Administration
Anthony Gatto
Executive Director
Mr. Gatto was on the founding staff of the Arts & College Preparatory Academy (ACPA) in 2002, and has been principal since 2010. Prior to stepping into administration, Mr. Gatto taught Algebra and Geometry at ACPA and various subjects at an arts-focused middle school in Columbus City Schools.
Catherine McMillin
HS Principal
ACPA has been my professional home since 2007. While here I have taught Social Studies and Spanish, mentored dozens of teachers, been an instructional coach, principal and interim principal (2x and counting!). I love the students here, their creativity and diversity, their kindness and their hope, their determination and their courage.The students have taught me so much more than I have taught them. My priority is always to provide a safe environment that fosters curiosity, understanding, and deep learning. I am delighted to work with such a strong, caring, and reflective staff.
Aaron Wagner
HS Principal
Mr. Wagner has been teaching at ACPA since 2014. He has taught Geometry, Real World Math, and AP Calculus at ACPA. This year he is excited to begin teaching Algebra 2. ACPA students are his favorite students because of the creativity and energy they bring to the classroom. Math is the key to the universe!
Sarah Bostelman
MS Principal
Sarah graduated from Bowling Green State University with one thing in mind...to teach at ACPA. That's not actually true, though upon discovering what she has deemed her "dream school" she immediately rewrote that part of her history.
Administration (continued)
Samantha Chung-Yew
Human Resources
Jennifer Dunaway
Billing Coordinator
Jennifer graduated from Wright State University with a degree in Public Administration and certificate in Nonprofit Management. Prior to moving to Columbus with her husband Nick and 6 children Jennifer served as the Senior Director of Advancement at Seton High School in Cincinnati. Jennifer has spent the last 5 years with the Soccer Field Academy managing soccer programming and developing resources for parents of young soccer players. In her free time Jennifer enjoys writing, watching any and all soccer, live music and singing Karaoke.
Fayth Pennington
Events, Marketing, & Communications Director
Fayth has been a member of the ACPA community since 2010, when she began her freshman year! She enjoys taking care of her garden and chickens, attending music festivals and concerts, and going on adventures with her two kids Lorelei (9), Anthony (3), and husband Anthony, also an ACPA alumni. She is so excited to continue living her dream of overseeing marketing & events at ACPA for the 2nd year!
Juan Rojas
Enrollment Director
Administrative Support Staff
Emily Collins
Records Director
Ms. Collins began working at ACPA in July 2011, and could never imagine working at another school again. Ms. Collins loves the creative energy at ACPA and is constantly amazed by what students here are able to accomplish. Outside of ACPA, you can find Ms. Collins spending time with her kids and exercising during all hours of the day.
Sarah Silver
Transportation Director
Ms. Sarah graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in Spanish. Ms. Sarah enjoys hanging out with her 5 year old son, reading (her favorite book is Pride and Prejudice), and cooking (she makes an amazing chickpea coconut curry)! Fun fact about Ms. Sarah - her childhood babysitter is married to Seth Rogan! Make sure to stop by the High School front desk and say "hi" to Ms. Sarah!
Molly Jordan
HS Administrative Assistant
I graduated from ACPA in 2019. I am now a full time student at Mount Carmel College of Nursing, going for my BSN. My time at ACPA was always really amazing and fun. I love the energy and vibe that the school has. Getting to be back as a part of the administrative team is a really amazing experience for me.
Vivian Morrison
MS Administrative Assistant
I truly love ACPA and appreciate the happiness and freedom I had here as an alumni. I am now part of the support team. Outside of ACPA I have more hobbies than I can count and really love anime, art and listening to music.
Student Support Staff
Demetrius Pate
Dean of Students
This is my second year at ACPA and I love the culture that is being created here. I’ve been in education for 20 years and have served in many different roles such as Intervention elementary, middle school, and high school math teacher, general education math teacher, middle school principal, and director of special education. I believe in empowering young people to be the very best version of who they were created to be as well as teachers. This is my 9th year in Ohio. I am a Georgia native.
Rolltide!
Asya Mosley
Student Support & After School Coordinator
I am an ACPA alumni and I truly found that I could be my most authentic self at ACPA. I appreciate the support of the staff and the peace of mind I had knowing everyday could be a good day. Now I get to give that opportunity to others. It makes my feel like I'm really making a difference.
