Ms. Tracy Kendall- Kindergarten Teacher
Ms. Kendall moved to the Atlanta area in 1979. She graduated from Kennesaw State University in 1986 with a Bachelor of Science in Education, and taught Language Arts at McCleskey Middle School in Cobb County. She stayed at home when her children were young, and taught a Pre-K class at Transfiguration Catholic Church in Marietta and loved working with four and five year olds. As her two children went back to school, so did she! Both of her children attend Holy Spirit Preparatory School; Adam is in the Class of 2013 and Jordan is in the Class of 2016. Ms. Kendall continues to take professional development courses in early childhood and writing. She is Gesell-certified and is completing the Orton-Gillingham certification. She has been with Holy Spirit Prep since 2006. She loves teaching and loves her Kindergartners!

Mrs. Cindy Whelan- Kindergarten Teacher’s Assistant
Mrs. Whelan was born in Augusta, Georgia and raised largely in Wilmington, North Carolina where she graduated from Laney High School. Mrs. Whelan holds an A.A. in liberal arts from Peace College in Raleigh, North Carolina and a B.S. in zoology from North Carolina State University. Her primary focus over the past twenty years has been in raising her six children, four of whom presently attend Holy Spirit Prep and another who graduated, with honors, with Holy Spirit’s inaugural graduating class. In addition to active volunteer leadership roles with her children’s activities, Mrs. Whelan has served as a Life Teen Youth Minister and was called upon to introduce Life Teen into the Diocese of Charleston, South Carolina. She is still occasionally asked to lead retreats. Mrs. Whelan admits her passion after years of motherhood is to “work with the little ones.”

Ms. Natalie Grabowski- Kindergarten Teacher
Mrs. Grabowski was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, and has been a parishioner of Holy Spirit Catholic Church since she was a child. Mrs. Grabowski graduated from Marist School and the University of Georgia, where she received a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology with a minor in child and family development. She graduated with a Master of Arts degree in early childhood education from Brenau University in 2009. She is currently finishing her Orton-Gillingham Practicuum to become an Associate Member of the Orton-Gillingham Practicuum. Prior to joining Holy Spirit Prep in 2008, Mrs. Grabowski worked as a teacher’s aide at both Christ the King School and at Warren T. Jackson Elementary School.

Mrs. Gabrielle Russell- Kindergarten Teacher’s Assistant
Mrs. Russell was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia. She graduated from the Marist School and went on to attend Georgetown University, where she received a B.S. in Foreign Service in 1997. After graduation she returned to Atlanta to work at the Southern Center for International Studies for two years before becoming a full-time mother in 1999. Following the birth of her fourth child, she returned to work at The Preschool at All Saints. She and her husband Matt have four children who attend Holy Spirit Prep: Beatrice (Class of 2018), Sarah (Class of 2021), Patrick (Class of 2023), and Thomas (Class of 2024). The Russells live in Dunwoody and are parishioners at All Saints Catholic Church. This is Mrs. Russell’s first year with Holy Spirit Prep and she is excited to be a part of such a wonderful community.

Mrs. Jan Haverty- Kindergarten Teacher
Mrs. Haverty was born and raised in Watertown, Connecticut. In Connecticut, Mrs. Haverty taught kindergarten for nine years. She attended the University of Southern Connecticut and received a Bachelor and Masters of Science degree in Early Childhood Education. Mrs. Haverty moved to Atlanta to attend Life University in Marietta where she earned a Doctorate degree in Chiropractic. After years of clinical practice and running her own clinic, Mrs. Haverty longed to work and teach children again. She taught third grade here at Holy Spirit for two years and the junior kindergarten class for 5 years. She is excited and once again thrilled to be part of the teaching staff here at Holy Spirit Prep teaching a kindergarten class this year. Mrs. Haverty resides in Dunwoody with her husband David and is a member of All Saints Catholic Church. She enjoys playing the piano, tennis, hiking, reading and the beach!

Ms. Laura Linkous- Kindergarten Teacher’s Assistant
Ms. Linkous attended Roman Catholic school until 3rd grade in Cranford, New Jersey. She moved to Atlanta, Georgia in 1984, and in 1997 she received her Bachelor of Science degree from Georgia State University in exercise science. She then worked in the field of health and fitness for several years before becoming a stay at home mother to her three children. During this time, she graduated from the Atlanta School of Massage and also worked as a licensed Massage Therapist on a part time basis. She also went back to Georgia State University, and received extensive instruction in education and physical education. Her three children are Will (HSP graduate 2020), Kara (HSP graduate 2023), and Ryan (HSP graduate 2025). During the 2010-2011 school year, she coached two HSP soccer teams, and during the 2010-2011 school year she served as a substitute teacher. Being with little children makes her heart happy and she is looking forward to working at the Lower School this year.

