Karli Anderson has been working at Anthem Prep since 2017. She earned a Master’s in Music from the University of Texas in San Antonio, and a bachelor’s degree in Musical Studies from Oberlin College and Conservatory. In her free time, she enjoys reading and playing RPGs.
Kimberly (Kim) Bidleman joined the Great Hearts Anthem community as a parent in the 2012-13 school year. Mrs. Bidleman became a Great Hearts Anthem faculty member in 2016 and taught 5th grade for four years spending one of those years as an instructional aide. She has a passion for algebra and started teaching middle school math in the 2020-21 school year. Since then, all three of her children have graduated from Great Hearts Anthem. Mrs. Bidleman has a Bachelor of Science in Accounting. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family, reading, and cooking.
Johanna Chumley received a bachelor’s degree in Human Development with minors in Bible and Studio Art from Lee University in Cleveland, Tennessee. She has held teaching certificates in both Tennessee where she taught 5th grade; and in Arizona where she taught 3rd and 6th grade at a charter school in downtown Phoenix. Her work with the Great Hearts network of schools began in 2019. She has a passion for education and the arts as well as a desire to contribute to the strong community at Anthem Prep.
Jonathon Duffey is new to the Anthem Prep faculty, currently teaching 9th Grade Humane Letters and 6th Grade U.S. History. He has previously taught Creative Writing at Phoenix Center for the Arts. A lifetime Phoenix native and ASU alumnus, Mr. Duffey has a deep-rooted faith in the liberal arts tradition and is eager to share his love for literature and cultural history with the Great Hearts community. Most of his downtime is spent playing guitar and enjoying films from the 1970’s New Hollywood period.
Gabriel Herrera is entering his second year with Anthem Prep, teaching Studio Art I and Introduction to Fine Arts. He grew up in Moultrie County of central Illinois before moving to Surprise, Arizona where he earned an International Baccalaureate Diploma. He attended the University of Arizona in Tucson and earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 2020, with a focus in Studio Art (2D) and Spanish. Mr. Herrera enjoys drawing, painting and reading esoteric novels in his spare time.
Dr. Christian Holland has been teaching, both high school and college level, at various institutions for over 20 years. He earned a Bachelor’s from the Great Books Program at St. John’s College, Annapolis, a second Bachelor’s in Historical Theology from the Gregorian University in Rome, Italy, a Master’s in New Testament Studies from the Biblical Institute in Rome, Italy, and his Doctorate in Comparative Literature from Emory University. His dissertation, entitled “Time for Paul: Lyotard, Agamben, Badiou,” studies the historical and philosophical resurrection of Paul by leading French and Italian thinkers at the end of the twentieth century. After returning to his alma mater as a tutor in Annapolis to teach Great Books, he taught French, as well as electives in History and Philosophy, at a therapeutic boarding school in New England. He has now come full circle with his recent appointment at Anthem Prep. He serves on the staff as a teacher of Humane Letters, currently working with tenth graders on Modern Literature and Political Philosophy and with eleventh graders on Ancient Greek Literature, Plato, Aristotle, and the Hebrew Bible. In his free time, he enjoys classical music, cinema, running, and swimming, following current events mainly from French and European news outlets, reading, writing, and keeping in touch with friends.
Marius Mateescu is entering his 7th year with Great Hearts academies. Mr. Mateescu has a wide range of teaching experience since he first began in 2002, teaching students from kindergarten to 10th Grade in Social Studies, Algebra, Computer Literacy, Science, and English. Mr. Mateescu has a bachelor’s degree in urban Geography from the University of Illinois. He received his teaching credentials from Arizona State University and a master’s degree from Grand Canyon University in Christian Studies. Mr. Mateescu is married and has 6 children. He enjoys bicycling, reading, basketball, hiking, and spending time with his family.
Mr. Moore is an Arizona native. He was privileged to teach Humane Letters for six years at Veritas Prep, one of our sister schools in Phoenix, before transferring to Anthem Prep in 2022. He has taught Humane Letters for at least 2 years for all four grades (9th-12th). He has an undergraduate degree in Bible and a Master’s Degree in Theology. He is working on his Doctor of Philosophy in Humanities from Faulkner University and is entering the dissertation phase. Before teaching he worked many jobs including many years as a Realtor, a computer consultant and as an associate Pastor. His daughter Katie teaches Lit Comp at Scottsdale prep, and his son Justin is a musician and Role-Playing Game enthusiast. He has been married to his best friend Michelle since 1986. He loves teaching and the outstanding character of both the students and personnel at Great Hearts Academies.
