklahoma from 2017 to 2024, helping support the administrative strength and financial growth of the circuit.

From 2021 to 2025, Michael served as Winter Guard Program Director for Zephyrus Winter Guard, where he played a key role in the program’s operational leadership.

As Founder and Executive Director of Praxis Independent Winter Guard, Michael brings together decades of experience in program leadership, visual design, organizational management, and a deep commitment to performer growth. His vision for Praxis is rooted in the belief that every performance should be a purposeful expression of discipline, artistry, and emotion, creating meaningful experiences that inspire both performers and audiences alike.

Daymon Sherin is a 1999 graduate of Owasso High School.  He attended Oklahoma State University earning his Bachelor of Music Education degree in 2003 and Master of Music (Conducting) degree in 2005.  While at OSU, Daymon played with the OSU Wind Ensemble performing multiple times at the OkMEA Music Convention as well as the 2003 BASBWE convention in Manchester, England.  As a member of the Cowboy Marching Band, he served as Saxophone Section Leader and was the Drum Major for the 2001 and 2002 seasons.

Since graduating, Daymon has been an educator in Oklahoma for over 20 years.  As a band director, his concert bands earned Superior ratings at State/District band contests, his private students are consistently named to the All-State and All-Region honor bands, and his marching bands have earned success as a consistent Bands of America Regional and Super Regional Finalist and was a 2018 BOA Grand National Finalist.  In addition to band, Daymon has been involved with winter guards as a performer, director, and designer since 1999.  As a performer, he was a 2-time WGI World Championship Finalist with the Black Gold Winterguard.  As a director and designer, his groups have earned multiple WGPO State Championships, WGI Regional and Power-Regional Championships, and have been a WGI World Championship Finalist.

Jara Clark is a 2002 graduate of Union High School. She attended Northeastern State University earning her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology degree in 2012.

During high school, her most notable guard achievement was a winning a bronze medal in Scholastic A class at the 2001 Winter Guard International (WGI) World Championship events.

After graduating high school, Jara was a guard technician at Union High School (Oklahoma) & then took on the title of Head Guard Director. In 2010 she began her time at Sapulpa High School (Oklahoma) as the Head Guard Director for 2 years before continuing on to Jenks High School (Oklahoma) where she stayed for the next 11 years.

During her time at Jenks, she led the program to enormous success, both in marching & winter seasons. These successes include: 4 WGI Regional 1st place finishes, 2017 & 2023 WGI World Championship Semifinalists, multiple Winter Guard & Percussion of Oklahoma (WGPO) medalist placements, & 2018 Bands of America Grand National Finalist.

In 2013, Jara was named Guard Director of the Year from the local winter guard circuit. During the same season, she also performed with Eclectix Independent (Oklahoma), a local winter guard team, & then continued on as a staff member with this group for 2 years. Jara was part of the staff that helped lead Eclectix Independent to achieve a bronze medal in Independent Open class at the 2015 WGI World Championship events.

Jara was also part of the inaugural season/staff with Zephyrus Independent Winter Guard (Oklahoma) in 2021 & worked with this program until 2025. In her time there, she helped Zephyrus Winter Guard achieve local & national success by achieving multiple WGI Regional Finalist placements, multiple WGPO medalist placements, & a WGI World Championship Finalist placement.

Jara is a Guard Coordinator for local & national programs, both in marching & winter seasons. She helps design costumes, flags, props, choreography, & more for programs & helps them in achieving their competitive goals.

In 2023, Jara became a Certified Pilates Instructor where she continues to share her love of movement with adults.

Annie Coggins graduated from Jenks High School in 2017, where she marched
color guard for three years and winter guard for four years. As a performer,
she was a four-time Winter Guard and Percussion of Oklahoma circuit
champion, participated in the 2016 Tournament of Roses Parade, and was a
consistent regional finalist in the BOA and WGI circuits. Annie has
experience marching in drum corps with the Blue Stars Colorguard in 2019 as
an 8th place DCI finalist. She has independent winter guard experience
marching with CGT Denton (2019), CGT Dallas (2020) and Mirage (2022-2023,
2025), becoming a three-time WGI World Championship finalist.

Annie was an Assistant Director of the Jenks Colorguard from 2017-2022 and
became the Head Guard Director of Jenks in 2023, where she still works
today. As a director, she has helped the Jenks Colorguard become a
consistent BOA and WGI regional finalist, achieve Jenks' first ever BOA
Grand Nationals Finals appearance, and participate in the 2024 Tournament
of Roses Parade. She was also part of the Zephyrus Winter Guard
instructional staff in 2024, helping them earn the title of WGI Independent
A Class Finalist at World Championships. She has experience as a clinician
throughout Oklahoma and Texas and has choreographed for various programs
throughout Oklahoma and Missouri.

After high school, Annie completed her Associate of Arts in Liberal Arts
at Tulsa Community College in 2019. She then transferred to Oklahoma State
University, where she completed her Bachelor's degree in Mathematics in
2021. She is currently an Adjunct Professor of Mathematics at Tulsa
Community College, where she has worked since 2022. 