Mrs. Rita Joseph- Pre-1st Teacher
Mrs. Joseph was raised in a Catholic family in the city of Karachi, Pakistan. She attended St. Joseph’s Convent School and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in education from St. Patrick’s College. She completed her Primary Teacher’s Training from Karachi University. Mrs. Joseph began her teaching career in St. John Vianney School and subsequently taught in Holy Trinity School and The Karachi Grammar School. Mrs. Joseph and her family migrated to the United States in 1980 where she has been teaching ever since: first at Piedmont North Academy, then at Pinecrest Academy and since 2001, Mrs. Joseph has been happily teaching at Holy Spirit Preparatory School. She has attended courses by the National Consultants for Education in Dallas and Chicago and the 2004 Summer Development Program in Atlanta-Building Academic Excellence in Writing. Mrs. Joseph was on the National Consultants for Education Committee that put together the curriculum for Pre-K to Kindergarten. In November 2007, Mrs. Joseph was awarded the Georgia Independent Schools Association award for 25 years of service in independent schools. Mrs. Joseph has completed Orton-Gillingham training. She and her husband have five grown children and are enjoying five delightful grandchildren.

Mrs. Melanie Boyd- Pre-1st Teacher’s Assistant
Mrs. Boyd was born and raised in Byron, Michigan. She graduated from Ferris State University with a paralegal degree. After graduation she moved to Winston-Salem, North Carolina to work as an administrative assistant for the corporate office of a hotel chain. After spending a year and a half in North Carolina, she and her husband moved to Atlanta in 1997. Since moving to Atlanta, Mrs. Boyd received her real estate license and received a medical administration degree. She has two wonderful children who attend Holy Spirit Preparatory School and has been married to her college sweetheart since 1995.

Ms. Gretchen Gotz- 1st Grade Teacher
Miss Gretchen Gotz was born and raised on her family’s dairy farm in the state of Wisconsin. She attended Catholic school from kindergarten to twelfth grade and graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point with a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Early Childhood Education. She has taught at Catholic Schools in Green Bay, Wisconsin and Anchorage, Alaska. Miss Gotz is currently pursuing a Master’s Degree with an emphasis in Gifted and Talented Education. She has traveled to Ireland, and is hopeful to someday travel to Rome, in order to meet the Holy Father, as well as increase her knowledge of Latin. Being a true Wisconsin native, she loves the Green Bay Packers and enjoys taking her nieces and nephews to Training Camp at Lambeau Field each summer to have one of the Packer players ride her bike. Miss Gotz will be joining the Lower School as first grade teacher for the 2011-2012 school year.

Mrs. Simone Whitehead- 1st Grade Teacher
Mrs. Whitehead was born and raised in Charleston, SC. In 2008 she graduated from the College of Charleston (CofC) with a BS in Early Childhood Education. After graduating, Mrs. Whitehead moved to Atlanta where she began working as a lead teacher for the two’s and three’s at Holy Spirit Preparatory School Preschool. She continued working at the preschool through the 2010-2011 school year and has coached the Junior High and Varsity Cheerleaders. Mrs. Whitehead and her husband are active parishioners at Holy Spirit Catholic Church and reside in Smyrna with their two dogs Pearl & Charlie. She feels very blessed to be working with all the wonderful families here at HSPS and is looking forward to her new assignment at the Lower School for the 2011-2012 school year.

Mrs. Allison Koski- 1st Grade Teacher
Mrs. Koski was born in Athens, Georgia, where she attended St. Joseph’s Catholic School. She graduated from Georgia State University with a Bachelor’s of Science in Early Childhood Education. Before joining Holy Spirit Prep in 2005, she taught Pre-K in Cobb county and 2nd grade at St. John the Evangelist. Throughout her career, she has attended many professional development courses and has been trained in Readers’ and Writers’ Workshop, Guided Reading, Sitton Spelling, interactive whiteboard technology, and Orton-Gillingham. She lives in Lilburn with her husband Steven and their children Rebecca, James, and Michael. Her favorite pastimes are pottery, playing classical violin, making rosaries, and enjoying time with her family.

Mrs. Virginia Wilson- 1st Grade Teacher’s Assistant
Mrs. Wilson was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, where she attended Catholic school from grades one through twelve. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism from New York University and worked for several years as an editor at a scientific publishing company. She then went back to school and earned a Juris Doctorate from New York Law School. She clerked for a federal judge in New York, practiced law at a firm in Washington, D.C. and worked in export enforcement at the Department of Commerce. When she married her husband, Roger, she moved to Atlanta. Mrs. Wilson has been at Holy Spirit since 2004 and her daughter, Sara Jewel, is in the class of 2017.

Mrs. Ellen Grisham- 1st Grade  Teacher’s Assistant
Mrs. Grisham has been an Atlanta resident since 1996. She graduated in 1987 from Mercer University with a B.A. in English and after college Mrs. Grisham pursued a retail career. She joined Holy Spirit Prep in 2008. Mrs. Grisham has three sons and three dogs.

