John Gulley was a principal for three years before joining St Francis Xavier as principal in 2016. He was born in Caribou, Maine, but grew up in Naples, Florida, where he graduated from St. John Neumann Catholic High School. He served in the United States Army prior to attending Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU). Mr. Gulley received a bachelor’s degree in history from FGCU, a Master’s in Education Administration from the University of Notre Dame, and an Educational Specialist degree in leadership from the American College of Education. Mr. Gulley has served in Catholic education for 17 years as a teacher, athletic coach, administrative dean, athletic director, and principal.

Jim Reynolds began working at St Francis Xavier in 1997, serving as a middle school science and math teacher for twelve years before moving into administration. He graduated from Penn State University with a degree in Parks and Recreation and Environmental Interpretation, then earned his Master’s degree in Catholic School Administration. Before his career at St. Francis, he worked at the Calusa Nature Center and Planetarium as a Naturalist. When he’s not at school, Mr. Reynolds enjoys spending time outdoors with his family. He’s especially fond of the beach and mountains and loves to travel. He also coached soccer at St. Francis for several years.

Monica Nelson was born and raised in Fort Myers and graduated from Bishop Verot High School. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Theater/Communications from Florida State University and her Master’s degree in Education Leadership from Florida Gulf Coast University. She has been teaching for 15 years and has taught grades k-8. She joined St Francis Xavier in 2017. In her spare time, she enjoys watching her kids play sports, going to the theater, and cheering on the NOLES in football.

JoAnna Morris holds a Master’s degree in Education from Florida State University and has over 10 years of classroom teaching experience. In her spare time, she and her family enjoy the beach and visiting that loveable mouse in Orlando, Florida.

Liz Gerlach is originally from Kansas but has called Southwest Florida her home for more than 20 years. She graduated from Oglethorpe University in Atlanta, Georgia, with a planned major in English and History. When it was time for a career change, she enrolled in education classes at Florida Gulf Coast University and has since completed 30+ credit hours in early childhood education. She has taught Pre-K/VPK for almost 10 years. In her spare time, she loves reading, spending time with her family, and snow skiing.

Camille Nieves is a Fort Myers native and has been dedicated to early childhood education since 1992. She began her career in the after-school program while still in high school. Her passion for working with children and being a part of the St. Francis family guided her to become the Director of Sister Elaine Mahoney Early Education Center. Throughout the years she maintained several accreditations and certifications, including an Early Education Directors Credential attained from Florida Southwest State College and Department of Children and Families.

Anne is a St. Francis Xavier and Bishop Verot High School alum. She attended college at Florida Gulf Coast University where she received a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education. She has taught VPK, kindergarten, first grade, and third grade. She is excited to be back teaching at St. Francis after being home with her two children, Emily (SFX class of 2019) who attends Bishop Verot and John who is currently a middle schooler at St. Francis. In her spare time, Anne enjoys traveling and spending time outdoors with her husband and children.

Kim Ogburn is originally from Fort Myers and a proud alum of both St. Francis Xavier and Bishop Verot High School. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Special Education and Master of Education in Early Childhood Education from the University of Florida. She taught kindergarten in Texas before coming home to Fort Myers to teach kindergarten at St. Francis. She loves going to the beach, traveling, reading, and cheering on the Gators.

Mrs. Daley grew up in Chicago. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Sociology from Illinois State University and her Master’s degree in Elementary Education from National Louis University. Shortly after getting married, she moved to Estero, Florida, with her husband and taught first grade in the Lee County School District for 16 years. She enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, and watching her girls play lacrosse.

Mrs. Macaluso was previously a first-grade assistant and is now a lead first-grade teacher. Originally from Chicago, Illinois, she has lived in Southwest Florida for 16 years. She received her degree from Ball State University in Indiana with an emphasis in Sociology and Psychology of Human Development. She is currently finishing her Master’s degree in Education. Mrs. Macaluso enjoys spending time with her family, going to the beach, and doing outdoor activities.

Alexis Thwaites was born and raised in Delaware, before moving to Florida to attend Florida Gulf Coast University. While at FGCU, she was the Vice President of the Equestrian Team. She graduated with her bachelors degree in Early Childhood Education, and has taught Kindergarten and First grade in the Lee County School District. When she is not teaching you can either find her coaching gymnastics, working out, or spending time with family.

Andrea Orr is extremely excited to be a part of such a wonderful Catholic community at St. Francis Xavier. She has a background in arts, fashion, and teaching. Andrea received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Savannah College of Art and Design. Before joining St. Francis Xavier, she worked for eight years in the Lee County School District. Andrea loves living the Catholic faith and sharing her joy with all!

