MAUR HILL - MOUNT ACADEMY - Key Persons


Abbot James Albers

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Board of Directors

Addrianne Raplinger

Job Titles:
  • Head Coach - Cross Country / Head Coach - Track

Andrew Gerlach

Job Titles:
  • Head Coach - Soccer / Education

Bill Reitemeyer

Job Titles:
  • Fellow

Brenda Cummings Levinsky

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Board of Directors
  • Senior Legal Analyst

Brian Smith

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Board of Directors
  • Chief Revenue Officer, Pinsight Media ( Subsidiary of Sprint ) Secretary

Carol L. Rogers - Managing Director

Job Titles:
  • Managing Director
  • Member of the Board of Directors
  • Partner

Chanda Koechner

Job Titles:
  • Assistant to the President
  • Assistant to the President / Education

Christian Wessel

Job Titles:
  • Head Coach - Boys Basketball, Head Coach - Boys Golf / Education
Christian is from Atchison, KS. Christian graduated from Maur Hill - Mount Academy in 2016. After graduating from MH - MA, Christian went to Benedictine College and studied secondary education and social sciences. After graduation, Christian continued his education at Benedictine College and received a master's of school leadership in 2022. Christian has served as the coordinator of youth ministry for St. Benedict Parish and has coached several sports in and around Atchison. Christian is entering into his fourth year at MH - MA and serves as our campus minister and is the head boys basketball and is a golf coach.

Christopher Hunter - CEO

Job Titles:
  • CEO
  • Member of the Board of Directors

Coley O'Connor

Job Titles:
  • Fellow

Daniel Pombo - Managing Director

Job Titles:
  • Head
  • Managing Director
  • Member of the Board of Directors

David Glynn

Job Titles:
  • Dean of Students, English St. George
David is originally from Kansas City where he attended Bishop Miege High School. After high school he worked in the construction industry and was blessed to spend time as a stay-at-home parent. David attended Washburn University, earning a degree in secondary English education. He then earned his masters degree in education administration from Fort Hays State University. Prior to joining the Maur Hill - Mount Academy family in 2022, David was a teacher and building principal at Sabetha High School. David and his wife Kerry have two children; Henry attends Notre Dame University and is currently an ACE teacher in Brownsville, Texas. Ellen is a junior at Benedictine College studying music and psychology. Education Washburn University (Topeka, Kansas) B.A. Secondary English Education (2012) Fort Hays State University (Hays, Kansas) M.S. Education Administration (2018)

David Trotter - President

Job Titles:
  • President
  • Administration
  • President, President 's Office / Education

Dr. Cameron Carlson

Job Titles:
  • Principal
  • Principal, Principal 's Office / Education

Dr. Derya Rix

Job Titles:
  • Admissions Director
  • Admissions Director / Education

Eddie Gibson

Job Titles:
  • Head Coach - Girls Golf / Education

Eric Bowser

Job Titles:
  • Business Manager / HR
  • Business Manager, HR / Education

Erin Stanley

Job Titles:
  • Events Coordinator
  • Assistant Director of Spirit Squads, Head Coach - Dance / Education
  • Events Coordinator / Education

Fr. Jay Kythe

Fr. Jay is a monk of St. Benedict's Abbey. He is orginally from New Orleans, LA, with his parents and older brother from India. He has traveled extensively and has served as a priest in parishes before joining the monastery ten years ago. He enjoys working with people, and most of all, celebrating the sacraments so that people may be brought into a deeper communion with Christ. Education Indiana University (Bloomington, IN) Bachelor of Arts in Computer Science and Mathematics (1992) Franciscan University of Steubenville (Steubenville, OH)

Fr. Jeremy Heppler

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Board of Directors
  • Pastor, St. Benedict Parish / Member

Frank Contreras

Job Titles:
  • Director of Maintenance
  • Director of Maintenance / Education

Jan Clements Miller

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Board of Directors

Jana Newman


Janelle Hegarty

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Board of Directors
  • Legal Administrator

Jenevieve Murphy


Joe Casanova

Job Titles:
  • Residence Director, Residence Life / Education

Joe Koechner

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Board of Directors
  • Owner, KexRx / Member

John Kuckelman - Chief Legal Officer

Job Titles:
  • General Counsel
  • Member of the Board of Directors

John Newman

Job Titles:
  • Head Coach - Scholars Bowl / Education

Juris Doctorate

Job Titles:
  • Judge Advocate Advocate General 's Legal Center and School ( Charlottesville, VA )

