Faculty and Staff

Welcome to Saint Joseph Regional School

The Faculty at Saint Joseph Regional School

Mrs. Michelle Smith

Pre-Kindergarten

Mrs. Smith has served in the Pre-Kindergarten at Saint Joseph Regional School since 2009 and studied Education at Brookdale College. She also co-advises the Drama Club.

Miss Alexandra Wilson

Kindergarten

Miss Wilson began teaching at SJRS in 2017. She holds a B.S. in Elementary Education and a B.A. in Psychology from Keene State College. She is a SJRS alum and is NHDOE certified.

Mrs. Stephenie Konopka

First Grade

Mrs. Konopka has taught at SJRS since 2016. She holds a B.A. in Psychology from KSC with a concentration in Early Childhood Education.

Mrs. Cindy Hoye

Second Grade

Mrs. Hoye has worked at Saint Joseph's for 22 years, having served as Director of CHILD CARE and Pre-Kindergarten teacher.
She holds a B.A. in Sociology from Keene State College. Mrs. Hoye is certified NHDOE Early Childhood Education.

Ms. Suzanne Foder

Social Studies

Middle School

Ms. Foder has taught at Saint Joseph's since 2006. She holds a B.A. in History and a B.S. in Elementary Education from Keene State College. She is NHDOE certified. Ms. Foder also advises the Kiwanis Builders Club and the Drama Club.

Deacon Ken Swymer

Religion

Middle School

Deacon Ken holds a Masters in Education.

Mr. John Rafail

Third Grade

Mr. Rafail received his B.A. in Elementary Education from Bethany College and is NHDOE certified K-8.

Mrs. Megan Amundson

Fourth Grade

Mrs. Amundson holds a B.A. from California State University and a M.A. from San Jose State University. She most recently taught at Saint Patrick school in Jaffrey, NH.

Mrs. Rebecca Bezio

English and Literature

Middle School

Mrs. Bezio earned her B. A. from Keene State College in both English and Education. Mrs. Bezio also advises the Student Council.

Mrs. Tania Coffin

Science

Middle School

Mrs. Coffin has been the science instructor at Saint Joseph Regional School since 2009.
She holds a B.S. in Geology from Dickinson College and a
Master's in Environmental Pollution Control (Hydrology) from Penn State University.
She NHDOE certified and is a licensed professional geologist.

Madame Emily Winterbottom

French

Middle School

Madame Winterbottom is a native French speaker from Rwanda. She holds a B.A. from George Mason University and is fluent in English, French, and Portuguese.

Mrs. Kristin Blais

Mathematics

Middle School

Mrs. Blais holds a B.A. from Brown University and an M.A.T. from Upper Valley Graduate School of Education. She is NHDOE certified.

Mr. Robert Thies

Music

Mr. Thies studied music composition and performance at The College of Marin in Marin County, CA, and at The College of The Canyons, in Los Angeles, CA, and is a classically trained trombonist. He has taught at SJRS since 2015.

Madame Julia Dutton

French

Elementary School

Madame Dutton has taught at SJRS for over 15 years. She holds a M.A. in French. She is NHDOE certified.

Miss Abbey Hoye

Childcare Director

Miss Hoye has worked in our Childcare Program for over 8 years and serves as an Aide in our Middle School.

Mrs. Amy LaGrenade

Office Assistant

Amy has worked at SJRS for several years and runs our Renweb program..

Mr. Brian Troy

Physical Education

Mr. Troy holds a Bachelor of Science from Rivier University and was named Division III Coach of the Year in 2017. 2018 will be his first year at SJRS.

Mrs. Bernadette Kuhn

Mathematics

Middle School

Mrs. Kuhn has taught high school mathematics for over 30 years. She is NHDOE certified.

Miss Molly Fletcher

Art

Ms. Fletcher holds a B.F.A. from Keene State University and an M.F.A. from the University of Delaware.

Ms. Ann Skidds

Reading / Religion Miss Skidds holds a B.A. in Education from LIU and a M.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction from KSC. She is certified NHDOE.

Mrs. Tracy Young

Pre-Kindergarten Assistant

Miss Tracy has worked and volunteered at SJRS for over 12 years.

