Mr. Withers has completed thirteen years of service in the Great Hearts network. During this time, he has taught history, economics, poetry, rhetoric, and humane letters. Additionally, he has served as an Academic Dean and Assistant Headmaster another Great Hearts school. He is passionate about reviving the Liberal Arts Tradition in the 21st century, and very honored to have served as the Headmaster for the last three years. He lives on a two-acre homestead with his wife, three children (soon to be four!), and an assortment of farm animals.

Doug Pillsbury has served at Anthem Prep since the school’s inception. A graduate of Eastern Nazarene College, a liberal arts school in Boston, Mr. Pillsbury went on to receive a Master in Business Administration from Arizona State University, A Master of International Management from Thunderbird and is completing coursework for a Master in Humanities with a concentration in American History at Adams State University. Mr. Pillsbury is the Dean of Student Life and teaches 10th-grade Economics. Residing in Anthem since 2000, Mr. Pillsbury is grateful to be a part of a learning community that values the classics and believes in the precious nature of each student. His wife, Kendra, is a 4th-grade teacher at Anthem Archway. Mr. Pillsbury has one child attending Anthem Prep currently and has three children who graduated from the school.

Kent Taylor is beginning his ninth year with Great Hearts Anthem as the Assistant Headmaster for Middle School and 6th Grade math teacher. Mr. Taylor earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Grand Canyon University and received his teaching certification from Arizona State University. Mr. Taylor also earned a Master’s Degree in Education Administration from Northern Arizona University. Before joining Great Hearts Academies, he was a math teacher in the Deer Valley Unified School District for 8 years and in the Cave Creek Unified School District for 13 years. In addition to teaching, Mr. Taylor has served as Assistant Principal and Athletic Director. In his spare time, he enjoys playing golf, watching sports, and spending time with family, especially his wife of 36 years and his ten-year old granddaughter.

Rick Watmore is currently Anthem Prep’s Athletic Director.  This begins Mr. Watmore’s 12th year as a faculty member and his 10th year as the Athletic Director.  Mr. Watmore began at Archway Anthem as a 4th-grade teacher, and then became the Athletic Director beginning his third year at the school.  Rick Watmore has a Bachelor of Arts in Education from Ottawa University.  Mr. Watmore enjoys spending time with family, watching the Minnesota Vikings, and U of A basketball.

Daniel Barkley is excited to be returning as the ESS Coordinator for 6th -12th grades. This is his fifth year at Anthem Prep and his 12th year of teaching overall. Daniel is a 3rd generation Arizona resident and has been living in Anthem for the past 15 years. He graduated high school from Casa Grande Union High School and immediately upon graduation, joined the United States Marine Corps where he served for 10 honorable years. Daniel is a three-time Arizona State University Graduate with a Bachelor’s in Fine Arts, a Master’s degree in Special Education, and a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership. Additionally, he has a son who also attends Anthem Prep. During his free time he enjoys; reading, practicing archery, swimming, and hiking. Daniel is a big fan of all Arizona sports teams and a huge supporter of the U.S. National soccer team.

Patti Grimm has been in education for over 16 years and joined Great Hearts Anthem in 2022.   Originally from Long Island, NY, she moved to Arizona in 1996, however, her strong “back east” accent, never left!  Three years ago, Patti moved from Gilbert to Tramonto to begin her new life.

Patti’s working in education began as a parent volunteer, which led to being hired on as a Paraprofessional. From then on, she has worked in both back office and front office administration.  Her constant drive to learn and grow, as well as plain old “common sense”, allows her to handle any situation that comes her way.

Patti has a love for all animals, enjoys staying active, creating designs on her Cricut machine, but most of all, she loves doing home renovations!  Just hand her a tool and she be in her happy place.

