Faculty and Staff

Amanda was born to a family of educators and has over 20 years of teaching experience. She has taught 1st-5th grades in both public and independent schools across Atlanta. She earned a degree in Elementary Education from Florida State University, Graduating Magna Cum Laude, and has a Master's Degree in Education Leadership.   Amanda was the recipient of the Presidential Award for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching, the highest honor a teacher can receive.  When she's not at school she is at NYO watching her daughters play softball, reading a book, or walking her golden retriever, Hank.

With over 14 years of experience in private school education, Bailey has honed her teaching skills by working with students in grades 1 through 3. She is an accomplished educator with a strong passion for fostering a love of reading in her students. Bailey obtained her Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education from Auburn University, where she developed a solid foundation in pedagogy and child development. Recognizing the importance of literacy skills, Bailey pursued a Master's Degree in Elementary Reading Education. Bailey is a proud Buckhead Prep parent and faculty member.
She and her husband enjoy cheering on their two children, whether on the sports field, stage, or classroom. She looks forward to seeing Buckhead Prep continue to grow and thrive! Go Bucks!

Haley Westerlund grew up in Atlanta, where she attended Pace Academy. She received her B.A. in Merchandising and Business at Florida State University. This is Mrs. Westerlund's second year at Buckhead Prep, and she loves getting to know every one of your exceptional children. She is working with Ms. Baldovski in 2nd grade. Buckhead Prep is a special place; she is thrilled to be here with her 3-year-old, Jack, in Ms. Somia's class.

Vicky Caracas, born and raised in Venezuela, brings a deep sense of pride and cultural heritage to her role as a lead teacher at Buckhead Prep's toddler classroom. With a Bachelor's Degree in Education and a Master's Degree in Behavior Orientation, Vicky possesses a strong educational foundation and over 20 years of invaluable teaching experience.Vicky's unwavering dedication to her students is evident in her genuine passion for imparting the Spanish language and sharing her rich cultural background. Teaching is not merely a profession for Vicky—it is her true passion. She finds immense joy and fulfillment in witnessing her students' growth, both academically and emotionally, throughout the school year.

Miss Darlene, a seasoned educator from New Orleans, Louisiana, holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Xavier University. With over 28 years of teaching experience, she received Montessori training from The Montessori World Educational Institute in California. After dedicating nine years to teaching in Louisiana, she moved to Georgia in 2005 and joined Rose Garden Montessori in East Cobb, Marietta, until its closure. For the past decade, she has been an esteemed teacher at Buckhead Prep, finding immense reward in witnessing her students' growth. In recognition of her outstanding contributions, Miss Darlene was honored as Teacher of the Year at BuckPrep during the 2021-2022 school year. She believes in classroom management and providing a structured learning environment to help her students flourish.

Misty has been teaching at Buckhead Prep for 15 years. She started as an assistant while she was in college working on a degree in environmental science. Misty fell in love with the school and teaching. She changed her major to early childhood education and has been teaching ever since. She is currently one of the primary teachers. Misty has two children Mary Elizabeth (Mel) and Christopher. They are both students at Buckhead Prep and love the school as well.

We are thrilled to introduce Somia Malik, a valued member of our faculty at Buckhead Prep. With nine years of dedicated service, Somia's passion for teaching and creating a nurturing learning environment has positively impacted countless students and families. Originally from Pakistan, Somia brings a wealth of cultural diversity and a global perspective to her classroom. As a mother of three, Somia understands the importance of a structured and caring environment for children's growth. Her organized and calm approach, combined with creativity, creates a positive atmosphere where students thrive academically, emotionally, and socially.

Carter began teaching at Pace Academy, her alma mater, in 2017.  She has taught Pre-first, first, and fourth grades.  She earned a degree in Early Childhood Education from Auburn University, Graduating Magna Cum Laude, and is EDTPA Certified.  2018 she earned her M. ED. in Early Childhood Education from the University of West Georgia. Carter strives to provide a joyful, caring community for her students and utilizes hands-on learning to create excitement about school.  She spends her free time baking, running, and playing with her chocolate lab, Buckley.

Claire comes to us with 10 years of teaching experience. She began teaching in a high school in Fayetteville, GA, moved to Holy Innocents’, and is now excited to be joining the Buckhead Prep community as a lead fifth-grade teacher. She is not a stranger to the Buckhead Prep campus as she was the French teacher for grades 1-5 in the spring and she spent the last 9 weeks of the 2022-2023 school year assisting in Mrs. Greer’s third-grade class as a long-term substitute. Claire is an enthusiastic learner and thoroughly enjoys attending education professional development.

