ABOUT THE ACADEMY

Head of School

Melinda Zacher Ronayne, Ed.D., is the Head of School at The Chicago Academy for the Arts. She brings a visionary leadership style shaped by more than two decades of experience in arts institutions across the country.

Chair • Dance

Randy Duncan, a native Chicagoan, has the unique privilege to be a three-time recipient of Chicago’s prestigious Ruth Page Award for Outstanding Choreographer of the year. He teaches worldwide and has been an integral part of The Academy faculty for over 30 years.

Assistant Chair • Dance

Patrick Simoniello began his professional career as a dancer with The Joffrey II Dancers in New York City in 1993. He was soon promoted to the main company of The Joffrey in 1994. 

Co-Chair • Humanities

Anna earned her Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in French Literature from the University of Illinois, Chicago, where she also taught before coming to the Academy. 

Chair • Musical Theatre

Andrew Robinson earned his Bachelor of Arts in English and Religion from Rhodes College, his Master of Divinity from Union Theological Seminary at Columbia University, and his Master of Arts in Educational Theatre from New York University.

Chair • Music Department

Praised for her “Gleaming tone and Hollywood glamour” (Chicago Classical Review), Rachel Brown is a Chicago-based chamber musician, soloist, orchestral performer, educator, and arts administrator.

Chair • Media Arts

Sarah Hiatt is an artist and educator born and raised in the Ozarks. She uses photography to explore the ideas of grief, innocence, and growing up. Her work has been shown in various locations throughout the United States and internationally.

Chair • Visual Arts

Margy Stover has taught at The Academy since 2003 and has been Visual Arts Department Chair since 2008. She has a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Pratt Institute and Master of Fine Arts from SUNY Buffalo.

Chair • Theatre

Ben Dicke holds a Master of Fine Arts in Theatre Performance from the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Education from Sterling College. He has worked as a professional actor for twenty years in regional markets throughout the country.

Chair • Math, Science, and Technology

Melissa Metelits, a faculty member since 2018, combines her passion for math, creativity, and storytelling, teaching advanced courses like AP Calculus and AP Computer Science while inspiring students to approach learning with confidence and curiosity.

Assistant Principal / Director of Learning Resources

Elizabeth Cunningham is the Assistant Principal and also oversees Learning Resources for diverse learners. She holds a Master of Education in Special Education and a Bachelor Degree in Art, both from Loyola University Chicago.

Faculty • Math

Sargina Taliya has taught math at The Academy since Fall of 2022. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics from The University of Illinois at Chicago, as well as an Illinois teaching certificate in Secondary Education from National Louis University.

Co-Chair • Humanities

Nicholas Roux is the Co-Chair of the Humanities Department and teaches upper-level courses in literature and philosophy.

Director of Enrollment Management

Chief of Staff / Theatre Faculty

Emily Luhrs is a collaborative leader and educator with more than a decade of experience spanning arts education, school operations, and professional performance. She began her work at The Chicago Academy for the Arts in 2017 as a guest teaching artist and director of special programs for Middle School Programs.

Director of Middle School Programs / Faculty • Theatre

Sarah Grant has been a faculty member at the Academy since 2019, where she directs and teaches in the Theatre and Musical Theatre Departments. She holds a master’s degree in the Humanities from the University of Chicago.