New Faculty and Staff, 2022-23

Along with new students and families, please join me in welcoming those who have been in our
community for some time yet are diving into new roles, as well as, new to the Faculty, Staff and
Administrative Team for the 2022-2023 school year.

EARLY CHILDHOOD
Michelle Symonds joins All Saints’ as the new Early Childhood Division Head. With more than 26
years of experience in Houston-area Christian schools, Michelle has served as a Teacher, Early
Childhood Director, Assistant Principal, Director of Academic Technology, Primary School Division
Head and most recently, Head of School at Holy Spirit Episcopal School. Michelle graduated from the
University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor’s degree in Child Development and Early Childhood
Education, followed by a Master’s degree in Instructional Technology from the University of Houston.
In addition, she completed coursework both in Educational Leadership and Supervision and in Special
Education, earning her Educational Diagnostician Certificate in 2014.

Sarah Grace Coufal ’16 will continue as our EC Dance instructor and will also be teaching Visual Art
in the Early Childhood.

Claire Miller will transition from being a Lead Teacher of a Three-year-old program to being a Lead
Teacher of the 5 Day Pre-K program.

Amanda Wyche will transition from her position as an Assistant Teacher to a Lead Teacher in the
Three-year-old program. 

Sonya Locke will transition from being a permanent substitute teacher in the Early Childhood
Division to being an Assistant Teacher supporting the entire Early Childhood program.

Amanda Patyk joins All Saints’ Early Childhood as a Lead Teacher of the 5 Day Pre-K program.
Amanda has a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education with an emphasis in Special Education
and her Master’s degree in Elementary Education, both from Texas Christian University. She has
taught for 12 years in 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade at both Arlington ISD and Fort Worth ISD. She is
married to Matthew, and they have two children, Lucy (2) and Brooks (8 months).

Kassandra Ramirez returns to All Saints’ Early Childhood transitioning from a long-term substitute
teacher in Bridge K to an Assistant Teacher of the 5 Day Pre-K program.

Larkin Rich ’15 joins All Saints’ Early Childhood as an Assistant Teacher in the Three-year-old
program. She graduated from Texas Christian University in 2019 with a Bachelor of Science in Child
Development with minors in Nutrition and Psychology. After graduating from college, Larkin was a
full-time high-profile nanny in NYC & Bridgehampton. After returning to Fort Worth, she was a
substitute teacher for the Early Childhood, Lower School, and Middle School divisions at All Saints’.

Lee Vermillion will join the All Saints’ Early Childhood team as an Assistant Teacher in the Bridge
Kindergarten program. Lee is a Virginia native. She graduated from Mary Baldwin College with a
Bachelor of Arts in History. She is a certified EC-Elementary teacher. She is married to Kevin and
they have three sons, Jackson, Carter ’22, and Luke (currently attending All Saints’ class of 2026). 

LOWER SCHOOL
Cassie Beyer joins All Saints’ as a member of the Fifth Grade team teaching History. Cassie earned a Bachelor’s degree from Texas Christian University and a Master’s degree in Education from Southern Methodist University. She has 13 years of experience in education during which she has served as an elementary general and special education teacher, reading and math interventionist, and an assistant principal. She spent that last 11 years at her previous campus where she was awarded Teacher of the Year twice and Team of the Year once. Cassie has a passion for meeting students’ unique needs and creating a classroom environment centered around student discourse. She believes that developing strong relationships with students and families is essential to student success. She is thrilled to be joining the 5th grade team and the All Saints’ family!

Kay Harris returns to the Lower School team as the First Grade Assistant Teacher. She attended The University of Texas where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood education. She has taught Pre-School, First grade, and Fifth grade. She loves teaching and working alongside her students to meet the needs and learning style of each student so that they may thrive in the classroom. Kay is so excited to be back at All Saints’!

Dana Davis-Avants returns to the Lower School team as the EC/LS Godly Play teacher. She attended Texas Christian University where she earned a double major Bachelor of Science in Home Economics and Fashion Merchandising, Clothing and Textiles. She has graduate work in Consumer and Family Studies, Early Childhood Education, and Library Science from Texas Woman's University. She has worked for 39 years to educate and nurture children.

