Mark McAfee has devoted over three decades to classical education, teaching literature, U.S. history, economics, and government while serving as a headmaster for the past seventeen years. He is the founding headmaster of two classical schools and now has the privilege of serving as Headmaster of Arete Preparatory Academy.
Mr. McAfee earned his bachelor’s degree in history and a master’s degree in educational leadership. Throughout his career, he has been committed to cultivating schools where academic excellence, virtuous character, and a love of truth, goodness, and beauty flourish together. He is passionate about partnering with families to form students who are prepared not only for college, but for lives of wisdom, virtue, and meaningful service.
Mr. McAfee lives in Queen Creek with his wife, Sheila. They are the proud parents of three adult children: Madison, a graduate of Hillsdale College; Emerson, a graduate of Arizona State University; and Cade, a graduate of Washington and Lee University who also earned a master’s degree from Wake Forest University.
Mrs. Jodi Folley joined Mesa/Arete Prep in our inaugural year of 2007 and has taught various levels of Math and Latin since then and even coached volleyball for 10 years. She grew up in Arizona and attended Cactus Shadows High School, where she was her class valedictorian. After graduating from the University of Arizona, she taught and coached at Paradise Valley High School until she moved to Mesa and started her family. Her three sons all attended Arete from 6th grade through graduation and are proud Arete alumni. As Assistant Headmaster of Academics, Mrs. Folley is passionate about supporting both teachers and students in having positive academic experiences and outcomes. She is also passionate about Exeter math, so feel free to ask her about it if you want to learn more. Outside of the classroom, she enjoys spending time with her family, doing home improvement, and playing various sports.
Mr. Lerner has served at Arete Prep since the 2015-2016 school year when he taught 6th and 7th grade Latin and coached Middle School Cross Country. Since then, he has also had the opportunity to teach Latin at the 8th, 9th, and 10th grade levels, as well as 11th and 12th grade Greek. Mr. Lerner also served as a Dean of Academics prior to taking on the role of Assistant Headmaster of School Culture, wherein he supports the faculty as one of their instructional coaches, collaborates with the Deans, and leads Arete’s House program. While he has now lived in Arizona longer than his native Virginia, he and his wife, also a Virginia native and former Arete Prep faculty alumna, enjoy exploring Arizona and elsewhere with their young children.
After teaching, coaching, and serving as the assistant athletic director at Chandler Prep, Coach Conklin is excited to begin his first year as Athletic Director at Arete Prep. A native of Buffalo, NY, Todd played soccer at and graduated from Slippery Rock University (PA) with a B.S in P.E and Health K-12. Coach Conklin then returned home, teaching elementary P.E and coaching at his all mater, Starpoint Central. While teaching, he earned an M.A in Physical Education with a Specialization in Coaching from Ball State University. During that time, Todd was very active in the coaching world. He coached soccer at the high school, club, and ODP levels, as well as, stints in high school basketball and middle school track and field. In his free time, Coach Conklin loves to spend time with his three kids, travel, read books on leadership, coaching, and athletics, play and watch any and all sports, and stay active.
Ms. Rebecca Arguello has been a college counselor with Arete Prep since 2014. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing from Arizona State University and a Master of Arts in Counseling from Loyola Marymount University. After spending her undergraduate years coordinating college prep activities for first generation students, managing a tutoring company, and doing graphic design, Ms. Arguello relocated to Los Angeles to pursue graduate school. She holds a Pupil Personnel Services credential in Counseling in California and is a certified Arizona Guidance Counselor for Pre-K through 12th grade students. Ms. Arguello is a Chicago native, Mesa resident, and always seen with a coffee in hand.
This is Mrs. Tortorici’s seventh year with Arete Prep and her 10th year with Great Hearts. Her journey with Great Hearts began as a 2nd grade teacher at Archway Anthem then a 1st grade teacher at Archway Lincoln. She has served as ESS Coordinator for the past six years at Arete Prep. She has a Master’s Degree in Education with an emphasis on Special Education and a Bachelor of Science degree in Child Development/Family studies from Arizona State University. She has four grown sons- all who were Great Hearts students and her two oldest are Arete Graduates. She loves building strong relationships with our ESS families and helping students recognize their great potential in any situation. Outside of work she enjoys spending quality time with her husband and family.
This is Mrs. Snow’s first year at Arete Prep as the ESS Lead, but this will be her 14th year teaching, with 12 of those years in Exceptional Student Services. Mrs. Snow received her Bachelor’s Degree from Point Loma Nazarene University in 2009. After graduating she moved to New Mexico, where she worked with students with a variety of disabilities as completed her Special Education License at Northern New Mexico College. Mrs. Snow completed her first two years of teaching in Los Alamos, New Mexico before moving to Arizona in 2014. In 2021 she received her Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction from Arizona State University. Mrs. Snow loves to do puzzles, read, and play with her children. She currently resides in Gilbert with her husband, children, and their six year old Great Dane.