With over 14 years of experience in private school education, Bailey has honed her teaching skills by working with students in grades 1 through 3. She is an accomplished educator with a strong passion for fostering a love of reading in her students. Bailey obtained her Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education from Auburn University, where she developed a solid foundation in pedagogy and child development. Recognizing the importance of literacy skills, Bailey pursued a Master's Degree in Elementary Reading Education. Bailey is a proud Buckhead Prep parent and faculty member.
She and her husband enjoy cheering on their two children, whether on the sports field, stage, or classroom. She looks forward to seeing Buckhead Prep continue to grow and thrive! Go Bucks!

Crystal Grow is thrilled to be a Kindergarten teacher at Buckhead Prep. She is a Coastal Connecticut girl who enjoys long summer days and great novels. Kindergarten is her passion with over 21 years of experience. It is truly a miracle for her to watch a young child discover, learn, and grow. She strives to create a community of learners that nurtures this growth in a positive and loving environment. Every student has a unique character and style that needs to be respected in order to grow intellectually, emotionally, and socially.

Amanda was born to a family of educators and has over 20 years of teaching experience. She has taught 1st-5th grades in both public and independent schools across Atlanta. She earned a degree in Elementary Education from Florida State University, Graduating Magna Cum Laude, and has a Master's Degree in Education Leadership.   Amanda was the recipient of the Presidential Award for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching, the highest honor a teacher can receive.  When she's not at school she is at NYO watching her daughters play softball, reading a book, or walking her golden retriever, Hank.

Emily Pitts has been teaching K-1 for over 7 years. She started in Dallas, Texas, and moved back home to Georgia and began teaching first grade at Pace Academy. She received her undergraduate degree in Child and Family Development from the University of Georgia, and her Master's degree in Elementary Education from Auburn University. This is her second year teaching first grade at Buckhead Prep. Emily has two young daughters, Lilly and Charlotte. She enjoys eating lots of great food around Atlanta, traveling, and snow skiing with her family.

Tyler Schumacher brings over five years of experience to his role at Buckhead Prep. Having taught Kindergarten through fourth grade in four different states, Tyler finds Georgia to be his favorite place thus far (Hawaii being a close second!). Hailing from northern Wisconsin, he holds an undergraduate degree from the University of Wisconsin-Stout and a master's degree in Education from the University of Notre Dame. Tyler is passionate about infusing joy into his teaching and fostering the innate curiosity within each child. Outside the classroom, he is an avid marathon and triathlon competitor, an enthusiastic reader of various genres, and is always planning his next travel adventure.

Amy Trujillo has been a first grade teacher for 24 years and has been a Buckhead Prep Buck since 2021.  Mrs. Trujillo loves the tremendous growth and amazing learning experiences of first grade; it is such a special year!  Amy earned both her undergraduate and Master's degree in elementary education and early childhood education from Florida State University.  Amy has taught in both private and public schools in Atlanta. In addition to teaching first grade, Amy has been a first through third grade reading teacher.  In 2013, she was awarded the Kessler Excellence in Teaching Award from Pace Academy. Her husband Frank is an architect, and her two sons, Alex and Ryan, keep the family busy with lots of lacrosse and basketball games!

Lisa is excited to be back for her 3rd year at Buckhead Prep. She attended elementary and high school in Atlanta before graduating with honors from Clemson University.  After her 4th child, she began working in the elementary school setting in both private and public schools.  She was the Assistant Librarian at Pace Academy for 11 years and then privately tutored before joining the Buckhead Prep family.  She believes in using all available methods to teach our kids strong skills in reading and comprehension, and she loves nothing more than discussing a good book that a student has read or recommends.  When she is not working at Buckhead Prep, she is walking Chastain, spending time with her family, or reading a good book herself!

Dania comes to us from Springmont Montessori School.  A native Atlantan, Dania graduated from Providence Christian Academy and then earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from SCAD.  Growing up, she always wanted to be an artist but fell in love with working with children and teaching. Dania has two cats and enjoys all things creative! She is also active at her church and likes watching documentaries and listening to music. As an artist, Dania is continuously learning. Her favorite aspect of teaching art is showing others how to express themselves through the many different ways that art  provides.

Sean Heckert sold plastic for a decade until his daughter, Ce’zanne (who also attends Buckhead Prep) was born and he found his true passion as a stay-at-home Dad. He spends his time building and creating props for events, photo backdrops and Ce’zanne’s elaborate Halloween floats. Sean loves to cook and can fix just about anything (according to his wife, D’anne). D’anne and Sean were high school sweethearts and have been married for 17 years. He loves teaching at Buckhead Prep, but also enjoys playing kickball with the kids and refereeing the playground.

