“The teaching staff is in a league of its own...”
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Faculty Directory
The opportunity to work on the leading edge of independent Catholic preparatory education draws qualified, powerful, and passionate teachers to STMA. Serving together with high collaboration and a shared vision, our talented team works tirelessly to form every student for authentic Christian excellence.
Deacon Brad Watkins
Headmaster
Deacon Brad Watkins is the Academy’s Headmaster. The 2024-2025 academic year marks his 15th year in this role, and over thirty years in education. Borrowing from Pope St. John Paul II’s apostolic exhortation on the formation of priests, Pastores Dabo Vobes, Deacon Brad believes we must focus the Academy’s energies on the human, spiritual, intellectual,…
Mrs. Ann Cureton
Registrar
Ann Cureton is the Academy’s registrar and administrative assistant to the leadership team. She supports families with RenWeb, FACTS tuition payment, and all matters of student records. “I came to St. Thomas More after five years away from the workforce as a stay-at-home mom. I understand a parent’s desire to send children to the best…
Dr. Wesley Kirkpatrick
Dean of Studies
Wesley Kirkpatrick has led STMA’s academic program since 2011. A recipient of teaching awards from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Japan Fulbright Memorial Fund, he offers a diverse suite of upper school courses each year, including The Socratic Question and popular electives in geology and history. Dr. Kirkpatrick studied philosophy with Alvin…
Dr. Jake Noland
Dean of Faculty
Jake Noland was born and raised in Virginia, and as the son of a Methodist minister he lived all around the state. He began studying philosophy during his first semester at UVA and started teaching it as a graduate at Texas A&M. While in Texas he met his wife, Stormy, and they now have five wonderful children. Prior to…
Mr. Charles McCants
Dean of Students
Charles McCants was born and raised in Raleigh, but went off to Virginia for greater formation in the Classics and Theology. During college he spent a number of weeks at Holy Cross Abbey, a Cistercian monastery in Northern Virginia. “I try to remain formed to the patterns of prayer, work, and virtue that I witnessed at Holy…
Mrs. Stormy Noland
Admissions Director, Student Life Team
Stormy Noland was born and raised in Louisiana and attended Texas A&M University, where she met her husband, Dr. Jake Noland. After finishing her undergraduate studies she worked in mental health and foster care/adoption for over ten years in Texas and Virginia, recruiting and training families for children in need. She has been a stay-at-home mom…
Ms. Amanda Bambury
Instructor in Humanities (grades 9-12)
Amanda Bambury was raised at the base of Pikes Peak in Colorado. She first experienced the beauty of Catholic education at the University of Notre Dame, where she studied French and Italian literature. Formed by the Congregation of Holy Cross, she came to fervently believe Bl. Basile Moreau’s assertion that “the mind must not be cultivated at…
Mr. Randall Blessing
Instructor in Science and Mathematics (grades 6-12)
Mr. Blessing sees mathematics and science as forms of play and exploration. “As I teach physics and mathematics I want students to think about situations and problems with me and to experience learning as a process toward fuller understanding, the sort that only comes after a series of thoughtful steps. I also want them to…
Mrs. Luisana Briceno
Instructor in Modern Languages
Bio coming soon!
Mrs. Kristy Chandler
Instructor in Humanities and the Performing Arts (grades 6-12)
Mrs. Chandler is the Academy student’s first encounter with the Trivium, the heart of classical education. “As a linguist I am thrilled that we devote substantial time to the study of language. Its exploration paves the way for learning in all other disciplines. In our unique curriculum we teach grammar, writing, logic and rhetoric as…
Mr. Doug Cottle
Athletic Director, Instructor in Health and Fitness (grades 6-8)
Doug Cottle was born and raised in Raleigh, NC. He attended Sacred Heart Cathedral grades one through eight, and then Cardinal Gibbons high School. After graduating, he studied Business Management at N.C. State University before entering into a 40-year career with the U.S. Postal Service Mr. Cottle is a lifelong lover of sports, playing most…
Mr. Michael D’Andrea
Instructor in Science and Mathematics (grades 9-12)
Michael D’Andrea studied engineering at the United States Naval Academy and then continued his studies in Pensacola, training as a pilot. “I saw first hand how the critical thinking and the systematic approach to problem solving learned in a STEM education prepares you to take on real world challenges. My goal is to help students…
Mr. Ian Dornan
Instructor in Humanities, Lead Middle School Teacher (grades 6-8)
Ian Dornan was born and raised in Holly Springs, North Carolina. He fell in love with the seriousness and the beauty of a classical education while studying, with his now wife, at Saint Thomas More Academy. He furthered this love by attending the Honor’s College at Belmont Abbey. “Each of the Great Books provide the…
Mr. John Govert
Instructor in Economics and Finance (grades 10-12)
Coming soon!
