Faculty

Andrew is the president of the St. Jerome Institute in Washington, DC. He obtained his Ph.D. in Theology from the Pontifical John Paul II Institute with a dissertation focused on the philosophy of education and childhood in the thought of the German Thomist, Ferdinand Ulrich. He has served for nearly two decades as a teacher and leader in classical schools. He was the Head of School for The Atonement Academy in San Antonio and later joined the team for Great Hearts Texas, where he was the founding Headmaster of Great Hearts Northern Oaks. He has published articles and translations in both the Humanum Journal and Communio and is preparing a translation of Ferdinand Ulrich’s book on childhood and education, Der Mensch als Anfang (Man as the Beginning), for publication by Humanum Press in 2023.

A graduate of Thomas Aquinas College, William has been a classical educator for over a decade. A founding faculty member and Master Teacher at Glendale Preparatory Academy, William later went on to hold the positions of Academic Dean and Interim-Assistant Headmaster at Anthem Preparatory Academy. In his career, William has instructed Middle School and High School students, and taught courses in History, Latin, Mathematics, and Humane Letters. He has also led numerous enrichment seminars and pedagogical workshops for Great Hearts Academies Arizona teachers. He and his wonderful wife are the parents of eight lively children.

Maggie LaPrairie is the Director of Campus Events at the St. Jerome Institute. While studying Secondary English Education at The Catholic University of America, she tutored middle school Language Arts and taught American Literature at Duke Ellington School of the Arts. Her conversations with students about searching for happiness and grappling with God’s commandments inspired her to obtain a Masters in Moral Theology and Ethics from CUA; and from there, Maggie taught theology for five years at Elizabeth Seton High School. During her time at Seton, Maggie regularly ran retreats with Campus Ministry, reinvigorated Pro-Life Club, and served on committees for student formation and discipline. Maggie enjoys hosting dinner parties with her husband, Ben, hiking, and spending time at the beach.

Emily Strab is a mother of four and has been a music educator of all ages. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Music Education from the University of Delaware and a master’s in Ethnomusicology from the University of Maryland. She is an active member of the Hyattsville community, currently serving as a city councilmember, and having served on the board of the Hyattsville Life & Times and as captain of her neighborhood watch. She served on the board that initiated the Montessori program at St. Jerome Academy.

Mrs. Rose Church is St. Jerome Institute’s College Counselor. Mrs. Church received her B.A. from Ave Maria University with a double major in Theology and Managerial Economics & Strategic Analysis as a Mother Teresa Scholar and member of the honors program. She studied abroad in Gaming, Austria and has led a mission trip to Lourdes, France. She previously served as Campus Minister for Southern Illinois University Carbondale before returning to school to earn an M.T.S. from the John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and the Family. Mrs. Church and her husband, Tanner, live in Hyattsville with their children where they enjoy cooking, swing dancing, and elaborate board games.

Michael Higgins teaches sophomore and senior Humanities and senior Theology at SJI. After graduating from Duke University, he spent a year sharing life with the poor as a missionary in Brazil, and another working with the homeless in Philadelphia. He received his MTS and PhD in theology from the John Paul II Institute at the Catholic University of America. Before coming to SJI, Michael taught theology at Loyola University Maryland, Georgetown University, and the Academy of the Holy Cross. He is the author of Giving One’s Word: Psychological Analogy as Social Analogy in Aquinas’s Trinitarian Theology (forthcoming from CUA Press), as well as over a dozen articles in such journals as Modern Theology, The International Journal of Systematic Theology, The Thomist, and Communio.

Mimi Aujero has been teaching all levels of high school math for more than a decade and has begun her best years yet in teaching the beautiful, delightful, and challenging curriculum of the Seminar in Mathematics. She graduated with a degree in Math and Secondary Education from The Catholic University of America and earned her Masters in Education through the PLACE Corps program at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. Nothing excites and energizes Mrs. Aujero like a great lesson on triangles. Thus, she is so grateful for her wonderful husband, family, friends, Catholic Terp babysitters, and SJI school community that have enabled her to keep teaching while having n children in n+2 years (currently, n=8).

