Faculty & Staff

Coming from the South Florida city of Pompano Beach, I can say heat and humidity are old friends of mine. Vero Beach will feel like home! Being raised in a family of 6 children I am indebted to my parents, Joe and Jackie, for their witness of faith, family and love they showed each of us.

My education was in the Catholic school system: St. Clement’s in Wilton Manors and Cardinal Gibbons High School in Ft. Lauderdale. I went on to study and receive a Baccalaureate of Science Degree in Physical Therapy from the University of North Florida. After practicing a short time at Holy Cross Hospital, I decided to enter religious life with the Salesians of Don Bosco in 1999. My formation carried me both around the country and world as far away as Jerusalem where I attended Sts. Peter and Paul Seminarium Theologicum Salesianum. I was ordained to the priesthood on July 2, 2011.

For six years I worked in high-school ministry as a teacher, coach, coordinator of youth ministry and administrator. In 2017, I was sent as director and pastor of our parish in Belle Glade, Florida. Recently, I made the decision through careful discernment to remain in the diocese of Palm Beach and Bishop Barbarito has asked me to serve this community as the parochial administrator.  It is my sincere joy to be among you.  My prayer is for our mutual growth toward the hearts of Jesus and Mary.  

Mrs. Debbie Irish is our school Principal. She is so excited and blessed to be the Principal again this year at SHCS. Mrs. Irish brings over 27 years of experience in the field of education. She has served as a special and general education teacher of children ages Pre-K through college. She was also a District Resource Specialist, a Preschool Director, and an Assistant Principal. Mrs. Irish is an alumni of St. Anastasia School and John Carroll High School.
She received her Master’s in Educational Leadership from American College of Education.  She attended the University of South Florida for her Bachelor’s degree.  Mrs. Irish is Florida certified in Elementary Education, Middle School Education, and Special Education. She has certificates in Reading, ESOL, and Preschool Education. In addition, she is a parishioner, lector, and Eucharistic Minister at St. Helen’s Church. Mrs. Irish resides in Fort Pierce with her husband. She has three sons, a daughter-in-law, and her first grandbaby.
 

Mrs. Annie Kathman is the Assistant Principal at St. Helen Catholic School. She began her educational career in Winter Park, Florida, where she taught for seven years. Prior to her current role, she served as the Director of Enrollment and Advancement at St. Helen. Mrs. Kathman holds a Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Rollins College and a Florida Teaching Certificate for grades K–6 with an ESOL endorsement. She has a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership and holds Florida certification in Educational Leadership. Mrs. Kathman considers it a privilege to serve as a school leader and feels blessed to be part of such a faith-filled community. She is deeply committed to advancing the mission of “making good things happen” at St. Helen Catholic School. Mrs. Kathman lives in Vero Beach with her husband and their three daughters, who all attend SHCS.

Deputy Ayers has been with the Indian River Sheriff’s Department since 1991. He has worked in the field as a street deputy and in the crime prevention department. He comes to us as a highly trained Deputy for the Indian River Sheriff’s Department. He is kindhearted and shows great attention to detail. Deputy Ayers will be a great addition to the St. Helen family. He takes his role as chief security officer very seriously, and will do a tremendous job protecting our students and staff.

Mrs. Albert serves as both our Preschool Director and lead VPK teacher. She began her teaching career at Lincoln Park Academy as a Theatre Director where she taught acting, prepared students for performance assessments, and directed musicals for eight years. In addition to her time at LPA, Mrs. Albert has served as an instructor at Riverside Children’s Theatre. After having two children, Mrs. Albert returned to the classroom as a VPK teacher at Gracie’s Preschool. Mrs. Albert earned a Bachelor’s degree from Stetson University, majoring in Theatre and minoring in Education. She is a VPK credentialed instructor and Director. Mrs. Albert loves helping young children fall in love with learning. Through books, music, faith, and movement, she creates a classroom that is filled with fun! Mrs. Albert married her husband - a high school band director - in 2011, they have two children who currently attend SHCS.

