Mr. Agron has taught Spanish and Humane Letters at SPA.
He hails from Southern California, where he studied the Great Books and Spanish at Azusa Pacific University. Prior to coming to SPA in 2019, Mr. Agron worked in classrooms in Central America, on farms in California, and with non-profits in the North-West.
Find him outside of school enjoying great books, great people, and the great outdoors.
Mr. Allen-Lisbon also known as Coach T, is the Middle School Athletic Director, 6th Grade P.E. Teacher, and Girls Basketball Coach. Coach T joined Scottsdale Prep in the winter of 2018.
Coach T received his degree in Sociology from an HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) in Little Rock, Arkansas at Philander Smith College. He moved to Arizona from Dallas, Texas in 2017 to receive his Master’s Degree in Higher Education from the GREAT Arizona State University. Prior to coming to Great Hearts, Coach T worked at ASU within the admissions department. He also has been coaching basketball for over 6 years prior to joining SPA.
He is a dog dad to a pug named Bruno, loves sports, outdoor activities, and working with kids. He also has ventured into the entrepreneur world and created his Athletic Personal Training business called Talented Athletic Leaders.
Ms. Bazz is an Exceptional Student Services Aide, and she joined Scottsdale Prep in 2022. She is a recent graduate from Grand Canyon University where she earned her bachelors in Psychology. She plans on getting her masters in Psychology in the near future. She was born and raised in Denver, Colorado and moved to Arizona in 2018. She pursues singing, engaging in her community, and traveling in her free time.
Mr. Bell is the Dean of Men and a teacher of 7th Grade Ancient History for Scottsdale Prep. He joined Scottsdale Prep in 2020-21, after four years at Veritas Prep. His experience in Great Hearts includes serving as Assistant Headmaster of Middle School at SPA, and at Veritas Prep he was a Dean of students and also coached baseball, along with teaching.
He is a native to Denver, CO, and has lived in the American Southwest for most of his life. He graduated with a BA in Speech Communication at Colorado State University and a Master of Arts in Visual Media Arts from Emerson College in Boston, MA. Prior to his arrival at Great Hearts, Mr. Bell taught in Boston Public Schools and also worked in school discipline at Edwards Middle School.
Mr. Bell likes to travel, visit National Parks and go on hikes in the Great Outdoors. He has family and friends across America the Beautiful and enjoys seeing them on his journeys.
Mr. Brazzel teaches Humane Letters I and serves as the lead for this course at Scottsdale Prep. He joined the Academy in 2018.
Phoenix has been his home since 1973 and the age of three. He earned a B.A in Writing at Grand Canyon University, and a M.Ed. in Secondary English Instruction at Arizona State University. He has taught writing to students in seventh grade through college composition since 1997.
Mr. Brazzel is the widowed father of one talented daughter, Emma, who, at eighteen, is already flourishing in a professional music performance and teaching career. He enjoys exploring Arizona and living in close proximity to his family in the Phoenix area.
Mrs. Bubar is a sixth-grade drama teacher for Scottsdale Prep. After many years of being a Scottsdale Prep parent, she joined the SPA faculty in 2021-22.
She was born and raised in Canada. She attended the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto for four years where she graduated in piano performance (hons.) and continued her vocal studies. After moving to Arizona, she received her Bachelor and Master of Music degrees in voice performance at ASU. Mrs. Bubar has taught at North Valley School of the Arts and Christian Youth Theater. Since 1993, she has maintained a private studio for piano and voice lessons.
Mrs. Bubar is married and has five children who either attend or have graduated from Scottsdale Prep. She enjoys spending time with her family, baking, and hiking.
Ms. Buchanan is a High School Economics and American Rhetoric teacher at Scottsdale Prep. She joined the Scottsdale Prep faculty in 2021-2022.
Ms. Buchanan is a native of Scottsdale, Arizona. She has two bachelor’s degrees in economics and global politics, along with a Juris Doctor from the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law. Prior to coming to Great Hearts, Ms. Buchanan was an attorney at a local law firm where she practiced water and environmental law.
In her free time, Ms. Buchanan enjoys baking bread, crafting, and hiking.
Mrs. Cabello Gomez teaches Spanish, and joined Scottsdale Preparatory Academy in January of 2022.
A daughter of the world, Mrs. Cabello Gomez was born in Monterrey Nuevo León, Mexico, but she spend most of her life in Coahuila (on the Piedras Negras border with Eagle Pass, TX). Mrs. Cabello Gomez attended high school in Norway, but then returned to Mexico for University where she studied Psychology. At the same time, she took an ESL program to teach English as a Foreign Language. She is married and has three sons and one daughter. Two of her sons attend Scottsdale Preparatory Academy (her other son lives in Mexico, and her daughter is married and lives in San Antonio, TX). Mrs. Cabello Gomez worked in Mexico for more than 15 years for the government school system and also taught for the University for some years. She came to the United States in 2014.
Mrs. Cabello Gomez enjoys her family and likes to be with them most of the time, she also loves music and practice yoga in her free time.
Mrs. Campos began teaching at Scottsdale Prep at the beginning of 2016 and teaches 7th grade Life Science and 10th grade Honors Chemistry.
She attended University of Nevada Reno (UNR) and transferred to Northern Arizona University (NAU) in 2002, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry with an Emphasis in Forensics and a Minor in Microbiology in 2006. She completed her internship at the Maricopa County Medical Examiners Office where she learned Forensic Toxicology. In 2007, she began teaching at a Charter High School in central Phoenix where she created an Agriculture course where students were planting flowers and vegetables with the goal of selling at local Farmers Markets. This endeavor even received news coverage in 2011! She’s an Arizona native, but grew up in Elko, Nevada.