Nonha Powell
School Nurse
Youth and art have always been my passions, however, the medical field has always been my gift. ACPA is home to both for me, and I'm an ACPA alumni. I'm so happy to dedicate my services to such an amazing community. Outside of school, I enjoy food and music from all over the world.
Hannah Rivas
Family Translation Services
Señora Rivas, more commonly referred to as “Seño”, lives and breathes anything cultural. Her hobbies are salsa dancing and eating international food but her passion is teaching Spanish. With a degree in Spanish Education from Otterbein University, six months experience in Argentina and two years teaching as a bilingual assistant in the public school system in Spain, she is so excited to share her love of Spanish and latino cultural with ACPA.
Student Support Staff (continued)
Matt Dinning
MS Instructional Aide
Dalen Eicher
MS Instructional Aide
Zach Pennington
HS Instructional Aide
Mr. Pennington graduated from the Ohio State University with a degree in Comparative Studies and is an ACPA graduate as well! Most often, Mr. Pennington can be found either helping in ACPA’s math classes or teaching and playing the drums. Outside of ACPA, Mr. Pennington enjoys practicing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, trail running, and playing music.
Angela Carnes
Building Substitute
Angela Carnes was born and raised in the lake front town of Sandusky, Ohio where she graduated from Sandusky High School. She went on to attend Miami University in Oxford, Ohio where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Speech Communications.
Angela Carnes’ professional career spans over 25 years in the Marketing and PR Fields. Angela currently enjoys being an inspiration to today’s youth as a substitute teacher in Columbus, Ohio. She has always had a passion for helping her community!
Angela resides in Westerville, Ohio and is the proud mother of a very gifted 15-year-old son Micah. He is currently making the most of his interest in the performing arts with his amazing singing and acting talents.
Angela plans to continue promoting healthy, positive, and high self-esteem in our youth! She makes every effort to shine her light as bright as she can in hopes of nurturing the light inside of the youth she influences. She wants them to learn how to shine from within as bright as possible!! This is why she is also aka MS. LIT {Loving, Inspiring, and Transforming}.
Angela is absolutely thrilled to be sharing her LIT qualities with her new ACPA Family! MS LIT is now in the building!!
Counseling
Adam Todoran
MS Counselor
Adam Todoran is entering his second year as the Middle School counselor at ACPA! He has a degree in School Counseling from Malone University as well as a bachelor's degree in Psychology from OSU. Mr. T supports our middle schoolers by teaching our Social Emotional Learning Foundations, facilitating small groups, running our D&D club, and meeting with students one on one. Mr. T loves supporting our Middle schoolers grow and transition into amazing High Schoolers. In his spare time, you can find Mr. T playing hockey or board games; planning D&D campaigns for the Counseling Team; and taking strolls with his turtle, Biscuit.
Eric Gerlach
HS Counselor
Mr. G is the school counselor for high school students with last names A-K. He is also ACPA's District Testing Coordinator and manages the administration of Ohio State Tests, the ACT, and AP testing at ACPA. He has a master's degree in School Counseling from The Ohio State University (2022) and a bachelor's degree in Psychology (with a minor in Mathematics) from Denison University (2020). He loves being a part of the unique ACPA community, where the culture is driven by an emphasis on values and creativity. In his free time, Mr. G explores a vast range of interests that include playing guitar and piano, writing music, painting and drawing, reading, and playing video games.
Carley Roe
HS Counselor
Ms. Roe is coming into her second year at ACPA and is excited to continue supporting mental health, academic achievement, and creativity at ACPA! Ms. Roe has her master's in school counseling from Ohio State University and holds a bachelor's degree in psychology with a minor in education from Sewanee University in central Tennessee, where she also competed on their equestrian team. Ms. Roe has previously been a certified equine therapist and is passionate about the study of positive psychology and cognitive development. At ACPA, Ms. Roe is a high school counselor for students' whose last names start with the letter L to Z. She facilitates small groups; teaches NEXT courses; and coordinates the College Credit Plus program.
