Mr. Mike McKenna
Headmaster

Mr. Mike McKenna was drawn to classical and Christian education from a nagging sense that something was missing. After earning his BA in music education (Montclair State College) and his MA in Christian school administration (Grace Theological Seminary), Mike served as headmaster of Christian schools for more than a decade. However, he felt that prayer, Bible class, and chapel weren't sufficient when it came to educating our children for Christ. Once he attended a seminar by Dr. George Grant on classical Christian education, the scales fell from his eyes. Once Mike realized that Christian education was meant to be much more robust, more about becoming fully human in Christ than merely learning the Three R's, there was no looking back. Grammar, Logic, and Rhetoric and the heritage of our forefathers, which modern education—even much of modern Christian education—has tossed aside, were the good and necessary way to educate our children. Mike has been headmaster of classical and Christian schools since 2000. He and his wife, Chris, have five grown children and worship at Grace Bible Presbyterian Church. 

Mr. James Waldy
Grammar School Principal / Dean of Faculty

Mr. James Waldy serves as Grammar School Principal and Dean of Faculty. He also teaches astronomy in the Rhetoric School. He holds a B.A. in Elementary Education, an M.A. in Educational Administration from Tri-City Bible College, and an Ed.S. in Educational Administration from Bob Jones University. James and his wife Tami have five children, all of whom have received a classical Christian education. Three of their children are MHA graduates. The Waldys attend Cincinnati Primitive Baptist Church. 

Mrs. Lisa Cotterman
Finance Manager

After graduating from the University of Nebraska, Kearney, Mrs. Lisa Cotterman taught in Houston, where she met and married her husband Mark. The parents of three grown children have witnessed firsthand the fruit of a Mars Hill education in their daughters' speaking and writing skills and knowledge of the Bible. Mrs. Cotterman, who joined the Mars Hill staff 16 years ago, enjoys working with families as the Finance Manager. When not at school, Lisa enjoys cooking and playing golf with her husband. The Cotterman family attends Hope Church.

Mrs. Patsy Hall
Office Manager / Admissions Director

As Mars Hill Academy's Admissions Director and Office Manager, Mrs. Patsy Hall loves introducing new families to the school community. The mother of two MHA graduates is passionate about sharing the life-changing work of MHA with others and watching students grow in their faith and understanding of God's world. Patsy earned a B.S. from the University of Cincinnati. She and her husband Chris worship at Grace Bible Presbyterian Church.

Mrs. Lisa Knodel
Marketing & Communications Director

Before joining staff as the Marketing and Communications Director, Lisa Knodel worked in school communications and journalism. The Covenant College graduate is passionate about sharing how the Lord is advancing His Kingdom through the students and staff at Mars Hill Academy. Mrs. Knodel and her husband, Chris, have two children who both attend MHA. They are members of Southwest Ohio Reformed Presbyterian Church. As a family, they're often moving between athletic fields and theater performances or matching wits during a friendly game night.

Mrs. Teressa Mahl
Advancement Support Coordinator

After hearing about Mars Hill Academy from afar, Mrs. Teressa Mahl was delighted when God opened the door for her family to move from New York to the Cincinnati area just in time for her twins to enroll in Kindergarten. She was inspired by the way teachers at Mars Hill approach each learning area as an opportunity to know and worship God. Upon discovering a new passion for classical and Christian education, Teressa brought her experience in higher education communications, event planning, and alumni relations to serve on the Advancement team. When she isn’t planning a fundraising gala or sharing the latest Mars Hill highlights on social media, you can find her on the ski slopes with her family, sipping a warm cup of coffee on the porch, or plagued by indecision over her next home decorating project. She and her husband Aaron, along with their children, belong to Hope Church. 

