FACULTY

Matthew Azano

Matthew Azano joined our faculty in 2020.  Originally from the Northeast, he graduated from Providence College with a B.A. in English, having completed the Development of Western Civilization Program and the Liberal Arts Honors Program.  He went on to earn his M.A. in English from the University of Connecticut, where he specialized in Medieval and Renaissance Literature.  Upon relocating to Texas, he taught as an Adjunct Professor at several colleges and universities is certified in secondary English as well, and has taught in our area at Central Catholic High School.  Mr. Azano is looking forward to teaching Sophomore and Senior English, as well as a new Film/Video Tech class.  In his spare time, he enjoys collecting comic books, CDs, and vinyl records.   

Dr. Richard Bulzacchelli

Dr. Richard H. Bulzacchelli joined the faculty of St. John Paul II Catholic High School in 2019. Dr. Bulzacchelli is a lecturer in Theology at Catholic Studies Academy and Senior Fellow with St. Paul Center for Biblical Theology. Widely published, he taught philosophy at Saint Francis University in Loretto, Pennsylvania, from 2002-2004, and Theology at Aquinas College in Nashville, Tennessee, from 2004-2018, where he held the rank of Associate Professor. He is the author of “Elohim Created”: A New Look at the First Creation Narrative (Aggiornamento, 2012).

Rick Dillenbeck

Mr. Dillenbeck joined our faculty part-time, teaching some history courses; he has been a high school social studies teacher in Texas for 36 years.   All of his teaching experiences have come in small districts, which attracted him to serving in our school, where students and teachers can form real relationships and rapport.  For him, these relationships are the key to a great learning environment. 

Deacon W. Patrick Cunningham

Deacon Cunningham joined the faculty of St. John Paul II Catholic High School as a part-time instructor in 2020, teaching AP chemistry by distance learning to a small class. He is research scientist in residence with St. Mary’s University, where he received his BA in chemistry. He attained the master’s degree in Education at Stanford University, and has also studied graduate level chemistry at the University of Texas at San Antonio and Illinois State University. He studied graduate theology and has an MA from St. Mary’s. He has a total of over thirty years teaching science in California and Texas, with twenty years at Central Catholic HS and eleven with North East ISD. He has been named Outstanding Leader in Catholic Education with the San Antonio Archdiocese (2004), and Secondary Teacher of the Year (2017) for North East ISD. He has a number of articles in peer-reviewed publications in subjects including chemical education done over a 45-year writing career. He is celebrating fifty years of marriage to his wife, Carolyn. They are blessed with three daughters and ten grandchildren.

Justin Eccles

Mr. Eccles joined the math faculty at JP2 teaching AP Statistics, Pre-Calculus, and Geometry.  Mr. Eccles earned a Bachelor of Science in Applied Mathematics from Texas State University and is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Mathematics. While at Texas State, he served in the math department as an assigned course tutor and taught undergraduate sections as a graduate student.  In addition to teaching and learning, his hobbies include reading about mathematics, spending time with his family, and playing guitar and bass. Mr. Eccles and his wife, Michaela, are both Catholic educators; Mrs. Eccles teaches Music at Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic School. Mr. Eccles is excited to inspire a love of mathematics and faith in the students of SJPII. 

Gary Fagan

Mr. Fagan serves as the History Department Chair here at SJPII and teaches World History, US History, and Dual Credit History for Upperclassmen. Mr. Fagan holds a B.A. in History from the University Texas at San Antonio and a master’s in history from Wayland Baptist University.  He is also certified in Social Studies 4^th grade through 12^th grade and in History by the Texas Education Agency.  In his 16-year teaching career, he has taught 7^th grade through college.  He served 20 years in the military, five in the United States Navy in Aviation Ordinance, and as a Hospital Corpsman.  He served 15 years in the United States Army as a Combat Medic and Nurse.  He served in Desert Storm and has had the opportunity to either live in or visit 38 countries of the world.  He loves being part of the community here at St. John Paul II.  Mr. Fagan has been married to the love of his life, Patricia, for 40 years.

