Faculty and Staff

Joseph Ammirati

Interim Head of School/Director of Facilities/Middle School Teacher

Mr. Ammirati currently serves Angelus Academy as Interim Head of School and as Director of Facilities. He teaches middle school civics and logic. As Principal for seven years, he was instrumental in leading our school to its current expanded home. As a dedicated servant to the Angelus mission for over 24 years, Joe shared his talents with the community in the early years as an assistant teacher in the preschool and kindergarten programs. He then taught physical education and computer classes and math and served as Vice Principal for several years. He and his wife Kathleen are the parents of four children–three of whom are graduates of Angelus Academy–and grandparents of three grandchildren – two are now students at Angelus Academy. The Ammirati family are parishioners at St. Raymond of Penafort in Springfield. He earned his BA degree in Politics from the Catholic University of America.

Lisa Rickards

Assistant Head of School/Middle School Teacher

Mrs. Rickards serves as our Assistant Head of School, teaches Algebra 1, and supervises the independent-study Geometry students. She received her Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service from Georgetown University and earned her teaching certification while she and her family lived in California. Mrs. Rickards holds a Virginia Collegiate Professional License for Elementary Education with endorsements for Algebra 1 and for Middle School Mathematics. She, like Galileo, believes mathematics is the language in which God wrote the universe, and she loves watching children discover all its wonders through the beauty of mathematical concepts and through their exploration of solutions to real-life problems. As Assistant Head of School, Mrs. Rickards enjoys working with the faculty and staff to support their success and the spiritual and academic growth of all students. She also finds her efforts in school event planning and outreach to be especially rewarding because they highlight the rich history and Catholic traditions of the school. Mrs. Rickards and her husband have two adult children – an art teacher and a biomedical engineer – and are parishioners at St. Raymond of Peñafort.

Allison Lalli

Director of Learning Resources/Curriculum Support

Mrs. Lalli earned a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Elon University and a Master’s degree in Reading Education from the University of Virginia. Licensed not only to teach K-6 and high school English, but also as a reading specialist, she has taught in elementary, middle, and high school and homeschooled her own children for three years. Mrs. Lalli has spent the bulk of her career as a reading specialist and most recently as an instructional coach and curriculum coordinator. It was during her time homeschooling that she discovered and fell in love with classical education. This love led her and her husband to enroll their children at Angelus Academy when she returned to work. Mrs. Lalli and her husband have four children, all of whom attended or currently attend Angelus Academy.

Rachel Jerez

Director of Instruction/Resource Support

Mrs. Jerez joins Angelus Academy as the Director of Instruction, where she works alongside teachers to support excellent teaching and learning in the richness of the Catholic classical tradition. Before joining Angelus, she was the Director of Professional Learning and an English curriculum designer for Opportunity Education.

She has almost 20 years of experience in education and holds a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from Seton Hall University and a Master of Education in Secondary Education from George Washington University. After eleven years teaching English at both Paul VI Catholic High School and John Lewis High School, she continues to share her passion for learning by supporting teachers as they grow in their vocation.

Mrs. Jerez and her husband are blessed with three children, all students at Angelus Academy.

Julie Maimone

Director of Admissions/Middle School Teacher

Mrs. Maimone has been teaching at Angelus Academy since 2002. Her primary responsibilities are teaching advanced Latin and religion/faith formation to 8th graders, but over the years she has also taught Latin and religion to all middle school classes; music, cursive handwriting, and Greek/Latin roots to the lower grades; and she has been the teaching assistant for kindergarten and preschool. She has her Bachelor of Arts Degree in English Composition from George Mason University. She has also completed certificate programs in Scripture, History, Catechetics, the Catechism, and Philosophy through the Institute of Catholic Culture. Mrs. Maimone is a founding member and current Director of the Women’s Apostolate to Youth (WAY). All four of her (now adult) children attended Angelus. Her favorite thing about teaching at Angelus Academy is the way in which all disciplines—not just religion classes—point the children toward God. She is a parishioner at Saint Leo the Great in Fairfax.

Hannah Brink

Director of Mission

Karen Popp

Business Manager / Director of Development

Mrs. Popp is a graduate of Spring Hill College, with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications. She is a mother to four and a military wife. In 2020, Mrs. Popp joined the staff as a substitute teacher, an aide for Little Messengers, and worked at the front desk. In her current position, she leads the major fundraising efforts, helps prepare the annual budget and works with the Board of Trustees to monitor expenditures. Mrs. Popp is also the Associate Managing Editor for TheCatholicThing.org. In her free time, she loves to travel and garden. The Popps are parishioners at St. Raymond of Penafort.

Tracy Frelk

Office Administrator

Mrs. Frelk first became involved with Angelus Academy when she and her family moved to Virginia in 2003, and she enrolled her children here. Since then, she has volunteered in many capacities, including working at the front desk and teaching Spanish to kindergarten, first grade and second grade. She also taught math to the middle school for five years. Before becoming a stay-at-home mom, Mrs. Frelk received a B.A. in political science and worked on Capitol Hill and in law firms in Washington, DC. All seven of her children have graduated from Angelus Academy. She and her husband, Jim, are very happy to be part of the Angelus family.