Mrs. Erin Edwards
Office Support

After seeing the benefit of a classical, Christian education for her two daughters, Mrs. Erin Edwards joined Mars Hill Academy as an Office Assistant. This Purdue University graduate loves the MHA Christian community and feels blessed to use her organizational skills to assist the staff and parents in raising the next generation to know and love Christ. Erin and her husband Keith have two daughters, both MHA graduates, and are active members of Center Pointe Christian Church.

Mrs. Barb Weitzel
Office Support

Mrs. Emily Franks
Athletic Director

The Army may have brought the Franks family to southwest Ohio, but Mars Hill Academy kept them here. After being an MHA parent for seven years, Mrs. Emily Franks joined the staff as the Athletic Director. The Covenant College alumna seeks to help transform and build student-athletes who know Jesus in new and deeper ways through athletic pursuit and who compete unto the glory of God. When Emily isn’t cheering on the Highlanders, she can be found teaching her three children how to cook, tending her garden, or riding her bike on the Little Miami trail. Emily, her husband, Michael, and their children worship at The Gathering in Maineville.

Dr. Michelle Augustine
Logic & Rhetoric classes

After receiving her PhD in Sociology from the University of Kentucky, Dr. Michelle Augustine stayed home with her three children until they all entered Mars Hill Academy. Since joining the Mars Hill faculty in 2014, Michelle has taught in the grammar and rhetoric schools. She currently leads students through the grit and gain of Logic and Rhetoric in seventh, eighth, and tenth grades, and she assists in the capstone expression of these artistic acts of persuasion in the Senior Thesis. Outside of school, Michelle and her husband, Bill, attend Cincinnati Primitive Baptist Church where they grow in the knowledge of the doctrines of grace. They enjoy days and nights around the table or fire, on the beach or trail, and in the car or kitchen with their teenage children, their large extended family, and their friends. 

Mr. Paul Brinkerhoff
Logic & Humanities classes

Dr. Michael Cernucan
Rhetoric School

Dr. Michael Cernucan seeks to grow in his knowledge of and love for God and in his understanding of the most important texts and skills of western civilization. He spends his school days helping students who study New Testament, History, and Rhetoric to do the same. Dr. Cernucan holds a B.A. in Philosophy from Wheaton College, an M.A. in Old Testament from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, and a Ph.D. in Bible and Ancient Near East from Hebrew Union College. In his spare time, he reads literature and aims to make beautiful things out of wood. Michael and his wife, Amy, have three children, who all attend MHA. Their family worships together with God's people at Providence Bible Fellowship.

Mrs. Lisa Cunningham
Fourth Grade

After her time at Tennessee Temple studying music, Mrs. Lisa Cunningham turned to education at Shreveport Baptist University. Her favorite graduate classes at the University of Houston and Miami University were about children's literature. She now loves to incorporate music and stories into all her fourth grade classes. She is passionate about teaching children about God's word, His world, and the words we all use whether they are in English or in Latin. After school, you'll often find Lisa working on drama productions or running the BRIDGE after school study program. Five of her children have graduated from Mars Hill, and her youngest is a rhetoric student. The Cunningham family attends New City Presbyterian Church. 

Mr. Lyn Cunningham
Rhetoric Humanities & History

While his mother finished making lunch one Sunday sometime in the last century, Mr. Lyn Cunningham opened a high school history textbook at random and read about the Renaissance. It was for him an experience like C. S. Lewis describes in his autobiography, because learning about the great figures of that era created in him “the unsatisfied desire which is itself more desirable than any satisfaction.” That it is possible to hold a conversation with the ancients and ask them the reasons for what they did and said (like Machiavelli used to do after working in his garden) still moves Mr. Cunningham deeply; and forty years after his pre-prandial epiphany, he continues to study the Renaissance. Now he also tries to tell this generation’s teenagers about it in the humanities classes that he teaches. Between then and now, Lyn went to school at several places and ended up with a law degree from the University of Houston. He and his wife Lisa have six children: five MHA graduates and one who currently attends MHA. Their family worships at New City Presbyterian Church.