Elizabeth Chinn
School Social Worker
Ms. Chinn is a licensed independent social worker (LISW) and clinically trained therapist. She comes to ACPA from Nationwide Children's Hospital and is excited to be your school social worker! Ms. Chinn loves empowering students and families through supporting mental health and linking community resources to our school. Ms. Chinn is part of ACPA's mental health department and provides student counseling and therapy; crisis management; facilitates small groups; and even teaches classes! Ms. Chinn has a bachelor's & master's degree in political science and world religion before getting her master's in social work from Ohio State University. Ms. Chinn is passionate about body politics, horror movies, queer literature and her English Bulldog, Delilah Jane.
Diverse Learning Program/Special Education
Chris Ifill
Diverse Learner Program Coordinator
Chris Ifill is the new Diverse Learner Program Coordinator. This role was created to support intervention specialists, diverse learners, their families and the ACPA community as a whole. She holds a Master Degree in Educational Leadership and Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and English Literature. She is a licensed Intervention Specialist with an emphasis on mild to moderate disabilities for grades K-12. With five years of hands-on expertise as a school principal, and an additional 15 + years as a special education teacher,She brings a well-rounded background to ACPA as well as the drive and passion to advocate for student success. She loves to sing, cook, knit, crochet, and do puzzles. Stop by the office if you have a need to de-stress. You may find a puzzle in the works.
Akilah Boldware
MS Intervention Specialist
Hello! My name is Akilah Boldware and I teach middle school intervention to our diverse learners. Prior to becoming an educator, I worked as a court stenographer which was a cool experience. In my free time, I enjoy listening to music and relaxing with my loved ones. I also enjoy cooking, baking and painting. I am grateful to be among an amazing community here at ACPA.
Eleanor Brown
MS Intervention Specialist
Hello, I’m Mrs. Brown. I graduated from OSU and am training to become a licensed intervention
specialist. An ACPA mom for nine years so far, I’ve seen my own children transformed by the
support and inspiration of this wonderful community. I’m so excited to join the team!
Keisha McClelland
HS Intervention Specialist
Hello there! My name is Keisha, but everyone calls me Mac and I’m looking forward to my first year at ACPA as an Intervention Specialist. I have been working with students with special needs for over 15 years but this will be my 7th year in a typical school environment. I’ve been married for 10 years to a wonderful man and we have 2 cats in our loving home. I enjoy playing board games and singing the wrong words to popular music.
Nathan Renner
HS Intervention Specialist
Hello there, I'm Mr. Renner! I’m looking forward to my third year here at ACPA as an Intervention Specialist. I love the unique potential of every person on this planet and I have had the pleasure of supporting wonderful humans on individualized plans for over 7 years now. When I’m not at school, I enjoy spending time with friends and family, relaxing with my cats Morris & Peaches, editing videos, working as a care provider for my client who is basically my younger brother, and frolicking through meadows.
Sandra Sloan
MS & HS Intervention Specialist
ACPA Café
Paul Snyder
Executive Chef
Ben Payne
Sous Chef
Miles France
Cafe Chef
Miles was a 2022 ACPA graduate and the first student to ever do their senior internship program in the ACPA Cafe! He studied English and journalism at The Ohio State University for one year before deciding to take a gap year and come back to ACPA full time. Outside of work, he enjoys cooking, drawing, horror movies, and collecting oddities and vintage clothing. The teaching staff and students he’s found at ACPA have been some of the nicest people he’s ever met, and he’s looking forward to returning to such a diverse, art-driven, and accepting community, especially now getting to support students from the staff side of things.
Hilary Santos
Cafe Chef
Morgan Webb
Cafe Chef
As an ACPA alum, I always felt grateful for the opportunity to attend such a special school. Now as a staff member, I feel grateful to have such a special job! I love serving exciting and delicious meals to our wonderful students every day, I truly couldn’t imagine myself anywhere else.
Arts Department
Noah Demland
HS Instrumental Music
As a classically-trained percussionist who grew up playing in garage bands, Mr. Demland has found his dream job at ACPA. Since joining the ACPA family in 2005, he has worked to develop an innovative music program that blends the best of those two worlds to produce creative and capable young musicians.
