Grades 1-5 Faculty & Staff

First Grade Team

Mrs. Bailey Fritz graduated from the University of Iowa and moved to Chicago 8 years ago. She is starting her fourth-year teaching first grade. She was previously a kindergarten assistant and a substitute teacher at St. Bens. In her free time, she enjoys watching sports, attending country music concerts, traveling, eating Mexican food, doing yoga and hanging out with friends and family. Mrs. Fritz also loves her mini goldendoodle dog, Maddon. She is looking forward to meeting her new students and having a wonderful school year!  bfritz@stbenedict.com

Mrs. Debbie Geppert is beginning her ninth-year teaching 1st grade at St. Benedict Prep.   She has a Bachelor's Degree in Education from North Central College in Naperville and has many years of teaching experience, her dream job! Mrs. Geppert has been married for 36 years and raised her 4 sons in Naperville, Illinois. She loves to spend weekends and holidays in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin with family and friends at Geppert’s Cottage. Boating, fishing and skiing are new hobbies that she enjoys. dgeppert@stbenedict.com

Ms. Gina Zadrozny was born and raised in the city of Chicago.  She earned her Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Dayton and worked as a social worker for ten years before going back to school.   She earned a Masters Degree in Teaching from National Louis University.  Ms. Zadrozny also completed a post graduate program in Curriculum and Instruction at National Louis and has an endorsement in ESL (English as a second language).  Ms. Zadrozny published her first children’s book, Oscar’s Day Out which she loves to read to her class each year!  She is so excited to begin her 11th year at St. Benedict. She LOVES being a part of the SBPS community as she attended high school here as a student!  gzadrozny@stbenedict.com

Second Grade Team

Mrs. Jacqueline Nelson is in her sixth year teaching 2nd grade at St. Ben’s. Mrs. Nelson earned her Master of Elementary Education degree from DePaul University. She is a Chicagoland native, attended St. Anne Catholic School, Barrington High School and earned her Bachelor’s degree from Miami University of Ohio. Last year, she got married at St. Ben’s surrounded by so many familiar faces – a core SBPS memory for sure! Outside of teaching, Mrs. Nelson enjoys traveling to new places with her husband and spending time along the shores of Lake Michigan in Long Beach, Indiana with her family. She loves to read, cook, hike, and draw too! 2nd grade is Mrs. Nelson’s favorite year. She enjoys preparing her students for the sacraments of First Reconciliation and First Communion and showing them how they can grow in faith.  jnelson@stbenedict.com

Mrs. Zoe Malter is starting her 2nd year as a 2nd Grade teacher, and this her 3rd year as a teacher. Mrs. Malter recently graduated with her Master of Early Childhood Education from National Louis University in June 2025. She received her Bachelor’s Degree at Columbia College Chicago in 2017. Mrs. Malter was born and raised in Chicago and currently resides in North Center with her husband, dog, and many reptiles! She attended St. Benedict Prep for high school and graduated in 2013. Mrs. Malter worked as a 4th Grade Teacher at St. Bens two years ago. Previously, she worked as a preschool assistant here at St. Bens for 9 years and 4 years as the lead of preschool aftercare program. When Mrs. Malter isn’t teaching, you might find her at a Cubs game, traveling to Colorado to ski and hike, spending time with family or going to a music festival. She can’t wait for another wonderful school year in 2nd Grade!  zmalter@stbenedict.com

Ms. Yasmin Suleiman was born and raised right here in the beautiful city of Chicago! This is her fourth year at St. Benedict’s and her 21st year of teaching. She grew up in Portage Park and attended Our Lady of Victory School as well as Resurrection High School.  She graduated from Northeastern Illinois University with a Bachelors in Psychology and a Masters in Elementary Education. She is the proud mom of two; a fourteen year old son and a ten year old daughter. When she is not at school, she is spending time with her children supporting them in sports (baseball and hockey) and other extracurricular activities. They also enjoy exploring Chicago and all it has to offer from sporting events to shows. She is passionate about health and fitness, music, and her favorite Chicago sports teams.  She is looking forward to beginning an exciting year in second grade!  ysuleiman@stbenedict.com

