CDH Welcomes New Faculty and Staff

September 12, 2018

Pictured (L-R): John Pucci, Ceara Curry, Lori Linn, Morgan Lieske, Nan Wang, Melissa Bauer, Samantha Marta, Tony Yazbeck, David Sobolewski,  Paul Solmon, Connor Magee, and Crystal Flint.

The school year begins with new faces at Cretin-Derham Hall. Join us in welcoming these new faculty and staff members:

Melissa Bauer joins CDH as a religion teacher. Bauer graduated from the College of Saint Benedict/Saint John’s University in 2016 with double majors (Theology and English). She previously taught religion for two years at Totino-Grace, a fellow Lasallian school. Her interests include running and personal fitness, personal finance, and anything active outdoors.

Bauer said that she was originally drawn to CDH because of the school’s clear mission and vision. “I’m excited to work in a school that knows who they are and what they want their role to be in the lives of young people and the greater community. I was also struck by how supportive the community is as a place for me to grow.”

Ceara Curry comes to CDH as the St. Joseph Worker in Campus Ministry. She graduated from Nazareth College of Rochester, NY, in 2018 with double majors (Music and Religious Studies). Curry’s hobbies include biking, hiking, reading, and journaling.

“Cretin-Derham Hall thus far has proven to be a wonderful community with a mission that creates extensive and creative opportunities for students’ learning and growth in areas of academics, spirituality, and service. I am very excited to be part of the team, and hope to continue the work that is already being done here to create a welcoming environment for all.”

Crystal Flint joins CDH as the In-house Substitute. This position will allow CDH and Flint to have a consistent, smooth transition when substitute teachers are needed. Flint graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1994 with a degree in Sociology – Women’s Studies and African American Studies. She was previously an associate educator at Minneapolis North High School. Flint’s interests include board games and bowling.

She is the varsity girls’ basketball head coach. Her husband, Andre Lanoue ’89 and father-in-law, William Lanoue ’65 are alums.  Her son, Trejuan Holloman ’22 started as a 9th grader this fall. She said, “The commitment to academics and a culture of excellence is what drew me to CDH for my employment and an education for my son."

Morgan Lieske joins the social studies department at CDH. She will also assist Mrs. Murray with Spanish 100, and lead a weekly after-school service group. She earned her secondary education and history degrees from Marquette in 2013 – with a minor in Spanish.  Lieske previously taught at Carmen High School in Milwaukee, and taught English in Ecuador last year. Her favorite thing to do is slalom waterski. She loves outdoor activities, traveling, and meeting new people.

As a DeLaSalle High School graduate, Lieske was interested in teaching in a Lasallian community. “I am so excited to meet my students, collaborate with other staff, and to learn every day from this community,” she shared.

Lori Linn joins CDH as a Learning Specialist. She has degrees in Elementary Education from the College of St. Benedict, Learning Disabilities (K-12) from the University of Kansas, and is working on an ABS (Academic Behavioral Strategist) license at Bethel University. Linn was a resource room teacher for students with learning disabilities before choosing to stay home and raise four children. She has continued her education by volunteering and taking graduate classes. Linn most recently worked as a paraprofessional for students with high needs. She enjoys spending time with her four teenagers, gardening, fitness, and travel.

Linn is looking forward to collaborating with “an exceptional team of educators in an effort to facilitate a positive learning experience for our CDH students.” She adds that she is grateful for the perspectives gained while continuing to evolve and grow, both personally and spiritually.

Samantha Marta is the Amerigo ELL teacher. She has degrees from Illinois State University (B.S. in International Business) and the University of Illinois (M.A. in Teaching English as a Second Language). She has taught at the Kanda University of International Studies in Japan and the Intensive English Institute at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Marta has a passion for teaching English and working with students. She brings more than a decade of experience teaching at an international level.

Marta is originally from Chicago. Since moving to the Twin Cities, she has discovered a love of Caribou Coffee. When not at the local coffee house, she can be found serving at her church, biking, or hiking. She said, “I am very excited to work with such dedicated faculty and administrators as we continue to welcome and support the 22 new international students at CDH.”

Connor Magee is an Advancement Associate at CDH. He was a Global Business Leadership major at Saint John’s University, and previously worked as an Advancement Associate at Creighton Prep in Omaha, Nebraska. His hobbies include golfing, swimming, biking, and running. Magee is a Nebraska Cornhuskers fan, and enjoys watching NFL and NBA games.

He is excited to be working at CDH, saying, “This is a special place that is rooted in a strong community and I am looking forward to being a part of that.”

John Pucci joins CDH as an English teacher. He graduated from DeLaSalle High School and then Hamline University with double majors (English and Education). Pucci had taught in the Saint Paul Public Schools for three years. He is a big fan of Minnesota music and sports. Pucci is currently an assistant coach for the women’s soccer program at Macalester College. He shared, “I had the opportunity to coach basketball in Shanghai during college and almost took a full-time job with the team when I was 20! I’m glad I stayed in college and graduated, though.”

Pucci was drawn to CDH. “The strong sense of community here is really one of a kind. The moment I was on campus, I felt right at home and knew I wanted to be part of this community!”

David Sobolewski is a new member of the CDH Technology department. He will teach Intro to Programming, Computer Assisted Design, Computer Animation, and Programming for iOS. Sobolewski has multiple degrees from the University of St. Thomas: English, Education, and Communications. He earned a Masters in Library and Information Science from St. Catherine University in 2012. His past work includes Cotter High School, Allen Interactions, and Fastenal School of Business.

Sobolewski’s hobbies and interests include: reading, drawing, landscaping, game design, and 3D art. He recently decided to leave the corporate world. He said, “I missed working with kids. As a Catholic school kid myself (Cotter High School), it seems like a great fit.”

Paul Solmon is the new Director of Facilities. He comes to CDH from Saint Thomas Academy, where he guided that school through the largest facility expansion in decades. He is a 21-year veteran of the U.S. Navy and has worked in facilities management for more than 20 years. Solmon’s interests outside of work are biking and woodworking.

He said, “The people here at CDH are what drew me, and I hope that I can make a difference with assisting the facilities’ upgrade.”

Nan Wang joins CDH as a world language (Chinese) teacher. She earned a B.A. in Math and Economics from Oberlin College, and an M.S. in Actuarial Science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Wang previously taught for one summer in Bejing, China, and three years at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls. She loves listening to most forms of music and playing the piano.

Wang is excited to work with CDH students. She said, “I love teaching Chinese and enjoy interacting with students.”

Tony Yazbeck is a new business teacher at CDH. He is the DECA advisor and the varsity boys’ basketball assistant coach. In 2011, Yazbeck earned an M.Ed., Applied Kinesiology/Sports Management from the University of Minnesota. His past work experience at Thomson Reuters and Sports Engine will benefit the students in his classes. He enjoys spending time with his wife and daughter, traveling, and watching/coaching basketball.

His wife, Kim ’89, brother-in-law, Pat ’91, sister-in-law, Kelly ’91, and father-in-law, Mike ’62 are CDH/Cretin graduates. Yazbeck is happy for the opportunity to contribute more to CDH. He said, “There is a tremendous sense of community and family that is always displayed at CDH. I am excited to share my experience in the business world with the students of CDH in their classroom.”


Note: Social Studies teacher Tracy Stepka, Spanish teacher Laura Wasenius, counselor Jack Brown, and Br. Robert Walsh have joined the CDH faculty. Their profiles and photos will be in the October issue of the Communicator.

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