She’s happily married to her best friend who she met while attending NAU, and they have been married since 2007. They have 2 children (the youngest is a 5th grader at Archway Scottsdale and the oldest just graduated from Ironwood Highschool and will be attending ASU this year to study Engineering.) They have two Great Danes and a cat. She loves spending her spare time gaming with her family; they even created a game room this summer (complete with fresh coat of black paint and LED lights!)
Mrs. Cetaku Tammaro teaches 7th-grade Intermediate Algebra and joined SPA in Spring of 2022. She has been an educator for 25 years, both as a teacher and administrator. Mrs. Cetaku Tammaro has taught multiple grade levels and subjects and currently also teaches college-level classes at Rio Salado Community College.
She is a native of Albania, in Eastern Europe, and has called Arizona her home since 2003. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Linguistics as well as in English as a Foreign Language from the University of Tirana, Albania. She later moved to Arizona enrolling at ASU where she graduated with a Master’s in Education. Mrs. Cetaku Tammaro is in the last stages of her Doctorate in Leadership and Organization from Grand Canyon University.
Mrs. Cetaku Tammaro is happily married to a wonderful retired Marine and they have four children. In her free time, she likes to read, travel, and spend quality time with her family.
Mrs. Clement is the 11th and 12th Grade drama teacher at Scottsdale Prep. She has been a part of the academy since 2015. In that time, she has served in several teaching positions including 11th grade drama, 5th grade drama, and 6th grade Literature and Composition. She is the Lead Teacher and Director for the Extra Curricular Drama Clubs, Thespian Troupe #8334 Director, the social media manager for the academy, and will be spearheading our Improv Troupe, Laughletes, this year as well.
Born in Germany, but raised in Arizona, Mrs. Clement considers Arizona her always home, minus a stint in Chicago. She attended Arizona State University, Barrett the Honors College and received her BA in Theatre Arts with an emphasis in Education and Production Management. Previous to her time at SPA, she worked in multiple theatres in Chicago as a Stage Manager and Dramaturg.
Mrs. Clement is lucky to see her other half, Mr. C, every day as they both continue to serve the Scottsdale Prep Community. While not at school, she considers herself a local foods expert and loves to read or watch a good murder mystery curled up with her cats, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.
Mr. Cleveland teaches 8th grade Earth science and 10th grade chemistry at Scottsdale Prep.
Mr. Cleveland is an Arizona native who grew up in Cave Creek. He received a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Creighton University. After spending some time working as an analytical chemist, he decided to become a teacher and receive a master’s in education from ASU. He has been teaching science and Scottsdale Prep since 2012.
Mr. Cleveland has been married to his wonderful wife Lisa for sixteen years. They have three young boys, two of whom are enrolled at Archway Academy. Outside of class, Mr. Cleveland enjoys spending time outdoors and engaging in activities such as hiking, skiing, fishing, and biking.
Mr. Copeland has been teaching at SPA since 2011. He usually teaches 7th and 10th grade Latin, but has also taught 8th grade Latin, 9th grade Latin, and 11th grade Greek. He currently serves as Master Teacher of Classical Languages, overseeing the academy’s Latin and Greek curricula.
Mr. Copeland holds a B.A. in Classical Languages from the University of St. Thomas, and an M. A. in Classics from the University of Arizona, where he also taught prior to coming to Scottsdale Prep. He is the recipient of numerous professional and teaching awards.
Outside of school, he enjoys spending time with his wife and seven children. He loves driving on the highways of Arizona, fixing things, and playing old video games.
Mr. David Kruse Coste, a second-career teacher, joined the Scottsdale Prep faculty in 2021 after ten years teaching music in other charter schools (five were at Veritas Prep).
The son of a Coast Guard officer, he was born in Key West, FL and raised in Monterey CA, Alexandria VA, San Juan PR, Satellite Beach FL, Huntington Beach CA and Niantic CT. He studied classical percussion at the Hartt School of Music in Hartford CT, electro-acoustic music at the California Institute of the Arts and received his BA in Music Composition and Theory at UCLA. Before becoming a classroom teacher, he had a twenty-year career as a church music and arts director at Grace Lutheran Church in Wenatchee WA and Esperanza Lutheran Church in Ahwatukee, Phoenix AZ.
Mr. Coste is married to artist Pamela Kruse Coste and together have three adult children.
Mrs. Dunphy is currently a middle school mathematics teacher at Scottsdale Prep. She joined the SPA community in 2016. She has served as Summer School Coordinator, Galileo Testing Coordinator, and mathematics teacher both in the middle and high schools.
She is a native of Illinois, but Arizona quickly became her home once she met her husband (a Phoenix local) following her first year of teaching. She received her BA in Secondary Education/Mathematics with a minor in Theater from Concordia University Chicago. Prior to coming to Great Hearts, Mrs. Dunphy taught in a public school in Goodyear, AZ.
Mrs. Dunphy enjoys spending time with her children, singing, attending theater performances, camping, and visiting national parks.
Ms. Fornabaio teaches 6th grade Physical Science and 9th grade Biology. She joined the academy in 2020 and in that time she has also taught 7th grade Life Science, served as the assistant Swim & Dive Coach and now the Head Swim & Dive Coach.
