Mr. Aquila was born in Amherst, New York, and grew up in Southwest Florida.  After a stint in the U.S. Marine Corps, he attended the University of South Florida, earning a B.A. in Classics.  He enjoys reading Ancient Greek, Fantasy Literature (particularly the work of J.R.R. Tolkien, Robert E. Howard, and Ursula K. LeGuin), Traditional Archery, Hockey, Writing, and Euchre.  This is Mr. Aquila’s sixth year as a teacher at North Phoenix Preparatory.

Dr. Avery received his doctorate at the University of Dallas in 2006 and thereafter worked as an English professor for eleven years at universities in Florida and Texas. In addition to his role at North Phoenix Preparatory, he is also an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Humanities with the University of Dallas. His research interests lie chiefly in Renaissance British Literature, especially Shakespeare and Thomas More. He has published a number of articles on those topics and also serves as a reader for Moreana, a journal specializing in Thomas More Studies. He is also currently in the early stages of a book project on Shakespeare. Being a lover of the Great Books, he especially appreciates teaching the Great Hearts classical curriculum. Dr. Avery is married with three children. Outside of education and research, he enjoys reading, Ultimate Frisbee, strategic board games, and spending time with his family.

Dr. Stephen Bain has lived much of his life in or around Atlanta, Georgia, but his family is primarily from Columbus, Ohio.  He received a BA in Biblical Studies and Humanities from Point University, a Master’s degree in Philosophy and the Humanities from the University of Dallas, and in 2017 he completed his Ph.D. in Humanities from Faulkner University.  He has long been a loving student of the Great Books of the Western World, having a particular interest in the Virtue Ethics tradition and the works of J. R. R. Tolkien.  Dr. Bain has several years of teaching experience, from middle and high school Literature and History to Philosophy and Humane Letters at such colleges as West Georgia College and University and Auburn University at Montgomery.  Dr. Bain is an avid fan of the Atlanta Braves, and also enjoys reading and games of all kinds, including board games, strategy games, and collectible card games.

Mr. Barton was born and raised in Scottsdale, Arizona. He graduated high school from Desert Mountain High School and completed his undergraduate studies at Santa Barbara City College and Northern Arizona University. While at SBCC, Mr. Barton served as a TA in the sociology department for two years. Mr. Barton taught 6th grade math and science for 4 years at Archway North Phoenix prior to being at NPX.

In his spare time, Mr. Barton enjoys reading, watching and playing sports (especially basketball), playing and listening to music, studying geography, cooking, and spending time with his two cats, Storm and Margot.

Ms. Beach grew up in Arizona and is now raising her children in the warm sunshine of the valley. After graduating high school, she completed her undergraduate studies at Northern Arizona University in Spanish and Parks and Recreation Management. In addition to teaching at North Phoenix Preparatory, she enjoys spending time with her kids, hiking, playing board games, gardening, reading, and cooking (but not cleaning!) in her kitchen. She lives in a historical house in downtown North Phoenix, and enjoys fixing it up and tending to the bees, chickens and kitties that live in her backyard. As science is her favorite subject, she’s always bringing fun and interesting specimens into the classroom to study with her scholars. She considers life a learning adventure and is excited to learn alongside the scholars as they pursue truth, goodness and beauty together.

Mr. Black teaches high school art and is the Dean of Student Leadership.  He proudly joined North Phoenix Preparatory Academy in 2015. Having grown up in Phoenix, Mr. Black attended the University of Arizona for his undergraduate degree.  Following this, he attended the University of Delaware for a master’s degree in fine art.  After graduate school, Mr. Black moved to Oregon and worked as an art professor at Willamette University, dividing his time between teaching and acting as the exhibition designer for the Hallie Ford Museum of Art. In 2005, he returned to his home state of Arizona and accepted a position as one of the founding teachers at Chandler Preparatory Academy. In addition to teaching, Mr. Black is also a respected professional artist.  He is married to Marla Black and has a son named, Liam.