Mrs. Laura Minnich- 1st Grade Teacher’s Assistant
Mrs. Minnich joined Holy Spirit Prep in 2008. Originally from Miami, Florida, she graduated from Florida State University with a degree in advertising. Mrs. Minnich spent eight years in the advertising industry before becoming a full-time mother. Mrs. Minnich and her husband, Steve, live in Sandy Springs with their four children: Bowen, Holy Spirit Prep Class of 2020 and Wyatt, Emery and Piper, Holy Spirit Prep Class of 2023. The Minnichs are parishioners at St. Jude the Apostle Catholic Church where Mrs. Minnich has taught in the Parish School of Religion for two years.

Ms. Mary DeMott- 2nd Grade Teacher
Ms. DeMott was born and raised in Holland, Michigan, the third of five children. She graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 2007 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in theology. Subsequently, she participated in the Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE) program, through which she obtained her Master of Arts degree in elementary education from Notre Dame while teaching third grade at St. Joseph School in Tampa, Florida. During this experience, her passion for teaching and fostering the spiritual growth of children was confirmed. She then moved to Atlanta, where she began teaching 2nd grade at Holy Spirit Prep. She looks forward to another year working with the wonderful children and families of HSP!

Ms. Kayla Richard- 2nd Grade Teacher
Ms. Richard was born and raised in Lafayette, Louisiana, the oldest of three children. During college, Ms. Richard taught junior high Catechism, which led her to study education and become more involved in service and ministry. In 2009, she graduated from Millsaps College in Jackson, MS, with a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish and minors in English and education. Ms. Richard then spent a year with the Jesuit Volunteer Corps serving as coordinator of Catholic Charities’ after school and summer camp programs at the Solidarity Mission. She joined the Holy Spirit Prep community in August of 2010 and feels blessed to help prepare the 2nd grade students for the sacraments of First Penance and First Holy Communion. Ms. Richard enjoys writing, arts and crafts, and dancing.

Ms. Jessica O’Day- 2nd Grade Teacher
Ms. O’Day was born in Queens, New York and lived there for most of her early life. Her family relocated to Connecticut when she was 13 and that is when she fell deeply in love with the Catholic faith. She led the Youth Group at her church throughout her high school years and was an intern with the Associate Pastor for three years. She graduated from Southern Catholic College in 2010 with a bachelor's in Theology and will be starting her Master's in Theology this fall at Holy Spirit College. She received her teaching certification in April. This is Ms. O’Day’s second year at Holy Spirit Prep and she hopes this will lead to many years to come. She feels so blessed to have the opportunity to teach second grade and prepare the children to receive the sacraments this year.

Ms. Kelly Martin- 2nd Grade Teacher’s Assistant and ESP Coordinator
Ms. Martin was born in New Jersey, where she attended St. Cassians Catholic School. Her family relocated to Georgia when she was 12, and became active parishioners of St. Peter Chanel Catholic Church. She was a PSR catechist for St. Peter Chanel, helping teach the Catholic faith to fifth graders. She attended Kennesaw State University, where she graduated cum laude and on the President’s List in 2011. During college, she became very well acquainted with HSPS, and was a co-counselor for the Storybook Theater Camp. It was because of Holy Spirit Preparatory School that she realized she was being called to be a Catholic School teacher. She still cannot believe how incredibly blessed she is as she enters her first year with HSPS, and hopes to devote her life to serving others through teaching the catholic faith and growing as a catechist. During her free time, she loves to pray, cook, eat, read, go to the fox theater, watch old movies, travel, learn, and spend time with her family, (including her aunt, Rosemary Thomasberger, who lives right next door!).

Mrs. Karen Fickett- 3rd Grade Teacher
Mrs. Fickett was born in Santa Monica, California and raised in Kansas. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in English. She had the opportunity to share her love of children’s literature while working at an independent children’s bookstore. There she organized author signings, conducted writing workshops, and led story times. While living in Texas she taught physical education at Christ Episcopal School, and second grade and third grade Latin at Regents Academy, a classical Christian school. The Ficketts have three children, two of whom attend the Upper School at Holy Spirit Prep. The Ficketts reside in Sandy Springs and worship at Holy Spirit Catholic Church. Her interests include children’s literature, running, and contemplative prayer.

Ms. Maggie Horne- 3rd Grade Teacher
Ms. Horne was born in Atlanta and graduated from Marist School. She attended Wake Forest University where she was a member of the Women’s Varsity Soccer Team for four years. While at Wake Forest, she volunteered with the Athlete Care Team tutoring elementary school children and worked Wake Forest’s soccer camps for both high school and elementary age girls during the summer. Upon graduating from Wake Forest University with a BA in Communication, she served as a 5th grade teaching assistant at Christ the King School, and then went on to teach 2nd grade in the Faculty Fellows Program at Wesleyan School. While at Wesleyan, she also coached Varsity Cross Country, 8th grade basketball, and 7th/8th grade soccer. She is currently pursuing her Master of Art in Teaching at Mercer University.