Dr. Derek Morrow is a founding faculty member of Anthem Prep. Over the past fifteen years, it has been his privilege to teach a wide range of courses for the academy, including Latin, Lit/Comp (seven years), Humane Letters (three years), Rhetoric (four years), and French (thirteen years). Dr. Morrow graduated from Chaparral High School in Scottsdale before earning his Bachelor of Arts in French from Arizona State University. After completing two years of graduate work in biblical languages (Greek and Hebrew), he then moved to Texas, where he earned his M.A. and his Ph.D. in Philosophy and the Liberal Arts from the University of Dallas. In the current academic year, Dr. Morrow is teaching two sections of French and three sections of the American Rhetorical Tradition. He loves witnessing the joy in the faces of his students, especially when they suddenly grasp an exciting truth or bask in the beauty of conversing in French!
Christopher Munger is going into his third year at Great Hearts Anthem. Before teaching at Great Hearts, he taught at Ottawa University. He is Currently Finishing his doctoral degree in Transformational Leadership with an under in Performance Psychology. Mr. Munger has taught math and music but is currently teaching all the music courses for middle school.
Lucas Pieraccini began his journey with Great Hearts in the sixth grade, graduating from Anthem Prep as a senior in 2016. Lucas earned admission into Hillsdale College, where he studied biology, graduating in 2020. While at Hillsdale College, Lucas competed on the Hillsdale College Clay Target Team, where he won two national championships and ranked 46th in the nation in all disciplines over all four divisions of competitors at the ACUI 2019 National Championship. Lucas also served as captain of the Clay Target Team in his senior year at Hillsdale. After spending six months post-graduation accruing volunteer hours at local hospitals in preparation for medical school, Lucas discovered the medical field was not his calling. Instead, Lucas answered a call to pursue service in education and came back to work for Anthem Prep in the Fall of 2021. Lucas finds deep fulfillment and joy in serving the Anthem community as a biology teacher, DJ at school dances, and more. In the Fall of 2023, Lucas began serving the Anthem community as an Assistant Dean of Students in addition to teaching. Outside of school, Lucas fills his time pursuing a master’s degree at the University of Dallas, playing the piano, songwriting/producing, reading, hiking, and serving at his parish.
Gregory Syssoyev has been with Great Hearts since 2021, starting at Glendale Prep, and with Great Hearts Anthem since 2022, teaching, in various years, 9th Grade Geometry, 10th Grade Chemistry, 11th Grade Physics I, and 12th Grade Physics II. Originally from Palo Alto, California, he has lived in Utah, New Mexico, Maine, and Massachusetts at different points in his life. He graduated from St. John’s College in Santa Fe, NM, receiving his undergraduate degree in philosophy and the history of math and science. He briefly worked as a political field organizer before growing disillusioned and returning to the world of liberal arts education. He finds fascinating the interplay between mathematics and the natural sciences; namely the way in which mathematical language can be used to express fundamental truths about the cosmos.
This will be Mrs. Vanderham’s fourth year with us at Great Hearts Anthem. Previously, she taught at Deer Valley district schools for 8 years as well as a local charter school, where she taught 2-8th grade for another 5 years. She has three children. One daughter attends our school in 7th grade. Mrs. Vanderham loves our literature selections and sharing them with her students. For fun, she enjoys roller skating and having friends and family over for game nights and swimming.
This year, Isaiah Wood is teaching Calculus I, Calculus II, Physics II, and Logic and Computation. He received a Mathematics degree from ASU and has been teaching at Anthem Prep for eight years. Isaiah is also a Great Hearts graduate. In his free time, he reads a variety of books, plays video games with his wife, and takes care of his two young children.
Kathryn Young has been teaching art at Great Hearts Anthem since 2022 to both Archway and Prep students. As of the 2025-26 school year she will be teaching art to grades 6, 7, and 8 at Anthem Prep. Originally from Maryland, she previously worked in the private sector for ten years as a graphic designer and accountant before returning to school to earn her master’s degree and teacher certification. After moving to Arizona in 2017, Kathryn taught art at a Deer Valley K-8 public school in the Anthem community. She has a Bachelor of Fine Arts, a Master of Arts in Teaching, and is a certified teacher in the state of Arizona. Outside of teaching, she loves to spend time with her husband and two children (both attending Great Hearts), travel, cook, read, and listen to music.
