Middle School Faculty & Staff

Middle School Team

Mr. Andrew Galus is an award-winning teacher with many years of experience in the Archdiocese of Chicago. He has served in various teaching and administrative positions in various schools of the Archdiocese. Galus earned both his B.A. and Masters Degree from Loyola University in Chicago. He is starting his 21st year at St. Benedict. He spent the first 14 years of his career at St. Benedict Prep and “came home" to St Ben’s six years ago. Galus firmly believes in working with the entire school community to ensure the students' best possible and formational experience. Mr. Galus and his wife Peggy, a St. Benedict Alumnae, enjoy spending time with their children Anthony and Andrea, both of whom attended St. Benedict School. His hobbies include collecting sports teams pocket schedules, reading books about baseball and listening to baseball games on the radio. agalus@stbenedict.com

Ms. Maisy Richards is so excited to begin her first year at St. Benedict Prep as a Middle School ELA, Creative Writing, and homeroom teacher! She attended Catholic schools from K-12th grade in her hometown of Birmingham Michigan and graduated from Fordham University in New York City with degrees in History and English. Ms. Richards then earned a Masters of Science in Teaching degree from Fordham and moved to Chicago to start her career. She is looking forward to discussing riveting novels and watching her students develop into passionate and engaged readers.  When she’s not teaching, Ms. Richards loves spending time with family and friends, traveling, practicing yoga, and a hot cup of tea while reading a great book. She is honored and blessed to join the St. Benedict community! mrichards@stbenedict.com

Mr. Mike Thallemer has been an Adjunct faculty member in the Cinema Arts & Science department of Columbia College Chicago for over 15 years. During that time, he taught primarily production, screenwriting & creative writing classes. He has written and directed various short films that have screened in the U. S. & Internationally. He has a Master of Fine Arts in film and a Master of Arts in Teaching. Mr. Thallemer is extremely honored and excited to be returning to the St. Benedict community for his third-year teaching Language Arts and Creative Writing.  mthallemer@stbenedict.com

Mrs. Cynthia Hernandez is excited to begin her second year at SBPS! She was born and raised in Chicago, IL and graduated from Illinois Wesleyan University down in Bloomington-Normal. Mrs. Hernandez is excited to teach Introduction to Math Concepts, Mathematical Operations & Relationships, and 7th grade Geometry. On her down time, Mrs. Hernandez enjoys crocheting, reading, and spending time with her family. Mrs. Hernandez is honored to be planted at SBPS and is excited to see what the Lord has in store for SBPS students! chernandez@stbenedict.com

Ms. Zora Voynovich is a lifelong Chicagoan who loves embracing and exploring the city's rich diversity. A graduate of DePaul University, she holds her bachelor's degree in Mathematics and History and her Masters of Education in Teaching and Learning Mathematics. This is her tenth year at St. Benedict Prep and she is excited to be teaching Introduction to Math Concepts, Algebra, and Communications while also serving as the Math Curriculum Chair. Additionally, Ms. Voynovich is eager to share in the 8th graders' year as one of their homeroom teachers. She enjoys fostering a love of learning and community with her students. zvoynovich@stbenedict.com

Ms. Susan Balmes is thrilled to begin her fifth year at St. Benedict Prep as a Middle School science and homeroom teacher.  She attended Catholic schools, grades K-12, and received her undergraduate degree from Southern Illinois University.  After managing a regional educational agency, she attended DePaul University Master’s in Education program. She feels so blessed to be part of the St. Benedict Preparatory team.  After teaching in private schools for 25+ years, her favorite part is working with middle school students because they are beginning to develop scientific claims when solving problems and engaging in project-based learning. When not teaching, Ms. Balmes enjoys cooking with friends, playing strategy games, and spending quality lake time in northern Wisconsin. sbalmes@stbenedict.com

Ms. Cassidy Luciano is from Pennsylvania and attended American University in Washington D.C. She previously taught two years of 4th grade reading and science for CPS before coming to St. Benedict Prep. This is her fourth year as a Middle School science teacher and Bede House Leader. She also teaches a course for Stanford University in the summers. She is excited to continue being part of the amazing Quiz Bowl team. When not going to the park with her dog Tiger, she loves to garden, read, and watch movies. ctorres@stbenedict.com