Tim Fisher

Mr. Fisher has been teaching at JPII since the Spring of 2019.  He has a B.A. in Spanish and a B.M. in Church Music from Belmont University in Nashville.  He also has a M.A.T. from Olivet University, Bourbonnais, IL, and a M.A.T. in the teaching of Spanish from Southern Oregon University.  He has also attended master level classes at both the University of Costa Rica and the University of Guanajuato.  In addition to his educational background, he was also a member of the Adult Rotary Exchange to Argentina in 2003 and was a recipient of a teacher exchange to Mexico from the Fulbright Foundation in 2009-2010.  Most of his teaching career has been spent in public education and particularly in Illinois, his home state.  He and his wife, Ixtchel, moved to Texas in 2014.  Mr. Fisher loves to travel and has been to several countries for study, personal travel, or group student travel.  Outside of the classroom he also provides piano lessons to students of all ages.  Mr. Fisher also lends his background in music to the Totus Tuus music ministry.

Dr. Sherry Garrett, Ph.D.

Dr. Sherry Garrett is an alumnus of the University of Texas at San Antonio.  She holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English, a Master of Arts Degree in Educational Psychology, Counseling, and Guidance, and a Doctorate of Philosophy in Counselor Education and Supervision.  Dr. Garrett has a Texas Teacher’s Certification in English for grades 6^th-12^th and a Texas School Counselor Certification for grades K-12^th.  She has been an English teacher and Counselor at East Central High School previously.  She has also worked as an Adjunct Professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio, teaching Graduate School Counseling and Community Counseling courses.  Additionally, she has years of experience counseling college students at The University of the Incarnate Word.  Dr. Garrett has supervised and mentored numerous school counselors in training throughout the years.  She is an active member of St. James Catholic Church in Seguin, where she serves as a Eucharistic Minister, Lector, and member of the Pastoral Council.  She is also a charter member of the Catholic Daughters of the Americas at St. James.  In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and their two daughters.  Dr. Garrett is excited about being able to fully integrate her faith and counseling work at St. John Paul II and looks forward to continuing to build the Counseling Program.

Deacon Bob Gorman, Ph.D.

Robert F. Gorman is a University Distinguished Professor of Political Science and Honorary Professor of International Studies at Texas State University.  He is the author of numerous books and articles on international relations, international law and organization, refugee and asylum policy, ethics, patristic era philosophy, and the history of ideas. His recent books include What’s Wrong with Global Governance (Acton Institute Christian Social Thought Series, 2016) and Toward the Common Good: A Catholic Critique of the Discipline of Political Science (Scarecrow, 2011). He is a member of the Catholic Society of Social Scientists, serving as editor of its book series. He is a former Council on Foreign Relations Fellow and has worked in the U.S. Department of State's Refugee Program Bureau and at Africare, an American nongovernmental organization.  He has an undergraduate degree in political science from Seattle University, and an MA and Ph.D. in political science from the University of Oregon.  He was ordained a deacon in 2000 for the Archdiocese of San Antonio and serves at Saints Peter and Paul Parish, where he specializes in catechetical and retreat ministries.  He writes regularly on the subjects of Church teaching, history, liturgy and homiletics for the Homiletic and Pastoral Review. His wife, Mary, is a retired Catholic School elementary teacher.  They have three children and eight grandchildren.  Deacon Gorman teaches government and theology, including a dual college credit course in global studies.

Andrew Iliff

Mr. Iliff is the school's principal, now in his thirteen-year in the role.  He has a Bachelor's Degree in Economics and Philosophy from the University of Notre Dame, and a Master's Degree in Educational Administration from Trinity University.  He is a certified English teacher, earning his certificate through coursework at St. Mary's University.  He was a teacher, coach, and administrator at Central Catholic High School, and was the principal at St. Luke Catholic School in San Antonio.  He also taught in the Bronx at Cardinal Spellman High School, through a volunteer program run by the Archdiocese of New York.  He has taught courses at SJPIICHS (Economics and AP Language & Composition) and will teach Economics again this year.