She was born and raised here in Scottsdale, AZ and attended Northern Arizona University where she received a bachelor’s degree in Biology with minors in Chemistry and Psychology. Passionate about animals, she originally planned on applying to vet school and volunteered at Hopi Animal Hospital since she was in middle school. While at NAU, she started the pre-veterinary club and worked as a DNA research assistant at TGEN North. She also worked as an Anatomy TA, swim coach, and taught a freshmen level honors course which is where she discovered her passion for teaching, which led her to Scottsdale Prep.
She loves hiking, camping, traveling, painting, and she especially enjoys water sports like swimming, kayaking and surfing. Her two favorite places to visit are Maui and Siena, Italy, where she studied abroad. She enjoys spending time with family and friends and sharing her fun facts about animals with them.
Mr. Gordon teaches 6th Grade Latin 1 and 7th Grade Ancient History at Scottsdale Preparatory Academy. He joined the Academy in 2019.
Mr. Gordon is a native of Illinois, and was born in Chicago. He obtained his Bachelor’s Degree in History from Pomona College, and holds a Master’s of Philosophy in Classics from the University of Cambridge.
When not teaching, Mr. Gordon enjoys writing, playing the trumpet, and learning the art of acting.
Mr. David Gutierrez joined the Scottsdale Prep faculty in 2021-22 and teaches Mathematics.
Born and raised in El Paso, Texas, Mr. Gutierrez’s passion for teaching and mathematics and sciences are drawn from his parents (an electrical engineer and a teacher). Mr. Gutierrez graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in 2019 with a Bachelor of Science in Engineering (Chemical and Biomolecular). He has experience teaching and tutoring students of all ages, from pre-K to University (both in English and Spanish).
In his spare time, Mr. Gutierrez enjoys running, listening to podcasts, and exploring the valley’s golf scene.
Ms. Hakanson teaches Poetry I and Literature and Composition II. She joined the Scottsdale Preparatory Academy faculty in 2015 and has served in various roles such as yearbook advisor, MS Cross Country Assistant Coach, master teacher, and 504 Coordinator.
A native of Oregon, Ms. Hakanson holds a B.A. in English from the University of Oregon and an MFA in Writing from Pacific University. Prior to joining Scottsdale Prep, Ms. Hakanson directed her language and writing energies toward various marketing and communication roles in both the public and private sectors. She also taught writing in community colleges in Oregon and Arizona.
When not teaching, Ms. Hakanson enjoys hiking and mountain biking with her husband, writing poetry, reading eclectically, and baking cowboy cookies.
Mr. Hall started at Scottsdale Prep in 2019. He teaches 11th and 12th grade Humane Letters and serves as a 504 coordinator.
Mr. Hall received his M.A. in Philosophy from the University of Colorado, Boulder and is currently finishing his dissertation in political philosophy at ASU. Prior to coming to Scottsdale Prep, he taught numerous philosophy courses at Arizona State University and Chandler Gilbert Community College.
Outside of his love for reading philosophical works, he enjoys creating music and working on the virtues of the body through weightlifting.
Ms. Harman is a math teacher at Scottsdale Prep. She joined the Scottsdale Prep faculty in 2019-2020.
Though born in the Pacific Northwest, Ms. Harman spent most of her childhood years in Arizona. She studied mathematics at Baylor University and then taught at a classical school in Texas for a couple of years.
In her free time, Ms. Harman enjoys walking her sweet dog, running, hiking, and reading.
Mr. Hauser teaches 8th grade Latin and 12th grade Greek at Scottsdale Prep. He joined the faculty in 2021-2022.
Born and raised in New York City, he graduated from Columbia University with a degree in English literature and Classics. He then taught Latin and history at a classical school in Santa Barbara before going to England, where he earned a master’s degree in Classics at Oxford.
Mr. Hauser enjoys going to art museums, reading anything well written, and analyzing his own and others’ tennis strokes.
Rachel Helton is an Arizona native, mom to two boys, and a music teacher. She joined the Scottsdale Prep faculty in 2021-22.
She attended Arizona State University and earned a Bachelors in Music Theory, and Masters in Music Education. She has previously worked at Great Hearts, at both Archway Glendale & Glendale Prep and taught there four years before moving to Utah. In Utah, she taught middle school band, orchestra, & choir for four years.
She’s excited to be back at Great Hearts to cultivate the joy of music in the lives of Scottsdale Prep students.
Mr. Hennessee is the Dean of Academics and Master Teacher of Humane Letters for Scottsdale Prep. He joined the Academy in 2016. In that time, he has also served as a High School 504 coordinator and Humane Letters teacher.
He is a native of Huntington Beach, California, but calls Phoenix his home. He studied Education at Biola University, New Testament History and Literature at Talbot School of Theology, and Linguistics and Intercultural Studies at Wheaton College (and 北京开放大学 in Beijing, China). Prior to coming to Great Hearts, Mr. Hennessee taught in culture, theology, philosophical worldview, English language arts, and composition in public, private, and international settings as teacher and professor for middle school, high school, and university students.
He is happily married to his best friend and a father of two (one of whom is a Spartan!). He enjoys reading and discussing Great Books, woodworking, and the great outdoors.
Dr. Brian Hernandez is an educator, performer, and composer of audiovisual music and writes for large and small ensembles. He joined Scottsdale Preparatory Academy in 2020-21, but previously worked for Archway Anthem (teaching K-5 music) from 2016-20.
