Our Faculty & Educators
We are proud to say that our faculty is a diverse team comprised of professors and advisors from nearby Holy Apostles College and experienced tutors with an excellence in education.
Each one of our instructors is a devout Catholic, have degrees, and leads a life of of faith and service.
TERESA BURKARD
Academic Director/Great Books Educator/Sacred Music Director
Mrs. Burkard has been a student of the Great Books, Magdalen College, Bachelor of Arts; Student of Theology at the John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and the Family, Masters in Theology; Mom of six, home educating since 2003; Educator in the Great Books with Angelicum Academy, 2005-2013. Besides delighting in the truth, goodness, and beauty inherent in the classical studies such as Queen of the Apostles provides to its students. She brings her expertise to Queen of the Apostles Preparatory Academy in order to introduce students to the transformative power of music, specifically sacred music wherein the student becomes immersed in the praise, glory, and honor of God.
DR. CATHY ANN CLARK
Mathematics
Cathy Ann Clark received the B.S. degree in Mathematics from Morehead State University in Kentucky, the M.S. degree in Mathematics from the University of Connecticut, and the M.S. degree in Electrical Engineering and the Ph.D. degree in Applied Mathematics from the University of Rhode Island.
Dr. Clark was a Communications Systems Analyst with Western Union Corporation, Mahwah, New Jersey from 1969 to 1973. From 1973 to 1979 she taught mathematics at the University of Connecticut and Connecticut Community Colleges. From 1979 to 1997 she was a Principal Analyst with Sonalysts, Inc. in Waterford, Connecticut, working with the Naval Undersea Warfare Center on underwater sound propagation prediction and submarine tactical decision aid development, and with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration on satellite communications. From 1997 to 2021 she was with the Sensors & Sonar Systems Department of the Naval Undersea Warfare Center in Newport, Rhode Island. She has served as an Adjunct Professor of Mathematics at several colleges and universities, including the Universities of Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts and Roger Williams University.
Dr. Clark is a Senior Member of the Oceanic Engineering Society of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and a Fellow of the Acoustical Society of America.
CAMERON DALY
Theology/Lang. Arts/Science/Philosophy/Kingmens Club/Pickleball
Cameron obtained his BA in Theology/Philosophy from Holy Apostles College & Seminary in 2020 and will be completing his MA in Theology concentrating in Thomistic Studies (also at Holy Apostles) this year. He has served as an acolyte in his home parish for nearly twenty years.
Mr. Daly is a pickleball gold medalist! Coming from a tennis background, Cameron first picked up a pickleball paddle in the spring of 2014. He is now long-since hooked on the sport and has won and medaled in numerous high-level tournaments around New England.
MS. LEAH DIVENERE aka Mary Poppins
Pre-K
I
Institute for Classical Liberal Arts
Angelicum Academy
Holy Apostles College and Seminary
Academic Advisors
MS. VERONICA DIAZ NUNES
Social Work Specialist/ Sacred Music
Ms. Diaz has extensive qualifications in education and a passion for providing holistic support to students. She has a foreign equivalent of a bachelor’s degree in social work and Master’s in Pastoral Ministry. She was a member of the leadership team of Regnum Christi in Miami, FL. Ms. Diaz was also responsible of the Young Adults ministry.
DEACON JOSEPH GIULIANO
Family and Faith/Church History/Sacramental Preparation
JOSEPH T. MOLLER, M.A.
Latin/Great Books Tutor/Special Advisor
Joseph Moller earned his B.A. from The Catholic University of America in Latin and Greek where he also studied German and French literature and was awarded The Prize for Excellence in Latin.
After joining two friends to start the New Earth Wood and Stone Company and building beach houses in Rhode Island, he began graduate studies at the University of Pennsylvania where he earned an M.A. in Classical Studies in 1977.
The son of a mathematics professor and eldest of nine children, he grew up in Washington, DC benefiting from a rigorous Catholic education, first at his local parish school then at St. Anselm’s Abbey School, the city’s premier college preparatory school for boys. There he studied Latin for six years, French for five, and Greek for four, and began a life-long love of language study, literature, and linguistics.
