Head of School

Jason Patera has been part of the Academy community for over 20 years, serving as a faculty member, Chair of the Music Department, Assistant Head of School, Principal, and now Head of School.

Assistant Principal

Elizabeth Cunningham is the Dean of Students as well as the Student Services Coordinator. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Fine Art and a Master of Education in Special Education at Loyola University.

Elizabeth also serves as the Director of Learning Resources.

Director of Enrollment Management

Amanda LePard joins The Academy with over 10 years of Admissions experience in independent schools. A lifelong dancer, Amanda is classically trained and received a degree in Dance and Communication from the University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point before moving to Chicago to pursue a professional dance career. 

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 for the past twenty-two years has been on the Academy faculty.

Chair - Music

Rachel Brown is a Chicago-based chamber musician, soloist, orchestral performer, educator, and arts administrator. Formerly with the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, she is now Associate Principal Second Violin of the South Bend Symphony Orchestra and performs with the Illinois, Rockford, and Fort Wayne Symphony Orchestras, as well as the American Music Festivals Orchestra. Rachel also instructs classical violin, viola, and musicianship.

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. He has been a creative associate with the Wagon Wheel Theatre for over ten years, directing and performing in dozens of shows.

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 - 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.    

Co-Chair - Humanities

Nicholas Roux teaches philosophy and creative writing. He attended Kenyon College, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in English, with concentrations in Creative Writing and Humane Studies, and served as a student associate for The Kenyon Review.

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. 

College Counselor

Sarah Langford was a high school teacher for fifteen years and is now College Counselor at The Academy. Sarah attended the University of Missouri and holds a Master of Education from The University of Illinois (Chicago).

Tim Tynan has been teaching history at The Academy since fall of 2000. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in History and English Literature from Loyola University of Chicago, as well as a Master of Arts in English Literature and an Illinois teaching certificate in Secondary Education from Northeastern Illinois University. 

Chief of Staff

Emily is a seasoned professional with multiple years of teaching experience at the Denver Center Theatre Academy. She holds a BFA in Musical Theatre from the University of Oklahoma.

Brenda Moore is a Chicago based visual artist represented by Linda Warren Projects.  She has taught at The Academy since 2003.

Director of Strategic Initiatives

Prior to assuming the role of Director of Strategic Initiatives, Joseph (Joe) Hulbert worked as Director of Partnerships at The Academy since the fall of 2014. Joe has over a decade of experience working at the intersection of education and community arts through his work at both The Academy and the Center for Community Arts Partnerships (CCAP), at Columbia College Chicago.

New Music Ensemble Director, Pop/Rock Ensemble Director, Classical Guitar Instructor

Jesse Langen is a guitarist who specializes in new music.  He works with living composers regularly and premieres dozens of pieces every season. Equally comfortable on classical and electric guitar, he seeks to push both the technical boundaries and the conceptual functions of the instrument. He has taught at The Academy since 2002.

Assistant Chair of the Dance Department

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. 

Buck has been working as the Technical Director/Production Manager for The Chicago Academy for the Arts since 2004.  He is a Member of the Illinois Theatre Association and the CAA representative to the USITT.

Stacey Talbert is a Chicago native of diverse cultural background. She has a strong history in administrative and management support along with education. One of her specialties is building a positive rapport with students. Her passion is working with a team of varied backgrounds.

Facilities Manager

Robert joined The Academy in 2014. Prior to taking the role of Facilities Manager, he worked as a baker at the Archdiocese of Chicago for 27 years.

Facilities Manager

Henry Feliciano has over 30 years of experience in facilities, most notably with Verizon. Henry joined The Academy in 2014.

Jake Hinkson is the author of several books, including the novels Hell On Church Street, The Posthumous Man, and No Tomorrow, the short story collection The Deepening Shade, and the essay collection The Blind Alley: Exploring Film Noir’s Forgotten Corners. He was a a guest lecturer at The Academy in early 2016 and later joined the faculty. 

Christopher Hagenah attended University of California Santa Barbara, where he earned a Doctor of Philosophy in English.

Chair - Math, Science, and Technology

Melissa Metelits became a faculty member in 2018 and teaches Algebra II, Precalculus, AP Calculus BC, and AP Computer Science. She has taught and tutored a variety of subjects in Philadelphia, her home town, and in Chicago.

Director of Recording Arts and Commercial Music

For the past six years, Jack has led an impressive career in the audio industry. Before joining the faculty at The Chicago Academy for the Arts, Jack was involved in numerous recording, live sound, and televised productions during which he worked alongside local stars, national touring acts, and seasoned music legends.

Vocal Jazz Ensemble Co-Director, Jazz Voice Instructor

Callandra (Cal) Youngleson is a South African jazz vocalist, composer and educator. She has performed internationally collaborating with some of South Africa and America's greatest jazz musicians.