Dr. Christina Kenney

Dr. Kenney has a B.S. in Microbiology from Texas Tech University and a Doctor of Medicine from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, but her life’s work is education.  Dr. Kenney is one of the “Founders” of St. John Paul II CHS, serving as a teacher of Mathematics and Science, Dean of Student Activities, and Director of Liturgical Music.  She is now a full-time homeschooling mom to her children, Mary and Joseph, but recently returned to JPII to share her time and talents by mentoring the Totus Tuus Ministry in coordinating Liturgical music.
 

Mary Ledford

As a native of San Antonio, she began college at Incarnate Word, attended various colleges in Mississippi, Georgia, and Oklahoma during her husband's Air Force career, and earned Bachelor's and Master's Degrees in Latin and Latin Literature from the University of Oklahoma.  Upon returning to settle in San Antonio, she did her educational certification courses at Trinity University, becoming certified to teach Latin and History.  For 23 years, she was a teacher in North East ISD, 21 of them at Roosevelt High School, and the last 8 as the Department Head of Foreign Languages.  She and her family have been active members of Our Lady of Perpetual Help-Selma for the last 27 years.  She has led Adult Scripture studies, directed and served on ACTS retreats and ACTS Core, been a member of the Pastoral Council, been a member of the Arts and Environment Committee, and currently is a lector, extraordinary minister of communion, co-director with her husband Kerry of the Lector ministry and member of the Liturgy Committee.  Mrs. Ledford teaches Latin I, Latin II, and Dual Credit Latin III.

Judy Lee

Mrs. Lee joined JPII in 2018.  Judy Lee graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in education specializing in science education from the University of Houston, Clear Lake in 1983, and a Master of Science in Science Education 1989. She has taught different levels of science from 5^thgrade, middle school to college level for the past 35 years.  She is passionate about teaching science and continued her education at the National Center for Atmospheric Research, University of Colorado, in Boulder.  Worked with research scientists on major topics in Meteorology, with her research focused on ground-level ozone and classroom lab design. Continuing science education topics include Rice University with Dr. Patricia Reiff, in Astronomy, Solar Dynamics, and Solar Atmosphere. Continued Environmental Science Education hours from Colorado School of Mines, University of Houston main campus, and Texas A&M Galveston, Texas.  

Mrs. Lee has three sons and five granddaughters and two grandsons and two cats named Jade and Buddy.  She is also a member of St. Thomas Catholic Church in Canyon Lake and an active member of the rosary group known as the “prayer warriors” as well as a new member of the Guadalupanos group.

James Lorys

Mr. Lorys teaches Chemistry and Physics.  A Division 1 scholarship swimmer at the University of Iowa, Mr. Lorys began his teaching and coaching career in the Rio Grande Valley, serving in two 5A public high schools as a science teacher and swimming coach.  Before joining JPII, he taught for ten years in Brady, Texas, teaching all major science courses (Biology, Chemistry, and Physics), and even piloted a Forensic Science course in Brady.

Thomas Lyons

Thomas Lyons was born in Ft. Bragg, North Carolina, but was raised in New Braunfels. He was a student at Canyon High School and was also heavily involved in the youth ministry at Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church. Immediately following his graduation from high school in 2016, Thomas entered the seminary to discern the priesthood for the Archdiocese of San Antonio. During his years in the seminary, he received a BA in Pastoral Ministry with a concentration in Philosophy from the University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio. During this time, he was also involved in multiple different ministries throughout the Archdiocese, many of which centered around working with youth and young adults. After four years in the seminary, Thomas requested to take a temporary leave of absence from seminary formation in order to continue his discernment towards the priesthood in a different setting with the hopes that it would help in the discovering of exactly how, where, and when God was calling him to the priesthood.  We are excited that this year of discernment will include our school, to help lead the formation programs (Solidarity, Sacraments, Retreats, Service).

