Head of School

Jason Patera has been part of the Academy community for over 20 years, serving as a faculty member, Chair of the Music Department, Assistant Head of School, Principal, and now Head of School.

Assistant Principal

Elizabeth Cunningham is the Dean of Students as well as the Student Services Coordinator. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Fine Art and a Master of Education in Special Education at Loyola University.

Elizabeth also serves as the Director of Learning Resources.

Director of Enrollment Management

Amanda LePard joins The Academy with over 10 years of Admissions experience in independent schools. A lifelong dancer, Amanda is classically trained and received a degree in Dance and Communication from the University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point before moving to Chicago to pursue a professional dance career. 

Chair - Dance

Randy Duncan, a native Chicagoan, has the unique privilege to be a three-time recipient of Chicago’s prestigious Ruth Page Award for Outstanding Choreographer of the year. He teaches worldwide and for the past twenty-two years has been on the Academy faculty.

Chair - Music

Rachel Brown is a Chicago-based chamber musician, soloist, orchestral performer, educator, and arts administrator. Formerly with the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, she is now Associate Principal Second Violin of the South Bend Symphony Orchestra and performs with the Illinois, Rockford, and Fort Wayne Symphony Orchestras, as well as the American Music Festivals Orchestra. Rachel also instructs classical violin, viola, and musicianship.

Chair - Musical Theatre

Andrew Robinson earned his Bachelor of Arts in English and Religion from Rhodes College, his Master of Divinity from Union Theological Seminary at Columbia University, and his Master of Arts in Educational Theatre from New York University. He has been a creative associate with the Wagon Wheel Theatre for over ten years, directing and performing in dozens of shows.

Chair - Theatre

Ben Dicke holds a Master of Fine Arts in Theatre Performance from the Chicago College of Performing Arts at Roosevelt University as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Education from Sterling College. He has worked as a professional actor for twenty years in regional markets throughout the country.

Chair - Visual Arts

Margy Stover has taught at The Academy since 2003 and has been Visual Arts Department Chair since 2008. She has a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Pratt Institute and Master of Fine Arts from SUNY Buffalo.    

Co-Chair - Humanities

Nicholas Roux teaches philosophy and creative writing. He attended Kenyon College, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in English, with concentrations in Creative Writing and Humane Studies, and served as a student associate for The Kenyon Review.

Co-Chair - Humanities

Anna earned her Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in French Literature from the University of Illinois, Chicago, where she also taught before coming to the Academy. 

College Counselor

Sarah Langford was a high school teacher for fifteen years and is now College Counselor at The Academy. Sarah attended the University of Missouri and holds a Master of Education from The University of Illinois (Chicago).

Chief of Staff

Emily is a seasoned professional with multiple years of teaching experience at the Denver Center Theatre Academy. She holds a BFA in Musical Theatre from the University of Oklahoma.