Mrs. Beall holds a bachelors in Studio Art from the University of Maryland and a masters in education from Trinity Washington University. Mrs. Beall is a working artist of multiple disciplines; her recent projects include murals, large scale canvas painting, children’s book illustration, graphic and ink design, small group instruction, iconography, and private commission. Mrs. Beall is an award winning artist, most recently earning first prize in the 2023 Rehumanize International Arts Competition for her painting submission, and earning her place as a top ten finalist in the 2023 Preakness Stakes Arts Competition, as well. Mrs. Beall won the Catholic Terps’ design contest back in 2010, and her eponymous logo remains a part of Catholic Terp canon to this day. Mrs. Beall recognizes art as a tremendous gift and is passionate about sharing it with others. Mrs. Beall, her husband Eddie, and their daughter reside in College Park, where they are thankful to be able to walk to Mass together.

Miss Mari-Ana Narbon teaches the Seminar in Natural Philosophy for years one, two and three. After graduating from the University of Pennsylvania with a degree in Biological Basis of Behavior (Neuroscience), Miss Narbon spent a year teaching at a Catholic School in Philadelphia before moving to Peru to serve the poorest of the poor in the shantytowns of Lima and the Andes Mountains. When she returned to the United States, she earned her Master’s degree in Theological Studies from the John Paul II Institute at the Catholic University of America. Miss Narbon is from Panama City, Panama, where her love for the beach, nature, and most importantly, her family was nourished. She loves getting lost in books, spending time with her nieces and nephews, and opening her home to friends.

Mr. Sargeant teaches Humanities and Art History at SJI, and directs Shakespeare plays with SJI’s Genesian Players. He is a graduate of Catholic homeschooling and of Yale University. He has worked as an editor at First Things and Magnificat, and directed theatre at Yale and in New York City. Before coming to the DC area, Alexi worked at the Catholic chaplaincy of Princeton University. He now lives in Hyattsville with his wife Leah and their three children. Outside of teaching, Mr. Sargeant is an award-winning children’s book author and tabletop game designer.

Christine Bailey teaches the Seminar in Mathematics for sophomores and seniors. She graduated from the University of Maryland with a degree in Computer Science and earned her master’s degree in Psychology from Divine Mercy University. After graduating from UMD, she worked for the U.S. Army in the Communications Electronics Command as a computer scientist. She is a consecrated laywoman as a member of the Crusaders of Mary, a secular institute founded in Spain.

James Foeckler graduated from Christendom College in 2020 with a major in Philosophy and minor in Mathematics. While at the college he played four years for the varsity soccer team on the Tom S. Vander Woude athletic scholarship while captaining it for his last two years. He received the student achievement award at his graduation and continued to work for the college for the past three years as Residence Director and men’s assistant soccer coach. During that time he earned his Master of Arts in Theological Studies concentrating on Moral Theology, and was accepted into a PhD program at CUA where he will be continuing his education in the same field. Throughout his undergraduate and graduate work, he has sought to unite his academic and athletic interests whenever possible, writing his undergraduate thesis on the relationship of athletics and a liberal arts university, and his masters thesis on the relationship of sports and virtue.

Lauren is a graduate of Thomas Aquinas College, and holds her B.A. in the Liberal Arts. In addition to her role as fundraiser, she has directed 40 Days for Life at TAC and has served as a missionary and youth leader for 10 years, in which she ran retreats for girls, fed the homeless, visited the homebound, and organized charity/food drives for local shelters and pro-life clinics. In her free time, Lauren enjoys hosting friends for dinner, folk music parties, swing dancing, and reading anything by St. Augustine. She also satisfies her passion for Sacred Music by volunteering in her parish’s schola and singing at the Pope John Paul II National Shrine.

Mr. Bindernagel serves as the Dean of Students as well as a teacher of Humanities at the St. Jerome Institute. He earned both his BA and MA at Boston College, and he has since also earned an MA from St. John’s College in Annapolis. He has worked in schools for over a decade, during which time he has taught courses in both Theology and English, as well as working in school administration. He has published articles in the Imaginative Conservative, Ethika Politica, and Crisis Magazine, amongst others.