Knightly News

Faculty & Staff Members New to the Episcopal Community

Episcopal welcomes our new faculty and staff for the 2021-2022 school year. We hope you will take the time to read their bios below and welcome them to our community!

Lower School

Lower School Librarian Sara Gomez has worked in education since 2008. She previously taught social studies in East Baton Rouge Parish and English/Language Arts at Denham Springs Junior High School. Most recently, Gomez was the librarian at Central Middle School. While at Central Middle, Gomez organized a Battle of the Books reading competition involving 100 Central students and collaborated in organizing a regional competition with area schools. In addition, she managed the implementation of a school-wide Accelerated Reader plan and oversaw the Louisiana Student of the Year, Scripps Spelling Bee and National Geographic Bee competitions. Gomez organized book fairs, reading challenges, author visits and maker-space events. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in History and a Master of Library and Information Science from Louisiana State University. She is certified in teaching English and social studies and earned a Louisiana school library certification for K – 12th grade from Louisiana State University. She is a Google Certified Educator.

Jessica Kucharchuk is an Early Childhood Teacher with more than a decade of experience working in education. Most recently, Kucharchuk served as a long-term substitute teacher at Episcopal and as a kindergarten aide at Trinity Episcopal School. She was a substitute teacher at St. James Episcopal Day School and has worked at Christ Covenant Preschool, The Dunham School and Port Allen Elementary. Jessica earned a Bachelor of Science in Family and Child Consumer Science with a concentration in early childhood development from Louisiana State University. She is actively involved in the community as a member of the National Association for the Education of Young Children, a sustaining member of the Junior League of Baton Rouge, a volunteer and lifetime member of First Presbyterian Church, a volunteer at THRIVE Academy and a reading mentor at Buchanan Elementary. Jessica is Apple Teacher Certified and trained in Responsive Classroom management.

As the Lower School music teacher, Loriana Zavala helps young students develop a love for music. Zavala was the General Music Instructor at LaSalle Elementary in Baton Rouge for four years. In addition, she is a piano instructor at Piano Pathways and a private music instructor at the Dance Center of Performing Arts. Zavala earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree in vocal performance from Missouri State University. To pursue her passion for teaching students, she also earned an alternative teacher certification in general music education from Louisiana State University. Zavala is actively involved in professional organizations including the National Association of Teachers of Singing, the Louisiana Music Teachers Association and the Baton Rouge Music Teachers Association. She has experience as a music director and has earned recognition in the Missouri State University Concerto/Aria Competition and the Kansas City Classical Singer Competition.

Middle School

Vincent Gerace is a physical education teacher with experience teaching a range of subjects including everything from English and writing to Middle School science and social studies. Most recently, he was a physical education teacher at St. Charles Borromeo School in Parma, Ohio. He also served as Parma Senior High School’s head football coach. Gerace earned a bachelor’s degree in integrated-language arts from Hiram College in Hiram, Ohio.

Previously a long-term Episcopal substitute teacher, Hendrina Itriago is now a Middle School Spanish teacher. She has also served as a long-term substitute and a Spanish teacher at St. James Episcopal Day School. Itriago has a wealth of business experience having previously owned a local Gymboree Play and Music franchise. She earned an associate degree in general business from Baton Rouge Community College and a bachelor’s degree in general business with an international business concentration from Southeastern Louisiana University.

Brant Martin teaches physical education. Previously, he was a physical education teacher at LaSalle Elementary where he also assisted with math tutoring and small group reading. Martin is a volunteer offensive coordinator with the St. Aloysius Catholic School football program, working with seventh and eighth grade athletes. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology with a concentration in health and physical education from Louisiana State University.

Ginna Paredes teaches Middle School Spanish. Throughout her 30+ year teaching career, she has earned praise for the creativity of her classroom lessons plans. She has experience teaching at the collegiate level as well as in public, private, and charter schools and was once the Episcopal Lower School Spanish teacher. In addition to teaching Spanish, Paredes has also taught music. She earned a fine arts degree in ceramics and sculpting from the Universidad Central del Ecuador in Quito, Ecuador. Paredes also earned a Bachelor of Arts in harp performance from Louisiana State University and a Master of Arts in harp performance from Texas Tech University. She is certified in music education and Spanish with specializations in TPR (Total Physical Response), Orff and Suzuki methods.

Upper School

Dr. Karin deGravelles teaches Upper School English.  She earned a Bachelor of Arts in English (Literature) from Reed College and a Master of Arts in English (Rhetoric and Composition) and Ph.D. in education from Louisiana State University, concentrating in secondary English education and curriculum theory.  Before coming to Episcopal, she taught in the University Writing Program and managed the LA-STEM Research Scholars Program at LSU. Her work has been presented at national conferences and published in academic and professional journals such as “English Journal”; “Pedagogy: Critical Approaches to Teaching Literature”, “Language, Composition, and Culture”; and the “Journal of Curriculum and Pedagogy.” 

As the Upper School physics teacher, Patrick Doring draws on his varied experiences as a science teacher and lab technician. Most recently, he taught college-prep chemistry and AP physics at Liberty Magnet High School. He has also worked as a lab technician at BASF and Deltech Corporation. Prior to that, Doring was an Engineer Officer in the Louisiana Army National Guard and a firefighter/EMT with the Baton Rouge Fire Department. Doring earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Louisiana State University. 