Ms. Robin Roiger started teaching at Great Hearts in 2015 and has taught U.S. History, Nature of Science, Ancient History, Humane Letters I, III, and IV. After growing up in rural Montana, she moved to the Midwest to pursue a bachelor’s in history education. Teaching at Great Hearts introduced her to classical education and inspired her to continue her own education; she completed a master’s in liberal arts (’22) from St. Johns College in Santa Fe, New Mexico, in four consecutive summers while teaching full time. Ms. Roiger serves as Senior Trip coordinator at Great Hearts Anthem. During her leisure time, she enjoys home improvement projects, traveling internationally, country swing dancing, and hiking to and through water. Her favorite books are Shakespeare’s Othello, Faulkner’s Absalom, Absalom!, and Dostoyevsky’s The Brothers Karamazov.
Aaron is a native to Phoenix and has a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from the University of Texas at San Antonio. He originally was led to law school after college, but then decided law enforcement was for him. After a decade plus as a law enforcement officer and defensive tactics instructor, his daughter started attending Great Heart Anthem Archway. After his families first experiences with the Great Hearts Anthem, he knew he wanted to join the team. You can catch him on the enjoying time with his wife and daughter, on a golf course or his Harley-Davidson.
Crystal Hodge grew up in Iowa where she received her Bachelor of Social Work at Dordt University and her Master of Social Work at the University of Iowa. Ms. Hodge is a Licensed Masters Social Worker (LMSW) in the state of Arizona. She worked as a Marriage and Family Therapist for 15 years prior to working at Great Hearts Anthem as a Teacher’s Assistant, and Math and Reading Interventionist when her children attended Great Hearts Anthem. More recently, she obtained training in EMDR and provided therapy to individuals who have experienced trauma, anxiety and depression. Ms. Hodge is passionate about the learning environment Great Hearts Anthem offers and excited to be a School Counselor here. In her spare time, Ms. Hodge enjoys traveling, reading, hiking, and talking with a friend over a cup of coffee. Her most exciting adventures were living in Uganda and Hungary.
Mr. Carr has a B.S. of Mathematics from the University of Kansas. This is his 5th year at Great Hearts and 2nd at Anthem Prep. In his free time, Mr. Carr enjoys camping, coffee, and tending to his house plants.
Kaelyn Marble started her journey with Anthem Prep as a student from 2016-2018 and began as a teacher in 2023. During her high school education, she developed a passion for classical literature and lifelong learning. Ms. Marble graduated Summa Cum Laude from Holy Apostles College and Seminary in 2022 with a B.A. in English language and literature. She is the proud older sister of three siblings, one of whom graduated from Anthem Prep in 2024 and two of whom are currently students. In her free time, she enjoys reading, writing, weightlifting, running, singing in her church choir, as well as exploring her home state of Arizona and beyond.
Mr. Hall has been a scholar of Latin for the past twenty years and is excited to continue growing in the language. He was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio. He graduated from Hillsdale College with a degree in Latin and has taught Latin at a public school for over five years. In his spare time, he enjoys cooking Mediterranean food.
Crystal Kirkpatrick is a dedicated educator with a strong educational background, including two bachelor’s degrees in business and education, and a master’s degree in human development. Her commitment to quality education shines through her seven years of teaching grades 5-8, where she consistently earned the honor of being a “highly effective” teacher. Crystal’s passion for nurturing young minds is further amplified by her role as a mother of two, emphasizing the importance of providing the best possible learning experiences.
In addition to her teaching, Crystal has made significant contributions to curriculum development during her four years as a curriculum developer for a middle school science program. Her work in shaping lesson plans and curriculum formats has been instrumental in ensuring students receive top-tier education. Notably, she was a key creator of a new Texas curriculum and played a central role in establishing a bilingual resource portal, showcasing her dedication to inclusivity and accessibility in education. Crystal Kirkpatrick’s efforts and innovative approach continue to inspire and empower students, teachers, and parents.