His music compositions have been selected for performance across the USA, Europe, China, and Canada. He holds a B.A. in philosophy and political science from St Mary’s University, San Antonio, TX and an M.A. in music composition, from the University of North Texas. He completed his doctorate in interdisciplinary digital media and performance (music composition) at Arizona State University in May 2021, where he also taught undergraduate music theory and aural perception classes. Dr. Hernandez is a multi-instrumentalist with piano and guitar being his primary and secondary instruments.
He enjoys listening and performing traditional tonal music as well as 20th-21st century music. Dr. Hernandez also enjoys programming in MAX/MSP, Processing, and some HTML&CSS. He works with Pro Tools, Adobe Premiere Pro, and Adobe After Effects.
Ms. Hutchings is a Latin teacher for Scottsdale Prep, and she joined the SPA faculty in 2015-2016. She is the 8th grade Latin lead teacher, the Field Day Coordinator, the Summer School Coordinator, and in addition to Latin, she tutors students in Greek and German. In her time here, she has been involved with Homework Club, Creative Writing Club, Rock Climbing Club, Mythology Club, the Junior Classical League, building sets for theater, groups focused on giving back, and innumerous theses.
She hails from Redford Township, MI, but is now a Phoenician. Ms. Hutchings has a double Baccalaureate in History, and in Classical Languages and Literature at the University of Michigan, followed by a Masters in Classics and in Education at the University of Arizona. Prior to coming to Great Hearts, Ms. Hutchings taught in public schools in Ann Arbor, MI, and in private schools in Tucson, AZ.
She enjoys chasing her fluffy puppy, whom you might recall played Toto in the Wizard of Oz, and is working on finishing her novel (about Rome, of course!).
In 2015 Dr. Ivins joined the faculty at Scottsdale Preparatory Academy where he has since been an instructor of Humane Letters for high school juniors and seniors and a director on the Senior Thesis Committee. He has also served as a faculty instructor for Great Hearts in the summers, most recently leading seminars for the Academy of Classical Teachers on Great Books in mathematics and the sciences.
Dr. Ivins earned both undergraduate and graduate degrees in Liberal Arts from St. John’s College in Santa Fe after which he earned a doctoral degree in Philosophy from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh where he studied Ancient Philosophy, Contemporary European Philosophy, and the history and philosophy of science. Before arriving in at Great Hearts, he taught Philosophy and Liberal Arts at a number of universities in the Pittsburgh area.
Dr. Ivins is married to another veteran Great Hearts teacher and St. John’s graduate with whom he shares the great joy of raising their only daughter.
Ms. Komarnisky teaches 9th Grade Honors Biology, is the Master Teacher for science, and is the Dean of Women at Scottsdale Prep. Since joining the Academy in 2015, she also taught 7th Grade Life Science for five years.
She was born in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada but has called Arizona her home for almost two decades. She studied Biology, Psychology and Pre-Med at Barrett, The Honors College at Arizona State University. Before teaching at Scottsdale Prep, she worked with college freshmen and upperclassmen as a Psychology Department TA at ASU in several courses for three years. She also worked as an Anatomy TA and tutored student athletes.
She is happily married and is very close with her family. She loves watching biological documentaries narrated by David Attenborough, playing Settlers of Catan, playing the violin, hiking and throwing moderately centered pottery on the wheel.
Mrs. Labadie is a 6th grade Drama/Poetry teacher at Scottsdale Prep and head of the MS drama extracurricular program. She worked previously at Archway Cicero and Cicero Prep for four years as a Kindergarten, 7th/8th grade Lit Comp, and 11th grade Drama teacher. At Cicero she also coached MS volleyball and basketball and ran the middle school drama club.
She is an Arizona native, growing up in Tempe where she attended Tempe Prep for high school. She attended Northern Arizona University where she majored in Electronic Media and Film with a minor Theater Studies and certificate in Irish Studies.
She has been happily married to her husband Joe (who many of you know from his time as teacher here at SPA) for 6 years. They have two young children, Anastasia and Benjamin, and an Australian Cattle dog named Nelson. She loves baking, traveling the world, drinking coffee, and acting when she isn’t in the classroom.
Ms. Magdalena Lawer-Borfigat joined the Scottsdale Prep Faculty in 2021, teaching High School French.
She is originally from Poland where she completed a Bachelor’s Degree in French Philology, and studied French Literature and Linguistics. She then moved to France where she completed a Master’s Degree in Teaching French as a Foreign Language. She has taught French in various school settings in Europe. After having moved to Arizona, she taught French to middle schoolers at BASIS Goodyear.
In her free time, she enjoys reading, traveling and spending time with her daughter. She also am a big enthusiast of French cinema and food, especially pastries! She never says no to her favorite French dessert – “fondant au chocolat”.
Mrs. Lengel-Zigich has been with Great Hearts since 2015 and came to work at Scottsdale Prep. in 2021. She first began as a Kindergarten Assistant Teacher then became a Lead Teacher in Fourth Grade. Prior to Great Hearts Mrs. Lengel-Zigich taught Freshman and Sophomore Honors English at Pinnacle High School and additionally created Core Knowledge curriculum for local non-profits in coordination with the Scottsdale and Paradise Valley School Districts.
Mrs. Lengel-Zigich received her Bachelor’s Degree from ASU in English Literature with an Emphasis in Secondary Education and a Minor in Religious Studies. She received her Master’s Degree in Classical Education from the University of Dallas through Great Hearts’ Quintilian Fellowship.