I am a daughter deeply loved by God, originally from Peru. I have been blessed with 17 years of marriage to my husband Gary, and together we have four wonderful children: Gabriela (14), Angelo (12), María Grazzia (10), and Marcelo (5).
In my home country, I earned my professional degree as a lawyer and worked for more than 18 years in a private company. Throughout our life together, my husband and I have always served God and actively participated in the Church. We were part of the Youth Promotion Encounter (EPJ), members of the married couples’ community Teams of Our Lady and also took part in the Parent School at our children’s school.
I now feel deeply grateful and blessed to begin working at St. Helen Catholic School, where I have the beautiful mission of accompanying the youngest children in their formation, helping them grow in love for Jesus and Mary, with tenderness, joy, and faith.
As Saint John Bosco once said, “Education is a matter of the heart.” With God’s grace, I hope to plant seeds of love, faith, and hope in each child—seeds that will flourish throughout their lives.
 

Laura Bois will be teaching 6th grade science and art. Laura graduated from Converse College with a Master’s degree in Elementary Education. She is also a graduate from the University of S.C. with a B.A. in interdisciplinary studies with an emphasis in studio art.  She is certified in middle level science, visual art, and elementary education. Laura has 18 years of experience as a middle school science teacher and middle school art teacher. She has acted as a mentor teacher and worked in curriculum development for science, social studies and art. She recently celebrated her 26th wedding anniversary and has a son and a daughter. She and her family have lived in Sebastian, Fl. since 2016 after relocating from South Carolina.  

Hi! My name is Blanche Bozzuto. I currently a student in the elementary education program at Indian River State College. I have a passion for teaching and love working with children. I am excited to be a part of the SHCS family. 

Kathlenia Carter has over 30 years of Business Management experience with the Diocese of Palm Beach, starting out in 1990 at St. Anastasia School. Mrs. Carter attended St. Leo College. Prior to moving to south Florida she taught ESOL and did remedial teaching at an alternative middle school in central Florida. The Carter’s reside in Sebastian, they have 2 grown daughters and 2 grandsons.

Mrs. Colwell brings nearly 14 years of teaching experience in grades K-6 to St. Helen Catholic School and is very excited to be teaching third grade. She holds a FL Educator Certificate for grades K-6, and is currently working toward her reading endorsement. She graduated with her Bachelor of Science degree in Special Education from Georgia Southern University and went on to serve in the Peace Corps in Peru from 2009-2011 where she learned Spanish. She earned her Master of Arts degree in Bilingual Education from Teachers College at Columbia University while teaching in New York City in a high needs area as a Peace Corps Fellow. In 2021, Mrs. Colwell completed studies with Liberty University and earned her doctorate degree in Educational Leadership. In an effort to live closer to family, Mrs. Colwell recently relocated to Vero Beach with her husband and toddler son from Long Island, New York, where she lived and taught for several years. She is thrilled to serve the families of St. Helen Catholic School and to put down roots here in Vero Beach! 

This year will be Mr. Colwell’s first year teaching at St. Helen’s. He spent the previous ten years teaching in New York City Schools. Mr. Colwell attended SUNY Cortland and has a Master’s Degree in Education from Adelphi University. Mr. Colwell grew up playing mostly every sport one can think of. His favorites are lacrosse, hockey, and football. Mr. Colwell is married and has a son. They reside in Vero Beach and are looking forward to becoming a part of the St. Helen’s Community.

Ms. Courtney is excited to be joining the faculty at St. Helen’s Catholic School in Vero Beach as the new music teacher! A proud native of Indian River County, she recently returned home after several years pursuing her education, raising her beautiful daughter, and participating in endless performance opportunities in the tri-state area.

She holds a degree in music from Western Connecticut State University, a master's degree in education from the University of Bridgeport, and is currently working to complete her doctorate in instructional technology from American College of Education. Her teaching journey has taken her through a variety of classroom and music education settings, working with students of all ages to inspire creativity, confidence, and a lifelong love of learning.