Nivia Maldonado

Mrs. Maldonado brings a passion for a hands-on approach to the study of Biology and natural sciences in addition to an emphasis on laboratory work with students. She brings experience working in the Mammalogy department at the Field Museum in Chicago while studying for her Biology degree at the University of Illinois at Chicago. She began working directly with students by delivering hands-on science programs while she worked as Operations Manager at the Brazos Valley Museum of Natural History. Mrs. Maldonado continued to collaborate with teachers in bringing lab activities to students by organizing and running her own business to bring science experiences to classrooms. She is excited to utilize her 20 years of experience in her own classroom teaching Biology. Mrs. Maldonado has recently earned a Master’s degree in Education from Western Governors University and a Texas Certification in Science for grades 7th-12th. In 2017 she moved to Seguin with her family from Apple Valley, CA.

Ronessa McDonald

Although retired from Comal ISD as their curriculum director, Ronessa McDonald was excited to return to teaching at JP2. She spent 23 years teaching high school English before going into administration and is now happy to get back to doing what she loves most: helping students become better writers and readers. Ronessa spent most of her career teaching English III and English III AP to Juniors. Her Advanced Placement work led her to become a Reader for the AP English Language and Composition exam and a consultant and presenter for the College Board. Additionally, she has served as an English department chair and a district-level curriculum coordinator for English Language Arts. When she's not working, she enjoys spending time traveling with her husband in their 5th Wheel, visiting small towns and their local restaurants, main streets, and churches. Most importantly, she's a brand new grandma (Mimi) to a beautiful baby boy named Maverick.

Max McGehee

Mr. McGehee joined our faculty in 2018.  He currently teaches Chemistry and Anatomy/Physiology.  In addition to teaching, Mr. McGehee is also the Head Football Coach.  He is a graduate of the Texas State University in San Marcos and has over 30 years of experience teaching in Texas. 

Sharon Nittinger

Sharon Nittinger is a graduate of Hope College in Holland, Michigan, where she earned her B.A. in psychology.  She completed her master’s degree in psychology at Loyola College in Maryland and obtained her master’s in financial management at the University of Maryland.   During her professional career, Sharon worked with chronic mentally ill adults, as a therapist in a maximum-security prison and as a director of staff development in Philadelphia. As an adjunct instructor, Sharon has taught a range of psychology courses at the college level.  In 2013, she was nominated for the Excellence in Teaching award at Cuyahoga Community College in Cleveland, Ohio.

Heather Patillo

Mrs. Patillo has over twenty years of teaching experience in schools throughout the country (Colorado, California, and Virginia) as her family has moved to different military bases.  She has taught middle school through community college and has a Masters in Curriculum and Instruction from Chapman University and a Bachelor of Arts in English from Colorado State University. She also served ten years in the U.S. Army Reserves.  Mrs. Patillo has been teaching English I and English II at SJPII since 2010.

Sandee Phelan

Ms. Phelan has been our librarian since 2013.  She earned a BS in psychology from Texas A&M University-College Station and an MS in library science from Simmons College in Boston, MA.  She grew up all over the country with her military family but has always called New Braunfels home.  Ms. Phelan also leads our academic team and has assisted with retreats, and has worked very hard to build our school's library collection.

Andrew Sanchez

Andrew Sanchez is joined our faculty in 2018.  Mr. Sanchez teaches Algebra I and Algebra II. He previously taught at Lifegate Christian School in Seguin, TX teaching all levels of high school math as well as physics. He is a native of San Antonio and earned a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from the University of Texas at San Antonio.

Caleb Seifert

Caleb Seifert teaches within our STEM cirriculum.  He was born and raised in Texas and went on to study Applied Physics at St. Mary's University.  He was fortunate to work for four years mapping the dark side of the Moon through a program at Southwest Research Institute during college.  After graduation, he taught STEM courses in Shanghai, China for an American International school.  He then earned a Master's Degree in Applied Informatics from the University of Liverpool in China, while teaching ESL teacher part-time.  He enjoys building things, working with microcontrollers, gardening, exploring new places, and playing music.  Mr. Seifert will be teaching Computer Programming, Engineering, and Robotics courses.