Mr. Nathaniel Calahan grew up in Minneapolis, Minnesota, before moving to Phoenix, Arizona as a teenager. He received a degree in Linguistics and Cognitive Science from Pomona College, before returning to Arizona to teach and coach at his high school alma mater, Tempe Preparatory Academy, and at North Phoenix Prep. Mr. Calahan has taught Latin, English, and Humane Letters for fourteen years, and he will be teaching Humane Letters at North Phoenix Prep this year. This will be his fourth year teaching at NPX. Outside of school, Mr. Calahan spends most of his time with his family, with time set aside for watching movies, reading books, and complaining about rule changes in baseball.

Ingrid Carlson, a northern Nevada native, graduated from the University of Nevada-Reno in 2019 with a BS in Nutrition Dietetics and a minor in Chinese Studies. Prior to working at Great Hearts, She spent several years working in the hospital studying brain function and moved down to Phoenix last July. Coaching tennis for the last seven years has also been a great joy for her. With a drive to work to increase the quality of education in a school, Ingrid came to discover a passion for teaching. 

During her free time, Ingrid loves lake days, camping, fishing, playing and coaching tennis, reading anything about science, and doing Chinese dance. She has a standard poodle named Penelope and is working on her MDiv in Apologetics and Philosophy. 

Ms. Conner comes to us with a Bachelor’s Degree in Literature from the School of Film and Media Studies at ASU and is pursuing her Master’s (MFA) in writing for film & television. She previously worked as a screenwriter and has participated in many volunteer activities with children throughout her life. Ms. Conner was first a parent of the North Phoenix Prep community and is excited to transition to the role of teacher. Ms. Conner is excited to infuse her love for film and cinema into the drama program at North Phoenix Prep.

Mr. Crowley has a passion for music and the fine arts that goes back to his early childhood.  He has played piano since the age of five and began composing and conducting while in his teens.  As this same time, he started vocal training with the world-renowned operatic bass, Giorgio Tozzi, which led to a career in opera that took him to Europe as well as throughout the United States, including the San Francisco and Metropolitan Opera companies.

This year marks Mr. Crowley’s sixth year teaching middle school music theory with NPX.  He holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from Grand Canyon University, as well as two Arizona State certifications—one in English and the other in Music.  Mr. Crowley is currently pursuing a Master of Arts in Music Education.

Mr. Davis is now in his third year as a GreatHearts teacher, and is happy to be teaching at North Phoenix Prep. After a lifetime working in live theatre it is a great pleasure for him to be teaching an introduction to drama class, and to be running the Drama Club this year. A fascination with the spoken and written word makes teaching Lit/Comp for 6^th and 8^th grades a real pleasure as well. Go Gladiators!

Bio Forthcoming

Joanie Faust is an Arizona native, graduating from Xavier College Preparatory and the University of Arizona where she received her BA in Creative Writing. She spent nearly ten years as a writer, editor, and content director for several Phoenix-based magazines and marketing agencies.

The opportunity to be thrown into a classroom during a pandemic was apparently too good to pass up, so she gave teaching a try. She quickly discovered that teaching is the best job in the world and has loved it ever since. Mrs. Faust has now found a home at NPX as a 7th grade Literature & Composition teacher and Middle School Dean.

When she’s not in a classroom, Mrs. Faust can be found with her husband and two young sons, both of whom attend Archway North Phoenix. Go Argonauts and Gladiators!

Mr. Ryan M. Fleming is from a small town in the small state of Delaware. He completed his undergraduate studies at St. John’s College in Annapolis, Maryland. There he studied the Liberal Arts in a rigorous Great Books program (much like our own) which includes works from the great minds of Aristotle, Plato, Descartes, Cervantes, Euclid, Einstein, Newton, Galileo, and several others. During his studies, he was involved not only in the academic culture but volunteer and leadership organizations such as Habitat for Humanity and the Hugh O’ Brian Youth Leadership Foundation. In his free time, he likes to hike the Grand Canyon, participate in Spartan races, travel with friends, and even, if time permits, maybe play a video game. He wishes to bring forth the bounty the Western Tradition offers to students in a decidedly human, realistic, and approachable way. He celebrates his 10^th year of teaching at NPX this year!