As both an educator and performer, she enjoys many musical styles from classical and opera to sacred music, jazz, pop, and musical theater. She especially loves teaching voice, piano, strings, percussion, and general music, and is passionate about creating a joyful, inclusive space where every child can discover their musical voice.

She feels that it is a true joy to be back in her hometown and looks forward to a wonderful year of music-making at St. Helen’s! 

Mrs. Laura D’alexis is the school counselor at St. Helen’s Catholic School. She has joined the faculty and staff in the 2022-2023 school year. Mrs. Laura D’alexis has moved to Ft. Pierce, FL from Kansas City, MO with her husband. She previously was at Glendale Elementary located in the Independence School District in Independence, MO. Mrs. Laura D’alexis grew up in Dubuque, IA. She has been a part of education for 26 years. She began her career as a first-grade teacher and has spent the far majority as an elementary school counselor. Mrs. Laura D’alexis received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Saint Mary’s of Notre Dame in Notre Dame, IN. She received a Master’s of Instruction in Elementary Education from Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota in Winona, MN. She received a Master’s of Education in K-12 School Counseling from the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, IA. It is a privilege for her to be a part of St. Helen’s School.

Mrs. Donna Davis brings over 35 years of experience as an art educator, having taught at the elementary and middle school levels in Naperville Illinois.  She holds both her bachelor's and master's degrees in Art Education from Illinois State University and is a National Board Certified Teacher in Early to Middle Childhood art.

Now retired from full-time teaching,she recently relocated to Vero Beach with her husband and joined St. Helen's Parish. She is thrilled to continue sharing her love of art with students and believes deeply in the power of creativity to inspire confidence, imagination, and joy in children.

Outside of the classroom, Mrs. Davis is a practicing artist whose sculptures can be found in downtown Naperville. She also enjoys watercolor and oil painting and stays active playing competitive pickleball, tennis, and golf. She has a son in Ogden Utah, and a daughter relocating to Vero beach with her two grandsons.

Mrs. Davis is excited to be a part of the St. Helen's School community and looks forward to nurturing a love of art in all her students,

Mrs. Teresa Float is a dedicated educator and longtime resident of Indian River County. A wife, mother of three, and proud grandmother, she brings over 20 years of experience in both public and private school settings. Throughout her career, she has specialized in serving students with special needs, while also working as a classroom teacher and interventionist.

Most recently, Mrs. Float supported 19 private schools—including all Catholic schools in Brevard County—by coordinating Title I services and family support programs. She holds certifications in Elementary Education and Exceptional Student Education, along with an ESOL (English to Speakers of Other Languages) endorsement. Mrs. Float also earned a Master of Education degree and remains passionate about ensuring every child receives the support they need to succeed.

Mrs. Jennifer Glass is in her 11th year at St. Helen Catholic School. Mrs. Glass has over 19 years of experience in Elementary and Pre-K education.  She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Humanities from Florida State University. She successfully completed the Educator Preparation Institute at Indian River State College. She holds a  Reading  endorsement, Florida certificates in Elementary Education grades Pre-K through 6th, and ESE grades K through 12. Married with two children, Mrs. Glass lives in Sebastian, Florida.
 

Mrs. Jillian Goddard comes to St. Helen with eight years of teaching various grade levels, from kindergarten through middle school. She attended Epiphany Catholic School in Miami before moving to Vero Beach and graduating the International Baccalaureate program from Sebastian River High School. She graduated from Grand Canyon University with a degree in education. She has two daughters, one of whom attends St. Helen Catholic School currently and one who will be joining in the new preschool program. 

Mrs. Sara Jane Gordon-Mills, a native of Kentucky, will be teaching Social Studies for 6th, 7th, and 8th grades at St. Helen Catholic School starting this fall. She and her husband recently relocated from Orlando, Florida, where she taught 5th and 6th grades at Holy Family Catholic School for six years before moving to Vero Beach.

Mrs. Gordon-Mills holds a Bachelor's degree in Health Care Administration from Western Kentucky University and a Master's degree in Educational Studies from Quincy University. She possesses a Florida Teaching Certificate and a Social Studies Endorsement for Grades 5-9.