Mr. Adam Narish grew up in Wisconsin and earned a B.S. in Zoology and B.S. in Biological Aspects of Conservation from the University of Wisconsin in Madison. Afterwards, he joined the Peace Corps and helped communities in Honduras establish projects to protect their natural resources and set up a national program to monitor populations of endangered birds throughout the country. Mr. Narish had been a professional wildlife biologist for 15 years prior to joining Arete Prep in 2015. He has been Arete Prep’s High School Soccer Coach since 2010, and currently teaches 6th grade P.E and 9th grade Biology.
Mr. Grajeda joins the Arete faculty teaching Art this year. Mr. Grajeda has spent his entire life in Arizona, a proud son of two hard working Mexican immigrants. Mr. Grajeda is bilingual, speaking English and Spanish and graduated from Arizona State University in 2017 with a bachelor’s in fine arts education and has been teaching since. He has taught every single age range from Kindergarten to Twelfth grade in this time and is excited to join the Arete team this time from the beginning of the school year. He enjoys art, art history, drawing and painting, and most of all, spending time with his small family with a new addition of a baby girl arriving last week!
Ms. Lowell has been learning Latin since the 8th grade and considers herself a lifelong language learner. She graduated from the University of Puget Sound with a major in Classical Languages and minors in Mathematics, Social Theory, and Medieval Studies. She completed a fellowship with the American School of Classical Archaeology in 2023 exploring the ancient rituals and myths that took place in different cave sites all around Greece. She began teaching at Arete in 2022. In her free time, Ms. Lowell enjoys swimming, painting, and hanging out with her cat.
Ms. Baugh is entering her 12th year of teaching. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Classics at Arizona State University and her Master of Arts in Classical Philology at Vanderbilt University. After teaching Ancient Greek and Latin at Great Hearts for many years, Ms. Baugh happily took on the challenge of teaching Humane Letters, and she has never looked back! Seminar is one of the great joys of her life. The greatest joys of her life, however, are her two children and her four cats. (Yes, she is a crazy cat lady.)
Christian Allison was raised in Santa Fe, New Mexico among centuries of Hispanic history and culture. He graduated Hillsdale College in 2017 with a BA in Spanish and moved to Phoenix to work at Glendale Preparatory Academy, where he taught for four years. His love for pedagogy led him to deepen his knowledge in the subject matter; he has spent the last five years completing an MA and PhD in Spanish Literature at the University of Salamanca in Spain. Christian loves baseball and football, and is a “fútbol” neophyte thanks to his time in Salamanca. He is eager to share his love of Hispanic letters and culture with the students of Arete Preparatory Academy.
Mr. Jordan realized during his first year at North Central College that a great injustice was being asked of him – despite his love of history, literature, philosophy, and theology, he would have to choose just one for his major in order to graduate. As a result of this impossible decision, he dodged the problem altogether by studying East Asian Studies and Japanese, which let him do all at once. Still not satisfied, he also received a minor in History of Ideas, which allowed him to seminar on the Great Books of the West, and he later went on to receive his Masters degree in the Eastern Classics at St. Johns and take a summer-long intensive program there on the Islamic Classics. Since 2008 Mr. Jordan has joyfully taught all of the courses in the Lit/Comp, History, and Humane Letters sequence at Arete Prep. In his leisure, he enjoys hiking in nature, reading books that challenge him, drinking good tea, and practicing meditation.
Mrs. Elizabeth Steinman Sanchez will teach sixth-grade Literature and middle school Reading Intervention. She is committed to fostering a love of reading, critical thinking, and lifelong learning while creating an engaging learning environment.
Mrs. Sanchez earned her Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education (K–8) from Ottawa University and holds both a Reading Endorsement and a Structured English Immersion (SEI) Endorsement. She is currently pursuing a Master of Science in Learning Experience Design and Educational Technology at National University, reflecting her commitment to continuous professional growth and innovative instructional practices.
With more than 20 years of experience in education, Mrs. Sanchez has taught early kindergarten, first grade, second grade, fourth-grade English & Writing, and Reading Intervention for students in grades six through eight. She is passionate about helping students build confidence while strengthening grammar, writing, and literacy skills.