MIDDLE SCHOOL
David Gaul will transition from teaching Sixth Grade Science to MS Design Lab/STEM Director. In this inaugural position, David will teach beginning, intermediate and advanced classes in design thinking and project-based learning in the new Design Lab space for the Middle School. Although David has enjoyed his 23 years teaching sixth grade at All Saints’, he is thrilled to contribute in this innovative way.

Dillon Smith will continue teaching Middle School religion and has accepted a new role as Director of Service Learning for the School. Dillon is excited to cultivate and streamline service projects for All Saints’ and our community.

Stephanie Eubank is joining the Middle School to teach Sixth Grade Math. Stephanie has been passionate about education and helping students since she was herself still in grade school, and she started her work with education in high school by volunteering with Girl Scouts and the Fort Worth Zoo Education Program. She went on to study at Texas Tech University and graduated Magna Cum Laude in 2017 with a Bachelor of Science in Multidisciplinary Studies and minor in History. In 2017, she started her first official teaching position in Birdville ISD teaching 3rd grade ELAR for three years and 3rd grade math for 2 years. She also has been an active member of the campus community. She led the Intermediate Battle of the Books Team, was team lead for four years, was the Leader of Learners representative, and was the campus webmaster, leading trainings for technology integration in the classroom. Stephanie has been nominated for teacher of the year two years in a row and continues to work with the Fort Worth Zoo with their Texas Nature Traders Program and Zoo Camp. Stephanie is passionate about travelling, learning, and building relationships to help students grow and is excited to make learning math fun in 6th grade this year.

Jernee' Goods ’16 joins the MS Religion Department to teach the Gospels and Acts of the Apostles. Jernee' has always been curious about the Spanish language and religious studies since she was in the sixth grade. She began to seriously foster these passions as a student at Texas Christian University. Jernee' studied abroad in Santiago, Chile for an internship working with Good Neighbors Chile in 2019. Additionally, as a Junior in college, she was the Vice President of Chi Delta Mu, a religious organization that joins students and teachers in the religion department by bringing in keynote speakers from across the country. Jernee's innate love for creation allowed her to earn her Bachelor of Science in Sociology and a double minor in Spanish and Religion from Texas Christian University in 2020. Immediately after undergraduate, Jernee' enrolled at Brite Divinity School to complete her Master of Divinity degree. Jernee' has begun to honor her love for creation and serving others by working at All Saints’ starting in August 2020 as the K-2 Godly Play teacher. The following year she taught EC-2 Godly Play and 3-5 Religion. Jernee' is beyond grateful to be able to share her knowledge and enthusiasm for the Gospels with students and faculty alike.

Father Robert Odom joins the Religious Studies Department as the Middle School Chaplain. Ordained a priest in the Episcopal Church in 2001, Fr. Robert has spent nearly half his ministry working with young people, including five years as a Middle and Lower School Chaplain. Fr. Robert finds enormous vocational fulfillment in having the opportunity to impact the lives of students on a daily basis, communicating Episcopal values to succeeding generations. Although Fr. Robert comes to All Saints’ from a parish in Arkansas, he is a native Louisianan and served as a priest in Dallas for 11 years. He has two grown children who live in the metroplex. Outside of ministry Fr. Robert enjoys singing, pickleball, running, and CrossFit.

Alice Pritchard joins the Middle School to teach Sixth Grade English. This will be Alice’s 20th year teaching. She spent her first 17 years teaching in the Fort Worth ISD - seven years at Dunbar Middle School and ten years at Paschal High School. For the last two years, Alice has taught middle school ELA at Holy Family Catholic School. Alice received her Bachelor of Arts in English with a minor in Psychology from Texas Christian University, where she also earned her Master’s degree in Education. Alice has taught a variety of English classes from grades 5 - 11. Alice and her husband, who is an All Saints’ alum, have two children. Alice is thrilled to be at All Saints’ and is looking forward to joining the community and sharing her passion for literature and writing with her students.