Lacie Braun is originally from Indiana but grew up in Fort Myers. She earned her Bachelors in Elementary Education degree and Masters in Reading at Florida Gulf Coast University. She served the Lee County community for 16 years as an instructional coach, reading coach, and K-5 classroom teacher before joining the Falcon family. She has a daughter who attends SFX and enjoys the busy gymnastics and soccer Mom life! Her husband is an educator and wrestling coach at Verot. They maximize their family time with beach trips, while also attending many high school, college, and professional sporting events! Mrs. Braun has a passion for country music and fitness too!

Jenna Palmer was born and raised in Fort Myers and is a product of Catholic education attending both St. Andrews and Bishop Verot High School. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Florida Southwestern University. Prior to St. Francis, Ms. Palmer taught in the Lee County School District for five years. During her free time, she likes to travel, go to the beach, and spend time with her family and friends.

Mrs. Engel was born in Indiana, though she moved to California at an early age. She returned to Indiana for high school, but, after deciding she needed warmer weather again, moved to Fort Myers to attend Florida Gulf Coast University. There she earned her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. She has taught kindergarten, first, and second grades in the Lee County School District before joining St. Francis Xavier.

Ms. Gerfin was born in Mobile, Alabama. She received her Bachelor’s degree from Penn State University and Master’s degree in Elementary Education from the University of Phoenix. Prior to joining St. Francis, she taught for 15 years in Virginia, Alabama, and Florida where she taught second, third, and fifth grades.

Lory Hendricks is originally from Point Pleasant, New Jersey. She moved to Florida in 2003 and has taught in Bonita Springs and Gateway and spent 11 years in the Lee County School District. She graduated from Monmouth University in West Long Beach, New Jersey, where she majored in Special Education. While in college, she studied abroad in London for a semester and traveled throughout Europe.

Miss Denison is originally from Fort Myers and is a proud alum of St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic School and St. John Neumann Catholic High School in Naples, Florida. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Education from Florida Gulf Coast University. Prior to joining first grade, she served as the third and fifth grade teacher’s assistant and the After Care Director at St. Francis. Allison loves cruising anywhere, going to amusement parks, reading, and cheering on the Pittsburgh Steelers (even when they aren’t winning).

Ms. Nizza grew up in Fort Myers and is an alum of St. Francis Xavier and Bishop Verot High School. Ms. Nizza graduated from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education and has previously taught 3rd and 4th grades. In her free time, she enjoys singing, spending time outdoors, and traveling.

Mrs. Ciulla spent the last 10 years teaching language arts for the Lee County School District at the middle school level. She graduated with her bachelor’s in middle grades language arts and reading endorsement from Edison State College. She is dedicated to her work and has always had a passion for teaching young learners. Born in New York but raised in Florida, Mrs. Ciulla enjoys going to the beach, boating, and doing anything outdoors.

Born and raised in the Midwest, Mrs. Ramirez moved to Florida and earned her Bachelor’s degree from Florida Gulf Coast University. She went on to earn a Master’s degree in Pastoral Theology from Barry University in Miami. Mrs. Ramirez stays busy enjoying time with her family and their two dogs.

Sarah Pollard grew up in the beautiful Northern Kentucky area, and relocated to sunny Florida to be closer to her bonus son who grew up in the Cape.  She earned her bachelor’s degree from Northern Kentucky University and her master’s degree from The University of Scranton.  She has spent her 20-year teaching career working with elementary students in both the public, private, and Catholic school setting, and is excited to be expanding her experience in the middle school world.  She enjoys spending her free time reading, walking, biking, and listening to music.  Her favorite times are spent with family, friends, and her sweet dog!

Mrs. DelaCuesta previously taught upper-level elementary for 10 years, including one year of teaching middle school language arts, before joining St. Francis. She grew up near Indianapolis, Indiana, and her background includes 15 years of journalism/public relations, working for several newspapers, and working for the Indiana State Senate.

Quade Marinell was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana, but grew up in Cape Coral. He, his wife, and their one-year-old son moved back to Cape Coral in June 2022 after spending 10 years in Southeast Tennessee. Prior to St. Francis, he taught two years of middle school math at an inner-city school in Chattanooga. He graduated from Lee University with an Undergraduate degree in Education in 2018 and then with a Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction in 2020. When Quade is not teaching, he enjoys time with his family, playing golf, or playing pickleball.

Mrs. Anna Novak started at St. Francis as a substitute teacher and returned to begin her teaching career as the middle school religion teacher. She graduated with her Bachelor’s degree in Family and Child Sciences from Florida State University. Prior to teaching, Mrs. Novak worked as a Child Life Specialist at Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida. In her free time, Mrs. Novak loves cooking, baking, and spending time outdoors with her husband and daughter.

Madeline Lukomski was born outside of Chicago, IL and moved to Fort Myers at a young age. She is a proud alumni of Saint Francis Xavier Catholic School and Bishop Verot High School. She received her Bachelor’s degree in Business from Loyola University Chicago. Before Ms. Lukomski started teaching, she worked in Product Management and Marketing for 5 years. She joined St Francis Xavier in 2023. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends and traveling!