Dr. Gregory Herman is an Upper School science teacher. He began his teaching career in 2005 after working as a laser/electro-optical scientist at SAIC and serving as president of Rainbow Optical, Inc., where he participated in the inaugural Scientists Helping America conference held by the Director of DARPA and the US Special Operations Command after the events of 9/11. Dr. Herman has taught at the high school and collegiate levels. At NASA Langley, he worked with students using NASA’s facilities to conduct university research projects and mentored high school students enrolled in NASA’s Summer High School Apprenticeship Research Program. Most recently, Dr. Herman taught Applied Engineering, Physics 8 and AP Physics 1 and 2 at BASIS in Tucson, Arizona. He was previously the Director of the Applied Physics and Photonics Laboratory at Princeton International School of Math and Science. Dr. Herman is the president of Ubertutors, L.L.C. offering test preparation strategies to students seeking to boost their performance on standardized tests. He earned bachelor’s degrees in physics and electrical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a master’s degree and doctorate in optical sciences from the University of Arizona. 

Dr. Natalie Mills is an Upper School science teacher. After graduating from the Louisiana School for Math, Science and the Arts, Dr. Mills earned a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry with a minor in chemistry from Louisiana State University. More recently, she completed work for a doctorate in biology from Louisiana State University. Her post-doctoral work included designing curriculum for high school STEM classes and supervising students in classroom and laboratory settings. Dr. Mills was the teacher of record at Liberty Magnet High school where she taught AP biology, environmental science, comparative anatomy and physiology, chemistry and biology. Dr. Mills has had work published in “Neuroscience” and “The Journal of Neuroendocrinology.” She has presented research at the Society for Neuroscience conferences in Washington D.C. and San Diego. 

Barbara Smith is an Upper School math teacher. She earned both a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in mathematics from Texas A&M University. In 2017, she began her teaching career in Texas as a math instructor and assistant professor on the collegiate level. Smith has taught a range of math courses, including everything from remedial math to advanced calculus. In addition to teaching, she served as the Northeast Lakeview College Running Club Advisor and as a Faculty Student Mentor. She has sponsored competitions with the American Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges Student Research Competition. Smith has presented at the Pedagogy Conference in San Antonio, the Infinity Math Club in Hurst, Texas and at Kansas State University. 

A veteran Episcopal educator, Julia Spaht is now the Assistant/Associate Director of College Counseling. Spaht previously worked as the Episcopal Writing Center Director and an Upper School English and Art History teacher. Most recently, she was the Admissions and Enrollment Director at St. James Episcopal Day School, where she helped boost enrollment by 10%. As an independent college counselor and essay coach, Spaht worked with students from a variety of backgrounds and circumstances as they pursued their long-term education goals. Spaht grew up in Atlanta, Georgia where she attended the Westminster Schools. During her undergraduate studies at Washington and Lee University, she studied in Italy and interned at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. Spaht later earned a master’s degree in English education from Vanderbilt University and a Master of Arts in English from Middlebury College’s Bread Loaf School of English.

As the Upper School Counselor, Kristen Wilcox, MSW, LMSW plays a key role in the Upper School division. She earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in social work from Louisiana State University. Wilcox has worked as a social worker at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center, St. Joseph Hospice and The Carpenter House. Most recently, Wilcox provided counseling services for teens, young adults, adults and family members through Cancer Services of Baton Rouge. While at Cancer Services, she facilitated seven support groups and managed casework needs for all clients and family members through cancer treatment and bereavement. Wilcox is certified in Cognitive Behavioral Intervention for Trauma in Schools.

Staff

As the Academic Technology Coordinator, Brandi Bergeron plays a key role in integrating technology into classrooms. Bergeron has taught a variety of subjects to students throughout the Baton Rouge region over the course of her lengthy career. She earned numerous grants to enhance classroom experiences for students, including a Donor’s Choose grant, a Target Grant, Academic Distinction Fund grants and the Kelly Gene Cook Foundation award. Bergeron is a member of the REALISD team sponsored by the Institute of Museums and Library Services with the goal of bringing STEM programs to rural libraries. More than half of Bergeron’s career has been spent as a library media specialist, providing her the opportunity to support teachers and students. In this role, Bergeron managed technology for schools disseminating updates and providing training. She is Level One Google Certified, Google Level Two Certified and a Google Certified Trainer. Bergeron is Quality Matters Certified, has a Master’s Plus 30 and is proficient in a range of technology platforms. She earned a bachelor’s degree in education from Southeastern Louisiana University and a master’s degree in instructional technology from Grand Canyon University.

Whitley Collins - Episcopal Custodial Staff

Robert Davis - Episcopal Custodial Staff

Ebony Kinchen - Episcopal Custodial Staff

Dorothy Kitts - Episcopal Custodial Staff

Dorothy Rudison - Episcopal Custodial Staff

Tori Taylor is the Extended Care Director and the Performing Arts Academy Director. Taylor has served as an early childhood and general music teacher at several different private schools in the Baton Rouge area. Most recently, she taught early childhood music at Parkview Baptist School. Born and raised in Baton Rouge, Taylor earned a bachelor's degree in music and vocal music education from Louisiana State University. She joined the Episcopal community while in college as an extended care counselor, substitute teacher and she completed her student teaching in the Lower School division with Tricia Delony. She is active in the community having a private piano and voice studio, as well as serving weekly in her church's music ministry.  Taylor sits on the board of a summer music school, Gospel Singers of America, where she teaches advanced music theory and sightreading.  

Todd Wilkerson - Episcopal Custodial Staff

Lamonta Williams - Episcopal Custodial Staff

The Episcopal School of Baton Rouge 2024-2025 application is now available! ​For more information on the application process, to schedule a tour, or learn more about the private school, contact us at [email protected] or 225-755-2685.