Amber Richards joins the All Saints’ Middle School faculty as the ARC teacher. Amber is a fifteenyear veteran teacher and is certified in Special Education. She developed an early interest in how the brain works and develops, and in how this affects the way in which people learn. Because of this, she graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a minor in Psychology from the University of Texas Permian Basin, with a certificate in Education. She began teaching in Weatherford ISD in 2007 and moved to Keller ISD in 2013. Shortly after the move to Keller, Amber became a part of the mathematics curriculum department, developing assessment, curriculum content, and teacher trainings for elementary through middle school teachers throughout the district. She graduated with a Master of Education in Educational Leadership from the University of North Texas in 2019, which is when she began working in White Settlement ISD. During her time at White Settlement ISD, Amber taught elementary special education, with a particular focus on behavior support. Amber, her husband, and their son have lived in Fort Worth since 2009. Amber is looking forward to being a part of the All Saints’ faculty this year.

Heather Wallis is joining the Middle School to teach Sixth Grade Science. Heather has been passionate about science ever since she earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from The University of Texas at Arlington and worked as an Emergency Department Registered Nurse. Heather left the medical field and has been a teacher for eight years. She has taught Physics, Environmental Systems, Biology, Earth & Space, and IPC at Granbury High School and Timber Creek High School in Keller ISD. Heather has been married for twenty-two years to her husband, Eric, and they have two sons, Ethan and Jake. She and her family live in Aledo. Heather is very excited to join the All Saints’ family and to continue the tradition of Protecting the Family!

UPPER SCHOOL
Leslie Cox will be transitioning out of Upper School Spanish and into a Dean of Students role, partnering and working in concert with Keith Pebley.

Hunter Birkhead will be joining All Saints' as the Upper School Choral Director. Hunter is a professional choral conductor, music educator, and vocalist, holding a Bachelor's degree in Vocal Performance and a Master's degree in Music Education; Choral Conducting, from the University of Oklahoma. As a conductor, he has served as the Worship and Music Director of Advent Lutheran Church in Arlington for the past 2.5 years, directing their Adult Chancel Choir, Children's Choir, Handbell ensemble, and Contemporary Praise & Worship Team. Additionally, while working on his master's degree, Hunter gained experience conducting the Norman Singers, and has conducted the OU Combined Choirs in concert. Hunter's previous teaching experience includes one year at Highland Park Middle School, directing choir for grades 5-8, as well as two years of teaching private voice, piano, and drum lessons to students of all ages at Music Place Mansfield (Mansfield, TX). He is excited to use his musical skills to serve the students of All Saints'.

Clint Foster ’09 joins the Upper School to teach Western Civilization and Government. Clint is simply overjoyed to be returning to his roots to impact the next generation of Saints. Clint comes to All Saints’ after spending a year at Benbrook High School, where he discovered a deep passion for teaching and building positive relationships with students. Clint strives to get students excited about the topics he teaches through engaging discussion, thoughtful reflection, and entertaining presentation. Prior to teaching, Clint earned a Bachelor’s degree from Texas Christian University and spent time in several industries that shaped him, including journalism, professional acting, sales, and equine transportation. Clint is also active with his church and KWC Performing Arts Company. Above all, Clint seeks to have the same positive impact on students that so many All Saints’ educators before had on him.

Gregory Gross will join All Saints’ as the World Languages Department Chair and Spanish teacher. An educator with 20 years experience teaching Spanish, he has degrees from the University of Kentucky and Tarleton State University. He has coached Wrestling, Baseball, and been an UIL Academic coordinator in several districts, including Arlington, Godley, and Fort Worth ISDs. In 2019, he was recognized as a Top Ten Teacher by Fort Worth Magazine. He has presented at various regional, national, and international conferences. In his free time, Gregory enjoys traveling, weightlifting, reading, and is a competitive Ultra Cyclist with several records. He has taken student groups overseas to Spain, Costa Rica, and Mexico on cultural exchanges. Gregory is thrilled for the opportunity to bring the Spanish speaking world to the students of All Saints’!