Ms. Ashley Koernergraduated from Loyola University Chicago with a degree in middle school education and a minor in social studies. This is her fourth-year teaching and has the blessing of knowing a lot of the St. Benedict Prep. faculty and staff. She served as a student teacher in the middle school social studies program while attending Loyola. She is looking forward to seeing returning students and meeting the new ones. Ms. Koerner chose a career in teaching to make a positive impact on the world. Sometimes she was the student in the classroom who learned 'a little differently' than most, so she wants to be the advocate for all types of learners in an inclusive classroom. While Ms. Koerner is not teaching, she enjoys coaching ice hockey, traveling, reading, and spending time with family and friends. This past summer, Ms. Koerner had the opportunity to teach in Italy and loved every minute of it. Ms. Koerner is very appreciative to be a part of this wonderful and supportive community.   akoerner@stbenedict.com

Mr. Stephen Stare graduated from St. Patrick High School in Chicago and then Illinois State University. He spent four years working at Union Ridge School in Harwood Heights and prior to that, he was employed at Brookfield Zoo as a Zookeeper. His previous experience as an educator prepared him to encourage students to think critically and challenge their notions on matters relating to social studies and civics. He is excited to educate the next generation of responsible, informed citizens. Mr. Stare developed his love of history and teaching from a teacher he was lucky enough to have in high school. Mr. Stare enjoys reading, travelling, the Cubs, and spending time with his dog, Finley.  sstare@stbenedict.com

Mrs. Jean Hybinette holds a B.S.B.E. from DePaul University and has participated in many continuing education programs over the years. As an alumna of St. Benedict Prep, she is especially committed to providing the students with the education and skills they need upon graduation and instilling in them the inspiration to achieve their goals and aspirations. She has received numerous awards for her work, including Teacher of the Year, and is a member of the St. Benedict Hall of Fame.  jhybinette@stbenedict.com

Ms. Karen Riscos is a new Helpdesk Specialist from the Chicago burbs. She graduated from North Central College with a Bachelor’s Degree in Graphic Design and then went abroad to Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam for her Master’s in Graphic Design. She started out working as a freelancer/web editor and then moved to working at a t-shirt company creating graphics. Later on, she decided it was time for a new challenge and went into IT. She currently has 5 years of experience in the IT field and can’t wait to start this new chapter at St. Ben’s. kriscos@stbenedict.com

Ms. Mary Hearns is beginning her fifth year of teaching as an Upper School Spanish teacher and year 3(.5) at St. Benedict’s. She completed her student teaching with the Lower School Spanish classes at SBPS in 2019, and she loves being back in this great community! Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, Ms. Hearns graduated from Loyola University Chicago with a dual degree in Spanish and Foreign Language Education. She studied in both Barcelona and Madrid, but enjoys learning from the rich Spanish-speaking community in Chicago as well. She loves to see her students grow in their confidence and develop intrinsic motivation to practice Spanish. Ms. Hearns also loves theatre, mystery novels, and trying new restaurants. mhearns@stbenedict.com

Ms. Diana Kilner hails from London, England, and will be joining St. Benedict Preparatory School to teach French and Spanish. She has a degree in Modern Foreign Languages from the University of Durham and she received her Master’s in Foreign Language Education while teaching at a top British private school. Ms. Kilner loves travelling and experiencing new cultures, having spent time living in Paris and Valencia. She is excited to share her knowledge and experience of French and Spanish cultures with all of her students so that they can enjoy a wonderfully immersive language learning experience. dkilner@stbenedict.com

Ms. Caitlin McDonough is in her 11th 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!  cmcdonough@stbenedict.com