Ms. Flood is looking forward to her sixth year at North Phoenix Prep where she will teach Medieval History. She finds it so exciting to be able to share her passion for History. Ms. Flood is originally from Nebraska and has come to love the lack of winter in Arizona. She received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a double major in English and History and a minor in Philosophy. Ms. Flood received a Master’s Degree in English from the University of Nebraska-Kearney. Her teaching career has spanned over twenty years affording her the opportunity to teach 5th grade through college. Ms. Flood spent many years as a Lecturer at the University of Nebraska-Kearney, teaching Composition, Literature, and Holocaust Studies. Not surprisingly, Ms. Flood loves to read. Her idea of a perfect day is a good book, a comfortable chair, and an endless supply of tea. She is also very interested in Astronomy (alas, Phoenix is not very good for dark night skies), Geology (she loves collecting rocks), and, strangely enough, Hockey (mourning the loss of the Coyotes). When she can, she likes to travel, especially to the old mining towns here in Arizona. Her family consists of 8 cats.

Mr. Gray has had a love of history and reading since middle school.  He began his studies in history at Colorado State University, completing his BA in Biblical Studies at Dallas Baptist University.  He taught American History at the University of Northern Colorado while doing graduate work and completed his M.Div. at Fuller Theological Seminary focusing on church history in 2017.  While completing his M.Div., he developed a love for the life of the mind which drew him to Philosophy and Ethics.  He has taught Ethics and Historical Theology at Grand Canyon University.  His daughter graduated from North Phoenix Prep in 2023.  Mr. Gray joined North Phoenix Prep in 2018.  When not teaching, Mr. Gray enjoys spending time with his wife and daughter, reading and strength training.

Ms. Gonzales was raised in Arizona and attended Anthem Preparatory in high school, where she fell in love with the classical knowledge shared at Great Hearts. She went to Grand Canyon University and graduated with a bachelor’s in digital design with an emphasis on animation. After college she interned as a character designer and worked as an after-school art teacher before finding her way to Archway North Phoenix as an assistant teacher. She then moved to teaching art at North Phoenix Preparatory for 7th and 8th grade. Ms. Gonzales is looking forward to sharing her knowledge and love of art with the students at NPX.

Mr. Jagoda is an Arizona native born and raised in the Phoenix area. He graduated from a classical liberal arts high school and holds a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from Hillsdale College. Throughout his education, Mr. Jagoda developed a deep love for the Great Books and the Western philosophical tradition. As a teacher, he has enjoyed sharing his passion for history, literature, and poetry with his students. His goals are to model virtuous conduct and guide young hearts in the daily pursuit of Truth, Goodness, and Beauty.

Mr. Jagoda spends his personal time reading novels, practicing bass guitar, enjoying live music (especially jazz), and playing online games with his 3 brothers.

Jason Jefferson was born and raised in Phoenix, AZ. He received his BA in History, with a minor in Religious Studies, from Arizona State University. In 2011, he kicked off his education career by becoming a substitute teacher, gaining experience with all different grades and subjects. He taught junior high for 3 years before coming to North Phoenix in 2017 to work in 4th grade. The following year, he moved up to 5th grade.

He is excited to be able to continue helping scholars grow in their mathematical and problem-solving skills. When not at school, Mr. Jefferson likes to sing in a community men’s chorus, cook, and play board games.

Dr. Elizabeth Leyva is excited to join the North Phoenix Prep community! Originally from California, she moved to Arizona to pursue graduate studies. Dr. Leyva holds a Bachelor of Music in vocal arts from The University of Southern California, a Master of Music, and a Doctorate of Musical Arts in voice performance from Arizona State University. Highlights of her teaching credits include California State University Bakersfield, Bakersfield College, the Herberger Community School at Arizona State University and a one-year appointment as a Faculty Associate in the School of Music at ASU. In addition to her work
in academic institutions and as a private music instructor, Dr. Leyva also directs the children’s music program at First United Methodist Church of Phoenix and performs with the Arizona Opera Chorus.

