Faculty & Staff
Meet the professionals who keep our community safe and welcoming.
Administration
Stephanie O’Neal
Interim Head of School
Ms. Stephanie has over 20 years of experience dedicated to supporting and nurturing the social-emotional development of children. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Child Development. She has had the privilege of working in various roles within early childhood education, always with a focus on creating an environment where children feel safe, valued, and excited to explore their world.
She is thrilled to be part of each child’s unique journey at St. George’s and to have the opportunity to support their growth, curiosity, and joy in learning.
Gabi Rips
Assistant Head of School
An Austin native, Gabi studied studio art at the University of Texas at Austin. She began her journey at St. George’s as a parent in 2019 and fell in love with the school. She has a background in non-profit operations, and believes that early childhood is the foundation for creating life long learners.
Mari Vasquez
Curriculum Specialist
Ms. Mari has 20+ years of early childhood experience and a Child Development Associates Degree. Her strengths include keeping a calm demeanor when times get stressful, developing deep and loving relationships with the children across the school and her colorful and creative classroom designs, implementation of curriculum, and creation of activities! Mari is a native Austinite and has a lot of love for this community, especially its sport teams!
Cindy Bogle
Registrar
Ms. Cindy is a native of Seguin, TX and came to Austin in 1986 to attend the University of Texas at Austin. She has spent close to 19 years of her professional career at St. George’s and has taught in almost every classroom. Both of Cindy’s daughters attended St. George’s for preschool and she has a true passion for our community.
Sam Anderson
Communications & Development Manager
After an early career in adventure rock climbing, Sam discovered he felt most at home in Austin. Leveraging a family background in journalism and his English Literature degree from the University of Kansas, he launched his media career in 2020. He’s fortified by the natural outdoor spaces at St. George’s, and inspired by the unbridled creativity of the teachers and children.
Church & School Team
Matt Boulter
Rector
Father Matt is a 50-year-old wayfarer from Texas (with a little bit of “Eastcoastiness” in him) who sometimes thinks he’s traveling down the right path. Serving as the Rector of St. George’s is, for him, the culmination of several decades of journeying with Jesus. A recent Ph.D. in medieval philosophy, he loves reading, running, deep conversations, and hanging out with the three brown-eyed Boulters still living at home with him. His “life verse” is Galatians 3:23.
Marc Opperman
Facilities Director
An inspired ecologist, Marc brings over a decade of professional contracting experience to St. George’s. One capstone project in his portfolio is the expansive St. George’s nature playground, which he co-designed! Marc’s interest in sustainable design and building started in 2007, when he volunteered for Austin’s Wildland Conservation Division. He soon networked his way into a group of Master Naturalists and earned the certification himself. He is St. George’s in-house encyclopedia of Texas wildlife, as well as our maintenance and construction supervisor. In his off time, he kayaks, camps, and volunteers with the Austin & Texas Central Railroad as a passenger conductor.
Faculty & Staff
Red Room
(3-11 mos.)
Mary Jane Faz
Red Room Lead Teacher
Ms. Mary Jane was born and raised in Austin, TX and began her childcare career 14 years ago. She focuses on infant and toddler care, and has completed coursework at Austin Community College in the field. She returns to St. George’s after an 18-month break to stay home with her infant triplets, who now attend St. George’s as preschoolers! There is no other school Mary Jane would take her children to or work at, so she is super excited to be back at St. G’s caring for the infants in Red.
Cathryn Montemayor
Red Room Assistant Teacher
Ms. Cathryn is a San Antonio native, who moved to Austin to attend the University of Texas. She has a Bachelor’s degree in Applied Learning and Development and has been working with young children for 5 years. She comes from a lineage of teachers and knew at an early age that teaching was her passion. Ms. Cathryn is dedicated, loving, and excited to bring her skills to the community at St. George’s!
Christina Sembrano
Red Room Assistant Teacher
Originally from Dallas, Ms. Christina moved to Austin to work toward a Bachelor’s Degree in Human Development and Family Sciences with a focus on Early Childhood at the University of Texas at Austin. Her passion for working with children led to a deeper connection when she started interning at the UT child development lab school. She has over 4 years of experience in early childhood, working as a toddler and infant teacher, after school program instructor, babysitter, and as a sports coach.
Green Room
(12-16 mos.)