Ms. Jeanne Tousignant- 3rd Grade Teacher
Ms. Tousignant is from Plymouth, Massachusetts where she was born, raised and lived until her recent move to Atlanta. She went to Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida, where she met her now fiancé Matt. She received a BA in elementary education, and she later went on to get her Masters in Education with an emphasis in Reading from Curry College. She has been an elementary school teacher since 2006 and holds a reading specialist certificate. Ms. Tousignant wanted to be a teacher since as long as she can remember and is blessed to be living out her dream. In her free time she enjoys reading, scrapbooking, going to the beach, traveling, and running. She is happy to be a part of the HSP community and looks forward to a wonderful year!

Mrs. Sonja Holder- 3rd Grade Teacher's Assistant
Mrs. Holder has been an active member and volunteer of Holy Spirit Parish and Holy Spirit Prep since she and her family first moved to Atlanta in 1997. Originally from Myrtle Beach, SC, she graduated from Wake Forest University, with a BA in Psychology. Together with her husband Chad ,she moved to Charlottesville, VA, where she worked in Human Resources as a Faculty Benefits Counselor, for the University of Virginia. While at the University of Virginia, she completed her M.Ed. in Counselor Education. Mrs. Holder was a substitute teacher at HSP for two years prior to 2010 when she became a full-time teacher's assistant in 3rd Grade. This summer, Mrs. Holder completed both the Orton-Gillingham Training and the SAIS New Teacher Orientation. She has three children at HSPS: Natalie (Class of 2013), Zachary (Class of 2016) and Matthew (Class of 2022).

Mrs. Amy Lampert- 4th Grade Teacher
Mrs. Lampert was born and raised in Grand Blanc, Michigan where she attended Holy Family Catholic School during elementary and middle school. She earned a double B.A. in history and health science from Alma College and has recently completed her Master in the Art of Teaching (MAT) degree at Mercer University. She has taught fourth and fifth grade for the past seven years and is very excited for her daughter, Stella, to join the Holy Spirit Kindergarten Class this year! She lives in Lawrenceville with her husband, Randal, Stella, and their three pets. Mrs. Lampert loves sports, baking cakes, and spending time with her family in Michigan whenever possible.

Mrs. Patricia Hames- 4th Grade Teacher
Mrs. Hames was born in Chicago, Illinois, and moved to Kansas City, Missouri at the age of seven. She attended Northwest Missouri Sate University where she earned her Bachelor of Science degree with a triple major in elementary education, learning disabilities and behavior disorders. After college, she married and moved to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, where her husband pursued a degree in golf course design. Mrs. Hames taught for four years in South Carolina until a job offer for her husband, Casey, moved the family to Atlanta. After teaching for three years in Forsyth County schools where she was honored to be selected as the 2002-2003 Teacher of the Year, Mrs. Hames joined the Holy Spirit Prep team as a fourth grade teacher in 2003. She three children: Olivia, who is in the Class of 2022, Charlie, and Henry. Some of Mrs. Hames’s favorite experiences have been as a Special Olympics coach, an Academic Excellence coach, Spelling Bee coordinator, a running club sponsor for children living in rural areas, and a running club sponsor for HSP.

Mrs. Kimberly Summers- 4th Grade Teacher
Mrs. Summers earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and a Master of Arts degree in early childhood education from Oglethorpe University. She worked as a nanny, while in school, before she joined the Holy Spirit Prep community in 2007 as a fourth grade teacher. She has enjoyed helping students explore their writing talents through Creative Writing Club. Mrs. Summers currently resides in Suwanee with her husband, their dog, and their son, Danny. Mrs. Summers enjoys cooking and spending time with her family.

Mrs. MaryAnn Jerrum- 4th Grade Teachers’ Assistant
Mrs. Jerrum grew up in Atlanta where she attended St. Jude the Apostle School and St. Pius X High School. She is a graduate of the University of Georgia where she majored in advertising and a minored in business and marketing. Mrs. Jerrum pursued an investment career earning licenses for General Securities and Securities Principles. Experience in investment sales and sales management led to her role as Vice President of Marketing for NationsBank Securities, now Banc of America Investment Services. While in Atlanta, Mrs. Jerrum served simultaneously as a volunteer for the Festival of Trees, benefiting Egleston Hospital for Children from 1985-1992, serving on the 1991 Board of Directors as Vice President of Volunteers. The Jerrum Family spent several years in Charlotte prior to arriving at Holy Spirit Prep where she, and her husband Lee, owned and operated a sports performance training business that worked mainly with the athletic development of children and teens. She and Lee have two children attending Holy Spirit Prep: Christian and Rhett. Her most rewarding activities include writing, preferably children’s books, and church and school involvement that keep her close in a special way to God and family.

Mrs. Whitney Ingram- 5th & 6th Grade Social Studies Teacher
Mrs. Ingram was born and raised in Atlanta. She attended Christ the King School and graduated from St. Pius X High School. Mrs. Ingram then attended the College of Charleston in South Carolina, where she graduated cum laude with a major in psychology. Additionally, she has a Master of Arts degree in Early Childhood Education from Oglethorpe University. Mrs. Ingram has been teaching at Holy Spirit Prep since 2006. She feels blessed to be teaching in such a faith-filled and spiritual environment! In 2010, Mrs. Ingram was selected by the University of Notre Dame to join a pilot cohort of six other Catholic school teachers in an exciting, three-year professional development experience. Her focus is on developing an ethics-based curriculum for the elementary level. Additionally, Mrs. Ingram serves as the faculty advisor of the HSP chapter of the National Elementary Honor Society, as well as the head coach of the Jr. High Tennis Team. Mrs. Ingram and her family are parishioners of Holy Spirit Church. In February of 2008, daughter Henley was born and the Ingram family happily welcomed a second daughter, Mary Addington, just ten months later in December of that same year. Both girls love attending the Holy Spirit Prep Preschool and the Ingrams joyfully consider the school community to be part of their family.