Alex Dodge
HS Theater
Mr. Dodge originally came to ACPA as a guest director and quickly decided it was a place he wanted to stay. While he still works in the arts, teaching Improv and directing the fall play, he now spends most of his time in the English department, where the plays usually stay on the page.
Cole Garlando
Yoga & Stretch, Strength, & Flow
Melody Harris
HS Visual Arts
Brooke Hunter-Lombardi
HS Visual Arts
Ms. Hunter-Lombardi received her Bachelor of Fine Art degree from Columbus College of Art & Design and her Master of Fine Art from The Ohio State University. Ms. Hunter-Lombardi's current body of work incorporates her love of science, history and storytelling through ceramics, watercolor, mixed media, printmaking, book arts and assemblage. Teaching since 1994, she seeks to facilitate maximum learning, as she works with all age groups including 16 years' experience teaching college art foundations and over a decade of teacher training.
Theo Jackson
Performing Arts
Theo Jackson (sounds like TAYO) has been making music around Columbus since...well, for a very long time! When making music, you will catch him playing piano, bass, drums, guitar, trumpet or singing - and often more than one instrument at a time! He has a written 100+ original compositions for bands and theaters - and even one weird commercial you can still hear on the radio. Theo has a BA in Vocal Performance from Otterbein and is Guest Faculty at The Ohio State University teaching "The Singing Actor" class to develop young actors' ability to act through song. He has music directed over 30 musicals including our local Wagnalls Community Theater, CATCO and Actors Theatre, and The Ohio State University.
Dallas Karr
Dance
Dallas is originally from Nashville, TN, where she started dancing at a local dance studio at the age of 3 years old. Since then, Dallas has had a wide range of accomplishments including performing in a piece choreographed by Britney Spears' choreographer ,Andre Fuentes, and traveled the country participating in competitions and conventions. Before becoming part of the ACPA team, Dallas worked for BalletMet teaching dance classes to the company trainees, students of Columbus State Community College, and high schoolers in the Reynoldsburg area. She is so excited to be a part of the ACPA team and get the opportunity to work with so many talented students and faculty!
Marrett Laney
MS Performing Arts
Ms. Laney (Ms. LJ) has her Bachelor's Degree from the Capital University Conservatory of Music, has worked as a character and parade performer at Walt Disney World in Florida, toured Ireland with a singing group and has performed at Carnegie Hall. She has also done film work, teaches voice and acting lessons out of her home studio, and performs regularly around Columbus.
She is beyond excited to be teaching at ACPA specifically for its arts and academic integrative approach. Ms. LJ loves to read, hike, and study languages and history in her free time, and is excited to share that she will be getting married in March of this school year! She also is extremely fond of coffee and board games, and always strives for students to know that learning is continuous. Mistakes will be made, but how we succeed is by getting back up and trying again.
Nikki Solomon
MS Visual Arts
Middle School Academic Staff
Jenna Blackburn
Science
Miss Blackburn is excited to begin her first year teaching here at ACPA. She recently graduated from Bowling Green State University and knew she wanted to teach at a school that fosters the same love for the arts as she does. As soon as she saw the art covering the walls she knew this was the school for her. Miss Blackburn will be teaching middle school science and wants to share her love for science with as many students as she possibly can. Miss Blackburn loves animals and is often found trying to help stray kittens, eating Jeni’s ice cream (which she worked at for 6 years), and spending time outside listening to podcasts. Miss Blackburn can’t wait to see what everyone accomplishes this school year! You can contact Miss Blackburn at Jenna.Blackburn@artcollegeprep.org.
Stephanie Frazee
Math
David Jones
Social Studies
In August 2022, David Jones is beginning his third year teaching Middle School Social Studies at ACPA. Prior to entering middle school education, Dr. Jones taught African History at Ohio State, and before that had stints as a newspaper reporter and baseball historian, among other adventures. But his real passion is teaching history, and he is eager to help ACPA students connect the lessons of the past with the challenges of the present. He believes history is fundamentally about empathy, and recognizing the shared humanity of people from every time and place. He encourages his students to see themselves as historians, actively interpreting the past in order to shape the future!