Mrs. Traci DeBra
Third Grade

After years of instructing Rhetoric School English, Mrs. Traci DeBra took her passion for education and her love for her Savior and began teaching second then third grade at Mars Hill Academy. As a young girl, Traci delighted in reading literature, writing poetry, and crafting stories—and encourages her students to find their God-given gifts and passions too. This Northern Kentucky University graduate considers her role both a gift and a high calling. Each day, she enters the classroom seeking to encourage her students to love the Lord, to cherish their fellow classmates, and to embrace their identity as image bearers. Traci and her husband, Josh, worship at Hope Church and spend much of their time supporting their six children’s activities, being beaten by them in family games, and preparing to graduate their youngest student from MHA.

Mrs. Laura Fazekas
Grammar & Rhetoric Art

Mr. Tim Giese
Fifth Grade & Rhetoric Music

Mr. Tim Giese teaches fifth grade and seventh and eighth grade music. He also directs the Concert Choir and Chamber Singers. He holds a B.A. in Music from Milligan College, and a M.A. from San Jose State University. Tim and his wife, Mary, have three sons, all MHA graduates, and are enjoying their first grandson. They are members of Trinity Reformed Episcopal Church in Mason.

Mrs. Corrie Graham
Grammar Music

Mrs. Tricia Hicks
Sixth Grade

Passionate about words and the Word, Mrs. Tricia Hicks combines these loves as a Bible, Literature, and Grammar Composition teacher. She views her role as a sixth grade homeroom teacher to be a bridge between the grammar and rhetoric schools, and she encourages students to take personal responsibility for both their faith and their academics as they mature in their love of the Lord and learning. A Calvin College graduate and West Michigan native, Tricia has spent the last twenty-three years in Ohio with her husband Matt. They have four children, two MHA alumni and two current MHA students, and are members at North Cincinnati Community Church. If she is not reading, Tricia can be found at the lake enjoying water sports with her family, listening to podcasts, or working a crossword puzzle.

Mrs. Ruth Hopson
Rhetoric Math & Science

Through her Rhetoric School math and science classes, Mrs. Ruth Hopson encourages her students to actively search for God’s fingerprint on creation, His love for us and His creation, and His character while taking joy and returning thanks to their Creator. Mrs. Hopson holds a B.A. in Biology from the University of Tennessee in Chattanooga and has received training in classical teaching at Logos School in Moscow, Idaho. Mrs. Hopson and her husband Brian have three adult children, two of whom are MHA alumni. They attend Good Shepherd Orthodox Presbyterian Church. In her free time, Mrs. Hopson enjoys spending as much time as possible with her five grandchildren. 

Dr. Christopher Jero
Rhetoric Bible & Languages

Dr. Christopher Jero is a former violinist to whom God gave a passion for making Him known through the Holy Scriptures. Believing that there is no more intimate way of communing with God in Scripture than through the original languages, Dr. Jero pursued an M.A. in Old Testament from Columbia International University and a Ph.D. in Hebrew and Cognate Studies from Hebrew Union College. He seeks to be an instrument by which God inspires the same passion in his students as he teaches Old Testament Survey, Biblical Interpretation, Greek, and Hebrew in the MHA Rhetoric School. Dr. Jero and his wife Rebecca have four children, including one MHA alumnus and two MHA students. The family attends Bible Chapel of Delhi Hills.

Mrs. Amy Kirk
Kindergarten

Mrs. Amy Kirk teaches Kindergarten. She holds a B.S. in Elementary and Early Childhood Education with a concentration in English Literature from Miami University. Mrs. Kirk taught first grade for five years in private and public school settings, and then homeschooled her children for 10 years. She and her husband Stephen have seven children: two MHA graduates and five current MHA students. The Kirk family attends Hope Church.