Father William “Tommy” Matthews joins the Religious Studies Department as the Upper School Chaplain. He earned a Master of Divinity from Nashotah House Theological Seminary in Wisconsin and has experience in both parish ministry and school chaplaincy. Over the past year he and his wife, along with their dog and cat, have traveled throughout the United States in a RV. They experienced the wonder and beauty of State and National Parks and have encountered the generosity and richness of the people throughout many states. He is thrilled for the opportunity to be a part of a team that fosters curiosity and imagination and looks forward to helping and encouraging a community that follows the way of Jesus by acting and living faithfully, graciously, compassionately, and justly.

Evan Sachs joins the Upper School Latin Department to teach Latin and related topics in the Classics program. He earned a Bachelor of Art in Classical Literature and Language at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and a Master of Art in Latin and Classical Humanities at the University of Massachusetts Boston. He has most recently taught at the Boston Latin School, the oldest public school in America. He believes that Latin can be read and spoken aloud as easily as its linguistic descendants. He’s beyond excited to show how a few years of studying the ancient world can help develop a novel view of our own modern world.

COLLEGE ADVISING
Melissa Love joins the College Advising Office as Associate Director of College Advising. She is originally from Indiana and attended Bethel University for her undergraduate degree and Indiana Wesleyan University for her graduate degree. Melissa spent four years at Bethel University in Admissions as the Associate Director of Admission followed by three years at Saint Mary’s College in Financial Aid as the Assistant Director of Financial Aid. She made the move to Texas this summer to be closer to family. Melissa enjoys hiking, biking, and baking in her free time. Also, she loves watching sports and looks forward to attending sporting events at All Saints’. Melissa is excited to get to know the students and families at All Saints’ and to help them navigate the college admission process.

BUSINESS OFFICE
Paul Brown joins All Saints’ as the new Chief Financial Officer. Paul is originally from Charlotte, NC, but comes to All Saints’ from Franklin, TN. Paul received his Business Degree from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and his Master’s in Accounting from the University of Georgia. He has spent his career in both the corporate and the private school industries, with his private school experience gained from Charlotte Latin School, Episcopal School of Baton Rouge and Battle Ground Academy. He enjoys hunting and fishing and spending time and traveling with his family.

Joanna Gant joins All Saints’ as the new Controller in the Business Office. She grew up in Kansas City and came to Fort Worth to earn a Bachelor of Science in Education at Texas Christian University. She chose to stay. Joanna loves math and went on to earn her MBA at UT Arlington. Her accounting experience includes work in both corporate and nonprofit accounting. She and her husband Stephen are longtime members of the All Saints' family as parents of sixth grader Ellie (Class of 2029). Joanna is looking forward to becoming an integral part of the Business Office and to occasionally seeing her daughter in the hallways this year.

Kristina Gonzalez joins All Saints’ as the Human Resource Associate. Kristina comes to us from Gonzaga University in Spokane, WA where her position was HR Partner. Kristina earned her Business Administration degree in Human Resources Management with a minor in Psychology at Eastern Washington University and will complete her Master of Arts degree in Organizational Leadership from Gonzaga University in December 2022. Kristina was recently married, and she and her new husband will be moving to Ft. Worth later this month. She will begin work at All Saints’ August 15.

Becky Grimmer will transition from Chief Financial Officer into a new role as Project Manager for our campus master plan. She will be working with our architects and consultants as we move from concept to design and into construction planning for priority spaces in the coming months.

Laurene McLaughlin joins All Saints’ as the Business Office Administrative Assistant. She comes to us from Alcon Global Vision. Laurene originates from Kansas, but has lived in Texas since she was six years old. Laurene enjoys spending her time with her 10 grandchildren. She feels privileged to be at All Saints’.

Paul Vela joins All Saints’ as the Accountant Associate. Paul obtained his Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Finance at the University of Texas at Arlington. He enjoys spending time with his wife, Yesenia, and their dog, Jocko. Paul is born and raised in Fort Worth and loves watching sports, especially football, and is looking forward to watching the All Saints’ teams play. Paul is excited to be a part of the All Saints’ family.

HEAD OF SCHOOL OFFICE
Lynn Gant will transition from Executive Assistant to Head of School and will now be managing all of the School’s special events as our new Institutional Events Manager.