Amber Toth
English
Ms. Toth found ACPA through sheer luck, but when she walked through the halls and spoke to the staff she fell in love. ACPA instantly felt like home! She is extremely excited to be apart of the brand new ACPA Middle School as the English teacher! When Ms. Toth isn't in her classroom, she enjoys reading (duh), watching Gilmore Girls (Rory is her favorite), playing with her miniature dachshund (Croix), and eating too much Indian food (Chicken Makhani)! She believes that this year will be APCA’s best year yet!
High School Academic Staff
English Department
Alex Dodge
Mr. Dodge originally came to ACPA as a guest director and quickly decided it was a place he wanted to stay. While he still works in the arts, teaching Improv and directing the fall play, he now spends most of his time in the English department, where the plays usually stay on the page.
Grace Eberhart
Captain Eberhart received their BA in Integrated Language Arts Education from Ohio University in May 2023, and has been in love with reading, writing, and all things art since they were 3 years old. They teach 9th grade English and all Media Arts classes at ACPA, and end every day of teaching by going home to their cat, Vegas. They also enjoy long walks in the park, video games (Minecraft & Fortnite), listening to music while staring at the ceiling, and creating their own art!
Madison Mientus
Ms Mientus is from the western suburbs of Chicago, where she lived for the majority of her life. In 2019, she graduated from Columbia College Chicago where she studied Film and Fiction Writing. After a few years in various careers, she made a leap into teaching and graduated from National Louis University with a Masters in Secondary Education. As a first year teacher, Ms. Mientus is thrilled to join the ACPA staff where she is able to combine her love of Film and English, while also getting to experience Columbus, Ohio.
Lillian Perkins
Mx. Perkins is excited for their first year at ACPA! Originally from the Cleveland area, Mx. Perkins studied philosophy, English literature, and peace, justice, and human rights at John Carroll University. After receiving their masters in philosophy at Ohio State University, Mx. Perkins realized that teaching high school was their passion. Mx. Perkins received an M.A. in Teaching, English in 2023 and promptly found a home at ACPA. In the classroom, Mx. Perkins combines their love for literature and writing with a deep commitment to justice and ethics. Outside of school, you'll often find them rock climbing, competing in trivia, or indulging in reality TV with their two cats.
Ashley Woodard
Ms. Woodard is delighted to be part of the ACPA community! She earned her BA in music from Otterbein University and her teaching certification in English from Ashland University. Ms. Woodard integrates all of her passions and experiences into her classroom, occasionally even singing the instructions for the day. Her greatest passion is exploring the human condition and discovering how artists of all disciplines express their humanity. Outside of school, Ms. Woodard enjoys going on long walks around town, performing, reading books with lots of citations at the end, playing video games with interesting stories, and listening to podcasts. She is looking forward to a year full of creativity and laughter.
Foreign Language Department
Anna Devault
HS Spanish
This is Profe. D.'s first year at ACPA and she is so happy to be here! Profe. D. graduated from The Ohio State University with a B.A. in Spanish and a B.A. in English. She received her Master's in Education from Ashland University. This is year 14 as a teacher of Spanish. ACPA fosters Profe's love of the arts, creativity, and culture. She is most excited to be teaching in an inclusive and diverse environment.
Emily Horwath
HS Spanish
Seño H. (ah-chay) is excited for another year at ACPA! She graduated with a degree in Foreign Language Education with a concentration in Spanish from the University of Dayton. After studying Spanish for over half her life, she is thrilled to share her love of the Spanish language and its connected cultures with her students. Seño H. enjoys going to concerts, eating international foods, and traveling to familiar and unfamiliar places.
Mathematics Department
Jason Holman
Mr. Holman graduated from Muskingum University in 2014 and has been teaching Algebra and Geometry ever since, including being at ACPA since 2020. Mr. Holman loves math (obviously) and is an avid sports fan. He is often watching a football or baseball game in the evenings or on weekends. In the summer, Mr. Holman spends a lot of time coaching baseball. If he is not watching, coaching, or playing a sport, Mr. Holman is likely watching a movie or TV show and enjoying some pizza or popcorn with his wife and new baby.
Sindhu Sreedevi
I am Sindhu Sreedevi, and I am passionate about teaching Math and helping students to understand the subject. With 16 years of experience in teaching, I have dedicated my career to fostering a love for this subject and helping students unlock their full potential. My graduate degree in Math equipped me with a strong foundation in mathematical concepts, which I enthusiastically share with my students.