Mrs. Lengel-Zigich is a proud mother to two Great Hearts students and additionally a mother to two dogs, two cats, and a fish! She married her high-school sweetheart and best friend, Mr. Lengel-Zigich and agreed to take his lengthy name. In her spare time Mrs. Lengel-Zigich loves watching wonderful films and devouring great books.
Mrs. Loftis is the Assistant Headmaster of Middle School for Scottsdale Preparatory. She joined the SPA faculty in 2015-16. In her years at the Academy, she has taught 6th grade US History, 8th grade Medieval History and 9th grade Humane Letters. She has also served as Dean of Students and a 504 Coordinator.
Mrs. Loftis is a native of San Diego, CA, but has found her home here in Arizona. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Philosophy at San Diego State University. She also earned her Master of Arts in Women’s History at the same university.
She enjoys life at home with her husband of ten years and seven-year-old son who attends Archway Scottsdale. They love to stay active, enjoy the outdoors, and travel with their 125 pound English mastiff.
Mr. Lubert is a Latin and Greek teacher at Scottsdale Prep. Since joining in 2020, he has taught 11th Grade Greek I and 7th Grade Latin II, and has been a sponsor of the Junior Classical League.
Mr. Lubert was born in Brighton, England, and has lived in Spain and the UAE and now the USA. As an undergraduate, he studied Classical Languages and Literatures at Pomona College. In addition, he has studied Greek at Oxford University and Hebrew through Harvard Divinity School. Prior to teaching at Scottsdale Prep, Mr. Lubert worked in marketing for an international property developer in the UAE.
He enjoys traveling, learning ‘dead’ languages and spending time with his family, who live in Los Angeles.
Mr. McCauley is the master teacher of the history department at Scottsdale Prep. He joined Scottsdale Prep in 2016-17, and has previously served as a course level lead for 6th and 7th grade history, an assistant coach for middle school baseball, and the substitute coordinator for the school.
Though his family is originally from the east coast, Mr. McCauley is native to Arizona and graduated from high school in Scottsdale. He received a B.A. in both history and political science from Arizona State University, as well as an M.A. in history from Arizona State University. His research as a graduate student focused on legal history in the 19th and 20th centuries related to the Haymarket Affair (1886) and the Supreme Court Case Buckley v. Valeo (1976). During his time at Arizona State University, he worked closely with Dr. Donald Critchlow and received the inaugural Thomas H. Critchlow Fellowship as a graduate student.
He is happily married and the owner of both a cat (that he rescued from the wild in his backyard during a monsoon storm) and a labrador retriever. In his free time he enjoys playing, writing, and recording music, performing shows around the valley with his bands, playing ice hockey, and being a dedicated fan to some of his favorite teams including the 6-time Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots and the Arizona Coyotes.
Mr. McKernon joined Scottsdale Prep in 2010-2011. Mr. McKernon will be teaching the 6th grade math curriculum this year. In past years, Mr. McKernon has taught 7th and 8th grade math as well.
Originally from Southern California, obtaining an M.A. in Education from Claremont Graduate University, Mr. McKernon moved to Scottsdale in 2010. Prior to teaching Mr. McKernon was a data sales engineer with telecommunication companies like ATT and MCI.
Mr. McKernon is an avid financial markets researcher, biblical history layman, and exercise enthusiast who loves chocolate chip cookies.
Mr. McPherson teaches 9th grade Humane Letters at Scottsdale Prep. He joined the Academy in 2019-2020. He has been a Humanities teacher both in the Middle and High Schools.
He grew up in SC. He studied Humanities, History, and the Arts at Davidson College and received an MFA from ASU. Prior to coming to Great Hearts, Mr. McPherson taught in charter and private schools in AZ (Tempe Prep) and SC.
He is happily married to his beloved wife and loves fly fishing and wood working.
Mr. Lane McShane Sr. joined the Scottsdale Prep faculty in 2021.
He is a 2nd generation Irishman and veteran teacher of both English and History at many levels, including college. Mr. McShane attended and taught at Jesuit Brophy College Preparatory in Phoenix, Arizona. Likewise, Mr. McShane completed his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Education at Arizona State University.
Mr. McShane is an avid music fan, and guitar player who greatly enjoys reading and researching historical non-fiction as well as walking his dog!
Mrs. Michaels is the Assistant Headmaster of High School at Scottsdale Prep, and she has been with the SPA community since 2014. In this time, she has served as Dean of Academics, Master Teacher of Mathematics, Lead 504 Coordinator, and Mathematics teacher both in the Middle and High Schools.
She was born and raised in Scottsdale, and understands the desire of Arizona natives to move to where it snows! She studied Metallurgical Engineering at Colorado School of Mines in Golden, Colorado before realizing that her true passion was in Mathematics. She received her B.S. in Computational Mathematical Sciences from ASU, and later received her M.Ed. in Secondary Education from GCU.
She enjoys traveling and adventuring with her husband and son during her time off, and is always up for a good game of Clue or Liverpool Rummy.
Ms. Miller has been a Studio Art Teacher at Scottsdale Preparatory Academy since 2012 and is currently the Master Teacher for the Fine Arts. She teaches both Middle School and High School Studio Art classes, while also running after school Art Enrichment programs.
A native of Scottsdale, she received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Drawing from Arizona State University and a Master of Fine Arts in Printmaking from Clemson University. Prior to Scottsdale Prep, she taught several Art Classes and Workshops to students ranging from Elementary through College.