Mrs. Tracey Lang
First Grade

Before joining the Mars Hill community, Mrs. Tracey Lang taught for 10 years in secular and Christian school classrooms. When her family began looking at schools, she sought one that shared her love for Christ and found it at MHA. Mrs. Lang experienced teachers working with her boys to train them up the way she had been raised – with a love for God’s word and all its prescriptions for how one should live. Now, as an MHA teacher her love is supporting and encouraging families to find the truth, beauty, and goodness embodied in the school’s motto. Mrs. Lang and her husband Chuck met at the University of Cincinnati and attend Tri County Baptist Church. As a family you’ll find them hiking and biking about in God’s creation, admiring and enjoying His handiwork. 

Mrs. Christine Lange
Grammar & Rhetoric Latin

Mr. David Liebing
Sixth Grade & Grammar PE

Mr. David Liebing teaches sixth grade math and first through sixth grade P.E.  He also handles MHA facilities.  Mr. Liebing holds a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of Cincinnati and has experience in purchasing and materials management; teaching experience in church, co-op, and homeschool settings; and biblical counseling. He and his wife Ellen (former second grade teacher) have five children, all MHA graduates. The family attends the Bible Chapel of Delhi Hills.

Dr. Laura Lucas
Grammar & Rhetoric Science

After working for more than 12 years in the consumer products and flavor development industries as a Ph.D. research chemist, Dr. Laura Lucas transitioned to the classroom to fulfill God’s calling on her life. She earned a B.A. in Chemistry within a liberal arts framework at William Jewell College (Liberty, MO) and then completed both her Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry and post-graduate studies at the University of Kansas. She currently teaches general science in grades 3-6, high school chemistry, and coaches the Science Olympiad teams for Mars Hill. Her classroom goals are to impart lifelong wonder, shape young minds to embrace the creative, orderly, and intentional design of the world in which we live, and make science accessible for all. Dr. Lucas and her husband Robie have two children who have grown up at Mars Hill and are now both in the rhetoric school. They are members of Hope Church and enjoy playing games and taking hikes in nature together. If she’s not in the lab, Dr. Lucas may be found on the sidelines or in the stands of her children’s sporting events.

Mr. Bob Maruna
Rhetoric Math & Science

Rhetoric School teacher Mr. Bob Maruna encourages his students to experience the wonder of God's created world through the order and beauty of math and science. Mr. Maruna graduated with a B.S. from the United States Military Academy at West Point after which he served several years as a helicopter pilot in the U.S. Army. Since that time, he has spent more than 25 years in church and school administration and teaching. Mr. Maruna and his wife Tomi have three adult children and three grandchildren. He enjoys reading, fitness, being outdoors, and birdwatching, but mostly he prefers spending time with his grandchildren.

Mrs. Melanie Ruppersburg
Grammar History & Geography

Mrs. Melanie Ruppersburg teaches first and second grade geography and history. She earned a B.A. in Elementary Education, with Minors in Bible and Math, from Cedarville University. She and her husband Ron have two children, both of whom attend MHA. Their family attends Faith Bible Church.

Mrs. Claudia Smith
Pre-Kindergarten

Heeding God's call in her life to teach, Mrs. Claudia Smith loves the opportunity to gently introduce Mars Hill Academy’s youngest students to classical learning and to develop and teach a Pre-Kindergarten curriculum that fosters a sense of wonder and awe of God and His creation. It is her deepest desire for these Little Highlanders to know and experience the Lord even at a very young age. This CiRCE Apprenticeship program graduate was first exposed to classical Christian education while homeschooling her own children. Mrs. Smith, who holds a Master’s degree in education from Regis University (Denver), previously taught at two classical Christian schools in the Houston area. She and her husband Don worship and serve at Calvary Chapel Cincinnati. They enjoy spending time with their four grandchildren, gardening, and, whenever possible, skiing in the beautiful mountains of Colorado. 