Excited to join the North Phoenix Prep Team, Mr. Logan Kelly Graduated from The California State University, Channel Islands, in 2015 with a Bachelor of Science in Molecular and Cellular Biology. Following graduation, he began his career in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry before transitioning to the education field, pursuing his true passion teaching high school math and science. Hailing from Thousand Oaks, California,

Mr. Kelly has come to love the Phoenix area and has made it home. Mr. Kelly enjoys spending his free time with family and friends, especially with his 3 nieces and 2 nephews. With a joy for fitness and other activities, you can often find Mr. Kelly at the gym, working on cars and home improvement projects, or watching sports.  Mr. Kelly feels honored to be joining the outstanding staff and serving the students who are the heart of North Phoenix Preparatory Academy.  

Rocky Márquez is a native Arizonan. He grew up in the Valley and graduated from Greenway High School. After high school, he studied mathematics at Paradise Valley Community College and then at Arizona State University. While at ASU, Rocky was volunteering in the evening with children, and it was during that time that he discovered a passion for helping young people succeed. His newfound passion led him to transfer to the Franciscan University of Steubenville, a liberal arts university outside of Pittsburgh, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy. After graduating from FUS, Rocky decided to fulfill his passion by teaching and joined the Great Hearts team. In his free time, he volunteers in his local community, hikes around Arizona, and travels with friends to countries around the world to enjoy as much delicious food as he can.

Dr. Steven Nemes has a BA in Philosophy with a minor in Religious Studies from Arizona State University (’13) and an MDiv and PhD in Theology from Fuller Theological Seminary (’16, ’21). He has published a number of articles, books, and chapters on diverse topics in philosophy and theology. He is married to Rachel, and they have a beautiful son named Cristian

Justin Norris has a passion for health and wellness, and received his Bachelor of Science in Nutrition from Arizona State University. He enjoys sports, running, hiking, and traveling to new places. Coach Norris has family throughout Germany, and hopes to one day be able to speak the language fluently and travel there as often as possible. Coach Norris hopes to share his enthusiasm for physical activity with his students, and show them being active is fun and also very rewarding

Miss O’Sullivan is a Phoenix native, growing up in the area around North Phoenix Prep. She received her BA in History for Secondary Education from Grand Canyon University. Her most recent teaching experience was at an international school in Japan teaching world history and U.S. humanities. Her passions include Cold War American history and political science. The last few years have given her an opportunity to explore some of the historical sites in Arizona. In her free time, she enjoys travel, reading, frisbee, and lively discussion, and good coffee.

Mr. Pagani has been teaching with Great Hearts since 2008 as a teacher of languages and Senior Humane Letters. He obtained his first BA from St. John’s College in Santa Fe, NM, and holds a second BA in Classical Philology (Ancient Greek & Latin language and literature) from the University of Cincinnati, where he took multiple graduate-level courses and was welcomed directly into the Ph.D. programme in Classics at the University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Mr. Pagani loves and continues to cultivate his knowledge of classical philology, literature, languages, and linguistics. He has created and led student & faculty clubs for Old English, Old Norse, Old Irish, Classical Hebrew, J.R.R. Tolkien’s Linguistic Creations, conversational Latin, Classical Latin verse composition, and German. Mr. Pagani has also taught Rhetoric and Spanish, his native language.

Mr. Pagani enjoys creative writing, and––to help students with language choices––has authored some pamphlets giving unusual reasons for learning Spanish, French, Latin, and Sentence Diagramming. He enjoys time spent with friends and family playing Old School D&D and tabletop board games, and he leads the Old School Dungeons & Dragons ECNA, now in its third year.

I graduated from GCU (Lopes Up!)  with a Bachelors in English with an Emphasis in Professional Writing.  I am excited to be teaching 7th grade Lit/Comp. In addition to my love for reading, I also love to travel, bake, sing, and write in my free time

Ms. Kimberly Poduska hails from the windy city of Chicago, Illinois. After graduating from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana in 2004, with a BA in English and a minor in Secondary Education, as well as endorsements in the other core subject areas, she began her career as a sixth-grade common core teacher. Following this role, she continued as a high school English teacher, as well as a seventh and eighth-grade honors English teacher. As science is Ms. Poduska’s most passionate interest and hobby, she is honored and excited to meet and work with her students. Some of her other interests include painting, singing, reading, writing, and playing with her pet rabbit, Thumpkins Rumplestein.