As a practicing Artist her works have appeared in public and private collections and publications. Ms. Miller enjoys spending time with her family, drawing, and painting. In addition, she is an avid bird watcher and a voracious reader.
Diego Moncada joined Great Hearts in 2010, first teaching middle school math at Arete Prep and transferring to Scottsdale Prep in fall of 2013. In that time he has taught Algebra II, Geometry, Precalculus, Calculus I, and Calculus II. In addition he has been the voice of Spartan basketball games, the advisor for the Cultural Food Club, and coached High School Baseball.
Mr. Moncada is a graduate of Dartmouth College where he obtained his degree in Mechanical Engineering.
Ms. Moore is a Literature and Composition teacher at Scottsdale Prep, having joined the faculty in 2021.
An Arizona native, Ms. Moore has lived across the Phoenix-metro area in Litchfield Park, Scottsdale, and now central Phoenix. She graduated in 2021 from Grand Canyon University with a B.A. in English for Secondary Education and a minor in Philosophy, with honors. Having been introduced to Great Hearts by her father (who teaches Humane Letters at Veritas Prep), she completed her last semester student-teaching at Scottsdale Prep Spring 2021 teaching 8th grade Literature and Composition and 9th grade Humane Letters.
In her free time, she enjoys drinking coffee, writing fantasy for pleasure, making meals for her family, and spending leisure time with her best friend.
Mr. Robin Neely joined SPA in 2013. In that time, he has taught our 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th grade curricular music classes and conducted our extra-curricular choirs. In addition to being a music educator, he is also a senior thesis director at SPA. Mr. Neely’s proudest accomplishment is the creation of the “Caroling Club” that spends its holiday season singing for nursing homes, Hospice Homes, and Phoenix Children’s Hospital.
Mr. Neely earned his Bachelors of Music at Northern Arizona University and his Masters of Music at Arizona State University. He also sang with the Sonoran Desert Chorale under the direction of Jeff Harris for 9 years, touring a variety of countries including Austria, Hungary, Slovenia, France, Ireland, and Scotland. He is proud to have served as an adjudicator, clinician, or chair for numerous honor choirs across Arizona.
Outside of the arts, Mr. Neely takes great pride in managing his coral reef aquarium, doing photo shoots for local aquarium hobbyists or fish stores, hiking extensively, rock climbing, and taking care of his family.
Mr. Nordtvedt has been a 7th grade life science teacher at Scottsdale Prep since 2021. He joined Great Hearts in 2020 at Archway Classical Academy Scottsdale and as an assistant baseball coach at Scottsdale Prep.
He is a Minnesota native but has been living in the Phoenix area since 2013. He received his bachelor’s degree from Cornell College in Mount Vernon, IA. He later completed his master’s degree in exercise science at California University of Pennsylvania.
Mr. Nordtvedt and his wife have one son and one dog. In his free time he enjoys spending time with family, sports, and being outdoors as much as possible.
Mr. Peters joined SPA in the Fall of 2015 and is a middle and high school math instructor at the academy. Across this time, he has served as a teacher for 6th grade Pre-Algebra, 8th grade Advanced Algebra, and 9th grade Honors Geometry. He was also the lead sponsor for the Yearbook Club (10th Anniversary Edition) and the Archery Club (3 years).
He is a native of Louisville, Kentucky (B.S. in Mathematics, 1988), but has also resided in Iowa (where he was a walk-on wrestler at Iowa State University), Illinois, Michigan, Florida, California, and Bowling Green, KY (teaching for the public schools as well as being a part-time instructor for the Information Systems Department at Western Kentucky University). Prior to joining Great Hearts, Mr. Peters taught for 9 years at a private school in California’s San Fernando Valley, and for 4 years at a private school in the Phoenix area. Across 7 of the 9 years in California, much of his free time was spent writing a 670-page book on the amazing world of Geometric Constructions.
Mr. Peters loves his family, students, and colleagues. He also very much enjoys reading, woodworking, and learning/sharing the multifaceted aspects of health and nutrition. During times of home relaxation, he never tires of watching the hummingbirds that fly, hover, and drink around the feeders maintained in his backyard patio area.
Mr. Petiford joined the Scottsdale Prep faculty in 2012 and currently teaches 7th, 8th, and 11th grade studio art. He has also taught 6th grade Intro to Fine Art, run multiple 6th grade performances, and an extra-curricular percussion ensemble. You can frequently see Mr. Petiford playing percussion for SPA musical theater productions and numerous SPA Jazz Choir concerts.
He earned a BFA in Drawing with a minor in Printmaking from Arizona State University, summa cum laude. Prior to SPA, he taught for 3 years at East Valley High and worked as a manufacturing training and web developer for a large manufacturing corporation, and as a multimedia designer for an R&D group. He has three published papers on music pedagogy, multiple book designs and illustrations, and has participated in multiple group and solo exhibitions of fine art.
In his free time, Mr. Petiford is an avid painter, musician, and cinematic connoisseur.
Mr. Primavera is the Physics 1 teacher, head football coach, and head baseball coach at Scottsdale Prep Academy. He joined the Academy in 2014.
David is a native of Lincoln, NE. He received his master’s degree in education with an emphasis in science teaching from the University of Nebraska and received his undergraduate degree in Liberal Arts from Thomas Aquinas College in Santa Paula, CA. He previously taught in Elkhorn, NE before joining Great Hearts.
He is married with 5 children. His hobbies include watching college football, golfing, and gardening.