Liza Boray is an Exceptional Student Services Coordinator for Anthem Prep. Liza has been teaching for 3 years, this is her first year at Anthem Prep. Although born in upstate New York, she has lived in Arizona since 1973. She enjoys spending time with her son, husband, and chocolate lab, Chloe. Scrapbooking is her favorite hobby to engage in however traveling is her passion.
Mrs. Xavier Beale has been a passionate educator for over two decades. She has taught the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program and the Cambridge International (IGCSE curriculum) to high school students in one of the finest institutions in India, post her qualifications in Literature and in Education. Having donned several hats from the Head of the English Department and Key Activities Coordinator, she comes with a wide array of experiences including curriculum development. She was one of the founding members of the Cambridge Assessment International Education program at her former school and grew to leading the team from Grades 6-10. She is a nominee of the global Cambridge Dedicated Teacher Award and remains an examiner for the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program. She has been with Great Hearts for a year now, and continues to remain excited about Classical Education. Apart from travelling, she is an art enthusiast and enjoys spending time with her family and her golden retriever.
Peter Wilson has been a part of Anthem Prep since the school’s opening, first as a parent, then as faculty, and later administration. He holds a Bachelors in Music Education from NAU, and a Masters in Biblical Studies and Theology from Fuller Theological Seminary He holds a teaching certificate in k-12 music and secondary history. Peter taught for 15 years in the Paradise Valley school district before coming to Great Hearts to engage in the mission to help students pursue truth, beauty, and goodness. He has been involved in theater since childhood and has acted and/or directed many plays and musical as well as working in all aspects of technical theater. A native Arizonan, Peter has raised two Great Hearts educated children and now lives in an empty nest with his wife and dogs.
Mrs. Fenn grew up in sunny Orange, CA and moved to Phoenix, AZ in 2015 to attend Grand Canyon University. She received her bachelor’s degree in history with a minor in literature in 2019 and graduated with a master’s degree in 20th century European history in 2023 from University of Nebraska – Kearney. She has worked at the college level at Grand Canyon University as an instructional assistant/part time professor. She also has professional experience in the museum industry, conducting public programming, designing educational content, and completed non-profit work as an executive director and program coordinator. Fenn recently is recently married to the love of her life, Isaac, and together they have a wonderful fur baby named Moxie. Mrs. Fenn when not at school can be found cooking, reading, drinking coffee (her favorite), trying new things, and traveling. Mrs. Fenn is excited for her first year as a Great Hearts 8th grade medieval history teacher.
This is my first year at Great Hearts Anthem and my first time working in a school. I moved to Arizona from Colorado in May of 2022. I was originally attending MSU Denver and pursuing a degree in criminal justice, but after taking a psychology class, I decided that psychology was more where my interests lie. I plan on going to ASU eventually to pursue a degree in school psychology. I love the Great Hearts school culture and am excited to begin my journey working here! Outside of work, I love listening to music, practicing piano, practicing my drawing skills, traveling, watching movies, and spending time with my family.
Tawny Amideneau first worked at a classical school shortly after she started teaching in 2013. This sparked her interest in classical education and led to her choosing Great Hearts Anthem as her 1st grade daughter’s school.
She graduated from Pepperdine University in Malibu with a degree in biology and teaching credentials in earth science, biology, and early secondary mathematics. She loves the beauty and complexity of the natural world and aims to instill this appreciation in students as well.
In her free time, Mrs. Amideneau plays piano, reads, and dabbles in art.
Jordan Hekowczyk, or Ms. H, is a proud mother of two Great Hearts scholars and USAF wife. Originally from Colorado, she has lived all over the United States—spending significant time in Washington, D.C., Mississippi, Texas, and sunny Arizona. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Global Studies with a minor in Biblical Studies from Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia.
Before teaching 6th Grade History and 9th Grade Humane Letters, Ms. H had the privilege of serving Archway as a Teaching Assistant for 2nd and 5th Grade. When she’s not chauffeuring her own tiny humans around, avoiding laundry, or grading papers, she can be found buried in a history book, savoring time with her precious family, creating, hiking, and traveling.
Jordyn Emert, BSN RN is a registered nurse with nine years of pediatric experience. Previously, Nurse Emert worked at Seattle Children’s Hospital in the craniofacial and neurosurgery operating room and in the Division of Cleft, Craniofacial, and Plastic Surgery at Phoenix Children’s Hospital . Nurse Emert is passionate about helping students establish healthy habits and empowering them to manage their care for both acute and chronic conditions.