Ms. Jen Tatasciore- 5th & 6th Grade Language Arts Teacher
Ms. Tatasciore was born and raised in New Jersey, right outside of Philadelphia. She received a Catholic education throughout her elementary and high school years. During high school, she taught Sunday school for a Kindergarten class. Ms. Tatasciore graduated from the College of Charleston in December of 2002 with a Bachelor of Science degree in elementary education. During her time in Charleston, she worked at Sundrops Montessori School for two and a half years. She then moved to Atlanta and worked at Solidarity School for almost three years teaching 2nd and 3rd grades. Through working at Solidarity, she began working with different Holy Spirit educators and organizations that spent time with the Solidarity students. She loves working at Holy Spirit Prep and feels very blessed to be a part of the HSP family.

Mrs. Jamie Reger- 5th & 6th Grade Language Arts Teacher
Mrs. Reger, a native of Atlanta, attended Catholic school from second grade through high school. After graduating from St. Pius X in Atlanta, she continued her education at the University of Dallas, where she earned a B.A. in German with a concentration in literature. She also holds a M.A. in German and applied linguistics from Georgia State University. After receiving her M.A. in 2005, she was married at Holy Spirit Catholic Church to Matthew Reger, and they welcomed their first child, Joseph, in July of 2008. In addition to her interest in foreign languages, Mrs. Reger has a passion for classic literature. Both she and her husband, who teaches chemistry at the Upper School, feel blessed to be a part of the Holy Spirit community.

Ms. Rebecca Vaughan- 6th Grade Teacher's Assistant

Mrs. Carol Diodati - 5th and 6th Grade Religion Teacher
Mrs. Diodati was born and raised in Dublin, GA and earned her bachelor’s degree from Davidson College in North Carolina. She and her husband, Paul, have seven children, two graduates of Holy Spirit Prep and four currently enrolled. They are parishioners at Mary Our Queen in Norcross, GA. Her background includes youth ministry, teaching middle school parish religion, substitute teaching, and coordinating the virtue program at HSP. Mrs. Diodati has been a full time teacher at Holy Spirit Prep since 2008.

Mrs. Andrea Cruz- 5th and 6th Grade Science Teacher Teacher
Mrs. Cruz was born and raised in Connecticut. After graduating from Emory University with a Bachelor of Science in Anthropology and Human Biology, she moved back to New England in order to work as an environmental educator in Cape Cod. In 2007, Mrs. Cruz decided to pursue classroom teaching and returned to school in Boston. She currently holds an Masters in Education in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Massachusetts at Boston and has taught fifth, sixth, and seventh grade science in Lowell, Massachusetts for the past four years. In 2010, Mrs. Cruz was recognized as the Ecumenical Athletic Association’s Teacher of the Year. Both she and her husband, Ricardo, are thrilled to be returning to Atlanta and Mrs. Cruz feels blessed to be joining the HSPS community.

Mr. James Toner- 5th and 6th Grade Math
Mr. Toner grew up in Marietta, GA. He attended the University of Notre Dame and received a BA in English in 2009. For the last two years, Mr. Toner has taught in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, as part of the Alliance for Catholic Education: Service through Teaching program. He received his Master's in Education in the spring of 2011 from Notre Dame. Mr. Toner is currently studying math content over the summer at Notre Dame and is looking forward to applying his skills to his class at the Lower School.

Mrs. Patricia Amu- 5th Grade Teachers’ Assistant
Mrs. Amu was born and raised in the United Kingdom. She graduated with honors, from the University of Luton in 1994. Her children attend Holy Spirit Prep. Nnamdi is in the Class of 2016, and Nki is in the Class of 2017. Mrs. Amu and her family are parishioners of Christ the King.

Mrs. Joi Jackson- Assistant Teacher Lower School
Joi Jackson was born and raised in Atlanta where she attended Blessed Sacrament Catholic School and Douglass High School. She was a Presidential Merit Scholar at Howard University in Washington, D.C. where she received a B.B.A. in marketing. Upon graduation, Mrs. Jackson returned to Atlanta and worked for the Prudential Insurance Company, Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games and Baxter Healthcare. She has spent the last 19 years as an entrepreneur having owned a commercial printing company and a meal assembly franchise. Her commitment to family, faith and community keeps her close to Holy Spirit Prep. She and her husband live in Smyrna with their two daughters: Jordan, Holy Spirit Class of 2012, and Ryan, Holy Spirit Class of 2015.