My teaching philosophy revolves around making mathematics accessible, engaging, and enjoyable for every student. I believe that mathematics is not just a subject; it's a tool for critical thinking, problem-solving, and exploring the world around us. I strive to create a classroom environment where students feel comfortable asking questions, making mistakes, and, most importantly, learning from them.
Beyond the Math classroom, I love to travel to explore new places, watch movies and cook. I am excited to continue my educational journey and share my love for mathematics with my students at ACPA.
Maekenzie Yeung
Mrs. Yeung received her Bachelor of Mathematics and Masters in Education from Ohio State University. She discovered ACPA during her student teaching and decided to stay! She has now worked at ACPA for 4 years teaching Algebra 2, Precalculus and AP Calculus. She is currently the advisor for National Honor Society and one of the advisors for Senior Leadership. In her free time, Mrs.Yeung enjoys DIY projects, watching movies, spending time outside and ice cream.
Science Department
Ryan Kirkman
Mr. Kirkman grew up in Illinois right across the Mississippi River from St Louis, Missouri, got his degree at Elmhurst College near Chicago, then eventually moved to Ohio and taught Biology, Paleontology, and Zoology for 6 years at East Knox High School before moving to Columbus and joining ACPA. Mr. Kirkman has always been fascinated by the scientific mindset that encourages us to learn more about the world around us, and is continually awestruck by just how confusing and incredible those discoveries can be! He also enjoys riding bikes on trails, reading books people recommend to me, discovering new music, playing video games, watching movies, going to museums to point at fossils and say wow, breathing, and picking up critters that I probably shouldn't.
Ray Pierce
Mx. Ray teaches Biology and the new Botany course at ACPA. Being an alumni, Ray feels honored to be teaching for their first year here. They studied Environmental Science at Ohio Wesleyan University and have spent the past few years working in the field, like farming algae in WA and teaching young folks how to garden at the Franklin Park Conservatory. In their off time, Ray enjoys reading speculative fiction, hanging out with their partner and two cats, and learning more about plants!
Brandon Wise
Mr. Wise is originally from Northwest Ohio and went to a small country high school. He then went on to receive his Bachelor of Science in Education from Ashland University. From there he found his home at ACPA teaching life science, and absolutely loves it! Mr. Wise truly enjoys teaching students about the wonderful world of Biology, the huge diversity of life, and everything that comes together to make life on Earth possible. Outside of school, Mr. Wise enjoys reading (Stephen King is the greatest author of all time), golfing, geocaching, disc golfing, and loves to watch scary movies!
Social Studies Department
Ryan Alvarado
I’m from a small town in Ohio called Tiffin. I attended The Ohio State University in order to obtain my Bachelor’s Degree and am currently working towards my Master’s at the University of Findlay. I am teaching U.S. History this year and am most excited to cover the Civil Rights Movement as well as the rise of Popular Culture. Outside of school I enjoy playing the piano, going on walks with my dog Kimber and most of all, exploring new restaurants even though nothing can beat McDonald’s. I love the inclusive atmosphere that exists at ACPA and look forward to helping students find their own definition of success and happiness.
Landon Hedrick
Mr. Hedrick joined the ACPA staff at the beginning of the 2019 school year. He has a BA with a double major in history and philosophy and a PhD in philosophy. Mr. Hedrick enjoys philosophizing, learning new things, reading books (Brandon Sanderson is his favorite fiction author), watching shows on Netflix, and spending time with his wife and pets. Mr. Hedrick absolutely loves the community of teachers and students at ACPA, and considers himself lucky to play a small role in this great educational program, surrounded by some of the kindest people he’s met!
Luke Zelich
I’m from Hudson, Ohio and I am a graduate from the Ohio State University. I majored in History with a minor in Russian, and I later earned my Master’s in Education at the Ohio State University. If you happen to catch me outside of the classroom I’ll either be taking a long hike, hanging with my friends, playing dungeons and dragons, or playing soccer for me rec team. I chose to teach at ACPA because I believe in the school’s mission to promote individuality, creativity, and positivity in the community.