Mrs. Liberty Ebright

Elementary Aide

Miss Liberty has worked as an aide in our Elementary school for several years and directs our soccer and chess programs.

Mr. Christopher Smith

Principal

Mr. Smith has served at Saint Joseph Regional School since 2008. Mr. Smith holds a B.A. in English and Philosophy from Rutgers University and a M.A. from Hofstra University in English Literature and Writing. He is NHDOE certified.

Mrs. Katie Pratt

Principal's Assistant

Miss Kate has worked at SJRS for almost 12 years. She is a Licensed Nursing Assistant.

Father Alan Tremblay

Pastor

Father Alan is currently Pastor of the Parish of the Holy Spirit and Dean of the Monadnock Deanery for the Diocese of Manchester.

Our Faculty and Administration

Our dedicated faculty and staff members are the heart of our school community. Together they collaboratively inspire student growth in mind, body and spirit in our nurturing, family-centered Catholic school environment. We offer an unmatched curriculum that not only promotes strong academic achievement, but also develops a sense of personal responsibility and the importance of public service. We are enlivened to explore, promote, and preserve our Catholic identity and mission as our school community learns and grows together academically and spiritually each day.

Our Administration

Father Alan Tremblay

President

Father Alan is currently Pastor of the Parish of the Holy Spirit in the Diocese of Manchester, and is beginning his service as President of St. Joseph Regional School and Our Lady of Mercy Academy in 2024-2025 school year.

Dr. Andrea Pearson

Interim Principal

Dr. Pearson began in her role as Interim Principal in June 2025. She earned her BA from the College of the Holy Cross, and her MD from Dartmouth College Geisel School of Medicine. Dr. Pearson has had a successful career as a dermatologist with Dartmouth Hitchcock and in missionary healthcare through MyCatholicDoctor, PLLC.

Mrs. Kate Pratt

Executive Assistant

Tuition and Financial Aid Manager

Kate has worked at SJRS for 14 years. She is also a Licensed Nursing Assistant.

Mrs. Lisa Muchmore

Office Assistant

Mrs. Jennifer Marshall

Director of Advancement

Mrs. Marshall is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame with a BA in Economics. She manages fundraising, marketing, communications, and admissions for both SJRS and OLMA.

Our Faculty

Mrs. Tracy Young

Preschool

Mrs. Young attended New York University and the University College Dublin (UCD) in Dublin, Ireland. She holds a Bachelors degree in Social Science from UCD. She has volunteered or worked at SJRS since 2006, and served as the Preschool Aide for seven years before taking over as the lead teacher in 2024.

Ms. Morgan Howerton

Kindergarten

Ms. Howerton joined the SJRS faculty in 2024. She has taught 5th grade Religion and the Mercy Project course at Our Lady of Mercy Academy. She has also managed community service opportunities for the high school students. She holds a BA in Psychology from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia.

Mrs. Stephenie Konopka

First Grade

Mrs Konopka re-joined the SJRS faculty in 2025. She previously taught First Grade at SJRS and most recently worked as a Specially Designed Instruction (SDI) Teacher at Cedarcrest, where she developed and adapted instructional methods, materials, and assessments to support the diverse learning needs of her students.

A graduate of Keene State College, she holds certification from the NHDOE as an early childhood educator. Mrs. Konopka is advancing her professional training by pursuing a special education credential through the University of New Hampshire’s College of Professional Studies.

Ms. Stephanie Johnson

Second Grade

Ms. Johnson joined the SJRS staff in 2020 from the Monadnock Waldorf School, where she had been for three years in their Early Childhood classrooms.
She holds a BA from Plymouth State University.

Ms. Justina McGuire

Third Grade

Ms. McGuire served as the SJRS third grade 2006-2014. She then moved back to her home town of Torrington, CT, where she was a paraprofessional, building substitute, and math interventionist. She has also taught internationally as a sixth grade and high school English teacher in Sendai, Japan. Ms. McGuire holds a BS in Elementary Education with a minor in Clinical/Counseling Psychology. She is CT DOE certified.