Mrs. Patricia Hartley
Service & Outreach Coordinator
Originally from the Hudson Valley in New York State, Patricia Hartley relocated with her husband to North Carolina in 1997. She became a stay-at-home mom with the birth of her first daughter in 1998. During the next 16 years Mrs. Hartley discovered a love for working with the homeless and began volunteering to help. In…
Ms. Bernadett Horvath
Instructor in Music (grades 6-8)
Bernadett Horvath was born and raised in Hungary and came to the United States in 2017. Before coming to STMA she worked as a teacher and choir conductor in Budapest, then as a private violin and piano instructor at The Musicians Learning Center in Raleigh. As a Catholic musician she orders her teaching to formation…
Ms. Shari Huggett-Milton
Instructor in Non-Cognitive Skills (grades 11-12)
An accomplished artist and entrepreneur in dance, Ms. Shari Huggett-Milton founded one of Raleigh’s most successful studies, Southern Star. In her studio the “culture and philosophy is simple: treat others as we would like to be treated, with honesty and integrity.” In 2016 she brought those same sound values to her contributions at St. Thomas…
Mrs. Kelly Jackson
Instructor in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering (grades 6-12)
Kelly Jackson was born and raised in New Jersey where she attended Catholic school through high school. Drawn to a warmer climate with the ability to study engineering, she got her bachelor’s and master’s degree in civil engineering at Georgia Tech. Kelly spent 10 years as a structural engineer, consulting on some large-scale projects including baseball stadiums,…
Mr. Robert Kirkendall
Instructor in Humanities (grades 9-12)
Born and raised the son of a Baptist pastor in Northern California, Robert Kirkendall has developed a keen interest in Scripture and literature from a young age. “I recall my sense of awe at the great doctrines of the Incarnation and the Trinity. I saw that these were not inert ideas, but dynamic realities weaving…
Mrs. Kate Kirkpatrick
Instructor in Humanities and Science, Student Life Team (grades 9-12)
Kate Kirkpatrick was born and raised in Chicago. She teaches upper-school core and elective courses in history, theology, and agricultural science. She also serves on the student life team. Mrs. Kirkpatrick earned her B.A. from Franciscan University.
Mr. Conor Mulligan
Instructor in Humanities and Mathematics
B.A., Hillsdale College. Bio coming soon!
Mr. Francis Nolan
Instructor in Science and Mathematics (grades 6-12)
Born in California and raised just outside Washington D.C., Francis Nolan began his educational career with a great love for the sciences, particularly life sciences. He continued his education in the honors college at Belmont Abbey. “The study of Science is the study of God’s creation. The more we study science the more we come…
Ms. Adriana Watkins
Instructor in Humanities (grades 6-12)
Adriana Watkins was born in North Carolina and raised in Stuttgart, Germany. She arrived at St. Thomas More Academy as a transfer student and took an interest in the vocation of teaching. After graduating, she attended Boston College, where she studied English, French, and Philosophy (taking several classes with Dr. Peter Kreeft). She enjoys introducing…
Reverend Monsignor Jeffrey Ingham
Spiritual Director
Monsignor Jeffrey Ingham was born in Cleveland, Ohio. He attended Borromeo Seminary College in Cleveland, earning his B.A. in Scholastic Philosophy in 1969. He then attended St. Mary Seminary and Graduate School of Theology in Cleveland from 1969 to 1972. He finished his studies at Holy Trinity Seminary in Dallas, Texas in 1975, the year…
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Most Reverent Bishop Burbidge, Bishop of Arlington (Formerly Bishop of Raleigh)
Catholic schools play an essential role in the future of our Church and Diocese. Recognizing that parents are the first and primary educators of their children, Catholic schools enter into a unique partnership with them. STMA is positioned well to assist parents in this endeavor. As a school officially recognized by the Diocese of Raleigh, it is dedicated to the authentic teaching of the Faith and provides families with a valued option in Catholic education. -
Alice von Hildebrand, Professor of Philosophy Emeritus, Hunter College
God is always calling his people to the vital task of “renewing” authentic education. One enterprise that deserves our special praise and gratitude is St. Thomas More Academy. Thanks to the astounding generosity of its founder, Bob Luddy, and the unswerving efforts of its faculty, it has born rich fruit in its many students. We, both laity and clergy, have a great debt of gratitude to those who pour themselves into creating schools like St. Thomas More. Let us support them in every way possible. And let us not miss the chance to give our children the privilege of a real education. -
Timothy Moran, STMA '13
"STMA planted in me the desire to never be satisfied with mediocrity but to always strive for excellence and gave me the tools to navigate in a world that demands complacency. I continue to utilize lessons learned at STMA in my personal life and leadership style in the military. Above all, STMA fosters a desire for greatness in students that I don’t see possible in a different environment. I hold this to be the key difference in my upbringing."