Mrs. Printz teaches 7th Grade Standard Sequence Algebra for Scottsdale Prep. She joined the Academy in 2019. She loves teaching algebra and working with the wide variety of students at Prep because of their curiosity and desire to learn.
Native to Arizona, Mrs. Printz grew up in Fountain Hills. She studied at Arizona State University and earned her Masters in Curriculum and Instruction in Mathematics. Prior to coming to Great Hearts, Mrs. Printz taught in public and private schools in Mesa, Fountain Hills, Tempe, and Phoenix. She also has a background in business.
Mrs. Printz is happily married. She and her husband have two sons, a Jug dog and a Siamese cat. She loves mountain biking, kayaking, bass fishing, hiking, gardening, and reading Great Books.
Mr. Rafal is a 7th grade Algebra I teacher, and he joined the Academy in 2012-13. In that time, he has served as a 7th (Algebra I), 8th (Algebra II),10th (Pre-Calculus and Trig), and 11th grade (Calculus) math teacher. He has also taught Chemistry, Physics, and Statistics at Scottsdale Prep. Finally, he has also served as the after-school care director and Math Club coordinator.
He is a native of Norfolk, VA but has called Phoenix his home for over 30 years. He studied Chemistry and Mathematics at James Madison University, Demography and Family Planning at the University of Michigan, Statistics and Family Sociology at the University of Pennsylvania, and Education at the University of Phoenix. Prior to coming to Great Hearts, Mr. Rafal taught in public schools in Phoenix and Scottsdale and in private schools in Phoenix.
He is happily married to the love of his life, is a father of a daughter and son (his son was in the first graduating class at Scottsdale Prep!), and a grandfather of two (Jake and Vivi). He loves to play with his grandchildren and read Good Books.
Mr. Redmond teaches Geometry and Logic & Computation at Scottsdale Prep. He joined the school as a long term sub for middle school Algebra II in 2019 before becoming a full teacher during the 2020-2021 school year.
He was born and raised in Scottsdale, but went to university in Washington State. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, and is working on his Master’s in Secondary Education.
He has interests in gardening, strategy games, game design, and science fiction.
Sra. Rosado is the master teacher for the modern languages department. She has taught freshman, juniors and seniors since she joined Scottsdale Prep in 2015. She also serves as a 504 coordinator and is the chair of the social committee, planning several dances through the academic year.
Sra. Rosado studied at the University of Puerto Rico, earning her bachelor’s degree in microbiology. Sra. Rosado has since earned a master’s degree in classical education from the Templeton Honors college in Pennsylvania. Seeing students strive and succeed in leaning Spanish has continued to motivate Sra. Rosado in her teaching career of seventeen years.
In addition to educating, Sra. is a family-famous chef, lifelong learner and tennis player.
Scott Shaughnessy joined Great Hearts faculty in 2012, first teaching science at Anthem Prep and transferring to Scottsdale Prep in the fall of 2018. In that time he has taught middle school Physical Science, Earth Science, and upper school Physics I and Physics II. In addition, he has been a sponsor of Astronomy Club and Mountain Biking Club.
He moved from southern California with his family where he taught physics, math and astronomy at The Buckley School in Sherman Oaks, California since 1998. He is a graduate of ASU’s Construction Engineering program, and has taken additional classes in physics and astronomy at UCLA.
He enjoys spending time with his wife and daughter, traveling to tropical islands, gazing at the cosmos, and mountain biking wherever he can find a trail.
Dr. Shoen teaches Spanish at Scottsdale Prep and joined the Academy in 2020-21.
She is a Phoenix native who did her undergraduate work in English at Dartmouth College and graduate work in Spanish at Middlebury College and Boston University. Prior to coming to Great Hearts, Dr. Shoen taught at B.U., did process engineering in Guatemala, and worked in logistics at C&S Wholesale Grocers.
She loves mod interior design, water sports and creative writing.
Mrs. Stamate is a 10th and 12th grade Humane Letters teacher. She joined the SPA faculty in the 2011-2012 school year. During her years at the academy, she has taught 5th grade, 6th-8th grade Lit/Comp, and Humane Letters. She also serves as Senior Thesis Director.
Mrs. Stamate is originally from Florida, and she attended St. John’s College in Annapolis for her undergraduate degree in the Liberal Arts. She is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Classical Education from the University of Dallas while teaching at SPA.
She enjoys life at home with her husband of three years and their one-year-old daughter. In her leisure time, she enjoys reading, playing chess, and staying active outdoors.
Ms. Swanson teaches 6th grade Literature and Composition, and she joined Scottsdale Prep in 2021-22.
She is a recent graduate from Grand Canyon University where she earned her bachelors in English with an Emphasis in Professional Writing and a minor in Advertising and Graphic Design. She plans on earning her masters in English Education. She was born and raised in Westminster, Colorado. This will be her fourth year living in Phoenix.
She pursues professional photography and design in her free time. Ms. Swanson is a world traveler and also lived in Spain for a summer where she taught English as an Au Pair.
Mr. Threadgall is a sixth grade Latin teacher at SPA and joined the Academy in 2012-13. Since then he has occasionally also taught 7th and 8th grade Latin and chaired a recorder ensemble.
A Tennessee native, he studied Classics and English at UT Knoxville before taking an MA in Latin at the University of Virginia with a certificate in comparative literature. He has also taught middle school Latin in Tennessee and Virginia, but after ten years in the valley he is now pleased to regard himself as “from here.”