Mrs. Pfleger is a product of Catholic Education attending St. Gerard and Lansing Catholic Central High School in Michigan. With an Economics degree from Michigan State University, Mrs. Pfleger has a background in mathematics, statistics, economic theory, history, and political science. She also has a Master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of North Florida and a Masters-level education in Curriculum and Instruction from Florida Gulf Coast University.

Mrs. Tortorella is from Illinois where she attended Catholic grade school at St. Marks and Peoria Notre Dame High School. She earned her Bachelor’s degree from Bradley University and her Master’s degree from the University of Illinois. She taught middle school science in IL for 20 years in addition to working as a lab technician at the USDA Ag Lab and as a teacher intern at Fermilab on a project for the CMS detector at CERN. Mrs. Tortorella has always had a strong passion for science and a deep love of learning, but also enjoys cooking, reading, and spending time with her husband and two children.

Barry Miller is a SW Florida Native. Prior to St. Francis, he taught 5 years of middle school Social Studies in Lee County. He graduated from Troy University with an  degree in Broadcast Journalism. Prior to the teaching field, Mr. Miller had a career in Television News working in several parts of the country over a span of 17 years. When Barry is not teaching, he enjoys time with his family, hanging out at the beach and listening and watching all things 80’s.

Mrs. Stejskal graduated from Florida Gulf Coast University and started her career teaching middle school science. She is a native Floridian and was an Environmental Scientist prior to becoming a teacher. She has a deep care and compassion for her family and students.

Greg “Coach” Morgan is a 5th generation Floridian who has taught PE for over 15 years. He is a Certified Athletic Trainer, dealing with sports injuries. His focus is to develop kids athletically, nutritionally, and spiritually to be the best versions of themselves.

Mrs. Massing has lived in Fort Myers since she was 14 years old. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Education and Health Information Management from Florida Gulf Coast University.  She is passionate about teaching students to lead healthy and active lifestyles and dedicated to nurturing a love of exercise.   When she’s not in her classroom, she enjoys spending time with her family, running, CrossFit, and traveling to new places.

Mrs. Gelardi has lived in Lee County since she was 12 years old and is a proud graduate of Bishop Verot High School. She attended Stetson University and Florida Southern College for her Undergraduate degree. She worked as a Counselor for Florida Southern College before starting the graduate program USF in Tampa where she earned a Master’s degree in Counselor Education. She is a licensed Mental Health Counselor with the State of Florida and a Nationally Board-Certified Counselor.

Mr. Jodice is originally from Massachusetts and received his Music Education degree and K-12 certification from Berklee College in Boston. He has more than 30 years of professional musical experience as a music educator, performer, recording musician, and composer/arranger. He has been a drummer, bass, and piano player in many different types of ensembles including big bands, jazz ensembles, rock/blues bands, and orchestras.

Vanessa Lombardo grew up on Captiva and Sanibel Islands and is often found sharing her love of the islands with visitors through her art. Mrs. Lombardo is a University of South Florida graduate. With more than 24 years of teaching experience, she has taught at numerous grade levels. She is most passionate about teaching art to children and often incorporates nature and found objects into her class projects. Her love of boating, shelling, bird watching, and painting have kept her close to the beach.

Señora Velasquez was born in Brooklyn, New York, before her family moved to Puerto Rico. There she attended the Universidad Interamerican de Fajardo. She continued her education at Boricua College in Brooklyn and taught for 13 years in the Diocese of Brooklyn. Her passion is teaching Spanish as well as introducing Hispanic culture and other Hispanic-speaking countries. She enjoys spending time with her family and teaching in a Catholic school.

Mrs. Ana Jacome was born and raised in Guayaquil, Ecuador. She graduated with Cum Laude honors from UEES (Universidad de Especialidades Espíritu Santo) where she received a Bachelor’s degree in Educational Administration with specialization in Bilingual education. She moved to Florida in 2009 with her family. Mrs. Jacome joined Saint Francis in 2021 working in third grade, and now is overjoyed to teach Spanish. She loves her busy family life with her husband and their three kids. In her spare time, Mrs. Jacome enjoys baking, reading, going to the beach, and traveling.

Kim Stevens is originally from New Jersey but has lived in SWFL for a long time.  She graduated from USF and was a CPA for over 20 years.  In 2015, she decided it was time to start something new and earned her Masters in Mental Health Counseling from Nova University.  She is a licensed mental health counselor and a National Board-Certified Counselor; a career change that is extremely rewarding.  In 2022 she started at St. Francis as a first-grade teacher’s assistant and is now working as an ASE Specialist. Kim enjoys running and biking.