Faculty & Staff Updates for the 2023-24 School Year

This is an exciting year at TMS, filled with growth and change as we continue pursuing excellence in all areas, including excellence in our faculty and staff. As such, we are pleased to share with you a brief overview of our newest additions to campus, as well as some exciting changes in roles and responsibilities for several of our returning community members.

Leadership Updates

Dr. Jay Berckley officially joined us in July as our new Head of School after a nationwide search. He is an experienced educator with an Executive Ed.D. in K-12 Professional Leadership and joins us from the Episcopal High School in Houston, TX.

Claude Grubair, who served as our Interim Head of School last school year after previously filling important roles in advancement, admissions, and athletics, is now our Associate Head of School.

Brian Siegel is expanding his role as Middle School Director to assist Lower School and serve as the Interim K-8 Director. He joined The Meadows in 1989 and has 38 years of experience in education.

Tracy Neblina, who served as a Middle School History Teacher, is serving as our Interim K-8 Assistant Director of the Middle School. She has been with TMS 23 years, during which she functioned in many leadership capacities, in addition to being a teacher.

Lynda Newman, who served as a Kindergarten Teacher, is serving as our Interim K-8 Assistant Director of the Lower School. She has 34 years of experience in elementary education, curriculum, and teaching.

Joe Coughlin is our new Director of School Safety Administration. He joins us with 15 years of school experience, 12 of which have been spent focusing on school safety and security.

Beginning School

Brianna Marino has served as a TMS Beginning School Teacher’s Aide since 2015 and is now a full-time Beginning School Teacher.

Maureen Meci, who has served as a full-time Beginning School Teacher since 2018, is now our Art Specialist.

Lower School

Marissa Cannon is our new 1st Grade Teacher joining us from CCSD’s Kitty Ward Elementary School.

Cathy Lindblad is our new Kindergarten Teacher joining us from Faith Lutheran Academy.

Erin Severeid joined us last May after graduating from the University of Utah to support Camp Mustang. She is now taking on the role of Lower School Receptionist.

Lee Shurtleff is our new 5th Grade Teacher joining us from SLAM Academy.

Tara Trujillo is our new 2nd Grade Teacher joining us from CCSD, where she worked for 14 of her 23 years as a teacher. She is also a Certified Academic Language Practitioner.

Esteban Vazquez is our new Spanish Teacher for 1st, 3rd, and 5th grades. He is joining us from The Webb Schools, a 9th-12th boarding school in Claremont, CA.

Middle School

Jordan Caires is our new Teacher on Assignment for 7th Grade History, Speech & Debate, and Study Hall joining us from St. Patrick School in O'ahu, HI.

Alexis Dagenais is our new Theatre Teacher joining us from Democracy Prep at the Agassi Campus.

Rachel Ferguson is our new Science Teacher joining us from the Alexander Dawson School.

David Fisher is our new Latin Teacher joining us from CCSD’s Liberty High School in Henderson, NV. He has also taught at UNLV and Nevada State College.

Nathan Holmes is our new History Teacher joining us from Garces Memorial High School in Bakersfield, CA.

Maria Leon is our new Spanish Teacher joining us from Democracy Prep.

Scott Pasieka is moving from the Lower School to the Middle School as our Dean of Counseling, Middle School.

Brad Slominski is expanding his role of Computer Sciences Instructor to include serving as our Middle School Athletic Coordinator.

Nathan Tichy is our new 6th Grade History Teacher and Speech & Debate Coach. He moved here from Waimea, HI, but is originally from Chicago, IL.

Jennifer Ventrelle is our new Math Teacher. She joins us from Lake Zurich High School in Lake Zurich, IL.

Upper School

Seth Burgess is our new English Teacher. He moved here from Memphis, TN, where he worked at the Lausanne Collegiate School and Memphis-Shelby County Public Schools for 10 years.

LaDai Haywood is our new Biology & Chemistry Teacher joining us from Carrollwood Day School in Tampa, FL.

Tim Moungey joined us last spring as our new English Teacher. He moved here from Wisconsin where he taught at Newman Catholic High School and Clintonville High School.

Lindsay Ross is moving from teaching math in our Middle School to math in our Upper School.

Colleen Slater is adding to her teaching role as the new Dean of Faculty, Upper School.

Anthony Troche is our new Spanish Teacher. He comes to us from CCSD, where he worked for 17 years, most of which were spent at the Las Vegas Academy of the Arts.

Dr. Demmy Villalpando is our new Director of College Counseling. He joins us from Cristo Rey St. Viator College Preparatory High School in North Las Vegas.

Pamula Walker joins our community as the new Upper School receptionist from Democracy Prep at the Agassi Campus where she was a behavioral support specialist for the Elementary School. She was later promoted to operations manager.

All-School

Devin Allen is our new Innovation Manager and joins us from the Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart in Miami, FL.

Ashely Elidridge is our new Human Performance Coordinator and joins us from 24 Hour Fitness where she was a master coach and personal trainer. She also coached the TMS softball program.

Corinne Loomis is our new Beginning & Lower School Counselor. She is joining us from Spangdahlem School in Germany which is part of the DoDEA West School District.

Lindsay Schoener is our new Beginning & Lower School Learning Specialist. She is joining us from CCSD where she worked for 19 years, most recently at Vassiliadis Elementary.

Joshua Taitague is our new Human Performance Coordinator. He joins us from Las Vegas Speed & Performance where he was the Head Strength Coach and assistant manager.

Jeremy Wells is our new Manager of Auxiliary Programs joining us from Democracy Prep at the Agassi Campus.