Originally from Kansas, Mrs. Sanchez moved to Arizona at the age of nine and has proudly called Mesa home ever since. Outside of the classroom, she enjoys spending time with her husband and their five adult children, whether exploring Arizona’s natural beauty, or simply enjoying time together. She also loves playing games of all kinds, from board games and card games to friendly family competitions. She values family and meaningful connections.
Mrs. Sanchez looks forward to partnering with students and families to create a positive, engaging, and supportive learning environment where every student can reach their fullest potential.
“Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.” — William Butler Yeats
Hello Arete Chargers! My name is Elke Rushton and this year I will be teaching freshman Math and Honors Physics I. I have been an Arete parent for ten years and an Arete teacher for three years before taking a break to substitute in the classroom. A classical, GreatHearts education was my reason for moving my family from Seattle to the Arizona desert many years ago. I am a great believer in all that our model has to offer students and am thrilled to once again be a daily part of that education.
I have a BS degree in physics and a minor in math. I love looking at a new problem with no obvious path and navigating my way to a solution. I enjoy combining numbers with logic and reason. I see beauty and elegance in a well ordered proof and am fascinated by the operations of our universe. I hope to inspire the same in my students.
When I’m not dealing in graph paper and force diagrams, I enjoy vocal jazz, reading, adventures with my family, and a Brazilian martial art called Capoeira.
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M.s Truitt has been a teacher of Latin at both the middle school and high school levels for 15 years, including Dual Enrollment classes for college credit.
Gabe Duttlinger was raised in South Bend, Indiana, where he attended Trinity School at Greenlawn (now Trinity Academy), a school rich with the same classical tradition as the proud schools of Great Hearts. Upon completing his freshman year at Xavier University, his passion for our country drew him to enlist in the US Marine Corps Reserve and to put college on hold. Over the next six years, he completed one deployment to Iraq in 2009 in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, rose to the position of squad leader, and enrolled at Hillsdale College to finish his bachelor’s degree in politics with a minor in Latin.
Shortly after his Honorable Discharge at the rank of Sergeant, Mr. Duttlinger began to pursue his life’s work. He comes to Arete after teaching calculus for four years at Scottsdale Preparatory Academy, so although this will be his first year with Arete, it will be his fifth year with Great Hearts and his twelfth year teaching at classical, charter high schools. He cannot wait to join our community of learners and to help his students find their footing on the path to truth, goodness, and beauty.
Dr. Jana Minov was born and raised in Belgrade, Serbia in the family of professional musicians. Ms. Minov holds a Doctorate in Orchestral and Opera Conducting from Arizona State University and a Master’s degree in conducting from the Conservatory of Music in Belgrade-Serbia. Before coming to Arizona, Ms. Minov worked as a professor at the school of music and assistant conductor in National Opera Theater in Belgrade. Ms. Minov was also a founder and artistic director of the chamber choir and due to her great contribution to Serbian music and culture, in 2011 Dr. Minov was inaugurated a cultural ambassador for Serbia for the North America. Ms. Minov was on staff of The Phoenix Symphony for 2010/11 serving as the Assistant Chorus Master. Ms. Minov is accomplished music educator, pianist and vocalist and she has been teaching music at Arete since 2009. Dr. Minov lives in Gilbert with her husband and two sons.
Joaquin Franco serves as the Fine Arts Lead and 8th Grade Team Lead at Arete Preparatory Academy. Born in Mexico and raised in a Hispanic immigrant family, he discovered a love for art early in life through drawing and creative exploration.
He earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting and Drawing from Arizona State University in 2013. Following a successful career in the property and casualty insurance industry, Mr. Franco pursued his passion for education and joined Arete Preparatory Academy in 2020. He is dedicated to fostering creativity, confidence, and artistic expression in his students while helping them develop a lasting appreciation for the arts.
When he is not teaching, Mr. Franco enjoys spending time with his wife and three children. He is also an avid specialty coffee enthusiast who loves roasting and exploring single-origin coffees at home.
Mr. Downing has taught at Arete Prep for the last 12 years and has 18 years of teaching experience in total. He has taught all three Literature and Composition courses and all four Humane Letters courses at Arete. He holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree from NAU in English specializing in English Literature, a post-baccalaureate degree from U of A in Secondary Education, and is currently pursuing a Master’s of Classical Liberal Arts Education from the School of Civic and Economic Thought and Leadership at ASU. He is highly qualified in Language Arts and History, holds a current teaching certificate in Arizona and is SEI certified.
Hello! My name is Kylie Carwitz, and I am excited to join the Arete Preparatory Academy family this year as the Ancient History and Physical Education teacher. As I begin my teaching career, I could not be more excited to invest in the lives of my students. Throughout my undergraduate and graduate studies, I served as both a Learning Assistant and Teaching Assistant, and there is nothing I enjoy more than watching students think critically, ask thoughtful questions, and master challenging concepts.
