MARIAN - Key Persons
Alee Cotton, a 2005 Marian alumna, started her teaching career here in 2015 as a member of the English department. Alee holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Secondary Education from the University of Nebraska-Omaha. She also carries two Master's Degrees in Secondary Education and English. Before her time at Marian, Alee spent four years teaching in the Papillion-La Vista School District.
Amanda Pritchard joined Marian in 2017 as a Spanish teacher after spending six years teaching at McMillian Magnet Middle School. She is a graduate of Creighton University, where she earned her bachelor's degree, and Midland University, where she earned her master's degree.
Amy Bauman has been a classroom teacher for 20 years. She has been teaching English at Marian, her alma mater, since 2001. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Political Science from Creighton University, where she also received her teaching certificate and theology endorsement. She also has a Master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction. Amy is an adjunct professor through Nebraska Wesleyan University, allowing students in Advanced Placement English Literature and Composition to receive college credit for their course work at Marian.
Amy McLeay, a 2000 Marian alumna, began teaching in the Social Studies department in 2012. McLeay also took over as Head Varsity Volleyball coach in 2015. She currently teaches College Prep Psychology, Honors AP Psychology, College Prep Sociology and Honors Sociology. McLeay holds a Bachelor's degree in Psychology from the University of Nebraska - Omaha and a Master's degree in Secondary Teaching from the College of Saint Mary.
Job Titles:
- Liturgical Minister, FIAT
- Liturgical Minister, Ministry Council
Anna Kolterman, a '94 alumna, has rejoined the Marian community as the Liturgical Minister. She works with Campus Ministry and the Core Team to plan and implement all of the liturgical services for students. Anna has regular office hours in the Campus Ministry office.
Ashley Bauer has been at Marian since 2013. She currently teaches Sculpture, Pottery, Art III and Art IV. For several years, she worked with students co-moderating Student Board. She currently moderates the Art Club. She looks forward to getting more involved with chaperoning students on trips abroad and continually pursing professional development opportunities.
Bauer currently holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Studio Art with a K-12 endorsement from the University of Nebraska - Omaha.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Job Titles:
- Teacher, Physical Education
Beth Dye has taught as Marian since 2003. Over the years she has taught numerous Physical Education classes as well as Computer Applications and Women's Studies. Dye is a graduate of the University of Nebraska-Kearney, where she holds a bachelor's degree in Health and Physical Education, K-12, where she played collegiate basketball and tennis. She also coached basketball and tennis at Marian for numerous years. In 2009, Dye was recognized as the High School Tennis Coach of the Year and was also the recipient of the Omaha Tennis Association's Outstanding High School Tennis Award.
Caitlin Gaule joined Marian in 2017 as a Spanish teacher. She taught at St. Cecilia Cathedral School for three years before coming to Marian. She also taught at St. Augustine Indian Mission School as part of the Magis program.
Chris Dziadus joined Marian in 2017 as a social studies teacher. He taught social studies at St. Robert Bellarmine grade school for 12 years. He has a bachelor's degree from the University of Nebraska at Omaha and a master's degree from the University of Nebraska at Kearney. Outside of the classroom, Chris coaches football at Creighton Prep.
Chris Vacanti is a Marian alumna and lifelong supporter of Marian. She has a bachelor's degree in Journalism from Creighton University. Chris comes from a sales and writing background. She is a decade chair for the Marian Fund. Chris also has two daughters who are proud Marian alumnae.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advancement Team
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Trustees
Job Titles:
- Teacher, Business Electives
Craig Panning has been teaching at Marian since 2012. Mr. Panning holds a bachelor's degree in business and secondary education from Midland University and a master's in business administration from Wayne State College. He is currently teaching Accounting I & II, AP Microeconomics, Business & Personal Law, Economics, and Technology Applications. He also is the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) adviser. He also teaches Dual Enrollment Introduction to Business and Marketing courses through Metropolitan Community College.