Mrs. Linda Ehlers- Media Specialist
Mrs. Ehlers grew up in Alton, Illinois, which is located on the bluffs above the Mississippi River across from St. Louis, Missouri. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Elementary Education from Southern Methodist University, a Master of Education in Library Media from Georgia State University and a Masters of Science Degree in Community Counseling from Georgia State University. She taught fifth grade at the Lovett School when she first came to Atlanta, married, and then raised two daughters, Jennifer and Suzanne. Both are married and live in the Atlanta area. Suzanne and her husband, Mark, have three sons, Jack Henry, Spencer, and Wyatt. Mrs. Ehlers returned to the education field and worked in the libraries at Pace Academy and Georgia Tech. Most recently she was head librarian at Herzing College where she was instrumental in establishing three libraries, due to relocation and expansion. Her husband, Oscar, is an electrical engineer who discovered a love for teaching and teaches electronics and computer courses.

Mrs. Maria Tiberia- Media Center Assistant
Mrs. Tiberia joined Holy Spirit Prep in 2010. Mrs. Tiberia was born and raised in Miami, Florida. She attended Catholic schools from kindergarten through twelfth grade. She graduated from Florida International University with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing and International Business. Mrs. Tiberia spent thirteen years in the financial industry before becoming a full-time mother. Mrs. Tiberia and her husband, Luciano, live in Smyrna with their three children: Anthony, Holy Spirit Prep Class 2019, Vincent, Holy Spirit Prep Class of 2022 and Julia, Holy Spirit Prep Class of 2023. The Tiberias are active members of Holy Spirit Catholic Church.

Mr. Kevin Evans- Physical Education Teacher
Mr. Evans is excited to return for his eleventh year as physical education teacher. Along with overseeing the lower school physical education program, Mr. Evans has also served many coaching roles at Holy Spirit Prep. Coach Evans was raised in Carrboro, North Carolina where he excelled as a student athlete at Chapel Hill High School before moving on to East Carolina University to play football for the Pirates. He later transferred to North Carolina A&T State University where he graduated with a BS in Health and Physical Education in 1999. Coach Evans is a North Carolina Tar Heel basketball enthusiast and has adopted the Atlanta Falcons as his favorite NFL team.

Mrs. Lori Reinstein- Physical Education Teacher’s Assistant
Mrs. Reinstein was born and raised in Haddonfield, New Jersey. She attended East Strausburg University where she majored in physical education. Mrs. Reinstein moved to Atlanta in 1989 and married her husband Vincent in 1992. They relocated to Houston for six years, and then returned to Atlanta. The Reinsteins have four children, three of whom attend Holy Spirit Prep School. Mrs. Reinstein has coached basketball and soccer for several seasons at Holy Spirit Prep, and has also volunteered as a Girl Scout leader for the past three years This coming year she will be involved in leading one of the second-grade Brownie troops. Mrs. Reinstein loves to play and teach sports. She also loves to be around children, and to be a part of every aspect of their growth.

Mr. Norman Livermore- Technology Teacher
Originally from Los Angeles, Mr. Livermore's family moved to Georgia in 1969. Mr. Livermore graduated from Georgia Institute of Technology in 1980 with a Bachelor of Science in Information and Computer Science. Having worked in the aerospace and electric utility industries as well as government contracting and consulting, he brings more than 25 years of work experience to his classroom. In 1996, Mr. Livermore started an independent software consulting company which specializes in providing customized software solutions to the electric utility industry. Mr. Livermore has a unique hobby in that for many years now he has played the bagpipe. He and his family are very involved with the local and international Scottish communities. He is a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, Royal Museum of Scotland, and sits on the Board of Directors of the Stone Mountain Highland Games where he is responsible for overseeing all of the bagpipe and band related activities of the annual cultural event. Mr. Livermore also serves on the Clan Macleod USA National Council in charge of matters of culture for the organization. He has played with the Atlanta Pipe Band since it’s founding in 1970, teaches privately and is presently the instructor for the Atlanta Pipe Band’s developmental unit. Mr. Livermore resides in Marietta with his wife Rachel and daughter, Meghan. Meghan is a proud member of the Holy Spirit Prep School class of 2009 and a charter student at the school, having attended since kindergarten.

Mrs. Susan Matakis- Lower School Art Teacher
Mrs. Susan Matakis was born and raised in West Bend, Wisconsin. She graduated from the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee. Susan joined the HSP staff in 2008. Previously she taught art at St. John Neumann Regional Catholic School in Lilburn, GA. Susan has three college age daughters. She resides with her husband in Druid Hills, where they are members of Sacred Heart Catholic Church. Susan is looking forward to her second year at Holy Spirit Prep.

Ms. Esther Jackman- K - 1st Grade Art Teacher
Ms. Jackman was born in San Juan, Trinidad. She moved with her family to New York a few years later, and then to Atlanta in 1996. Ms. Jackman graduated from the Atlanta Institute of Art with a B.A. in Fine Arts and will be returning to school to get her Master's in Education. She began her work at Holy Spirit Prep as a substitute teacher and then became a full-time teacher's assistant and Extended School Program coordinator in 2009. She currently is the art teacher for the pre-school, kindergarten and first grades. Ms. Jackman has been known for her stunning bulletin boards that grace the hallways of the lower school, and in her free time she enjoys painting, reading, and spending time with her family and friends.