I earned my Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology with an emphasis in Exercise Science from Azusa Pacific University before completing my Master of Physical Education. This fall, I will also begin pursuing my Ph.D. in Rehabilitation and Movement Science. I have a deep love for movement and believe it is something both holy and beautiful. I am also involved in two research teams studying drop-landing biomechanics and non-contact ACL injuries in female athletes.
I was born and raised in Phoenix and attended Great Hearts schools from fourth through twelfth grade. Because of that experience, I have a deep appreciation for classical education and the lasting impact it had on my own life. Soccer has also been a significant part of my life from a young age, and that passion led me to California, where I had the privilege of playing collegiate soccer while completing my degrees.
Outside of the classroom, I enjoy CrossFit, spending time with my dogs, exploring new coffee shops, playing sand volleyball with my twin brother, and playing pickleball. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to return home and become part of the Arete community. I look forward to partnering with families and helping students grow in both knowledge and character throughout the coming school year.
Ms. Birdwell is entering her 9th year at Arete Prep Academy, her 16th year with Great Hearts, and her 20th year in education. She received her BA in Philosophy and her MA from St. John’s College. Ms. Birdwell has worn many hats during her tenure at Great Hearts: Master Teacher, National Recruiter, Dean of Students, Director of the Senior Thesis program, Sub Coordinator, and Instructional Coach. While all of these are worthy and fun endeavors, her favorite role is teaching in the classroom where she loves discussing the Great Books and the Great Ideas with students. She has taught American History; 9th, 10th, and 11th Humane Letters; 6th, 7th, and 8th grade Literature & Composition; Poetry; and 6th grade American History. When she’s not in the classroom, Ms. Birdwell can be found mountain biking and hiking the trails of South Mountain — or reading a good book.
My name is Melissa Palafox. I was born in Arizona and raised in Mexico, where I completed my education and earned a bachelor’s degree in Architecture. I am married and have three children, two of whom currently attend Archway Arete and the Prep campus.
Before pursuing a career in education, I worked as an architect in Mexico for the government’s healthcare sector, designing hospitals and medical facilities. I also had the opportunity to teach Architectural Design for one semester at the University of the Northwest of Sonora. After moving to the United States in 2006, I gained experience working on commercial and retail architectural projects.
After dedicating several years to raising my family, I began volunteering at Archway Arete. Through that experience, I discovered how much I enjoyed working with students and being part of the educational community. That passion led me to become a substitute teacher, then a 5th Grade Assistant Teacher. Last school year, I had the privilege of combining that role with teaching Physical Education for Kindergarten and 1st Grade students.
I am excited to begin this school year teaching two subjects I truly enjoy—Middle School Math and Spanish. I look forward to creating a classroom environment where students feel welcomed, encouraged, and challenged to grow. My goal is to foster a culture of curiosity, respect, and meaningful learning, helping students build both confidence and a lifelong love of knowledge.
Mrs. Michelle Downing started her time as a teacher at Arete in the summer of 2023. Dissecting a fetal pig in a high school anatomy and physiology class was likely what turned her away from a career in medicine, but she has always loved books and music and colors and patterns, and the clarity and beauty that can be found in math. She started attending Pomona College as a potential math major, before switching to a major in Studio Art. After spending many years in a career focused on helping people practice mindfulness for a healthy, happy, and peaceful life, Mrs. Downing is excited to continue to “play math” (and make art) with students at Arete Prep. She enjoys dancing, singing in a choir, watching live performances (especially musicals), hiking in places with trees and water, and otherwise learning new things.
Lani Ingram-Senyard serves as Arete Prep’s English Language Coordinator and instructor. Entering her sixth year at Arete and her twenty-second year in education, she enjoys developing students’ English proficiency skills and their connection to literature and writing. Ms. Senyard earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Arkansas (Go Hogs!) and completed a teacher certification and MAT program at the University of Louisiana at Monroe. She holds a secondary English teaching certificate with an SEI endorsement. Before moving to Arizona, she taught high school English in Louisiana and Oklahoma and spent ten years as an adjunct professor at Tulsa Community College, where she taught college composition courses.
Outside the classroom, Ms. Senyard has been married to her husband for 29 years, and is the proud mother of two teenage children, along with their lovable Goldendoodle, Sadie Belle. When she’s not reading, traveling, or watching films, Ms. Senyard enjoys sharing her love of dance. A former dancer herself, she has even been known to lead an occasional tap dance class during teacher professional development, bringing a little rhythm and fun to the Great Hearts community.