Married in 1976, to Regina Paliotta, who holds a doctorate in French literature, he and Regina founded Transitus House in 1979, a family-based residential therapeutic program for adolescents. The couple have five, now grown, children of their own (and three grandchildren) who have continued their parents’ dedication to service as teachers, social workers, and therapists. As his own family grew, Joseph transitioned into information technology.
Joseph has been teaching Latin, Greek, and the Humanities since 2007 when he retired as an IT Director after a successful career in systems analysis and technology management. He is currently an Adjunct Instructor in Latin and Greek at Holy Apostles College and Tutor in Latin for Veterun Sapientia Institute. He has been teaching Latin and other subjects at Queen of the Apostles Academy since it was founded in 2019.
His academic interests include applying modern linguistic analysis to the teaching of Latin and Greek and the study of Latin and Greek liturgical texts. His translations of sequences, hymns, and psalms (available on the internet) have been widely praised, and he hopes that his ongoing study of Hebrew will enhance his translations and reflections on these liturgical biblical texts.
Joseph also finds time to invite his students and friends to join him in pursing interests in ecology, hiking, backpacking, woodworking, gardening, and Shakespeare.
JUDAH PARKYN
Religion/History/Lang. Arts/Kingsmen Club/Film & Production
Judah Parkyn is a passionate instructor of history, religion, and film at Queen of the Apostles Preparatory Academy. He is a recent graduate of Holy Apostles College and Seminary, where he received his training in theological studies and a bachelor’s degree in History in the Social Sciences and English in the Humanities. Aside from his teaching at Queen of the Apostles and his studies at Holy Apostles, he is an experienced artist and filmmaker committed to using the mediums of art and film at the service of the Church to advance the true, the good, and the beautiful in today’s culture as well as to promote the dignity of life, and to uphold the values of faith and family.
KAREN ROCHE
Executive Director
Math/Science/History/Religion
Karen has been a serial entrepreneur for over 36 years before founding Queen of the Apostles Preparatory Academy in 2019. In 2014, Karen became interested in working in Catholic Education after working many years within the Mother of Divine Grace Curriculum as a homeschool mother and then onto become a Catholic Academy Founder in 2015. She downsized her businesses and began to answer the call of the Lord in bringing the children to Him. Karen began working with local homeschooling families, leaders within the Archdiocese of Hartford Office of Catholic Schools, Angelicum Academy, and Holy Apostles College before launching QOTA. She has taught middle school and elementary math, science, and history. She is also currently attending Holy Apostles College for a Bachelors Degree in Theology, with a minor in Sacred Art. Karen is also a co-author of a book, “Incredible Life.” Karen’s chapter is titled “Just Let Go’. She talks about the importance of letting go of fear, doubt, and the controls that bind a person in order for God to work His wonders in each of our lives. Karen has a very dear and special devotion to The Blessed Mother. Her love of our Dear Lady has brought her to many special places such as Medjugorje, Fatima, Guadalupe, and many shrines throughout the United States. Karen has four beautiful children with her eldest daughter who graduated from the University of Dallas, a daughter who is attending Catholic University, and two sons who are attending High School at Queen of the Apostles Preparatory Academy. Karen is proud to be at the service of the children and families in helping the children to learn leadership skills, critical thinking, a high standard of academics, and most of all to know, love, and serve God.
KATHY RODEN
K-1
I am the second oldest in a family of 9 children. I was fortunate enough to be able to attend Parochial School from first grade through college. I attended those schools in the suburbs of Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, PA and Steubenville, OH.
As an adult, I lived in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington State before moving to Connecticut in 2020.
I worked in Fairfax County (VA)Public Schools for 18 years. Starting out as an Instructional Assistant in Grades K - 6, then teaching Social Studies and Math to grade 4 students. I was recognized in my district as "A Social Studies Teaching Innovator". I also worked in a High School Special Education office in Fairfax County Public School.
We moved to Connecticut to be near our daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren. Our son lives in Florida.
I look forward to another year at Queen of the Apostles Preparatory School working with the wonderful staff and students.
TONYA BROWNELL Administrative Assistant
KATIE LATIMER Website & Marketing