Mrs. Pagnone originally hails from Venezuela. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics, a post-baccalaureate degree in Tax Policy from her home country, and a master’s degree in Business Administration from Arizona State University, where she also worked as a Teacher Assistant. She recently returned to school to earn an academic certificate in Language Studies (focusing on Latin) from Rio Salado Community College. Before becoming a teacher, she worked as Business Consultant for several years, collaborating on multiple software-related financial projects in the US, Mexico, South America, and the Caribbean. Mrs. Pagnone has worked at North Phoenix Preparatory Academy since 2015; she has taught Honors Economics and Spanish (I through IV) here. Outside school, she enjoys learning new things, spending time with her family and friends, traveling, taking pictures, going on long walks while listening to audiobooks or podcasts, reading, cooking, and dancing.

Mrs. Porter graduated  from ASU with a Bachelors of Science in Family & Human Development, and Masters of Art in Criminal Justice which led her to become a social worker for 5 years. Then she received her Masters of Science in Family & Human Development from ASU which led her into teaching. She taught high school History and English classes for 5 years. Additionally, she runs a food truck business with her husband; he is the chef, and she is the baker. She loves writing and spending time with her family. 

Dane Poulson is a graduate from Arizona State University with an undergraduate degree in Liberal Arts. Prior to beginning with Great Hearts, he tutored students in math and science as well as mentored junior high and high school students in his local community. While doing this, he discovered a love for teaching and walking alongside students to help them grow.

Dane is an Arizona native and loves camping, fishing, and hiking when the weather is right. He and his wife have been married for 8 years and have three young boys and two dogs to show for it. In his spare time, he enjoys reading, playing with his kids, and playing table-top role-playing games with his friends.

Mrs Royce was born in Zambia and raised in England. She attended Wyggeston and Queen Elizabeth I College in Leicester,  and received her BSc in Psychology from the University of Northampton in 2013. After several years working in Psychology and mental health services, she relocated to Arizona.

Mrs Royce was a Behavioral Therapist before she discovered her passion for teaching and joined the NPX community in 2022.

Outside of work, Mrs Royce enjoys travelling, music, reading, health and fitness, and spending time with her family and friends.

Bio Forthcoming

Mr. Savageaux was born in San Francisco, California and lived there until attending the University of California, Davis, where he received B.A.’s in Classical Languages and Economics. He then taught Latin for a year before going to the University of Arizona for an M.A. in Classical Philology. While pursuing his graduate degree, Mr. Savageaux taught college level Latin as a Graduate Assistant Teacher. Although his education has been in both Greek and Latin, Mr. Savageaux has always taken special interest in Roman historiography, and wrote his Master’s thesis on the historian Sallust.

In his spare time Mr. Savageaux is an avid home cook, enjoys playing the guitar, and is a fan of the San Francisco 49ers. He is thrilled to be working with an organization that is committed to offering Latin to middle and high schoolers, and wishes to share his enthusiasm for the classics and classical languages with his students.

Sarah Schripsema has served the North Phoenix Prep community for many years in many capacities. She received a bachelor’s degree in Molecular and Cellular Biology and a master’s degree in Teaching and Teacher Education from the University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona. She has taught Chemistry, Biology, Life Science, and Humane Letters. She has served as our Dean of Students, working with students and teachers to solve disciplinary issues in the classroom and on campus. This year she is teaching 10th-grade Humane Letters and acting as support and coach to several of our teachers. She teaches leadership skills to 9^th and 10th-grade Lanistae, who collectively manage our Gladiator Familia Program. Ms. Schripsema is always excited to help students learn through experiences and mistakes in a safe, supportive, and loving environment.

