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.

Interim Associate Head of School • Humanities Faculty

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

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 • 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 • 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.

Chair • Theatre • Director of Marketing and Special Programs

Sarah Grant has been a faculty member at the Academy since 2019. She holds a master’s degree in the Humanities from the University of Chicago.

Director of Strategic Initiatives

Joseph (Joe) Hulbert has worked at The Academy since the fall of 2014, serving as Director of Strategic Initiatives. Joe has over two decades of experience working at the intersection of education and community arts.

Director of Operations / Faculty • Theatre

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.