After a career in Health Care Administration, Mrs. Gordon-Mills chose to pursue her passion for teaching. She is a strong advocate of Catholic education, having raised her three children in Catholic schools. She believes that Catholic education provides children with the opportunity to learn in a faith-filled environment, which is essential for their development.

Mrs. Gordon-Mills is passionate about swimming daily and loves teaching History and Political Science. She has lived and worked in Kentucky, Tennessee, Saudi Arabia, Nebraska, Missouri, and Florida. She and her husband are in the process of building a home in Vero Beach and are excited to become part of this wonderful community.

Welcome to middle school math at Saint Helen School. It is going to be an exciting journey exploring math this year!
I have been a teacher in both public and private schools. I was Teacher of the Year for Indian River County School District and a Fulbright Teacher to Japan. I have a Master’s Degree in Educational Administration and a Bachelor’s Degree in general education.
Although I am certified to teach all subjects, in middle school, my passion is teaching math. I love helping students realize that math can be easily understood and fun too! There will be a lot of hands-on applications. My goal for the students is to help them develop confidence in solving any math problem.
During my personal time, I enjoy horticulture, reading, and volunteer work.
I am thrilled and proud to be a Falcon as my two sons were when they attended Saint Helen School.

As a teacher and parent, my favorite Bible verse is Proverbs 22:6  “Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it.“

Ms. Monica Haffey holds a Master of Arts in Secondary Social Studies Education as well as a Bachelor of Arts in History and Music with a concentration in Classical Studies from Fairfield University. A recipient of multiple awards for her research in political music history, Ms. Haffey is a member of Phi Alpha Theta, the National Honors Society for History. She also served as a mentor for the Connecticut Writing Project where she worked with students across grade levels to develop confidence and creativity through language composition.

Elizabeth Hoag has been an elementary school teacher for 19 years and is excited to join the faculty of St. Helen's Catholic School. She is certified in Elementary Education, ESOL, and has her Reading Endorsement. She has also been a volunteer Catechist for St. Sebastian Catholic Church in Sebastian, FL. She grew up in Maryland and attended Sacred Heart Catholic School as a child. After high school she attended Virginia Tech for her bachelor's and moved to Florida to teach in Orlando, FL. She has lived in Florida for 20 years and has called Indian River County home since 2017. She lives in Fellsmere with her husband, son, and daughter. 

Miss Illuzzi is excited to join St. Helen Catholic School as the middle school religion teacher. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Health Services Administration from the University of Central Florida and is bilingual in English and Spanish. She previously taught Elementary PE and Spanish 1 in St. Lucie County, and was a tennis and swimming instructor in her summers throughout college. She is a former competitive tennis player from juniors through UCF, she still enjoys playing tennis and pickleball with her friends and family today. 
Miss Illuzzi and her family attend St. John of the Cross parish where she also serves as a catechist. She has always enjoyed working with youth and after discernment, followed the call to teach in a Catholic School. To enrich formation she participates in retreats, conferences, and religious education courses, and is an active member of St. Helen’s Young Adult Ministry. She plans to teach according to the Magisterium of the Catholic Church rooted in Scripture and Tradition. She hopes to embark with her students to become greater disciples of Christ who follow in His greatest commandments; Loving God above all else, and Loving your neighbor as yourself. 

Mrs. Kapcar serves as the Administrative Assistant at St. Helen Catholic School. She has been a parishioner of St. Helen Catholic Church for over 25 years. Mrs. Kapcar studied at Indian River Community College and spent 30 years of her career as a Medical Practice Manager.  She is dedicated now to supporting young students and families who are seeking a faith-filled Catholic education. She and her husband have one daughter, a proud alumna of both St. Helen School and John Carroll High School. Mrs. Kapcar is grateful to be a part of the St. Helen School community and continues to support its mission with enthusiasm and care.