Mrs. Bridget Lundin

4th Grade

Mrs. Lundin served as an elementary school teacher in the Keene School District for 16 years and joined the SJRS staff in 2020. She is NHDOE certified. She holds a BA in Elementary Education from Stonehill College and a MEd in Elementary Education from Fitchburg State University.

Ms. Mary Grace Nelligan

Religion (Grades K-5)

Ms. Nelligan received her BS in Education from Franciscan University in Steubenville, OH. She taught second and third grade in Catholic schools and did missionary work in Moscow, Russia, before beginning her family. She came to SJRS in 2020 as the first grade Aide.

Mrs. Stephanie Carpeno

Preschool Aide

Miss Ana Maria Swingle

Elementary Aide

Miss Marisol Zilske

Elementary Aide

Mrs. Holly MacDougall

Extended Day Aide

Mrs. Gretchen Ramage

Extended Day Coordinator

Mrs. Ramage joined SJRS/OLMA in 2024. She is a veteran of the U.S. Air Force, and holds an A.A.S. in Photography from Westmoreland County Community College; a BS in History with a minor in Military History; and a M.Ed. in Instruction and Curriculum (History) from Liberty University.

Ms. Ann Skidds

Reading Specialist

Elementary

Miss Skidds is a graduate of SJRS. She holds a BA in Education from LIU and a MEd in Curriculum and Instruction from Keene State College. She is certified by the NHDOE, and has served as First Grade teacher and elementary Religion teacher most recently.

Miss Erin Hurd

Religion

Middle School

Ms. Maria McGovern

Mathematics

Middle School

Ms. Suzanne Foder

Social Studies/English

Middle School

Ms. Foder has taught at SJRS since 2006. She holds a BA in History and a BS in Elementary Education from Keene State College. She is NHDOE certified. Ms. Foder co-advises the Leadership Council.

Mrs. Wendy Petschik

Science/Technology/Mathematics

Middle School

Mrs. Petschik holds a BS in Zoology and Applied Computer Science from Keene State College. She has served as Accreditation Coordinator and Adjunct Professor for KSC.

Mrs. Rebecca Bezio

English/Literature

Middle School

Rebecca Bezio holds a Bachelor’s degree in English and Secondary Education from Keene State College and a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership and Curriculum Development from Southern New Hampshire University. She is NHDOE certified and has been teaching English and Literature at the middle school level for 11 years at Saint Joseph Regional School. In addition to her teaching, Mrs. Bezio serves as co-advisor for the Leadership Council and coaches the Track and Field Team.

Mr. Jim Konopka

Mathematics

Middle School

Mr. Konopka has 25 years of IT/project management and computer programming experience as he joins the faculty for the 2024-2025 school year.

Mrs. Danielle Heeran

Elementary Music/

Middle School Chorus

This will be Mrs. Heeran's 17th year as a teacher. She has taught music from kindergarten through high school, chorus, piano, theory, musical theater, drama club, composition and general music. She earned her Bachelor’s of Music Education from Keene State College and her Master’s of Music Education from Kent State University.

Madame Emily Winterbottom

French

Middle School

Madame Winterbottom is a native French speaker from Rwanda. She holds a BA from George Mason University and an MA in French with a specialization in Pedagogy and Linguistics from Middlebury College. She is fluent in English, French, and Portuguese.

Mrs. Cathy Hart

Physical Education/Health

Middle School Religion

Mrs. Hart joined the staff in 2020 and holds a BS in Physical Therapy from Russell Sage College, followed by working 17 years as a physical therapist. She has experience also as a fitness instructor with a strong interest in nutrition.

Mrs. Katrina Daugherty

Art

Mrs. Daugherty is in her third year at SJRS. She holds a Bachelors degree with majors in both Studio Art and English from the University of New Hampshire. She is also ESL certified and previously taught in Costa Rica.

Mrs. Ashley Morse

Instrumental Music

Mrs. Morse has taught middle school music at MoCo Arts for seven years and has served as a piano accompanist at many local schools, including SJRS. She was the choir director at Westmoreland United Church for eight years and accompanied NHDI classes for nearly a decade. She holds a Bachelor's Degree in Music Education from Keene State College.