In her spare time, Nurse Emert enjoys spending time with her family and two goldendoodles, running marathons, and drinking a good cup of coffee.
Though new to Anthem Prep, Amy Cole is entering her 11th year with Great Hearts, during which time she has had the privilege to teach a wide variety of courses, including Earth Science, Latin, Physics, and Geometry. In addition, she has served as an Academic Dean, Instructional Coach, and College Counselor.
A New Hampshire native, Ms. Cole then moved to Washington, DC to attend college at The George Washington University, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology. Shortly after graduation, she moved to Phoenix and decided to pursue a career in education. Before coming to Great Hearts, Ms. Cole worked in a variety of educational settings which only strengthened her commitment to the classical liberal arts model of education. Though she has taught many different subjects over the years, mathematics is her passion, and she is excited to be at Anthem teaching Geometry and Calculus this year.
Dr. James Beech is new to the Anthem Prep faculty and is currently teaching 10th grade Chemistry. He earned his bachelor’s degree at Oberlin College and a Master’s in Geology at West Virgina University. He received a doctorate degree in Earth Sciences from the University of Southern California. In his free time, he enjoys reading and playing RPGs.
Katherine Stoll is currently the 7th-8th grade music teacher for Anthem Prep. She graduated from Biola University with her bachelor’s in music performance on the flute, and has participated in orchestral music festivals, such as Credo, with her degree. She also plays the picccolo, piano, and now the recorder! In her freetime, you can find her reading great books, baking, or exploring the outdoors.
Anna Dahlgren is a new addition to the Anthem Prep faculty, teaching ELL to 7th, 8th, and 9th graders. With her degree in Electrical Engineering from Seattle Pacific University, she originally worked in the air traffic safety industry before transitioning to the school district to be closer to her 3 kids. Her family moved to Arizona in 2022 from Washington State and are loving the community in Anthem. She enjoys coffee, baking, and hiking in the Pacific Northwest.
Mr. Daugherty is an Arizona native, and he is delighted to teach Latin and Greek at Anthem Prep this year. He loves the classical languages and believes that they are central to understanding the Western Tradition, and he is excited to enter into them with students. He graduated from Grand Canyon University with a Bachelor’s in Christian studies, and he is currently pursuing a Master of Divinity (Biblical and Theological Studies Concentration) at Phoenix Seminary. He has also served as a Teaching Assistant for Greek at Phoenix Seminary, but this is his first year as a teacher. He has been married to his wife Noelle for a year-and-a-half, and he is expecting his first child this Fall. He loves the work and mission of Great Hearts, and he is excited to be a part of the great work they do for their students and scholars.
Stephanie Bangston is in her first year at Anthem Prep and her fifth year of teaching middle school language arts. She currently teaches 7th grade Literature and Composition. Mrs. Bangston is an avid reader and is excited to be leading our 7th grade students through a variety of outstanding works of literature, including The Hobbit, Call of the Wild, and Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. Mrs. Bangston received her Bachelor of Arts in Child Psychology from The University of Minnesota and her teaching certification in Secondary Language Arts from Grand Canyon University.
In May of 2024, Kirstyn Burwick graduated with her bachelor’s degree from John Brown University in Siloam Springs, Arkansas. She grew up homeschooled close to Marietta, Georgia following the classical education model—which included Latin and Socratic discussion—and has a deep appreciation for the things she learned and the way they grew her.
In her free time, Ms. Burwick is found spending time at home or a coffee shop with her friends and family talking about a range of topics from relational to educational. She loves being involved in the creative spheres of music, photography, and writing, and loves listening to the stories of others.
Her hope as a teacher is to help equip kids with tools of critical thinking and creativity through discovery of information, deep inquiry, interpretation of ideas, and application.
Ms. Doherty grew up across the south and Midwest, and recently moved to Phoenix in May of this year. She received her bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies with a minor in American Sign Language in 2022 and graduated with her master’s degree in 2024 from the University of North Carolina- Greensboro. She has worked at the college level as a teaching associate/part time professor. For fun she enjoys reading, writing, crochet, spending time with her dog, and talking with friends over coffee. Ms. Doherty is excited for her first year teaching at Great Hearts.