Angie Marchan
Green Room Lead Teacher
Ms. Angie has over 13 years of experience and a Bachelor’s Degree in Human Development and Family Sciences from The University of Texas at Austin. She’s been part of the St. George’s community since the Summer of 2014 and has flourished as an infant/toddler teacher.
Stevie Crawford
Green Room Assistant Teacher
Stevie has worked in childcare for over 12 years, with infants as young as 6 weeks and children up to 13 years. She believes in child-led learning, encouraging children to learn at their own pace in a classroom that promotes creative expression through music, art, and imaginative play. Stevie focuses on creating activities that are accessible, meeting the developmental needs of each child. Outside of childcare, she is a big animal lover! She has a colony of snails and two dogs that keep her busy. She also loves road trips and being outdoors.
Purple Room
(17-23 mos.)
Gabby Apolinar
Purple Room Lead Teacher
Ms. Gabby has over 5 years of childcare experience with ages ranging from infants to 6+. Gabby is happily married and has a 4 year old of her own. In her downtime she loves watching TV and eating sweets like cupcakes and chocolate.
Jenna Carpenter
Purple Room Assistant Teacher
Ms. Jenna started at St. George’s in fall 2022 with 4 years of teaching experience under her belt, working with children from infants to 12 years old. “I couldn’t imagine doing anything else and feel so blessed that this career is a personal calling for me. I’m not originally from Austin, but I am a Texas native, though working at St. George’s has shown me how tight knit the community is here, and I am so thankful to be a part of it!”
Orange Room
(24-29 mos.)
Rina Esparza
Orange Room Lead Teacher
Rina studied Early Childhood Education at Oklahoma State University, moving on to earn an Associate’s Degree at ACC in 2025. She has developed a strong passion for working with children during her 7 years of field experience. Rina loves encouraging many opportunities for learning and watching children strive while forming strong relationships with her students and their families. She is excited for the opportunity to utilize her passion here at St. George’s.
Irene Garcia
Orange Room Assistant Teacher
Ms. Irene Garcia is excited to have the opportunity to nurture the young minds of our future leaders. She has over 18 years of experience in early childhood education with a background in Child Development. She believes in the power of play-based learning with meaningful interactions to encourage exploration, curiosity, and social-emotional development. As an Austin native, she enjoys being outdoors with her husband and four children, going to the movies, shopping, and collecting sunflower items. She is thrilled to be a part of the discovery and growth of the children and families here at St. George’s Episcopal School!
Yellow Room
(2.5-3 years)
Jonathan Miller
Yellow Room Lead Teacher
Mr. Jonathan brings ten years of comprehensive experience to the field of education, having served students in a wide range of settings, including Head Start, private institutions, charter, and public schools. A nine-year resident of Austin, he is actively advancing his professional credentials by working toward a Bachelor’s degree in Education. Jonathan is deeply passionate about student development, focusing on practical skills that build independence and confidence. He consistently strives to help children master self-help skills and cultivate their own voice for effective self-advocacy. Looking ahead, his professional ambition is to transition into a teacher training role, dedicated to mentoring and shaping the future generation of educators within the Austin school community.
Yvonne Lopez
Yellow Room Assistant Teacher
Yvonne joins the St. George’s team with multiple years of youth education experience in math tutoring, daycares, and private schools. Her favorite mediums to inspire creativity and exploration in young children are in process art and early math skills. Yvonne is an avid reader who prefers to enjoy a good book in the great outdoors, whether along the shores of Austin’s multiple lakes and spring-fed swimming holes, or on the beaches of her family home in California.
Pink Room
(3 years)
Carmel Sweat
Pink Room Lead Teacher
Originally from Dublin, Ireland, Ms. Carmel has a degree in Child Development and over 17 years of experience at St. George’s! Ms. Carmel has enjoyed a true love for the school, growing along with it through cycles of growth including its first year of NAEYC accreditation in 2014. Both her boys graduated from Pre-K at St. George’s in the mid-2000s.
Ella Lington
Pink Room Assistant Teacher
Ms. Ella is a recent graduate with a Bachelor’s degree in Family and Consumer Sciences, specializing in Child Life. Originally from the Dallas–Fort Worth area, she has experience working with young children through swim instruction, preschool, and first grade education. Passionate about helping children grow and thrive, Ms. Ella is dedicated to creating supportive environments where every child can reach their full potential. Outside of work, she enjoys staying active, experimenting in the kitchen, and perfecting her sourdough baking.