Dr. Joy Marean Hickey

Accreditation and Development Support 

Dr. Hickey is a graduate of Colby College (B.A. in French), Lesley University (M.Ed. in Elementary Education), and Columbia University (M.A. in International Educational Development; Ed.D. in Education Leadership). As a young adult, she served as a student-leader in Catholic campus ministry and was an active participant in music ministry (flute). Dr. Hickey has worked in independent schools in Massachusetts, California, New York State, Washington (D.C.), France, and Russia as both a teacher and an administrator. She has also served as a teaching assistant and a graduate assistant for the Master’s programs in Private School Leadership at Teachers College, Columbia University. Dr. Hickey is thankful to draw upon these experiences in her roles at Angelus Academy and feels blessed to be part of such a special school community where one can grow in knowledge and virtue. Dr. Hickey and her family are parishioners at Queen of Apostles Catholic Church in Alexandria.

Breny Mantooth

Receptionist

Allison Gemperline

Alumni Relations

Mrs. Gemperline is a graduate of Angelus Academy. She graduated from the University of Mary Washington with a B.A. in History and M.S. in Elementary Education. She is excited to be working with her fellow alumni and giving back to Angelus Academy. The Gemperline family are parishioners of Nativity Church in Burke.

Katie Hardy

Communications and Development Assistant

Born and raised in Louisiana, Mrs. Hardy feels right at home in our school family. A proud military spouse and mother of six, she has a heart for helping wherever she’s needed — as catechist for CGS, pitching in with the PTO, planning events, or capturing special moments behind a camera. She loves using her creative skills to help make our school a welcoming place where faith, learning, and community can flourish.

Alice Hunt

Little Messengers Teacher/Librarian

Virginia Marcantonio

Little Messengers Aide

Lisa McCrumb

Kindergarten Teacher 

Mrs. McCrumb has been involved with Angelus Academy as a teacher, trustee, and parent. She began teaching at Angelus Academy in 2005 and served as the first grade teacher for many years. Mrs. McCrumb is currently teaching kindergarten. She was on the Board of Trustees from 2009-2024 as the Faculty Representative. Mrs. McCrumb and her husband, Bryan, have three children and five grandchildren. Their youngest daughter, Allison, is a 2012 graduate of Angelus Academy. She received her BS in Interdisciplinary Studies along with her PreK–6th grade teaching certification from Regent University. Mrs. McCrumb and her family are active members of Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Alexandria.

Joseph Adelman

Kindergarten Aide

Mr. Adelman has been part of the Angelus Academy community as a parent for the past six years and will be serving as the kindergarten aide this year. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from George Mason University and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling at Divine Mercy University. Mr. Adelman is the father of a young adult son and a daughter who currently attends Angelus Academy. A passionate Catholic, he is a parishioner at Saint Raymond of Peñafort Catholic Church.

Terri Hood

First Grade Teacher

Mrs. Hood has a Bachelor of Arts in English from The College of William and Mary and a Masters of Education from George Mason University. She has worked in education for over twenty years as an elementary school teacher, preschool teacher, and high school English teacher. She is a certified instructor for the Institute of Excellence in Writing and a teaching fellow for the Northern Virginia Writing Project. She enjoys teaching first grade at Angelus. She and her husband, Patrick, have six children and are members of Good Shepherd parish.

Steven Fisher

Second Grade Teacher

Dr. Fisher joined the faculty of Angelus Academy in August 2022 after retiring from a 40-year career in dentistry and a career in the U.S. Navy. A North Carolina native, he graduated in 1975 from the University of North Carolina with a Bachelor of Arts in Zoology and in 1982 with a Doctorate in Dental Science. Dr. Fisher has also received Master of Science degrees in Entomology from North Carolina State University and in Health Sciences from George Washington University. During his naval career, Dr. Fisher obtained a specialty Certificate in Periodontology from the Naval Postgraduate Dental School at Bethesda, Maryland.

Dr. Fisher’s wife, Margaret, is a civilian dentist with the U.S. Army at Ft. Belvoir, and currently, four of their eight children attend Angelus Academy. The family are active parishioners at Nativity Church in Burke, Virginia.

Dr. Fisher feels blessed to be a part of Angelus Academy where faith, virtue and each academic discipline are taught as a cohesive and integrated curriculum, and he is humbled by the opportunity to guide God’s little ones in their first communion year.

Kimberly Kidd

Third Grade Teacher

Mrs. Kidd is a mother of four wonderful children and a wife of 23 years. She calls Northwestern Pennsylvania home; however as a military spouse she and her family have lived in 10 homes over the past 23 years, including five different states and three overseas assignments. She has been active in her parishes as a lector, catechist, eucharistic minister, and various other ministries. Currently she and her family are active members of Nativity Catholic Church in Burke, VA.

Mrs. Kidd has earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Education from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. She has earned Professional Certificates in the Education of Persons with Disabilities, K-12.

