Our Teachers

 Kirsten Patterson

Kirsten has been involved with Buckhead Prep since the school's inception, returning to education after seven years involved with corporate marketing.  She earned a B.B.A. from the University of Georgia where she was initiated into Gamma Phi Beta sorority.  She also earned an M.S. and an M.B.A. from Georgia State University.

Kirsten is an accomplished violinist having played since the age of three.  She has performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC, and has competed internationally in England, France, Wales, and Canada.  She also represented Albany in Georgia's Junior Miss scholarship pageant and was Junior Miss Albany.  Kirsten serves the Atlanta community as a mentor with H.E.R.O. for Children and through many other charitable and social organizations including the Center for Family Resources, the Atlanta Jaycees and Peachtree Presbyterian Church.  A proud Atlanta resident and homeowner, she lives in Buckhead.  Kirsten will be pursing her doctorate in education part-time in 2011.

Christine Keleman

Christine Kelemen educational career has spanned the past 15 years.  She earned a B.A. from Louisiana State University and was initiated into Pi Beta Phi Sorority. She further earned a Masters in Education in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of New Orleans where she was initiated into Phi Delta Kappa honor fraternity.  She has taught in both public and private school settings, has taught preschool, elementary school, middle school and high school and has received additional certification in gifted and talented education. Christine lives in Dunwoody with her husband and 3 children. Her daughter Ansley attends Vanderlyn Elementary and her twin boys Connor and Jake attend Buckhead Prep.

Shannon Harley

Shannon has been an integral part of Buckhead Prep since 2008.  Shannon earned a B.A. from the University of Georgia where she was inducted into Phi Kappa Phi honoring the top ten percent of the class in academic standing and Delta Epsilon Iota honor society for academic excellence and leadership.  She has been heavily involved with community volunteering including work with homeless shelters, tutoring and mentoring underprivileged children, Hurricane Katrina relief efforts, and mission trips abroad.  Shannon is presently involved in distance graduate work with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  

Meredith Hessler

Meredith came to Buckhead Prep from the Suzuki School in Atlanta where she was the Primary Teacher for the three's and four's.  She earned a B.A. in English and Education from James Madison University in Virginia and was certified to teach in Virginia.   Meredith taught Language Arts and English in the Richmond, VA area public schools for seven years.  She has completed several graduate level courses in teaching English grammar and English as a second language.  In addition, Meredith has tutored students in the areas of reading, organization, and English/Language Arts.  Meredith lives in Atlanta.

Lucy Urrutia

Lucy also came to Buckhead Prep from the Suzuki School in Atlanta where she was part of a collaborative teaching team in the three-year-old classroom.  Lucy has worked in education for eighteen years and has taught children internationally ranging from 18 months to fifth grade.  She is presently attending Kennesaw State University to gain Montessori certification.  Lucy lives in Sandy Springs with her two beautiful daughters.

~About Us~

Our Founder

Tammy Wingate received a B.A. degree in education from Atlantic Christian College in North Carolina where she received the Women of the Albemarle Presbytery Scholarship and was initiated into Delta Zeta sorority.  She earned a MA degree in education from New York University where she received the Peter L. Agnew Award for scholarship and leadership and was inducted into Phi Delta Kappa honor fraternity.  She also earned an MBA degree from the University of Georgia where she also completed a year of doctoral studies in education.  At UGA, she received a women’s program scholarship and was inducted into the Phi Sigma Pi management honor fraternity. 

Tammy has over 18 years experience  teaching, developing curriculum, and educational administration.  Her curriculums have been approved by the State Boards of Education in New York, Maryland, Georgia, and Florida.  She is also a published writer and is currently writing a series of phonetic reading books with a celebrated artist.  

Tammy lives with her husband, Allen, and family in Buckhead where they attend Peachtree Presbyterian Church.  Her son attends Woodward Academy where he is on the JV baseball team and plays baseball for an East Cobb travel team.  Her daughter is a recent graduate of Cornell University and is a first year law student at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.