Mrs. Rosemary Thomasberger- Performing Arts Teacher
Mrs. Thomasberger is looking forward to her 10th year teaching at Holy Spirit Prep. Mrs. Thomasberger joined Holy Spirit Preparatory School in 2000 as the Performing Arts Teacher, Lower School. This is her twenty-fourth year teaching in Catholic schools. Previously, she taught K - 12 in the Archdiocese of Newark, New Jersey. She received a BA in Music from Caldwell Catholic College, New Jersey, where she also acquired her teacher certification and Catechist certification. Her experience in the music industry includes: Musical Director for several community theatre productions in New Jersey; Section Leader in Columbia University Choir in New York City; and vocalist and pianist for The Silver Starlight Orchestra in New Jersey. Her experience in Church music ministry includes: Choir Director at Westminster Church in New Jersey; Assistant Choir Director at Immaculate Conception Church in Montclair, New Jersey; Youth Music Coordinator at St. Catherine of Siena Church in New Jersey; Youth Music Assistant for World Youth Day, Jubilee 2000, in Rome; and chaperone for Regnum Christi at World Youth Day, Toronto 2002. Rosemary and her husband, David, are music ministers in their parish, St. Peter Chanel Catholic Church in Roswell. David is an Installed Acolyte in his fourth year of studies in the Permanent Deaconate Program of the Archdiocese of Atlanta. Their son, Peter is a composer and a computer systems installer. Their daughter, Kristen recently finished her tour of duty as a Petty Officer in the United States Navy. Rosemary’s niece is an HSP student of the Class of 2014.

Mr. Jeremy Gibson - Music
Mr. Gibson earned his B.M. in Instrumental Music Education from the School of Music at The University of Tennessee at Knoxville. While at UT, Mr. Gibson performed in the prestigious Wind Ensemble, and marched in the Pride of the Southland marching band. Mr. Gibson moved to Atlanta and joined the Holy Spirit Prep faculty in the Fall of 2006. In 2008, Mr. Gibson completed his M.Ed. from Grand Canyon University. He currently teaches Music Performance, Theory I, II, and AP Music Theory courses to grades nine through twelve. Mr. Gibson is the Director of Music in the Upper School and he teaches Upper School Music Theory classes and two Mac-based courses (Intro to Mac/Mac Programming).

Mrs. Bibiana Perez- Spanish
Mrs. Perez was born and raised in Germany. She graduated from the Gregorian University in Rome, Italy, with a Bachelor’s of Philosophy and went on to pursue theological studies in Rome and in the United States. She received a Master of Divinity degree from Yale University in 1993. She came to Atlanta in 1995 and gained teaching experience by home schooling her children for nine years from preschool through eighth grade, and teaching a variety of subjects at several private schools in Atlanta. Mrs. Perez knows seven languages and has been teaching Spanish at Holy Spirit Preparatory school since the beginning of 2006. She lives in Marietta. Three of her children attend HSPS; a son and a daughter already graduated from Holy Spirit and attend colleges out-of-state.

Mrs. Gloria Narea- Spanish
Mrs. Narea is originally from Michoacán, México. She graduated in 1988 from Escuela Nacional para Maestras de Jardín de Niños (National School for Kindergarten Teachers) with a Bachelor’s Degree in Education in Mexico City. She moved to Toluca, Mexico and worked as a full time teacher at Instituto Cenca for five years. In 1994, she moved to Atlanta to get married. She successfully completed EASL (English as a Second Language) at Mercer University. In 2007, Mrs. Narea joined Holy Spirit Prep to work as Spanish teacher for the Preschool and now she is very excited to be part of the Lower School faculty. Her two children, Monica, class of 2015 and Daniel, class of 2014, are Holy Spirit Prep students. The Narea Family are parishioners at St. Ann’s Catholic Church in Marietta.

Mrs. Lynn Slater- Learning Specialist
Mrs. Slater was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She moved to Atlanta in 1993 to attend Georgia State University where she earned a Bachelors of Science in Early Education. She received a Master in Health Studies degree from the University of Alabama. She spent seven years teaching both 1st and 2nd grade in Cobb county schools. While teaching for Cobb county, she coordinated summer school programs, tutored students in an after-school tutoring program, and acted as a mentor in a school-wide mentoring program. She enjoys distance running and spends her free time training for marathons. Ms. Slater joined Holy Spirit Prep in 2007 and she is looking forward to many fulfilling years at HSP.

Mrs. Michelle Bertany- 5th/6th Grade Teaching Assistant in the John Carroll Resource Center.
Mrs. Bertany is a native Atlantan and a graduate of St. Pius X Catholic High School. She also holds a B.A. from Georgia State University where she double majored in Spanish and English Literature. She taught Spanish for three years and worked in the banking industry before staying home with her children. She has most recently worked at the HSP preschool as a teaching assistant, and managed the Little Cougar soccer program. Michelle and her husband David have four children, Allie (HSP class of 2017), Michael (HSP class of 2019), Nicholas (HSP class of 2022) and Christopher (HSP class of 2028).