Blue Room
(3 years)
Allison Friers
Blue Room Lead Teacher
Ms. Allison, originally from Florida, joined St. George’s while working toward her Bachelor’s Degree in elementary education. With multiple years of experience in childcare and a passion for education, she enjoys the wide variety of new experiences the St. George’s environment creates, as she helps children connect with their self-expression and love for nature.
Jasmyn Simien
Blue Room Assistant Teacher
Ms. Jasmyn has been working with children for almost 8 years. She is currently pursuing her Bachelors in Psychology at the University of Texas at Austin. She is excited to be a part of the family at St. George’s.
Rainbow Room
(Pre-K)
Melissa Evans
Rainbow Room Lead Teacher
Ms. Melissa has 22 years of early childhood experience and has a CDA in Early Childhood Development. She started as a volunteer at a Sunday school when she was in High School and fell in love with the idea of having a career where you get to teach and have fun with children. Ms. Melissa is a Texan all the way, born and raised. Outside of teaching, she loves reading novel after novel, watching sci-fi and horror movies, and hanging out with her wife Dena and 19-year-old son Preston! She is a big believer in family time and pretty much spend most of her time with them at BBQ’s, theme weekend parties, and movie nights at each other’s houses. Ms. Melissa feels so blessed to be entering her 5th year of teaching here at St. George’s and looks forward to another awesome time in the Rainbow Room.
Chloe Veen
Rainbow Room Assistant Teacher
Ms.Chloe was born and raised in sunny Southern California, but she has called Texas home for the past 5 years. She recently graduated with a Bachelors of Science in Elementary Education from Texas State University. She has worked with children though student teaching and through volunteering for Vacation Bible School. Ms. Chloe is excited for her new journey at St. George’s, where she’ll be dedicated to meeting the needs of children where they are, and supporting them through every step of their journey. In her free time, Ms. Chloe likes to stay active, work on new recipes, and explore coffee shops in Austin.
Resource Coordinator
Kat Garcia
Ms. Kat was born and raised in San Antonio, TX but has lived in Austin for over 20 years. She has been in childcare for 20+ years and a teacher at St. George’s for 7. Ms. Kat has her CDA from Austin Community College. She has taught all age groups but specializes in infants and toddlers. In addition to teaching, she has is certified to be a personal trainer with Camp Gladiator. She spends her free time with her husband Paul and two pets; Bandido (dog) and Nico (cat).
Team Support
David Beirn
Mr. David has 10 years of experience working in early childhood education and has served in many roles over the years, including Assistant Teacher, Office Manager, and Facilities Coordinator. His favorite thing about working with children is seeing their eagerness to show kindness toward others and their love of learning. He is a coffee connoisseur, enjoys spending time outside, and loves all forms of motor racing, especially Formula 1.
Aliyah Iniguez
Ms. Aliyah graduated from Texas State University with a degree in Public Relations, and her passion for working with children developed through long-term nannying, Montessori-based learning, and tutoring. Most recently, she worked as a Pre-K aide, where she enjoyed supporting classroom routines and helping create a nurturing, engaging learning environment. Outside of work, Aliyah enjoys traveling, attending concerts, and trying new food spots around Austin.
Jaylin Reeves
Ms. Jaylin is a proud native of Indianola, Mississippi with a strong passion for youth development, education, and athletics. At the University of Mount Olive (North Carolina), she earned All-American track & field and Female MVP honors. She brings prior support team experience to St. George’s, plus a background as a strength and conditioning coach for young children, training youth from walking age through 13. Her priorities in the classroom focus around helping each child build confidence, strength, and character.
Melonie Jackson-Howell
Ms. Melonie brings 16 years of childcare experience to St. George’s, including special skills working with nonverbal children and those with autism under 2.5 years. Melonie teaches with a commitment to making sure children feel safe, loved, and cared for while having fun. Her teaching techniques are rooted in routines, making sure to keep a variety of indoor or outdoor activities ready, and impromptu crafts. She’s focused on building positive relationships with children whether it’s at work or home, with her two loving sons. While at St. George’s, Melonie plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Education at ACC.
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