Mr. Andrew Stapleton
Rhetoric Bible & Humanities

Mrs. Abby Taylor
First Grade

Once experienced first grade teacher Mrs. Abby Taylor discovered classical education, she never looked back. With degrees from Ohio State and the University of Dayton, she blends her training in education with a classical and Christian approach to give students a solid foundation for learning all subjects. Her joy in teaching is watching first graders grow in their knowledge and understanding of God. She loves seeing firsthand the children delight in learning new things about God’s world. Mrs. Taylor and her husband Steve, who are members at Hope Church, have three graduates of MHA and are adjusting to an empty nest. Mrs. Taylor enjoys reading and crafting in her spare time. 

Miss Betsy Thistleton
Rhetoric Math

After 13 years as a student at Mars Hill Academy, Miss Betsy Thistleton spent four years at Hillsdale College, earning a B.S with a double major in Mathematics and Religion and getting involved in as many extracurricular activities as possible. She returned to Mars Hill to teach Rhetoric School math and coach Varsity volleyball. Miss Thistleton is passionate about using all her time in the classroom and on the court to teach and disciple students to love the Lord with all of themselves. She has had the unique and fun experience of having her own brothers as her students. Miss Thistleton attends New City Presbyterian Church.

Mrs. Natalie Walls
Second Grade

As a former public school teacher, Mrs. Walls truly delights in the instruction and heart focus of Christ that is lived out in the Mars Hill classrooms each day. Her training in education at Michigan State University (B.A.) and University of Cincinnati (Master's) fueled her passion for teaching and a love for seeing children grow in knowledge and wisdom of the Lord. Mrs. Walls, her husband Chris, and their three children worship at Hope Church. As a family, they enjoy hiking, reading aloud, playing board games, and participating in MHA sports.

Mrs. Michelle Ware
Kindergarten & Grammar Math

Mrs. Michelle Ware has a love for children, a love for learning, and passion for math and science. Mrs. Ware delights in helping her students see God's purposes in and through His created order. She also enjoys watching her students grow in their love for the Lord and one another. She earned her B. S. in Chemistry from Wheaton College. Her family worships at Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church, and when not at school, she loves cooking, reading, and spending time outside with her three children.

Miss Hannah Weaver
Pre-Kindergarten

In the Little Highlanders Pre-Kindergarten classroom, Miss Hannah Weaver is passionate about instilling in her students a sense of wonder at the love and goodness of God. She daily seeks to draw their attention to the beauty of God’s creation and to cultivate the fruits of the Spirit in each one of them. It is her desire to spark a love of learning at a young age in her students so that they will have a solid foundation on which to build their classical, Christian education. This Thomas Edison State University graduate was homeschooled using the classical method and has tutored at both the grammar and rhetoric school levels. She loves children and enjoys reading gospel-centered books and spending time with family. Miss Weaver attends Providence Bible Fellowship.

Mrs. Kathryn Wheeler
Third Grade

A lifelong lover of literature, Kathryn Wheeler is thrilled to teach third graders at Mars Hill to love good books. With an M.A. in English from the University of Charleston, Mrs. Wheeler has taught literature and composition to many ages, from the university level to the elementary level. She adores the creativity and enthusiasm of her third grade students. She particularly loves teaching at Mars Hill because of the collective effort among the teachers to disciple the heart of every student. Mrs. Wheeler and her husband Paul have five children who all currently attend Mars Hill. They are members of Redeemer Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Beavercreek. The Wheelers are often found laughing at one another’s clever puns, spending time with their large extended family, or working in their family garden.

Mrs. Lynn Wong
Grammar Art

Mrs. Lynn Wong teaches Pre-K through third grade art. She earned a B.A. in Fine Arts and an M.A. in Art Education from Miami University. Mrs. Wong has taught in both public and private schools. After serving as Art Director for Senior Citizens, Inc., Mrs. Wong developed Made in His Image, a home-based business teaching art to homeschooled children. She and her husband Arthur have two children, one an MHA graduate. Their family attends Center Pointe Christian Church.