Mr. Shisler came to the North Phoenix family in 2017 after teaching mathematics and coaching cross country and track at Scottsdale Preparatory Academy for 7 years.  Before coming to Great Hearts, Mr. Shisler also taught high school mathematics and coached for 19 years at private schools in Phoenix and the San Gabriel Valley in California.  He is proud to be from Eugene, Oregon, where he acquired his love for both running and mathematics.  Mr. Shisler received his BA from Azusa Pacific University.  He has been married to his amazing wife for 34 years and has a daughter and a son.  Mr. Shisler enjoys table games, hiking, biking all over Phoenix, and inspiring young minds and hearts.

Ms. Ivona Sladkova, originally from Slovakia, completed her master’s degree in Computer Science at Slovak Technical University in Bratislava, Slovakia. After moving to Scottsdale, Arizona, she began her career as a programmer with a local software development company. After several years as a software engineer, she shifted her focus to raising her three children. Last year, Ms. Sladkova joined NPX as a member of the ESS team. This year, in addition to her role as ESSA, she will also be teaching 12th-grade Logic and Coding.

In her free time, Ms. Sladkova enjoys traveling, photography, and spending time with her family and friends

Ms. Catherine Stevenson was born in Paris, France, and grew up on the French Riviera. She continued her studies in France where she earned a Master’s degree in translation and terminology at I.S.I.T. (Institut Supérieur d’Interprétation et de Traduction.) and an English Degree at the Sorbonne (Paris IV). After teaching all levels of French in Flagstaff for two years, she joined NPX in 2021. She is excited to embark on her fourth year at NPX.

I was born in Phoenix. I married and have two children. I served in the United States Army and deployed twice. I graduated Cum Laud from Arizona State University with a degree in Philosophy. I am in my 7th year with Great Hearts.

Ms. Sood was born in India. She did her Master’s in chemistry and Bachelor’s in education from reputed universities there. She started her career teaching Math and Science in High School before moving to Brighton, UK with her husband. She lived in UK for 10 years where she raised her two beautiful daughters and did few teaching courses to hone her skills and volunteered briefly at early foundation children Centre. She also worked in banking sector for few years.

In 2018, she relocated to Phoenix, Arizona with her family. As her kids started to go in Great Hearts, she got an opportunity to be part of this beautiful institution and pursue her dream career.

Apart from teaching, she also loves cooking, baking, traveling, and spending time with her family and friends. She lives in Phoenix with her husband and two loving daughters.

She believes that even a single good teacher can change the life of a student.

Ms. Taylor is an Arizona native and has lived in the Phoenix area her entire life. She began her educational career in Anthropology and Archeology and with a few life changes adjusted her attention to Literature and Education. She received her Bachelor’s of Science in Secondary Education with an emphasis in English Literature and Composition from Grand Canyon University. Ms. Taylor taught high school English and Academic Support in the public school system before joining the Great Hearts team. With her love and passion for ancient cultures as well as fine works of literature she is excited to be working with her students to better understand what their studies have to offer. Beyond teaching, she enjoys playing games, drinking tea and doing activities with her wonderful family.

Mrs. Ashley Vietor graduated from St. John’s College, Annapolis in 1995 and started teaching middle school Latin at a small private school in New Haven, CT in 1996. Two years later, she moved to a boarding school for girls (Chatham Hall School)  in southern Virginia where she taught high school Latin I and II, and her Pembroke Welsh Corgi ruled the campus.  Four years later she stopped teaching to raise her growing family.  In 2005, she moved to Phoenix and in 2017 began teaching Latin again at St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic School. Throughout the years she has homeschooled several of her six children. She enjoys long walks with her husband and children, reading a wide variety of literature and biography, and when time permits, needlepoint pillows for her children!  Favorite authors include Willa Cather, Mark Twain, and Sigrid Undset. “Laete cognoscam et laete docebo”

Mrs. Woelzlein is originally from Lima, Peru where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Law and Political Science. Mrs. Woelzlein has lived in Phoenix since 2008 and has pursued her passion for teaching the Spanish language here at North Phoenix Preparatory Academy since 2017. Her satisfaction is to help strengthen the academic development of students through the teaching of the language. In her free time, Mrs. Woelzlein enjoys dancing, working out, photography, traveling, movies, and spending time with her family.