Martha Sweeney

Ms. Sweeney has a long career in education, over thirty years of teaching Mathematics in Texas high schools.  Most recently, she helped to open a new high school in Katy, Texas, the 5A Seven Lakes High School (Katy ISD).  She served as the math department chair there previously and has taught just about every Math course offered in high schools. Ms. Sweeney attended Catholic schools as a young person.  She has a Master’s in Education and an undergraduate degree from the University of Texas and is excited to have the chance to give back to Catholic education, knowing how much she received from the schools she attended in Memphis growing up.  She teaches upper-level math courses here and directs our mathematics instruction.

James Thibodeau

Mr. Thibodeau joined our faculty in the fall of 2018 as a Theology Teacher. James comes from a large Catholic military family consisting of seven kids. He spent the majority of his life in New Hampshire, where he also began his teaching career. He received his bachelor's of Arts degree in Theology from Benedictine College in Atchison, Kansas. While at Benedictine, James met his wife Kathryn who is from the Austin, Texas area.  James moved to Texas to marry Kate in July of 2018. He and his wife both enjoy the great outdoors and staying as active as possible. 

Amy Thomson

Mrs. Thomson has earned three degrees from Trinity University: a Bachelor of Arts in English and Spanish, a Masters of Arts in Teaching, and a Master of Arts in Educational Leadership.  Before coming to SJPII, she spent a year abroad teaching English as a foreign language in Chile and then worked as a ninth-grade teacher and team leader at Lee High School in North East ISD.  She taught upper-level English courses at SJPII from fall 2012 to spring 2016, and also became the Professional Development Coordinator in the fall of 2014.  In the fall of 2016, she became the Academic Dean; along with continuing to lead professional development, she works with teachers to maintain and improve SJPII's college preparatory curriculum, and with students to help ensure their academic success.

Michael Travis - emeritus

Michael Travis taught 9th and 10th-grade mathematics and brought thirty-eight years of experience to the classroom, twenty-one of them at Fox Tech, and the rest in high schools in Massachusetts.  He passed away in February 2013 and is survived by his wife of thirty-one years, Jackie.  We consider him to be an enduring presence on our campus and among our teachers. 

He earned his Bachelor's degree and a Master's degree from Bridgewater State College in Massachusetts.  He and his wife have been active members of St. Helena's Parish, where Mr. Travis was a member of Knight of Columbus Council #7965 and a Fourth Degree Knight Assembly #2102.  While at Fox Tech, Mr. Travis served in a variety of departmental leadership roles and was a part of a team of math teachers that consistently overcame difficult situations to improve student learning.  Mr. Travis - we love you - keep us in prayer.

D'Arcy Wills

In addition to being our Assistant Principal, Mr. Wills teaches all Art Classes at SJPII. Mr. D’Arcy Wills joined us in 2018.  He has a Master’s in School Administration, and a Bachelor’s degree in Art, along with over forty credit hours in science and math.  He has been a chemistry teacher, an art teacher, a football coach, and a dean of students, along with work in the private sector.  He joined us after having served for seven years as the Dean of Students at The Highlands School, a K-12 Catholic school, in Irving, Texas. Before joining The Highlands School, he was the National Director of a virtue-based program called SportsLeader.  In this role, he helped develop a simple-to-use curriculum for coaches to help them in forming athletes in virtue.  This knowledge and experience in using athletics in the formation of young Catholic men and women serves him very well as a Catholic school teacher and administrator. In his personal life, Mr. Wills has a great love for football and art.  In college, he was a Division I quarterback at both the Air Force Academy and the University of Richmond and has coached for over a decade at the high school level.  He is also an accomplished student of classical realism and enjoys creating sacred artwork in his spare time. But,  Mr. Wills and his lovely wife Virginia most enjoy raising their four young boys.