Mrs. Ana Liebman is our K-5 Spanish instructor. She has been with St. Helen Catholic School since 2014 and assisted with implementing the Spanish Language Program for our elementary grades.  Before teaching at St. Helen, Mrs. Liebman offered private Spanish classes to small groups of elementary-aged children.  She has professional experience as an Insurance Company translator. Mrs. Liebman received her bachelor’s degree in business administration from La Universidad  Regiomontana de Hotelería y Administration in Mexico.  She resides in Vero Beach with her husband, they have two daughters, all St. Helen alumni, one of whom attends VBHS at present and one of whom is a Freshman at the University of Florida at Gainesville.

Mrs. Clara Myers is our Second Grade Teachers Aid and joined St.Helen Catholic School in 2022.  In addition, she is new to the Vero Beach area, moving here from Ocala, FL.  Her teaching career started 12 years ago at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, Dunnellon, FL.  She has taught Children’s Faith Formation to 2nd, 5th and 6th graders. She also held the position of Children’s Faith Formation Coordinator from July 2019 through May 2022.
Mrs. Myers has an Associates of Arts Degree in Business/Accounting from Charron  Williams College in Miami, FL and an Advanced Catechist Degree from the Diocese of Orlando.  She is excited and thankful for this opportunity at St. Helen’s Catholic School.

Mrs. Sheehan is the Kindergarten Teacher Assistant at St. Helen Catholic School. She began her educational career at St. Stephen Catholic School in Riverview, Florida as an EC3 and EC4 Early Childhood Teacher Assistant.  Her two sons attended the same school.  She continued her love for teaching in Chagrin Falls, OH at St. Joan of Arc Catholic School when her husband moved their family there to be near his family.  Her sons went on to attend St. Ignatius Catholic High School in Cleveland where they excelled and earned scholarships to attend the Catholic University of Dayton, and although not Catholic,  the prestigious Kent State University.  She is extremely proud of her boys now 21 and 23, and looks forward to instilling in the St. Helen students, the same love of learning, love of Christ and love of their Catholic faith that she did for her own children.

Mrs. Sheehan holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Public Relations and Journalism from the University of Florida and is a proud Alumni of St. Helen’s!   She has a heart for nurturing, and a steadfast commitment to the values that define Catholic education, faith, service, compassion and community. 

Miss Lauren Preston has dedicated 16 years to Catholic education, serving in various capacities including two years as an assistant principal and one year as a principal. Before leadership roles, Miss Preston taught English Language Arts for six years and third grade for 7. Miss Preston is deeply committed to the mission of providing all children with a Christ-centered, quality education. Miss Preston comes from a large family, with three older siblings and 10 nieces and nephews. She has also followed in her mother's footsteps who has also dedicated her life to Catholic education.

My name is Gricel Revel and I’m the new Aftercare and Lunch Coordinator. I had the pleasure of working in St Mary School in Middletown NJ as a kindergarten aid for 14 years. I’m married with two children. We recently moved to Vero Beach.

Mrs. Gia Rizzo is our St. Joseph Room VPK/Pre-K Teacher. She grew up in Milford, Pennsylvania near the Pocono Mountains and moved to Florida with her family in 2017. She is a proud Falcon mom with three daughters that are currently attending SHCS. Mrs. Rizzo is a VPK Certified Teacher. She has an A.S. in Early Childhood Education from Indian River State College. She is actively pursuing a B.S. in Exceptional Student Education with Reading and ESOL Endorsements. Mrs. Rizzo has served SHCS as an Aftercare Coordinator and VPK/Pre-K Assistant. She is passionate about her career at SHCS!

Miss Serafina Ruggeri is a graduate of Indian River State College, where she earned her Bachelors Degree in Public Administration. She is our Specialized IT & Compliance Coordinator. She has been an active parishioner in St. Helen Catholic Church her whole life and is excited to start her fourth year at St. Helens.

Mrs. Searcy has served as a substitute teacher at St. Helens and is now adding Elementary Spanish to her time here.   Born and raised in Puerto Rico, a certified translator, Mrs. Searcy has offered conversational and occupational Spanish as well as Spanish tutoring to adults and homeschoolers.  She attended American University and earned a BA in International Studies with minors in Spanish and Latin American Studies.   She later received a Master of Agribusiness from the University of Florida, Go Gators!, meeting her husband of 22 years.  Together they have 3 children.  She has over two decades of classroom experience, including teaching VPK at Gracie’s, math and reading intervention with the IRSD, and ongoing horticulture therapy lessons in assisted living facilities. 