Shera Looney is excited to be working with all of the students as their PE coach and friendship skills teacher.  Additionally she will help in Miss Vicars K classroom! She graduated from Auburn University, where she played basketball. She has extensive experience working with kids of all abilities as an Inclusion Specialist, and in Applied Behavior Analysis. When she is not at school she teaches social skills classes that focus on social and emotional development. In her down time she loves coaching basketball, exercising, writing, and spending time with family.

Mr. Bill, the hero of Buckhead Prep, was born in Lakeland, Florida. He graduated from Belmont Abbey College in North Carolina with a degree in business and economics. Married to his wife, Kaye for 40 years, Mr. Bill was inspired by his daughter, Lucy, to join the staff at Buckhead Prep. Known for his warmth and nurturing nature, he is a beloved mentor at the school, going above and beyond to empower students to reach their full potential. With his wealth of experiences and unwavering commitment to education, Mr. Bill continues to leave a lasting impact on the Buckhead Prep community, earning him the title of the hero of Buckhead Prep.

Lucy Mulkeen grew up in Sandy Springs her whole life and loved to perform even at a young age, and would sing on a stage, for her family, or in front of a stuffed animal audience. She was nurtured by her music teachers throughout her school years.and because of this Lucy wanted to share her love and appreciation of music with others. She studied at College of Charleston, earning her cum laude in Vocal Performance and in the summers she would work at Buckhead Prep. She fell in love with the school. After graduating, she started to teach at BHP, and has been here ever since! It has now been 4 years, and Ms. Mulkeen loves teaching Kindergarten and Music to her students.

Suzanne is an Atlanta native. She has taught 19 years in both public and private schools. She has a Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Education and graduated with honors. This is her 2nd year teaching at Buckhead Prep. Last year she taught Kindergarten. This year she will be working with Kindergarten and 1st grade students as one of our Reading Specialist. She and her husband have a 16 year old son that attends Walton High School. Suzanne loves to travel, read, swim, ride bikes, watch sports, and spend time with her family, friends, and pets. 

Rebecca Robinson is an Atlanta native who grew up down the street from our beloved Mulkeen Family.  She earned a degree in sociology from Kennesaw State University in 2019.  She has previously worked as a third-grade assistant teacher at HIES.  She recently married her husband Chase and has two cats and a fish.

Claire comes to BPS with 28 years of education experience.  Claire earned a degree in Political Science from UNC-Chapel Hill in 1992, a Master's Degree in Special Education in  1996, and an Education Specialist Degree in Special Education Curriculum and Leadership in 2000 from Georiga State.  She is a proven life-long learner.  Claire is married to Bill Stratton, head of media, entertainment, and advertising at Snowflake Computing. She has three boys- Will is a senior at Auburn, Ford is a Rhodes College sophomore, and Mac is a Woodward Academy junior. She has volunteered at Chastain Horse Park since 2020, assisting with hippotherapy, therapeutic riding, and equine therapy. Her hobbies are playing tennis, pickleball, and riding horses.

Elani Webb is thrilled to be your child’s first-grade assistant teacher for this 2023-24 school year. This is her 6th year as an assistant teacher and her 4th year at Buckhead Prep. Her favorite things about first grade are Writer's Workshop, math games, and your firsties! She likes volunteering, reading, binge-watching Netflix, and watching sports in her spare time.

Haley Westerlund grew up in Atlanta, where she attended Pace Academy. She received her B.A. in Merchandising and Business at Florida State University. This is Mrs. Westerlund's second year at Buckhead Prep, and she loves getting to know every one of your exceptional children. She is working with Ms. Baldovski in 2nd grade. Buckhead Prep is a special place; she is thrilled to be here with her 3-year-old, Jack, in Ms. Somia's class.

Mariana De Marinis is a writer, cultural reporter and Spanish instructor. She has studied Modern Literature and Language at the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina, where she is from and has a specialization in Literary Theory. For the last 15 years, she has been living in different geographies such as Mexico City, Buenos Aires, Barcelona and now Atlanta, in the United States, where she has been living since 2021. She has extensive experience as a cultural writer for both US and UK-based research agencies - Mintel Group and Kantar. She has also contributed to the American newspaper for the US Hispanic community, The Latin Times. She is a native Spanish speaker, mother of two children, and currently a Spanish instructor at the Latin American Association in Atlanta.

​
During her years of academic training, she specialized in Literature, but also in fields such as Art History and Philosophy, enabling her to become a cultural analyst and a professional with critical capacity and conceptual thinking. Due to her passion for Literature, Films and Arts, she has also participated in several workshops and developed her artistic interests in storytelling and film.