Amy Ebersole is a Registered Nurse and started at Great Hearts Anthem in April 2021.  She looks most forward to going to work everyday to be with her students and co-workers.  She has a lot of fun with the kids and finds it a privilege and humbling that parents entrust their children under her care.  Outside of school, she is involved with the Women’s Ministry at her church and helps on committees with her HOA board.  She enjoys being with family and friends, playing games, going on road trips- especially when headed to the water.

Gina Richard has long been a part of the Great Hearts family. Her daughter started at Anthem Prep in 6^th grade and will be graduating in a few months (too soon if you ask Ms. Richard.) She is an ardent supporter of the classical approach to education that Great Hearts Anthem provides. She has worked at Great Hearts Anthem Archway on the ESS team and was a Teaching Assistant before taking a brief sabbatical and returning as the Director of Operations.

Ms. Richard is passionate about developing and executing new growth directives, analyzing, revising, and implementing policies, and overseeing effective operations throughout the school. She is described by coworkers as someone who loves her job, is incredibly bright, hardworking, forward-thinking, kind, joyful, unbelievably organized, level-headed, and easy to work with. Her laugh in the hallways makes her coworkers smile.

Ms. Richard grew up in Walla Walla, Washington. She attended Gonzaga University (if you are polite, she’ll tell you how to pronounce it correctly). When she is not at school she loves to decorate, make custom stationary, volunteer, do home improvement projects, and brush her long-haired cat Butter while watching TV. But most importantly, she loves to spend time with the most important people in her world, her family.

Cathy Sparks has been with Great Hearts since 2013.  As College Counselor for Anthem Prep, she passionately supports the Classical Liberal Arts education and the Great Hearts teachings of Truth, Goodness, and Beauty for our young scholars.  She believes a Great Hearts education is a powerful foundation for any future path our students may choose.

She is originally from Arizona, having also lived in California, Texas, and Florida.  She earned her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas.  She has been with her husband Bill for 36 years. Their son Jackson graduated from Glendale Prep in 2022 and is currently attending Grand Canyon University.  Their daughter Jessica graduated from Glendale Prep in 2023 and is attending Purdue University.  She loves traveling, and spending time with family and friends.

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 46^th 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.

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 and has earned a teaching certificate in k-12 music and history. Peter taught for 15 years in the Paradise Valley school district before coming to Great Hearts because of the mission to help students pursue truth, beauty, and goodness. He has been involved in theater since childhood and has acted and/or directed dozens of 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 two dogs.

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.  

Marion Duffey has been a Lead Teacher at Anthem Prep since 2019, and an Assistant Dean since 2023. A California native, she grew up in Virginia, where she earned her BA in Linguistics at the College of William & Mary. She now shares her deep love of language with students in teaching Latin and literature. In addition to teaching, she serves as Assistant Dean, supporting the daily experience and success of the student body. Mrs. Duffey balances her responsibilities at the academy with pursuing an MA in Classical Education through the University of Dallas. In her leisure time, Mrs. Duffey enjoys playing music, talking to family, tending her garden, and looking for quail while hiking. Her favorite classics are Steinbeck’s East of Eden, Saint-Exupery’s The Little Prince, and Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird.

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 video games.

Kimberly (Kim) Bidleman is starting her first year as a middle school math teacher. This is her 5th year as a faculty member at Anthem Prep, and she has been a member of the Anthem Prep community as a parent since the 2012-13 school year. She taught 5th grade for four years and spent one year as an instructional aide in 5th grade. Mrs. Bidleman has a Bachelor of Science in Accounting. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family, reading, and cooking.

Cameron Blaauw is a native of Southern Ontario and grew up in South Holland, Illinois. He developed a passion for languages and literature while studying at Hillsdale College. In 2010, he graduated with a BA in Spanish from Hillsdale and went on to further his studies to work in education. At New Saint Andrews College in Moscow, Idaho he earned an M. St. in Classical Christian Studies with an emphasis on classical languages. While finishing this degree he taught Latin at Logos School. He then went on to receive an MA in Classics at the University of Kentucky. Following this, Mr. Blaauw accepted a position to teach Latin at Veritas Preparatory Academy in Phoenix, Arizona where he has taught for the past five years. He is delighted to join Anthem Preparatory Academy and further the mission of shaping the minds and hearts of young men and women. Mr. Blaauw is teaching Latin I and 6th-grade literature and composition at Anthem Prep this year. 