Mr. Threadgall cultivates frankincense and myrrh in his back garden, ferments a variety of vegetables and herbal tonics, and loves the monsoon season.
Mr. Welter teaches 8th grade Medieval history at Scottsdale Prep beginning in 2021-22, but previously taught 5th grade at Archway Cicero from 2018-2021.
Mr. Welter grew up in Salem, Oregon. He attained his undergraduate degree in Marketing, and a Masters in History with and emphasis in Education from Grand Canyon University. He served in the Army National Guard and also owns a wedding / commercial videography business.
In his spare time, Mr. Welter loves spending time with his fiancé and Cocker Spaniel, outdoor adventures, driving sports cars, and producing music.
Ms. Wheeler is a 6th Grade Physical Science and 8th Grade Earth Science Teacher at Scottsdale Prep. Ms. Wheeler joined the Scottsdale Prep faculty in 2018-2019. She has served as the course level lead for 6th grade physical science, assistant conductor of the symphony orchestra, and homework club monitor.
She is originally from Gloucester, England. She studied for her Bachelor of Science with Honors degree in Geography at Keele University in England. During her Bachelor of Science with Honors degree, Ms. Wheeler spent one semester as an exchange student at the University of Utah. Ms. Wheeler earned a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) at the University of Nottingham in England. Prior to coming to Great Hearts, Ms. Wheeler served three seasons as a Park Ranger in Environmental Education with the National Park Service and US Forest Service in California, Oregon, and Idaho. Ms. Wheeler also taught in public schools in Indianapolis, Indiana and Avondale, Arizona.
Ms. Wheeler enjoys playing the violin and piano. She played the violin in county orchestras in England. She enjoys traveling, hiking, gardening, and nature / landscape photography.
Mr. White is excited to join the Scottsdale Preparatory community in 2021-22! He teaches 8th grade Literature and Composition and 9th Grade Humane Letters.
He grew up in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and studied film and classics at Biola University. He has lots of experience working with students, from camp counselor to elementary reading teacher, and is looking forward to working with older students.
Mr. White is a huge Marvel fan, loves playing Dungeons and Dragons, and enjoys writing in his free time.
Mrs. White-Goss joined SPA in the 2018-2019 academic school year. She is a middle school studio art teacher. She has been teaching art for 20 years.
She was born in Michigan, but has lived in Scottsdale since she was three. She studied Art Education and Art History at Arizona State University.
She has been happily married for nearly 30 years and they have one son. She has two miniature dachshunds and loves yoga, hiking and pickle ball.
Ms. Woner teaches 7th and 8th grade Literature and Composition. She joined the faculty in the 2019-2020 school year, but her history with Scottsdale Prep goes all the way back to 2007, when she was part of the founding group of students at the school.
Ms. Woner studied English Literature and French at Arizona State University, where she also earned a master’s degree in Literature.
She loves reading Great Books, fantasy novels, nonfiction, mysteries—anything really! Her favorite thing to do is spend time with her parents, sisters, and brothers-in-law, who also live in Scottsdale.
Mr. Zelkin has taught11th and 12th grade Humane Letters at Scottsdale Prep since 2021. Mr. Zelkin comes from Cicero Prep, where he has served as their 11th and 12th grade Humane Letters teacher. Prior to this, Mr. Zelkin filled in for Mrs. Stamate’s 10th and 12th grade Humane letters here at Scottsdale Prep.
He was born in the Soviet Union and came to the United States as a child. He received his bachelor’s degree in Music and Philosophy & Religion from Colgate University and his Masters degree in religion from the University of Chicago Divinity School. Mr. Zelkin previously taught piano and music composition and worked for over two and a half decades as a professional film composer in Los Angeles.
He and his wife, with whom he co-composes, have both received Emmy Awards for their work and have been nominated multiple times. His home consists of his wonderful wife with whom he has been for 27 years, their son (who is a 9th grader at Prep!), their dog, and a one eyed, three legged cat who operates under the assumption that the household exists merely to serve him. Mr. Zelkin enjoys coffee, discussing Great Books and ideas with interesting people, reading fantasy fiction, running and backpacking.
Miss Paige Peters joined Scottsdale Preparatory Academy as the School Counselor in 2021-22.
Duane Ediger is the Athletic Director for Scottsdale Prep; he joined the SPA faculty in the 2014-15 school year.
Mrs. Noyes joined Scottsdale Prep in 2021 as the Academy Giving Manager.
Mrs. Fletcher joined Great Hearts Academies in 2010 and joined the Spartan family as the Director of College Counseling in 2013. She has served as the Director of College Counseling at Mesa Prep (now Arete Prep), interim Director of College Counseling for Great Hearts-Arizona, and is currently serving in a part-time capacity as the network coordinator for College Counseling in addition to her role at Scottsdale Prep.
Miss Smith was thrilled to join Scottsdale Prep as a College Counselor in 2019! She began her Great Hearts adventure in 2010 as a third grade teacher at Archway Chandler. From there she went on to help open North Phoenix Prep where she gained experience teaching 6th, 7th, and 8th Literature & Composition, 8th Medieval History, and 10th Humane Letters. She also spent time serving in the roles of Athenaeum Director and Dean of Students before settling into her favorite role of College Counselor in 2015.
Mrs. Coolidge joins Scottsdale Prep as a part-time College Counselor working alongside Mrs. Fletcher and Ms. Smith. She joined Scottsdale Prep in 2021, however, she previously worked at Cicero Prep as both Registrar and College Counselor.