Mrs. Mary Margaret Schulte- Learning Specialist
Mrs. Schulte, a native Atlantan, attended The Westminster Schools and Rhodes College, where she earned a B.A. in history. Prior to having children, she worked for The American Red Cross in Blood Donor Recruitment for nine years. Mrs. Schulte worked for Tennille & Co. (formerly The Plantation Shop) for six years as the manager of their children’s clothing home show business. Several years ago, after one of her children was diagnosed with dyslexia, Mrs. Schulte decided to become a tutor in Orton-Gillingham, a successful approach to teaching children with reading difficulties. She trained under AOGPE Fellows, Susie van der Vorst of Camp Spring Creek and Rosalie Davis of The Schenck School. Mrs. Schulte started in the HSPS Lower School Resource Center in 2009. She is married to Kevin Schulte, and has two children at HSPS, Emily (Class of 2016) and Sam (Class of 2021).

Mrs. Karyn Vickery- Learning Specialist
Mrs. Vickery was born in Chicago, Illinois. After moving to Georgia she graduated from Roswell High School and The University of Georgia. She pursued a career in corporate training, and worked nationally in this field for many years. She later received her Orton-Gillingham teacher training at The Schenck School, in a program accredited by The Academy of Orton-Gillingham Practitioners and Educators. She is a member of the International Dyslexia Association, and attends Georgia Chapter conferences for continuing education. Mrs. Vickery has privately tutored struggling readers in grades pre-K through sixth using the Orton-Gillingham approach. She is passionate about helping students with learning differences reach their great potential. She lives in East Cobb with her husband Bobby, and their two sons. Her free time is spent enjoying the company of family and friends and playing golf.

Miss Carley Wethern- Learning Specialist
Miss Wethern was raised in the Roswell area. She attended St. Jude the Apostle School, Queen of Angels Catholic School, and Blessed Trinity High School. Miss Wethern recently graduated from Georgia College and State University with a degree in Special Education in May of 2010. During her time at Georgia College she was able to have extensive student teaching experiences in a variety of classrooms with students with disabilities. She has worked at the Schenck School summer camp for the past four years where she worked with children with language difficulties. She is thrilled to be joining the Holy Spirit Prep family and looks forward to putting all that she has learned into practice. In her spare time, Miss Wethern enjoys running and traveling. She recently completed her first half marathon in Nashville and hopes to run more in the future.

Mrs. Maria Munoz- Learning Specialist Assistant
Mrs. Muñoz was born and raised in Washington, DC and is the daughter of Cuban immigrants. She attended Catholic school from first grade through college. She graduated magna cum laude from Georgetown University with a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology and a double major in Spanish literature. She went on to earn a Master of Arts degree in experimental psychology from the University of Virginia. Her research on bilingual cognition was awarded a grant from the National Science Foundation. While in graduate school she volunteered as a teacher at the UVA rehabilitation hospital for children. Atlanta became her hometown in 1987 when she moved south to teach special education in Gwinnett County and then in Fulton County at Heards Ferry Elementary. After the birth of her first child in 1990, she continued to work with exceptional students as a tutor at Parkaire Consultants. She then joined the ranks of stay-at-home moms and for over 15 years home-schooled her children, some through 8th grade, as well as starting and leading multiple volunteer organizations ranging from Natural Family Planning to home-school leadership and advocacy. She has obtained certification in the Orton Gillingham Method and is looking forward to working with Holy Spirit students as part of the Carroll Center team. Maria and her husband, Alex, are members of Christ the King Cathedral. They have five children, the oldest of whom graduated from college in May 2011 and is currently pursuing a PhD at Emory University. The second oldest attends Fordham University, the Jesuit University of New York. The others are at Holy Spirit Prep: Alejo in the class of 2013, Maggie in the class of 2015 and Teci in the class of 2018.

Mrs. Helen Prieto - Dean of Faculty/Director of Human Resources
Mrs. Prieto holds a BS in Business Administration from Barry University, Miami Shores, Florida; and MBA from Nova Southeastern University, Sunrise, Florida; and a Master's Certificate in International Business from Columbia University, New York City. She and her husband moved to Atlanta from Florida in 1995 and are parishioners at Our Lady of the Assumption Church. Prior to joining Holy Spirit Prep in 2002, Mrs. Prieto retired from a 38-year career with BellSouth, where she served as Vice President in International Markets and Vice President of Customer Operations. Mrs. Prieto taught Spanish at Holy Spirit for five years at the Upper school and served as Department Chair until the 2008 School year. She has been certified by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, and has a Certificate from the College Board to teach Advanced Placement Spanish. In 2008 Mrs. Prieto assumed her present position as Dean of Faculty and Director of Human Resources for all three campuses of Holy Spirit.