Katie Asher

Job Titles:
  • Head Coach - Mock Trial / Education

Katie Kohler

Job Titles:
  • Manager
  • Member of the Board of Directors

Kelly Elias

Job Titles:
  • Head Coach - Swimming / Education

Kevin Handke

Job Titles:
  • Maintenance / Education

Kevin McDermed

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Board of Directors
  • CFO, Exchange Bank & Trust / Treasurer

Lara Wallace

Job Titles:
  • Fine Arts
Lara Wallace was raised near the Wasatch Mountains near the Sundance Ski Resort in UT. She graduated from Orem High School in 1993. Lara attended Utah Valley University on a music and art scholarship, transferring to BYU and receiving her bachelor of arts in art education K-12 in 1999. Lara owned and operated Merus Creative Studios with her husband Jay Wallace who is the printmaking and graphic design professor at Benedictine College. She later taught art in the public schools for 10 years in UT, MO, and KS, and has won multiple art and teaching awards and loves photography, painting, and sculpting, and is excited to bring her experience in building strong art programs to Maur Hill - Mount Academy. Lara currently resides in Atchison with her husband and children. Education Utah Valley University (Orem, UT)

Linas Grikis

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Board of Directors
  • Lead Counsel

Luke Noll

Job Titles:
  • Head Coach - Girls Basketball / Education
  • Mathematics

Luke Sanders

Job Titles:
  • Science

Manuel Hernandez

Manuel Hernandez, aka Mr. H, is a native Californian, born and raised in the heart of the San Joaquin Valley and is a 1974 graduate of Redwood High School, in Visalia, CA. He graduated from the United States Military Academy, West Point, in 1978 with a bachelor of science in general engineering. He retired as a lieutenant colonel, from the Army, in August 2000, where he served in multiple leadership positions in the field artillery and began his teaching and coaching career at Immaculata. He began teaching theology and coaching tennis at Immaculata High School, Leavenworth, KS, in August 2000 and taught there until it closed in 2017, when he then began teaching at Maur Hill - Mount Academy. He expects to be teaching at least until his youngest graduates as a member of the class of 2024. He has served in parish ministries since 1982 and continues to do so as a member of Sacred Heart - St. Casimir Parish, Leavenworth. He married Maureen (Carney) Hernandez, of Prairie Village, KS, in 1993. Together they have always valued Catholic education and together they are the proud parents of five children, Theresa, IHS Cl of ‘12, Phillip, IHS Cl of ‘14, and Mark, IHS Cl of ‘16, Joseph, MH-MA Cl of ‘21 and Christina, MHMA Cl of ‘24. Education United States Military Academy (West Point, NY) Bachelor of Science in General Engineering (1978) Newman University (Wichita, KS) Bachelor of Arts in Pastoral Ministry (KS Newman)

Martha Koehler

Job Titles:
  • Admissions Assistant / Education

Megan Domann

Job Titles:
  • Director of Spirit Squads, Head Coach - Cheer / Education

Morgan Stanley Smith Barney - VP

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Board of Directors
  • Vice President

Ms. Whitney McGinnis

Job Titles:
  • Athletics Director, Academic Counselor, and Asst. Principal, Athletics, Activities, Academic Counselor Office
Whitney is originally from Oskaloosa, KS, graduating from Oskaloosa High School in 2005. After high school she attended Emporia State University, graduating in 2009 and 2011 with a masters degree in School Counseling. She began working at Maur Hill - Mount Academy in August 2011, and later graduated from Benedictine College in 2019 with a masters degree in school leadership. Whitney resides in Atchison with her very spoiled dog, Bear. Education Emporia State University (Emporia, KS) Bachelor of Science in Integrated Studies (2009) Masters of Science in School Counseling (2011) Benedictine College (Atchison, KS) Master of Arts in School Leadership (2019)

Rick Vice

Job Titles:
  • Head Coach - Wrestling

Sara Noll

Job Titles:
  • Head Coach - Volleyball / Education
  • Science
Sara is a 2010 alum of Jefferson County North High School. She then attended Benedictine College where she was a member of the volleyball team, and acquired bachelors degrees in chemistry and secondary education in 2014. She graduated from Benedictine College in 2022 with her master of arts in school leadership. Sara, along with her husband Luke began at Maur Hill - Mount Academy in 2019. They reside outside of Cummings with their three (soon to be four) kids!

Sarah Peitsch

Job Titles:
  • Mathematics

Sebastian Luzondo

Job Titles:
  • Fine Arts

Sr. Maria Heppler

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Board of Directors

Theresa M. Worman

Job Titles:
  • Member of the Board of Directors
  • HR Consultant and Specialist

Yvette Korbelik

Job Titles:
  • Library

Zack Fredrickson

Job Titles:
  • Head Coach - Football, Head Coach - Powerlifting / Education
  • Physical Education