EASTERN MENNONITE SCHOOL - Key Persons


Abigail Cook

Job Titles:
  • Admissions Counselor

Amy Mumbauer - Chairman

Job Titles:
  • Acting Chair
  • Physical Therapist at Augusta Health
Amy is a physical therapist at Augusta Health and serves on the board's personnel committee and works with the ad hoc education and student life committee. Amy attends Springdale Mennonite, is married to Steve, a pediatrician, and is mother to two daughters, one an EMS alumnus and one a current student.

Andrew Gascho

Job Titles:
  • Controller for Hantzmon Wiebel
  • EMS Athletic Director
Andrew is an outsourced controller for Hantzmon Wiebel, LLP in Charlottesville, Virginia. He also serves on EMS's Finance Committee. Along with his two older brothers, Mark ('87) and Philip ('92), a Zapanta presence existed at Eastern Mennonite School for 10 straight years. Andrew has served in accounting, finance and internal audit roles in his career. He has also served on nonprofit boards and committees during his career and has volunteered his professional skills both domestically and in Haiti, Honduras, and Kenya. Andrew, his wife Heidi and their daughter attend Christ Community Church. Andrew previously served on the EMS Alumni Board, and his honored to serve again at his alma mater.

April Sachs

Job Titles:
  • Family Consumer Science Teacher

Benjamin Bixler

Education PhD candidate, Drew Theological School

Chris Eberly

Job Titles:
  • Business Office Manager

Christine Coddington

Job Titles:
  • Communications Specialist

David Berry

Job Titles:
  • Associate Professor
  • Director
David is Associate Professor of Music and Director of the Eastern Mennonite University Music Department. He also serves as Artistic Director of the Shenandoah Valley Bach Festival and earned his doctor of musical arts degree from The Juilliard School. David attends Divine Unity Community Church in Harrisonburg and is father to two EMS students.

Dr. Jacob Alan Cook

Job Titles:
  • Program Director for Pathways Grant

EMES Physical

Job Titles:
  • Education Teacher, Assistant Athletic Director

EMES Spanish

Job Titles:
  • Teacher
  • Teacher : EMES, Faculty
Education Hesston High School-1998, Hesston College-2001, Eastern Mennonite University-Pre-K-6 certification-2006, graduate courses in TESOL at George Mason and James Madison University. Interests Traveling, gardening, the Enneagram

Erika Gascho

Job Titles:
  • Member of the School Leadership Team
  • Middle School Principal

Erin Williams

Education BS from Eastern Mennonite University in sociology with a concentration in peace and justice, and a minor in psychology. Early Childhood Education teacher licensure from James Madison University. Also studied art at Roanoke College and Eastern Mennonite University and is currently enrolled in restorative justice in education graduate classes at Eastern Mennonite University.

Gini Trotter

Job Titles:
  • Counselor for Grades K - 8

Gwen Lantz

Job Titles:
  • Library Assistant
Education BA from Eastern Mennonite University '95 in history and social science with K-8 teaching certification; MA Educatoin from Mansfield University '08, School Library and Information Technologies Interests I enjoy gardening, reading, writing, raising chickens, and home arts. Besides being at home, one of my very favorite places in the world to be is in a library.

Holden Byler

Job Titles:
  • EMU As a Web Programmer

Justin King

Job Titles:
  • Member of the School Leadership Team
  • High School Principal

Kendal Swartzentruber

Job Titles:
  • Education Coordinator at Virginia Department of Education 's Center
Kendal is an Education Coordinator at Virginia Department of Education's Center at James Madison University. Drawing on his work as a special educator, he now focuses on topics of self-determination, motivation and student engagement. As a co-state coordinator of the I'm Determined Project, Kendal is responsive to promoting environments that increase youth voice and advocacy into educational policy and practice. He has two daughters at EMS. Interests include his family, gardening, beekeeping, and many outdoor activities.

Kennedy Hess

Job Titles:
  • Alumni and Advancement Coordinator

Lizzy Miller

Job Titles:
  • Math Teacher

Loren Swartzendruber

Loren retired in 2016 after 35 years of involvement in Mennonite education. He began his professional career as a pastor, served as associate executive secretary of the former Mennonite Board of Education, president of Hesston College, and president of Eastern Mennonite University. He and Pat were classmates at Iowa Mennonite School (Hillcrest Academy), and he holds a B.S. from EMU, M.Div. from Eastern Mennonite Seminary, and a D.Min. from Northern Seminary. Loren and Pat are pleased to have two grandchildren enrolled at EMS. Loren is passionate about addressing climate change and works part-time with Secure Solar Futures, doing business development for commercial-scale solar projects.

Luke Roth-Mullet

Luke is primarily a stay-at-home dad these days to his two daughters who are EMS students. He earned his doctor of law degree from the University of Notre Dame and worked in the past as vice president of operations for Excel Industries in Hesston, Kansas.

Maria Archer

Job Titles:
  • Member of the School Leadership Team
  • Elementary Principal

MaryJane "Janie" Heatwole

Job Titles:
  • Nurse With Montgomery Public Schools
Janie is a retired school nurse with Montgomery Public Schools and served as treasurer of Christiansburg Mennonite Fellowship for 32 years in Christiansburg, Virginia. After moving back to the Shenandoah Valley in 2019 with her husband, a retired professor at Virginia Tech, Janie and Conrad attend Mt. Clinton Mennonite Church and have three daughters who each married an EMS alumnus.

Moriah Hurst

Moriah is the Pastor for Nurture and Faith Development at Park View Mennonite Church. Her background is in camping ministry and teaching in youth and young adult faith formation in schools and churches. Young people and faith formation are passions for Moriah and she sees that work thriving at EMHS. She has enjoyed interacting with EMHS students from the classroom where she taught dance, to chapels and eating lunch together.

Moyer Diener

Job Titles:
  • Health Services Coordinator

Oscar Erazo

Job Titles:
  • Fleet and Grounds Coordinator
Interests Oscar comes to EMS with extensive mechanical experience that ranges from owning his own auto repair shop in the early 2000s to managing a fleet of trucks and vehicles for a tree-cutting firm in Richmond.

Paul Leaman

Job Titles:
  • Head of School
  • Member of the School Leadership Team

Scott P. Rogers

Job Titles:
  • Associate Broker With Funkhouser Real Estate Group
Scott is an Associate Broker with Funkhouser Real Estate Group and operates TakeThemAMeal.com and PerfectPotluck.com online. He serves on the board's advancement committee and enjoys coaching the school's middle school volleyball team. Scott attends Asbury United Methodist Church, is married to Shaena, and is father to two EMS students.

Shannon W. Dycus

Job Titles:
  • Secretary
Shannon is the Dean of Students at Eastern Mennonite University, continuing a career in pastoring and education across learning communities and ministry settings. She is married to Greg and they share two sons, in elementary and middle school.

Susan Godshall

Susan, together with her husband Stan, has dedicated much of her life to medical and mission work in the United States and Africa. Susan has served in administration, human resources, and fund-raising roles, taught Spanish and English as a Second Language, served as a chaplain, and raised three children. Her granddaughter attends EMS.

Trisha Blosser

Job Titles:
  • Director of Advancement