1st Lieutenant, United States Marine Corps. -
Fr. Robert Spitzer S.J., Ph.D., President Emeritus, Gonzaga University
I’ve had the good fortune to present at STMA on multiple occasions. My subject matter, which draws from contemporary physics and philosophy, can be fairly demanding, but the students not only assimilate the material but ask very perceptive questions. I believe that the STMA faculty is the driving force behind these exceptional young people. I’ve been highly impressed by their knowledge and commitment to the students. For preparing teens to meet contemporary challenges brought about by the interaction of faith and secular culture, Saint Thomas More Academy offers one of the finest secondary programs in the nation. -
Sarah Dawod, STMA '15
"STMA leaves a mark on the minds of its students by attending to the formation of their intellect, heart, body and soul. My experience at STMA was nothing less than transformative - this is a result of the time and effort each and every one of the faculty members poured into me. "
NCSU '19 Honors Biology with Concentration in Neuroscience, Minor in Health, Medicine & Human Value, University of Pittsburgh, MA Bioethics '21 -
Dr. Anne Carson Daly, President Emeritus, Mount St. Mary College
It’s a breath of fresh air to walk through the doors of St. Thomas More Academy. The administrators and faculty care about educating the whole person. The students are obviously happy to be there [and] are getting a terrific education that emphasizes what counts and what lasts. Spending time at STMA makes me wish that all students could have the opportunity to study there. -
Adriana Watkins, STMA '16
"STMA opened my eyes to the ways in which different disciplines are connected. I'm grateful to STMA for encouraging me to pay attention to the depth and breadth of truth.”
Boston College 2020, Majors in English & French, Minors in Philosophy and Creative Writing -
Dr. John F. Crosby, Professor and Chair of Philosophy, Franciscan University
My wife and I visited St Thomas More Academy in 2011, and we were greatly impressed by the politeness of the students. I attended an English class that had almost the level of a college course. I gave a lecture to an assembly of all students, and I was struck by the intelligent and articulate questions I received from them. I went away wishing that I could send my own children to a school like St. Thomas More Academy. -
Irene Bethencourt, STMA '17
"I value STMA for its teachers who care about the personal enrichment of each student in and way beyond the classroom. In college, it is almost impossible to have this connection with teachers so I remember it fondly from STMA. It reminds me that there are teachers out there who value more about their students than just their academic performance."
UNC Chapel Hill 2021, Major in Nursing -
Sister Mary Sarah Galbraith, O.P., President Emeritus, Aquinas College
STMA provides a rich environment that allows each student to flourish and become who they were meant from all eternity to be. In fall 2013 a recent graduate enrolled at Aquinas College. I was able to see a direct correlation between the caliber of teaching and learning in a thoughtful, Christ-centered community and the impact that STMA’s integrated formation had on the young man. He brings his good qualities of mind and heart into every aspect of life and by his example encourages others to follow his lead. -
Andrew Mistele, STMA '18
"STMA's community is totally unique in the best way. I formed some of the most meaningful relationships of my life there and grew personally in ways that have prepared me for life and all that comes after high school. As an engineering major, I believe that STMA's liberal arts curriculum taught me to see the world in a different way than most of my peers, which has already proved very advantageous.”
NCSU 2022, Major in Aerospace Engineering, Minor in Mathematics -
Aubrey Leaser, STMA '19
"St. Thomas More Academy is led by a strong and devout faculty that shares a deep love for the Catholic faith and seeks to bestow the same love in the next generations. In the four years that I spent at STMA, I found assurance in my faith and the knowledge to pursue my interests. I was taught how to think critically and to formulate strong arguments. Since entering college, I have realized that I am better prepared than many of my college peers, both academically and socially. I attribute this to my time spent at STMA, as it was there that I learned to love learning and was given the tools necessary to succeed."
University of Virginia Class of 2023, Major in Biology
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High School Campus3109 Spring Forest Rd
Raleigh, NC 27616
Middle School Campus
5605 Spring Court Rd.
Raleigh, NC 27616