Third Grade Team

Ms. Rana Brizgys is excited to begin her first year teaching third grade at St. Benedict Prep. She earned a Bachelor’s in Psychology degree from Michigan State University, a Master’s degree in Elementary Education from Roosevelt University, and a Master’s degree in School Administration and Leadership from Loyola University. Prior to arriving at St. Ben’s, she worked with Chicago Public Schools, taught in the Middle East, and has worked with various schools within the Archdiocese of Chicago. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, hiking, yoga, reading, and spending time in Michigan with her husband and pitbull pup, Atlas. She is passionate about Catholic education and looking forward to a wonderful school year in third grade and contributing to the St. Ben’s community!  rbrizgys@stbenedict.com

Ms. Amy Carlino is in her tenth year at St. Benedict Prep and her fourth year teaching third grade! She previously taught first grade and technology.  Ms. Carlino graduated from Northern Illinois University with a degree in Elementary Education. Prior to coming to St. Benedict Prep, she worked as a learning assistant in first grade and kindergarten at the British International School. When she is not teaching, she loves to travel and spend time with family and friends.  acarlino@stbenedict.com

Ms. Rachel Smith is in her fifth year at St. Benedict Prep. Graduating from the University of Illinois at Chicago with a degree in Urban Education. Ms. Smith continued her studies in Early Childhood Education, as well as World, French, and American history. She began at SBPS teaching 5th grade math and is excited to continue her journey in 3rd grade. Born and raised in Chicago, Ms. Smith enjoys nothing more than attending Cubs games, traveling and learning about new cultures, people, and places. In her free time, you’ll find her with her friends and family, learning new languages and listening to her vinyl records.  rsmith@stbenedict.com

Fourth Grade Team

Ms. Maia Gillet grew up in Oak Park. She earned a BFA in Painting at Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore and graduated from DePaul with a Masters in Elementary Education. She discovered her love of teaching when she taught English in South Korea for two years and returned to the U.S. in 2017.  Before working at St. Ben’s she spent time as an assistant teacher and substitute teacher at Francis W. Parker, Chicago public schools and Oak Park public schools. This is her 6th year as a 4th grade teacher at St. Ben’s. She loves riding her bike to school, kayaking in the summer and playing with her sister’s corgi puppy.  mgillet@stbenedict.com

Ms. Melissa Garcia  is thrilled to begin her second year at St. Bens as the 4th grade social studies teacher! Born and raised in Chicago, IL, she earned her degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). After graduation, she began her career as a preschool teacher at Ladybug and Friends Daycare and Preschool. Not straying far from her roots in early childhood education, Melissa joined St. Bens’ summer camp program for the first time this year as the summer camp director, assisting with the oversight and coordination of the program. With a strong background in early childhood education, she made the jump to teaching older students to have a greater impact on their education. Melissa finds joy in challenging her students, fostering their curiosity, and celebrating the excitement they feel when mastering new skills. She strives every day to make her classroom both fun and academically enriching. Outside the classroom, Ms. Garcia enjoys spending time with loved ones, traveling, staying active, and attending social events such as sporting events and concerts. mgarcia@stbenedict.com

Mrs. Sarah Zinkula is in her second year as a teacher at St. Ben’s. Originally from Iowa, she has spent the past nine years teaching in Milwaukee, London, New York City, and Chicago. This year will be her sixth year working with 4th graders and she especially loves teaching math. A Marquette University graduate, Ms. Zinkula holds a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary and Middle School Education and Psychology. Outside of the classroom, she enjoys reading, spending time outdoors, traveling to Colorado to visit family, and cheering on Marquette basketball with her husband and friends. szinkula@stbenedict.com

Fifth Grade Team

Ms. Jennifer Bertram Originally from Iowa, Miss Bertram has spent 10 wonderful years living in Chicago. In May 2014, she graduated from the University of Northern Iowa with her bachelor’s in Kinesiology. Upon coming to Chicago, Miss Bertram became a teacher at the British International School as well as worked with various dance studios coaching and choreographing. In December of 2022, Ms. Bertram graduated with honors from Saint Xavier University with her Master’s in Elementary Education. After graduation, she became a 5th grade teacher at St. Ben’s! Miss. Bertram is excited to be the 5th grade team lead and to be starting her third full year at St. Bens!
jbertram@stbenedict.com

Mr. Zachary Berning is excited to start his first year at St. Benedict Prep as a fifth grade teacher. He is originally from Dubuque, Iowa, and graduated with his bachelor’s degree in psychology from Saint Louis University. He then completed his Master’s of Education at the University of Notre Dame through the Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE). During his time in ACE, Mr. Berning taught fifth grade for two years in Tucson, Arizona. He got married in June 2025 and is new to the city of Chicago. In his free time, he loves playing and watching soccer, exploring the city and the outdoors with his wife, and spending time with family. He also enjoys reading, playing the piano, and playing the guitar.  zberning@stbenedict.com