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.  

Marion Duffey has been a Lead Teacher at Anthem Prep since 2019, and an Assistant Dean since 2023. A California native, she grew up in Virginia, where she earned her BA in Linguistics at the College of William & Mary. She now shares her deep love of language with students in teaching Latin and literature. In addition to teaching, she serves as Assistant Dean, supporting the daily experience and success of the student body. Mrs. Duffey balances her responsibilities at the academy with pursuing an MA in Classical Education through the University of Dallas. In her leisure time, Mrs. Duffey enjoys playing music, talking to family, tending her garden, and looking for quail while hiking. Her favorite classics are Steinbeck’s East of Eden, Saint-Exupery’s The Little Prince, and Harper Lee’s To Kill a Mockingbird.

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 third year with Great Hearts academies, 2nd here at Anthem Prep. Mr. Mateescu has a wide range of experience teaching 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.

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!

Thomas Mosmeyer is eager to begin his teaching career at Anthem Preparatory Academy. He will be teaching Ancient History and Introduction to Fine Arts this year. Born and raised in Texas, he is new to Arizona but excited to learn about the area. Thomas graduated from the University of Dallas with a degree in Politics. In his free time, he enjoys braving the heat and playing disc golf.

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 46^th 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, 9^th Grade Geometry, 10^th Grade Chemistry, and 12^th 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 third 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 two children that attend our school in 6th and 9th grade. Mrs. Vanderham loves our literature selections and sharing them with her students. For fun, she enjoys having friends and family over for game nights and swimming.

Elizabeth Washburn has been a member of the Great Hearts community since 2011, starting as a 6^th grader at Trivium Prep and graduating in 2018. From having developed an ardent love for French at Trivium, Elizabeth continued to study the language along with her passion of art history at Northern Arizona University, where she received her BA in the two subjects. She had the privilege to live in Paris and study art at university for six months where she enjoyed feeling like the world was French class every day. Upon graduating, she became a French and Lit/Comp teacher with Great Hearts Anthem in the Fall of 2022. She deeply appreciates the wonderful Great Hearts community she has been a part of for almost 15 years and is grateful for all the meaningful relationships she has across several campuses. In her free time, Elizabeth enjoys reading various forms of literature, spending time with family and friends, rock climbing, and helping coach the middle school cross country team.

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 at Great Hearts since 2022. She teaches art for both Anthem Archway (Grades 4 & 5) and Anthem Prep (Grade 8). 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.

Kaelyn Marble started with GreatHearts Anthem as a student from the years 2016-2018. In December 2022, Miss Marble graduated Summa Cum Laude from Holy Apostles College and Seminary with a degree in English Language and Literature. 2023 is her first year teaching at GreatHearts Anthem. She has worked with children for most of her professional life and is the oldest of four siblings. In her free time, Miss Marble enjoys exploring the many things to do in her hometown of Phoenix, reading, and weightlifting.

This is Samantha’s first year at Great Hearts. She grew up in the North Phoenix area before heading to college at Northern Arizona University, where she got her BS in Astrophysics. After spending some time doing physics research in the area of dark matter detection, she realized that her true passion is teaching science and getting to share her love of math and physics with students. She also recently got engaged and can’t wait to marry her fiancé at the end of 2023. In her free time, Sammie enjoys rock climbing, reading, and playing the piano.

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 five 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.

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 and has earned a teaching certificate in k-12 music and history. Peter taught for 15 years in the Paradise Valley school district before coming to Great Hearts because of the mission to help students pursue truth, beauty, and goodness. He has been involved in theater since childhood and has acted and/or directed dozens of 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 two 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 20^th 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 8^th 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.