Nathaniel Smauley hails from Northern California originally, before gaining a liberal arts education at Whittier College. There he earned a degree in Political Science as well as competing in the school’s Cross Country and Track teams, earning All Regional Honors. After graduation he spent two years in sales, before coming out to Arizona and working for Great Hearts where he has been teaching at Archway Veritas for the last three years. Nathaniel enjoys hiking, reading and collecting old books and making memories with his fiance.
Dr. Nenad Savic discovered his lifelong passion for music when he first picked up the guitar at the age of eight. A graduate of the prestigious European Conservatory of Music in Belgrade, he went on to earn his Master’s degree in Guitar Performance from the University of Idaho and his Doctorate from Arizona State University.
A laureate of numerous national and international competitions, Dr. Savic has captivated audiences across Europe and the United States with his artistry and expressive performances. He is a sought-after performer, respected adjudicator, and active presence at major guitar festivals and competitions.
Bringing this wealth of experience to Arete Prep Academy, Dr. Savic now inspires young musicians as the 7th and 8th grade music teacher and leader of the school’s Guitar Club, fostering the next generation of passionate performers.
After finishing his masters at the University of Dallas 13 years ago, Patrick Vaughan moved to Arizona with his wife and two daughters to join the Arete Prep faculty (then Mesa Prep). He began teaching Medieval History but after getting the opportunity to teach his first humane letters course, he immediately found a passion for the Socratic seminar. In his time at Arete, he has also served as Dean of Students and worked in Special Education.
Sophie Johnson was born in Fairfax, Virginia and enjoyed growing up in a large Catholic Irish-German family. She received education from Canterbury Woods Elementary, Robert Frost Middle School, W.T. Woodson High School then continued to George Mason University for her Undergraduate to Graduate degree.
She thoroughly immersed herself in education through receiving a Religious Studies degree and a Master’s Degree in Education specializing in Special Education. She has a passion for inclusivity and supporting social justice initiatives that promote disAbility awareness. Sophie is overjoyed to be joining Great Hearts; after serving 12 years in education from public to private, Sophie is grateful to get to meet our Exceptional students and support Great Hearts Classical education best practices. She hopes to be a bridge for our kiddos and looks forward to supporting the Great Hearts team.
Sri Lekhya Rangi grew up in Hyderabad, India, where she developed an early curiosity about how things work and how people learn. She earned her undergraduate degree in Automobile Engineering, building a strong foundation in analytical thinking and structured problem-solving. She later pursued a master’s degree in Industrial Design in the United States, where her interests expanded toward learning, communication, and human-centered thinking.
Before joining Arete Preparatory Academy, she worked with students at Arizona State University, where she supported academic learning and mentoring across a range of subjects. She especially enjoyed helping students approach challenging material with greater clarity, confidence, and independence.
She believes education should cultivate both intellectual rigor and good habits of mind-shaping not only what students know, but how they think. She looks forward to joining the Great Hearts community and contributing to its pursuit of truth, goodness, and beauty by supporting students in their learning across subjects.
This is Mrs. Tortorici’s seventh year with Arete Prep and her 10th year with Great Hearts. Her journey with Great Hearts began as a 2nd grade teacher at Archway Anthem then a 1st grade teacher at Archway Lincoln. She has served as ESS Coordinator for the past six years at Arete Prep. She has a Master’s Degree in Education with an emphasis on Special Education and a Bachelor of Science degree in Child Development/Family studies from Arizona State University. She has four grown sons- all who were Great Hearts students and her two oldest are Arete Graduates. She loves building strong relationships with our ESS families and helping students recognize their great potential in any situation. Outside of work she enjoys spending quality time with her husband and family.
This is Mrs. Snow’s first year at Arete Prep as the ESS Lead, but this will be her 14th year teaching, with 12 of those years in Exceptional Student Services. Mrs. Snow received her Bachelor’s Degree from Point Loma Nazarene University in 2009. After graduating she moved to New Mexico, where she worked with students with a variety of disabilities as completed her Special Education License at Northern New Mexico College. Mrs. Snow completed her first two years of teaching in Los Alamos, New Mexico before moving to Arizona in 2014. In 2021 she received her Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction from Arizona State University. Mrs. Snow loves to do puzzles, read, and play with her children. She currently resides in Gilbert with her husband, children, and their six year old Great Dane.
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Sophie Johnson was born in Fairfax, Virginia and enjoyed growing up in a large Catholic Irish-German family. She received education from Canterbury Woods Elementary, Robert Frost Middle School, W.T. Woodson High School then continued to George Mason University for her Undergraduate to Graduate degree.
