Karen Beebe
kbeebe@gregorythegreatacademy.org
Karen Beebe grew up in Cooperstown, New York and holds a B.A. in English from the University of Illinois at Springfield. Mrs. Beebe serves as the Registrar, Admissions Director, and Poetry teacher.
Marcus Broom
Marcus Broom is from Rye, New Hampshire. He attended Thomas Aquinas High School in Dover, where he captained the soccer and lacrosse teams. He received an academic scholarship from the Catholic University of America and, after two years of study, Mr. Broom attended the St. Kateri Tekakwitha Internship in New Mexico to help build a Shrine to Our Lady of Guadalupe. While there, he learned about Gregory the Great Academy, and seized the opportunity to serve as a dormfather before continuing his college career. He is also a folk music teacher and soccer and rugby coach.
John Burger
jburger@gregorythegreatacademy.com
John Burger holds a B.A. in Philosophy from Christendom College and an M.A. in English from the University of Dallas. John teaches Latin, Humanities I, Heaven and Earth Science, Scripture II, and serves as the Academy’s Farm Foreman.
Luke Culley
lculley@gregorythegreatacademy.org
Luke Culley received his bachelor’s degree from Thomas Aquinas College and master’s degree in literature from the University of Dallas. He serves as Headmaster, Humanities II and Church History teacher, and is the director of the Saint Julian’s Juggling Troupe and the Senior Pilgrimage.
Russell Davis
Russell Davis was born and raised in Utah and graduated from Gregory the Great Academy in 2013. He moved to Montana to pursue a career in agriculture, building fences and working his way into a ranch job, where he took care of cows and put up hay. Besides ranching for a decade, Mr. Davis also has made regular commercial fishing trips out of Kodiak, AK. A through-and-through outdoorsman, Mr. Davis enjoys hunting, riding horses, skiing, and his recent position at the Academy as a dormfather, coach, and farmhand.
Sean Fitzpatrick
sfitzpatrick@gregorythegreatacademy.org
Sean Fitzpatrick is a graduate of Thomas Aquinas College. He serves as the Assistant Headmaster and teaches Literature I and II and guides the upper-form leadership. He lives in Scranton with his wife, Sophie, and their seven children.
Declan Hamilton
Declan Hamilton is from Ho Ho Kus, New Jersery, and graduated from the Academy in 2015 and from the University of Dallas in 2019 with a BA in English. He earned his master’s in English literature at the University of Limerick, Ireland, in 2020 (1st honors). Mr. Hamilton has worked as a content manager for The Latin Mass Magazine and enjoys writing poetry, hiking, rugby, and studying the works of Evelyn Waugh and Seamus Heaney. He teaches Senior Trivium and Ancient History, coaches rugby, and serves as the Head Dormfather.
Anthony Hierro
Anthony Hierro is a graduate of St. Michael’s Preparatory Academy in California and the University of Dallas, where he majored in business and accounting. After a stint in I.T. field, Mr. Hierro worked at the St. Anthony Shelter for Renewal in the Bronx. He enjoys coaching sports, having played rugby in his Dallas days, and also reading, with a special regard for Tolkien, Waugh, and Hemingway. Mr. Hierro serves the Academy as the Algebra I-II, Physics, Pre-Calculus teacher, and soccer and rugby coach.
Edward Kelly
Edward Kelly is a 2013 graduate of Gregory the Great Academy and went on to Christendom College where he earned his bachelor’s in philosophy. He then went into carpentry in Northern Virginia where he worked as a craftsman for five years. Mr. Kelly enjoys drawing, woodworking, and reading fiction. He serves the Academy this year as a dormfather, drawing and carpentry instructor, and soccer coach.
David Kuplack
David Kuplack is from Post falls, Idaho. He attended Gregory the Great Academy before taking up work in the electrical trade in Washington State and Northern Idaho. He then worked in Virginia as an apprentice timber-framer, and also did a turn in landscaping, food service, and electrical contracting. He serves the Academy as a dormfather, folk music teacher, and soccer and rugby coach.
Nathan Lefler
A long-time friend of the Academy, Nathan Lefler is Associate Professor of Theology in the department of Theology/Religious Studies at the University of Scranton, where he teaches courses on Grace, Friendship, Hagiography, and Worship. He has published articles on the Psalms, St. Augustine, St. Benedict, St. Thomas Aquinas, Balthasar, Shakespeare, J. R. R. Tolkien, Flannery O’Connor and Catholic liturgy. He is grateful for the opportunity to participate in the Academy seniors’ Theology seminar. He lives in Scranton with his wife, Annie, and three children.
Rev. Christopher Manuele
Fr. Christopher is a Melkite Greek Catholic priest of the Eparchy of Newton and pastor of St. Joseph Church in the West Side of Scranton. He is a graduate of Thomas Aquinas College and Holy Cross School of Theology, Boston, MA. Father teaches Scripture I, Latin, and provides the Divine services and religious instruction at the Academy.
Michael Miller
After twenty years pursuing his love of carpentry and woodworking and becoming a general contractor, Michael joined the Academy to serve as Director of Operations. He is thrilled at the opportunity to beautify and care for the building and property. Michael is teaching Euclidean Geometry as well as a woodworking guild for the boys. He and his wife, Kaylie, live in Elmhurst, PA with their eight children.
Paul Prezzia
Paul Prezzia holds a BA in History from the University of Pittsburgh, and an MA in History from the University of Notre Dame. He joined the development team of Gregory the Great Academy in 2012 and serves as school Business Manager, teaches Latin and writing, and leads the strength training program.
Daniel Schiller
dschiller@gregorythegreatacademy.org
Daniel Schiller is a native of New Baltimore, NY. He graduated from Ave Maria University in 2011 with a bachelor’s degree in history. He teaches American History, supervises Senior college preparations, and is the Assistant Dean. Mr. Schiller lives in Waymart, PA with his wife, Clare, and four children.
Christopher Smith
csmith@gregorythegreatacademy.com
Christopher Smith serves as the Director of Development. He received his B.A. in Philosophy from Christendom College in 2007, and an M.A. in National Security Affairs from The Institute of World Politics in Washington DC in 2011. He currently lives just outside of Front Royal, VA with his wife, Kathleen, and their three children.
Garret van Beek
gvanbeek@gregorythegreatacademy.org
Garret van Beek received his degree in Sociology from the University of Ottawa. Garret is the Athletic Director, and the Head Coach of the soccer and rugby programs. He teaches Natural History I and II, and lives in Moscow, PA with his wife, Claire, and eight children.
Matthew Williams
mwilliams@gregorythegreatacademy.org
Music Director Matthew Williams holds a degree in music from West Chester University of Pennsylvania, where his primary instrument was the piano. Having been involved in church music from an early age, Matthew has participated in and conducted choirs both young and old. He has served as organist for several parishes and teaches private piano. In addition to directing the Schola and teaching Sacred Music, Matthew serves as Residential Dean at Gregory the Great Academy.