Amanda Cook is a 2012 Union High School graduate. She started her 8th grade year in winter guard and spun all throughout high school. After graduation, she took her first guard technician job at Bartlesville high school that fall season. That following winter season of 2013, Amanda was hired at Jenks High School as the Assistant Guard Director. While teaching at Jenks, she was also spinning with the independent group Eclectix Independent. She was a member of Eclectix Independent 2013 & 2014 and was a WGI IO Class Finalist in 2014 at World Championships. In 2015. Amanda graduated Tulsa Community College with her Liberal Arts Degree. After 2017, she was accepted to Northeastern State University and paused her teaching career to pursue her Marketing degree. Graduated in 2019 and returned back to Jenks as a technician. Amanda was also a member in the inaugural year for Zephyrus Independent Winter Guard in 2021. She continued teaching at Jenks High School until May 2023. The following winter season, Amanda was hired on as instructional staff at Zephyrus Independent Winter Guard from 2023-2025.  

Keagan Lambert has been involved with music and the marching arts community for 10+ years. She recently graduated from The University of Oklahoma and received her Bachelor of Music Education (B.M.E). Over the last several years, she has choreographed, designed, and taught at many schools in Oklahoma including Jenks, Okarche, Choctaw, Southmoore, Norman North, Norman High, Putnam city North/West, Washington, and Deer Creek. On top of her work with these High School programs, Keagan was the guard director for the Classic Bowl in 2018, on staff with the Pride of Oklahoma in 2020-2021, has choreographed for both the Pride of Oklahoma and Zephyrus Independent, and was on the Bluecoats color guard educational team for the 2022 season.

In addition to teaching, Keagan has marched Bluecoats Color Guard 2017, 2019 - ‘21 and Zephyrus Independent 2020. She has also partnered with Marching Arts Education to create online podcasts, seminars, and guard educational content. Additionally, she has recently accepted a position on the Ultimate Drill Book (UDB) Education Team.

Brianna McKinley began dancing at the age of 15 in her hometown of Tulsa, Oklahoma. Before beginning her dance training, she was a member of the Union High School colorguard, where she marched from 2007-2010. After high school, she attended the University of Central Oklahoma as a Dance Performance major where she received training in a large variety of styles including: Modern, Jazz, Ballet, Hip Hop, West African, Classical Chinese, Bharatanatyam, Mexican Folkloric and Capoeira. Brianna has had the privilege of performing in works by DIAVOLO | Architecture in Motion, Mike Esperanza, Kate Jablonski, James Gregg & Rubberlegz, Hui Cha Poos, Hilary McAlister, Alexander Olivieri and more. Brianna has danced with R.A.C.E. Dance Company, Meraki Movement Company & Kaleidsocope Dance Company. Notable performance credits include: “Black Swan” – Eclectix Independent, “String Theory” – Eclectix Independent, Cure8, R.A.C.E.’s Hip Hop Nutcracker, “Purrlesque”, “Disorder: Confronting Stigmas”, “Bonded: Taking Agency”, “Bonded: License to Dance” & “Side Story: Just West of the Musical”. Her choreographic works have been presented at WGI World Championships, Soul de Soul, ACDA, R.A.C.E. Dance Collective’s “Resurgence” and more.

“If art doesn’t make us better, then what on Earth is it for?” 

-Alice Walker

Olivia McCoy is a 2006 graduate of Broken Arrow High School, where she was a member of the wind ensemble and Pride of Broken Arrow color guard, and continued performing as a member of the Spirit of Atlanta Drum & Bugle Corps in 2008. Olivia has been working with high school marching bands in NE Oklahoma since 2010 as a hornline choreographer and winter guard tech. During her time with Coweta HS (2017-2022) the band won four 5A state championships, were regional BOA finalists in Atlanta, GA and Johnson City, TN, and were BOA Flagstaff regional champions. Olivia was on instructional staff with Zephyrus Winter Guard (IA) in 2025. She currently works with Bartlesville HS (2025 BOA Flagstaff 2A class champions and finalists) and is on the design staff for Morningtide Music. 

Olivia holds a Bachelor of Science in Public Health from Oklahoma State University. She enjoys live music, drinks too much coffee, and would love to tell you about her favorite books.

Julie Lynch has been an educator and choreographer for guards in the Northeast Oklahoma region for the last 15 years. Julie is a 2010 graduate of Owasso High School and marched drum corps with the Cadets. During her time while on staff at Owasso High School, their band program was a BOA St. Louis Super-Regional Champion and a BOA Grand National Finalist. Julie served as the Color Guard Director at Coweta High School for 10 years from 2013 to 2023. In that time, Coweta won 8 5A State Championship titles, was a BOA Regional Finalist in Johnsonville, TN, a BOA Super-Regional Finalist in Atlanta, GA, and was the BOA Regional Champion in Flagstaff, AZ in 2019. Most recently, Julie served on staff with Zephyrus Independent, who was a WGI World Championship IA Finalist in 2024.

Julie is a 2015 graduate of the University of Tulsa with a Bachelor of Science in Petroleum Engineering. Julie has worked full-time in the oil and gas industry since 2015. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling and spending time with her twin sons, Jett and Cameron, and her husband, Clay.