Joe Cavaliere Growing up in Libertyville, Illinois, Mr. Cavaliere has been happy to call Chicago home for the past 12 years. Graduating from the University of Iowa for undergrad, Mr. Cavaliere worked in marketing for several years until changing career paths after the pandemic. Off a whim, he applied a job at School of Rock Schaumberg and began working there as a drum instructor and band director for younger students (Aged 3-6). Mr. Cavaliere’s experience teaching music inspired him to shift gears and go back to school to become a classroom teacher. In Spring of 2025, he graduated with honors from DePaul University with his Master’s of Elementary Education. He is thrilled to be starting his first year at St. Ben’s!.  jcavaliere@stbenedict.com

Physical Education Team

Mr. Chris Deakins is starting his 17th year as Athletic Director at St. Benedict.  Mr. Deakins graduated with a BS in secondary social science education from Illinois State University.  Over the years, Mr. Deakins has taught Middle School and Elementary School PE but will continue to focus on the athletic program at SBPS.  In his free time, Mr. Deakins loves all things outdoors...sports, hiking, fishing, hunting and enjoys cooking and reading.  Mr. Deakins is also the father of two Bengal Alumni(Aaron - class of 2025 and Alex – Class of 2022).  He is excited to see the Bengals on the court, course and field again this year. Go Bengals! cdeakins@stbenedict.com

Mr. Dave Regnier grew up an hour south of Chicago in Kankakee. After a successful high school career, he continued playing golf at the University of Notre Dame and graduated with a degree in Accounting.  After moving to Chicago, he started his basketball coaching career at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel on Belmont while doing financial analysis. His love of coaching was too strong to stay away from the court, so he started a youth basketball training company called One on One Basketball in 1999. After expanding to multiple sports, this led to the formation of 3Point Athletics. After 22 years of youth sports instruction, Dave is excited to be a part of the St. Ben’s teaching community. In his free time, Dave coaches volleyball & basketball at St. Ben’s, while also coaching his daughters Emma (St. Ben’s 2022 graduate & current junior at DePaul Prep) & Maddie (6th grade at St. Ben’s) in softball, volleyball and basketball. He is looking forward to spending more time in the gym at St. Ben’s with the 3rd & 4th Grade PE classes!  dregnier@stbenedict.com

Fine Arts Team

Mrs. Agata Ballenger is looking forward to her seventh year teaching band and strings at St. Benedict Prep. This year she is excited to be continuing principled leadership and starting Bengal Skills as well! After living in Abuja, Nigeria for 18 years, she came to Chicago to pursue a music education degree at VanderCook College of Music. After graduating, she started working at St. Benedict Prep and has enjoyed it ever since. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her son, Eli! aballenger@stbenedict.com

Mrs. Jackie Stancin is looking forward to beginning her 15th year teaching art at St. Benedict Prep. Mrs. Stancin is an alum who graduated from St. Benedict High School and is also a parent to her son who will be starting 6th grade this year at SBPS. Mrs. Stancin holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Art Education as well as a Master of Fine Arts from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Before joining St. Benedict Prep’s staff, she taught in various public and private school settings including Randolph Elementary in the Englewood community of Chicago as well as in Chicago Lab School’s afterschool art program. Mrs. Stancin specializes in 3D design and hopes to share her love of ceramics with her students. During her free time, she enjoys outdoor adventures, cooking, weightlifting, and being creative. She is looking forward to seeing her student artists back in the art studio to continue to develop creative thinking and experiencing hands on projects. . jstancin@stbenedict.com

Mrs. Hannah Thompson feels very blessed to continue her path as a music educator and theater instructor at St. Benedict.  Now in her fifteenth year of teaching and tenth year at St. Ben’s. Her degrees include a Bachelor of Music degree from Chicago College of Performing Arts, and a master's degree in Vocal Performance from North Park University. Along with performing private vocal recitals and maintaining a private vocal studio, Mrs. Thompson is also a certified Orff-Schulwerk music teacher. This unique method exposes her students in grades 2-5 to a highly creative and student-centered form of music education with extensive instrumental and movement work. Her passion is encouraging a love for music and theater in her students at St. Benedict Prep.  hthompson@stbenedict.com