started teaching Theology at Marian in the fall of 2015. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theology from St. John's University and a master's degree in Theology from Creighton University. In addition to teaching, Dcn. Kevin is the head of the Marian Campus Ministry Department. Dcn. Kevin is also the Associate Director of the National TEC Conference. He is also a Deacon for the Archdiocese of Omaha serving both at Marian and St. Leo the Great Parish. Before Marian, Dcn. Kevin taught in North Platte Catholic Schools, was the Director of the Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry for the Diocese of Grand Island and did Parish Ministry at both St. Leo's Parish in Grand Island, Neb. and St. Mary on the Hill Parish in Augusta, Georgia.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advancement Team
- Advancement Associate
Job Titles:
- Indoor Maintenance Supervisor
Eric Thompson joins Marian's math department as an algebra, geometry and trigonometry teacher. He has been teaching for over 15 years. Eric earned his B.S. in Computer Science at the University of Nebraska at Omaha and received his Masters in Secondary Education from Creighton University. Apart from teaching, Eric coaches the junior varsity basketball team at Marian. When he is not teaching or coaching, Eric loves spending time with his wife and three children.
Esther Hamra began her teaching career in Arizona in 2019. She began as a part-time Art teacher at Marian, and is continuing her teaching journey as a full-time art teacher in 2020. She currently teaches Art I, Art II and Pottery. She is also Freshman Class Co-Moderator and Assistant Technical Director of Marian's theatre productions. Ms. Hamra graduated Summa Cum Laude from the Herberger Institute of Design and the Arts at Arizona State University with a Bachelor's in Art, K-12 endorsement from ASU, and with a concentration in ceramics.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Greg Golka has been teaching at Marian since 2001. He is the Chair of the Theology department and is the Assistant Cross Country Coach and Head Track Coach as well. Golka has a Bachelor of Science in Education degree from the University of Nebraska - Lincoln.
Prior to his time at Marian, he spent seven years in Catholic Church ministry working as a College Campus Minister at the Newman Center at Chadron State College and as the Director of Youth Ministry at St. James Parish in Kearney, NE. He has coached track at Grand Island High School, Grand Island Central Catholic High School, Chadron High School and Kearney Catholic High School. He is currently working toward a master's degree in Theology from Creighton University.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Trustees
Job Titles:
- Teacher, English & Fine Arts
Halli Tripe began her career at Marian in 2015 teaching speech, drama and English. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree is Speech Communication from Baylor University and a Master of Arts degree in Communication from the University of Texas at San Antonio. Before coming to Marian, Halli spent three years teaching speech and coaching debate at a high school in Texas.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Jaime Piernicky joined Marian in 2017 as a math teacher and is delighted to be in a Catholic, all-girls school. Before coming to Marian, she taught math at Liberty High School in Liberty MO, and at Mercy High School and Westside High School here in Omaha. She received her bachelor's degree from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln and her master's degree from the University of Missouri at Kansas City. Outside of the classroom, Jaime keeps busy with her four children.
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Board of Trustees
Job Titles:
- Assistant Athletic Director / Teacher, Business Electives
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Member of the Board of Trustees
- Vice President of Finance
Job Titles:
- Chairman, World Languages
Janet Tuttle has been at Marian since 2005. Currently, she teaches all four levels of French. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Secondary Education from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, with certification in French and English. She also holds a Master of Science in Curriculum and Instruction, with an emphasis in Instructional Technology, from Peru State College. In addition, Tuttle holds a Certificate of Business Proficiency in French, awarded by the Paris Chamber of Commerce.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Principal
- Assistant Prinicipal
- Dean of Student Services
Jennifer Christen, a 1996 Marian alumna, has been at Marian since 2001. In the beginning of her career, she taught in the English and Fine Arts departments and was the competitive speech coach. She led the girls to several District Champion titles, a State Runner-up title in 2007, and a State Championship in 2011. She has also had many students qualify and attend national tournaments. She has won the Diamond Coaching Award from the National Forensic League (NFL) in 2007 and has been nominated for the Speech Coach of the Year award through the district NFL league. In 2011, Jen moved into the role of Learning Services Coordinator in the Student Services Department. There she worked with students on study sills and academic success strategies. She oversaw student academic success plans, as well as communicated with parents, teachers and students. In 2017, Jen took over as the Dean of Student Services. Christen holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Secondary Education Language Arts and a Master of Science degree in Reading both from the University of Nebraska-Omaha. She is currently serving on the Archdiocese of Omaha Student Services Advisory Committee and is pursuing a Masters in Educational Leadership from Creighton University.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Trustees
Job Titles:
- Teaching Staff Member
- Mathematics Tutor
Jessica Abel joined the Marian staff in 2016 to assist students in the Math Tutor room.