Ms. Emily Heier, originally from Milwaukee Wisconsin, grew up training in ballet, tap, jazz, and contemporary at a competition studio. Throughout high school and college, Emily has taught at Miss Becky’s Dance Studio coaching their competition team and at local recreational dance departments.  She attended Loyola University Chicago, graduating Summa Cum Laude with her BA in Dance and soon to graduate with her BBA in Entrepreneurship. She is so excited for her first season as studio manager of YDA and can't wait to be a part of the SBPS community! eheier@stbenedict.com

Ms. Emily Pfriem is a teaching and performing artist from Seattle, Washington. Emily holds a BA in theatre and a minor in dance from Western Washington University. She has been teaching dance and theatre for the last 5 years. She started dancing at age 4 and started pursuing theatre in high school. Most of her dance training is in ballet, jazz, contemporary, hip-hop, and musical theatre, but in college she fell in love with modern dance and is a member of the Perceptual Motion Dance Company. In addition to teaching, Emily has choreographed many children’s musical theatre productions and performs all over Chicago! She is excited to be joining the SBPS community and teaching two MS dance electives for this school year. epfriem@stbenedict.com

Ms. Anna Piotrowski is looking forward to starting her 9th year as a Strings Teacher at St. Benedict! She began playing the violin at the age of 5 and earned her Bachelor of Music in Violin Performance with a minor in Performing Arts Management from the University of Michigan, and her Master of Music in Violin Performance from DePaul University. Ms. Piotrowski was a member of the Civic Orchestra of Chicago from 2017-2021, which is a training program through the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. She is also a sub with the Fort Wayne Philharmonic and an active freelancer in the Chicagoland area - performing at weddings and private events! Ms. Piotrowski is passionate about sharing the joy of music and aims to give all students the tools they need to express themselves and create meaningful musical experiences! apiotrowski@stbenedict.com

Mrs. Jackie Stancin is looking forward to beginning her 13th 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 4th 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, and being creative. She is looking forward to seeing her student artists back in the art studio once again. jstancin@stbenedict.com

Hannah Thompson feels very blessed to continue her path as a music educator and theater instructor at St. Benedict.  Now in her thirteenth year of teaching, 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. Her passion is encouraging a love for music and theater in her students at St. Benedict Prep.  hthompson@stbenedict.com

Carolina Blazkow is going onto her fourth 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

Ms. Amanda Genge is a St. Benedict alumnus, having attended from preschool all the way through high school. Ms. Genge graduated from Carthage College with a Bachelor’s Degree in Exercise Sports Science and Education with a Minor in Health. She also played Division 3 basketball all 4 years. She joined our faculty in 2015 and is currently teaching grades 6 through 8 Physical Education. Ms. Genge also coaches many of our sports teams, including basketball and volleyball.  agenge@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 21 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 basketball at St. Ben’s, while also coaching his daughters Emma (St. Ben’s 2022 graduate & current freshman at DePaul Prep) & Maddie (4th grade at St. Ben’s) in softball 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

Mr. Chris Deakin sis starting his 15th 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 a current SBPS student (Aaron in 7th Grade) and one SBPS graduate (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

Lisa Wiederkehr is very excited to be starting her 8th year as the librarian at St. Benedict School, having previously served as a librarian at St. Matthias School and Sulzer Regional Library. 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. This summer she completed her training as a social-emotional learning facilitator and as a 200-hour certified yoga teacher. She loves to spend her free time with her husband, daughter, and her two kitties, Dipper and Mabel. She is a huge fan of Disney, Harry Potter and the Chicago Blackhawks, enjoys traveling, concerts, and being outdoors, and of course, loves to read. lwiederkehr@stbenedict.com

Heather Perez, RN began her St. Benedict career in 2003 as a paramedic/trainer for all high school sporting events.  She has been a paramedic for 19 years, a nurse since 2012, and is an American Red Cross CPR instructor.   Nurse Perez started fulltime as St. Benedict Prep’s nurse in 2013 and has been keeping families, students, and faculty safe since 2013 and loves what she does and is excited about entering her tenth year at St. Benedict.  hperez@stbenedict.com

Kathy Moore
Upper School Reception
Grades 4-8
kmoore@stbenedict.com

Carol Dodovich
Lower School Reception Grades 4&5
cdodovich@stbenedict.com