Mrs. Emily Houlihan graduated from the University of Dayton with a degree in Middle Childhood Education. Mrs. Houlihan has an endorsement in English as a Second Language from the American College of Education.  She has worked at St. Benedict Preparatory School for the past 14 years, the first eight years in 3rd grade and three years in 4th grade. This is her third-year teaching kindergarten through 5th grade STEM. All are encouraged to check out her class Instagram page, @stbensstem. Mrs. Houlihan is also a teacher for the Northwestern Center for Talent Development. She resides in Edison Park with her husband, Colin, son Henry and daughter Maeve.  . ehoulihan@stbenedict.com

World Language Team

Ms. Caitlin McDonough is in her 13th year teaching Spanish in the Lower School at St. Benedict Preparatory. She grew up attending Catholic school in Chicago, and received her Bachelor of Arts in the Teaching of Spanish at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She also studied for one year at the University of Barcelona in Spain. Ms. McDonough loves traveling, playing with her dog Topo, and reading, both in Spanish and English. She is excited to be getting married this December!   cmcdonough@stbenedict.com

Mrs. Kimberly Carmona is excited for her 2nd year as the Upper School Spanish teacher, Creative Writing, and International Studies teacher.  She grew up in the Chicagoland suburbs and currently lives in Chicago with her husband and two daughters.  Ms. Carmona received her Bachelor of Arts in Communications from the University of Iowa.  She has spent the last few years gaining valuable experience as a substitute teacher at St. Benedict.  She decided to pursue a career in teaching after discovering a love for working with kids. In her free time, Ms. Carmona enjoys reading, cooking, traveling, working out, and spending time with her family.   kcarmona@stbenedict.com

Inclusion Services Team

Mrs. Kristi Miller graduated from Indiana University with a degree in Elementary Education and completed her Master’s Degree in Special Education at National Louis University. For the last fifteen years, she has worked at St. Benedict Preparatory School. She taught Kindergarten for three years and is now going into her twelfth year as the Inclusion Facilitator and her eighth year as the Director of Inclusion. This year, she will work with students in grades 4-5 and direct the inclusion team. Mrs. Miller is excited to show all learners the power of education.   kmiller@stbenedict.com

Mrs. Dawn O’Farrell is a dedicated educator with a passion for inclusive learning. She earned her degree in Elementary Education from Northeastern University and is currently pursuing her Master’s in Special Education. Over the past sixteen years at St. Benedict Preparatory School, Mrs. O’Farrell has worn many hats, teaching Preschool for two years, Second Grade for eight, and now entering her seventh year as the school’s Inclusion Facilitator. This year, she’ll be working with students in grades Pre-K through 3, supporting their unique learning needs and helping them thrive in the classroom. She’s excited to continue making a difference in the lives of her students and their families. dofarrell@stbenedict.com

Ms. Carolina Blazkow, LPC is going onto her 7th year here at St. Benedict Prep as our School Counselor for elementary and middle-school. She completed her undergrad degree in psychology from Northern Illinois University and earned her Master's Degree in counseling from DePaul University. She is currently a Licensed Professional Counselor and a National Certified Counselor. Ms. Blazkow connects with students and families regarding academic, social-emotional, and high school planning. She hopes to create wholesome relationships while being an essential resource for the St. Benedict Prep community. As a mental health advocate, Ms. Blazkow also hopes to continue to promote balance and a positive well-being for students and faculty.   cblazkow@stbenedict.com

Mrs. Lisa Wiederkehr is very excited to be starting her 10th year as the librarian at St. Benedict School, having previously served as a librarian at St. Matthias School and Sulzer Regional Library. She is also looking forward to again teaching middle school Bengal Skills and Prep, along with her Popular Literature elective. She has her undergraduate degree in Political Science from St. Joseph's College and her Master’s Degree in Library and Information Science from Dominican University, is a trained social-emotional learning facilitator and a 200-hour certified yoga teacher. She loves to read, travel,  attend concerts and spend time with her husband, daughter, and her two kitties, Dipper and Mabel.  lwiederkehr@stbenedict.com

RN Ms. Heather Perez is going into her 11th year as St. Benedict’s school Nurse and has been working for St. Benedict since 2003 with all sporting events. Has been a paramedic since 2003 and got her Nursing degree in 20013, she is an American Redcross Instructor and trains all staff and even Middle school. I love hanging out with Faith the  (cutest little dog in the world) and seeing the excitement and joy in all the students faces watching them grow into amazing young individual's.    hperez@stbenedict.com