Jessica Goodman joined the Marian faculty in 2020 as a social studies teacher. She teaches Pre-AP World History / Geography, Advanced Placement European History, and College Prep. United States History. She holds a bachelor's degree in History / Secondary Education from the University of South Dakota where she earned her history teaching certificate in 2019. Goodman earned an additional social sciences teaching certificate through the University of Nebraska-Omaha in the fall of 2021. Starting in the Spring 2022 semester, she is pursuing her MA in History through the University of Nebraska-Kearney. She is excited to continue to contribute to the Catholic education of young women.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Trustees
Jillian Roger began teaching in the Social Studies department in 2016. She currently teaches Honors/AP U.S. History, Honors/AP U.S. Government and African American History. She is also the coordinator of the Humanities Scholar Program. Roger holds a bachelor's degree in History and American Studies from Creighton University, a master's degree in Secondary Education from Creighton University and a master's degree in History from the University of Nebraska-Omaha. Before her time at Marian, Roger spent four years teaching at St. Cecilia Cathedral Grade School and two years at Spalding Academy in Spalding, NE as a member of the Magis Catholic Teacher Corps.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Job Titles:
- Business Office Assistant Manager
Job Titles:
- Member of the Advancement Team
- Vice President for Advancement
Karen Hotz began working at Marian in 2015. She is responsible for overseeing all aspects of Marian's advancement efforts. A 1979 alumna, Karen rejoined Marian with a unique blend of skills. Previously, she served as development director at Christ the King Church and development consultant for the Archdiocese of Omaha. Her experience also includes leadership roles in the corporate banking industry. Karen holds a B.S. in Accounting and Business administration from the University of Kansas.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Job Titles:
- Counselor
- Guidance Counselor
Kathy DeWispelare is a Guidance Counselor, the Advanced Placement Coordinator and the National Honor Society Advisor. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of Nebraska-Kearney and both a Bachelor of Science in Education and a master's in Guidance and Counseling from the University of Nebraska-Omaha. DeWispelare is a member of the College Board, the National Association of College Admissions Counselors and is a Nationally Certified Counselor.
Katy Salzman joined the Marian faculty in 2016 after teaching nine years at Creighton Preparatory School and two years at Omaha North High School. Prior to her teaching career, she worked for the United Nations refugee agency, UNHCR, in Belgium, Switzerland and Rwanda. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in French and Political Science from Guilford College and a Master's Degree in European Studies from the Catholic University of Louvain, Belgium. In 2001, Salzman obtained her teaching certification in Social Studies and French from Creighton University. She was awarded French Teacher of the Year by the Nebraska International Languages Association in 2013. She currently teaches world history and international issues.
Kent Bray joined the Marian math department part-time in 2016. He is in the building every afternoon to teach math. Prior to Marian, Kent was an assistant principal at Papillion-La Vista Junior High School.
Kory Delkamiller has been at Marian since 2000. He teaches senior and freshmen theology classes. He is the Sign Language Club moderator and coordinates the Marian Father/Daughter Habitat for Humanity Builds. Delkamiller earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Midland college in Fremont, NE, and a teaching certificate from Creighton University. He spent four years studying theology at the University of St. Mary of the Lake seminary in Mundelein, IL. Delkamiller is currently pursuing a Masters of Arts in Spirituality and a certification in Spiritual Direction from Creighton University. Prior to his position at Marian, Delkamiller spent seven years as a religion teacher and coordinator of Campus Ministry at Bergan High School/St. Patrick's in Fremont.
Kris Calhoun has been with Marian since 1998. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Nebraska - Lincoln in Biology and Art Education and also earned an Elementary (K -8) endorsement.
She has had experience teaching in all three endorsement areas in Nebraska public schools. She also holds a Master of Science degree in Instructional Technology from the University of Nebraska - Omaha. She is an adjunct professor for the University of Nebraska - Omaha, allowing students who take her Advanced Placement Biology II class the opportunity to earn college credit.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Principal / Dean of Students
Job Titles:
- Strength Trainer & Fitness Center Manager
Linda Brock joined the Marian staff in 2013 after a distinguished 33 year career teaching science for OPS. Linda wrote the Anatomy and Physiology curriculum for OPS and taught it at Central for many years. She is teaching Anatomy and Physiology and Biology. Linda is looking forward to the challenge of educating college bound young women where faith is integral to education.