I started my career in preschool teaching 7 years ago at Master's Academy in Vero Beach. I have earned my Child Development Associate (CDA) credential for preschool ages 3-5. I have participated in a one-on-one 5 month training with a Concious Discipline coach in 2023. I was a music major throughout my upper school years which opened a great opportunity to proudly serve in the U.S. Army Reserves in the Statue of Liberty Army Band. I have a passion for teaching young children Bible lessons, which began 15 years ago while serving in children's ministries at my local church. I volunteered for many VBS programs as a leader and concept artist. I love to go on long runs and attend Renaissance Fairs, in full costume! My husband and I just celebrated our 25th anniversary, and we were blessed with two awesome daughters. I'm so excited to be a part of the St. Helen's Preschool team and for the opportunity to show the love of Christ to your precious little ones! "..For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven."
Matthew 18:10

Miss Meaghan Sherer is a lifelong resident of Vero Beach and is an alumna of St. Helen Catholic School and John Carroll Catholic High School. She received her bachelor’s degree in Elementary and Special Education from Seton Hill University in Greensburg, Pennsylvania and holds a Florida Certificate for Kindergarten through 6th grade. Miss Sherer knew she wanted to be a teacher at a very young age and loves that she is able to teach and share her faith at St. Helen Catholic School. The 2024-2025 school year will be her seventh year teaching at SHCS.

Julia Tomacelli is a retired elementary school teacher of 31 years from Cumberland County in Fayetteville, North Carolina.  She had the privilege of teaching grades Kindergarten through 3rd grades with several grades being multi-age classrooms. 
She graduated with a Bachelor of Science and Master of Education degree from the University of North Carolina in Pembroke, (formally called Pembroke State University). In her years as an educator, she was a Mentor for beginning teachers, served as a grade level chair and was nominated by her colleagues at her school for Teacher of the Year. She also had the pleasure of having several student teachers during her time as an educator. 
She and her husband reside in Vero Beach, Florida.
 

Mrs. Grace Torrent came to St. Helen Catholic School in 2013 with 19 years of teaching experience, having taught Pre-K through Second grade at Vero Beach Elementary School. Her specialty is Language Arts. Mrs. Torrent is bilingual and maintains a Florida teaching certificate, with an ESOL endorsement. Mrs. Torrent earned both her Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and her Master of Arts in Early Childhood from the University of Central Florida.  She was named “Teacher of the Year” at Vero Beach Elementary School in 2010. In addition to her regular teaching duties, Mrs. Torrent serves as the coach for Junior Varsity volleyball and is the moderator for our Lego Club. Married with two children, Mrs. Torrent resides in Vero Beach.

“¡Hola! ¡Mucho gusto!” from our new Middle School Spanish teacher, Stephanie White. Hailing from Michigan, Señora White enjoyed studying at the Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia in Spain.  She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Calvin College, certified to teach K-12 Spanish and Secondary English. During the summer in college, she taught Spanish at her family’s Whitney Bloomfield Nursery School.  She created and taught an Exploratory Spanish program for Thornapple Kellogg Middle School for 3 years. She also taught ESL (English as a Second Language) to adults and secondary students in that community.  She returned to her alma mater, Novi Christian Academy, where she taught High School Spanish 1 and 2, Kindergarten and 1st Grade Spanish, and 7th Grade English for 2 years.  Relocating to Orlando, she started her own family and taught homeschooled students Spanish at The Regent Academy and Tindall Homeschool Academy.  She then left teaching outside the home to teach her own children inside the home.  She is blessed with an unforgettable 12 years of homeschooling her 7 (siete) children. Señora White and her family moved to Vero Beach 3 years ago and she is happy to be a parishioner of St. Helen’s. She can’t wait to meet and serve her new students at St. Helen Catholic School.