Mrs. Kidd has previously taught in Pennsylvania, Virginia, and California. She has also used a classical curriculum approach in the homeschooling of her own children. This is her fourth year as an Angelus Academy parent.

Mary Runyan

Fourth Grade Teacher

Mrs. Runyan joins our faculty from Lecompte, LA. She holds a teaching certificate from the American Montessori Society and a Bachelor of Arts in Mild Moderate Special Education from Louisiana Tech University. In addition to working in a Montessori school, she has taught Classical Conversations as a homeschooling parent.

Bill Reitemeyer

Fifth Grade Teacher

Mr. Reitemeyer holds a B.A. in History from Benedictine College. He also earned a Minor in Theology. As a child of a military family, he has lived in many places around the United States and spent two years living in Italy. He is the second-oldest of a large, homeschooling family and is a parishioner of St. Raymond’s. This is his second year at Angelus Academy and he is excited to help form young minds and help them grow in their faith.

Matthew Coleman

Middle School Teacher/Technology Coordinator

Mr. Coleman holds a B.S. in Physics from The College of William and Mary. Additionally, he spent time discerning a vocation to the priesthood with the Diocese of Richmond while studying Philosophy and Theology at St. Mary’s Seminary in Baltimore, MD. In 2016, he came to the school and served as a substitute teacher, Little Messengers aide, and after-school program leader. In 2017, he accepted a position teaching second grade. After three years teaching second grade, Mr. Coleman moved to teach fifth grade. This year, he has moved again and will be teaching various Middle School classes.

Susan Hunt

Middle School Teacher/Science Support

Mrs. Hunt has been part of the middle school teaching team at Angelus Academy since 2003. She has her Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry and her Masters degree in Biotechnology. She enjoys interacting with the middle school students and seeing them grow in love for God and learning. She especially enjoys hands-on lab activities and word problems.

Maeve Randall

Middle School Teacher

Miss Randall is a passionate Catholic who continually seeks the integration of Catholicism with education. Since she was in middle school, she has aspired to be an English teacher. She enjoys spreading her love of reading, writing, and crafting with those around her, as well as her love for the faith and for education. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in English Literature from George Mason University and is the 7th and 8th grade Humanities teacher at Angelus Academy.

Erin Jensen

Middle School Teacher

Mrs. Jensen has a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from Mary Washington College and has a Virginia Collegiate Professional License for Secondary Mathematics Education grades 6 through 12. Earlier in her career, she taught for Fairfax County Public Schools as a middle school math teacher. She loves teaching math and making it enjoyable to learn. She found Angelus Academy when her oldest, who is now an alumna, was a Little Messenger, and now her two youngest children are students here. She and her family are parishioners of St. Raymond of Peñafort Catholic Church.

Elizabeth McShea

Middle School Teacher

Madeline Runyan

Atrium Catechist

Ms. Runyan currently lives with her family in Dumfries, Virginia. She graduated from Louisiana State University at Alexandria with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology, and as the oldest of four, is experienced in caring for children of various ages. Ms. Runyan looks forward to working with the Angelus Academy family as someone to fill in at the front desk, assist teachers, and serve in any other way she is needed during this year of changes.

Rose Frelk

PE/Art Teacher

Miss Frelk is the youngest of seven siblings and a proud alumni of Angelus Academy, where she attended from Kindergarten through 8th grade. She is currently studying education at Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) and has several years of experience as a substitute teacher and after school teacher. Before entering the education field, Miss Frelk worked in retail, where she developed strong communication and customer service skills. She’s passionate about creating a welcoming, supportive environment for students and is excited to give back to the school that helped shape her journey.

Tryce Maffei

Music/Chorus Teacher

Mrs. Maffei has experience participating in various musical and choral ensembles. She is a trained violinist as well as a skilled vocalist and guitarist. She served as a Catholic liturgical music leader for the Catholic community at RAF Alconbury in Huntington, England from 2016-2018. Mrs. Maffei was also a cast member for the 2002 U.S. Army Soldier Show, a variety show that toured U.S. military installations in the United States, Germany, and Italy. She has a Bachelor of Applied Sciences and Technology degree from Thomas Edison State University and is a veteran of the U.S. Army. In her free time, she enjoys bicycling and creating music with fellow musicians.

Hannah Russo

Art Teacher

Mrs. Russo is a graduate of Franciscan University with a BS in Marketing. She is the 2nd-8th grade Art Teacher.  She also works behind the scenes sharing her artistic talents with the school by creating print and digital designs, of which include materials for the Gala, Annual Report, Messengers of Hope Campaign, banners, flyers, and ads. In 2017, she redesigned the school’s website and she continues to keep the website up-to-date.

In addition to her time at Angelus Academy, Mrs. Russo is the Business Manager and Managing Editor of The Catholic Thing, an online forum for intellectual Catholic commentary.

She has five children of which have either graduated from or are currently attending Angelus Academy. Mrs. Russo has loved drawing, painting and creating since her youth and is looking forward to igniting a love for art in her students and encouraging their creativity.