Job Titles:
- Chairman, Mathematics
- Member of the Marian Math Department
Lisa Schmidt has been a member of the Marian math department since 1999. Prior to teaching at Marian, she was a teaching assistant at the University of Nebraska-Omaha and taught summer classes at Metro Community College. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Wayne State College and a Master of Arts in Teaching degree from the University of Nebraska-Omaha. Lisa is an adjunct professor through UNO, allowing students in Advanced Placement Calculus AB, Calculus BC and Statistics to receive college credit for their course work at Marian.
Mark Koesters has been at Marian since 1987 and teaches Theology. He taught Latin up until 2020. He is the moderator of and Operation Others. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Theology from Creighton University and a Master's degree in Religious Education from Seattle University.
Marsha Kalkowski has been serving the Marian community's English Department since 1994. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Creighton University and her Master of Arts degree in Journalism from the University of Nebraska at Omaha.
Matt Winterboer has been at Marian since 2014. He teaches physics and computer aided design (CAD) while also serving as moderator for the Engineering Club (SAME team).
Mr. Winterboer grew up in Carroll, Iowa and attended college at Iowa State University. Upon graduating with a degree in mechanical engineering he joined the United States Navy where he served seven years as a submarine officer. Afterwards he worked at OPPD's Fort Calhoun Station for three years as a nuclear system engineer. In 2014 Mr. Winterboer received his teaching certificate through the Teacher Academy Project (TAP) at the University of Nebraska Omaha where he later earned a Masters in Secondary Education in 2016.
Megan Han, a 2013 Marian alumna, joined Marian in 2016 as a math teacher. She graduated from University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a Bachelor of Science in mathematics and completed her student teaching at Mercy High School. in 2018, she received her Masters of Arts degree in Mathematics.
Megan Piernicky Gillespie, a Marian staff member since 2003, is an instructor in the English Department. Gillespie has been moderator of the Student Board and Class Officers. She also has co-moderated Marian's Leadership Training Workshops and spent many years coordinating the prom. Gillespie is one of Marian's international trip leaders and enjoys experiencing the world with her students and connecting those experiences to the material in her courses. Gillespie holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Education with an emphasis in English from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a Master of Arts degree in Communication Studies from the University of Nebraska-Omaha. She also graduated with a Master of Arts degree in English in 2014 from Creighton University. Gillespie is an adjunct professor with Nebraska Wesleyan University and Metropolitan Community College and teaches several dual enrollment courses, thus allowing students to receive college credit for her courses. Megan and her husband, Curtis, live in Omaha and enjoy traveling and spending time with family.
Melissa Brusnahan is the Head Athletic Trainer at Marian, a position she has held since 1994. In addition, she has been the assistant to the Athletic Director since 2000. This dual role, full-time position allows her to evaluate, treat and rehabilitate the athletes at Marian throughout the day, as well as be present at all home athletic events throughout the evenings and weekends.
She has a Bachelor of Science degree from Centre College in Danville, KY and a master's degree in Science from Troy State University in Troy, AL. She has been certified by the National Athletic Trainers Association since 1991, and licensed in the state of Nebraska since 1994.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
- Member of the Board of Trustees
- President
Job Titles:
- Assistant to the Principal
Michelle Delisi, a Marian High School alumna, has been working at Marian since 1978. She currently holds the position of Assistant to the Principal. In addition, she coaches the Pantomime Troupe and choreographs for the choirs and has choreographed over 40 musical productions at Marian. Delisi also assists at Angie's Dance Studio in Omaha.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Trustees
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Trustees
Job Titles:
- Learning Services Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Administrative Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Assistant Principal
- Athletic Director
Job Titles:
- Teaching Staff Member
- Teacher, Mathematics
Job Titles:
- Director of Tuition Assistance
Job Titles:
- Technology Specialist
- Teacher, Science
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Trustees
Job Titles:
- Marketing & Communications Director
Job Titles:
- Digital Media Coordinator
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Job Titles:
- Member of the Board of Directors
Job Titles:
- Director of Belonging, Diversity and Inclusion