Amber Tejeda joins All Saints’ as Executive Assistant to Head of School. Amber has a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and her Master’s degree in Business Administration with emphasis in Supply Chain Management. She most recently served as the Director of Academic Operations at Texas Wesleyan University and has over 10 years of experience in administrative and operations support. Amber and her husband, Hector, have two daughters, Emelia (2y) and Laura (9m).

THE 51 SCHOOL STORE
Lacey Song joins the 51 Store team as the Associate Manager. Lacey graduated from Texas Christian University (TCU) with a degree in Psychology and a minor in Communication Studies. While at TCU, Lacey was named a TCU Leadership Scholar. She comes to All Saints’ with 10 years of extensive experience with customer service, communication, and organizational management, including ownership of her online store Abigail’s Boutique. Lacey is excited to bring her skills, creativity, and enthusiasm to our wonderful campus!

ATHLETICS
Patrick Franklin will be moving from Life Safety to Athletics full-time as a Lacrosse Coach, the Sports Information Director, and a PE Instructor. Prior to joining the All Saints’ Community, Coach Franklin spent five years as a Varsity and Middle School Lacrosse Coach at St. Mark’s School of Texas where he helped the program to a Division 1 State Championship Appearance in 2018, a Class A State Semifinal in 2021, and four consecutive SPC Championship Games. Before his time at St. Mark’s School of Texas, Coach Franklin spent two years at his alma mater, Texas State University, while serving as an Assistant Coach for the Men’s Lacrosse Program helping them reach their Conference Championship in 2016. At Texas State University, Patrick earned his Bachelor of Science. As a Player, Coach Franklin was a three-time All-Conference Selection, was chosen as a Team Captain by his peers, and reached Conference Championship all three years at Texas State.

Demetrius Knox ’14 joins the Athletic Department as the Strength & Conditioning Coach, Athletic Dean and a PE Instructor. Demetrius played offensive line at All Saints’ from 2010-2014 and was part of the SPC Champs Back-to-Back ’12 & ’13 teams. Demetrius was ranked the #2 offensive guard via Rivals.com coming at of high school and became an Army All American. Going on to college, Demetrius attended The Ohio State University, where he was a four-year letterman. Demetrius graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Sports Industry. While at The Ohio State, Demetrius was a member of three Big 10 Championship winning teams, winning the Sugar Bowl, Fiesta Bowl, Cotton Bowl, Rose Bowl, a National Championship and went 5-0 against That Team Up North. After college Demetrius went on to play in the NFL for the Seattle Seahawks.

FACILITIES
Adam Olivares joins All Saints’ as the new Director of Facilities. He has 30 years of facilities experience and 15 years managing facilities and security in sectors that include commercial, industrial, healthcare, data centers and educational settings. He enjoys spending time with his wife, Lisa, and their two sons, Adam and Cody. His hobbies consist of rebuilding classic trucks and spending time on his land in Arkansas.

LIFE SAFETY
Glenn Cutinello recently joined the All Saints’ Team as a Life Safety Officer and will work the 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. shift. Glenn comes to All Saints’ from Global Security where he worked as both an armed and unarmed security officer. His background includes experience in the arenas of law enforcement, private security, and contract security. As a peace officer, Glenn worked at Empire City Yonkers Raceway. He attended Cardoza High School in Bayside Queens and graduated from Liberty High School in Brattleboro, Vermont. One interesting fact is that Glenn is also an ordained minister from the United National Church. So, if you are getting married anytime soon, he is your man. Glenn is excited to meet everyone.

RECHARGE
Andrea Cazares will return to the Extended Care Team. Andrea is an experienced teacher who has taught third grade for three years in Ecuandureo, Mexico. Her experience, love for teaching, and her command of both Spanish and English will greatly impact our students daily. Andrea is married to Miguel Cervantes, a member of our All Saints’ Facilities Staff, and they are the proud parents of Santiago (5) and Emilio (3-months).

ALL SCHOOL
Orvill Acquino Lopez (SAGE Executive Chef) has been with SAGE Dining for almost eight years and was most recently at Greenhill School in Dallas. Originally from Puerto Rico, he will bring his love for Latin cuisine to All Saints’. Orvill enjoys camping and hiking on his free time and most importantly, his wife Zuly and he welcomed their new son Thiago eight weeks ago.