Welcome New Faculty

Zac Lambrecht and his wife Lauren have lived in Mobile since 2011 and have twin sons entering the 5th grade at St. Paul’s. Zac has been working with students and families for the past 24 years as a youth minister, teacher, coach, and mentor. Zac finds incredible joy in supporting students and helping them get from where they are to where they want to be. Zac previously worked at St. Paul’s and is thrilled to be back on campus!

 

Noah Nelson is a native of Mobile Bay, growing up in Spanish Fort and graduating from St. Michael Catholic High School in Fairhope. Having a passion for STEM, Mr. Nelson enrolled in the University of South Alabama Honors College, to pursue a degree in biology. In May 2024, he graduated cum laude after defending his undergraduate thesis titled “A Survey of the Boletes from Fish River Nature Preserve.” Over his college career, he served three years as a USA Southerner (student ambassador) and on student government. He is excited to join the St. Paul’s family teaching chemistry for the upcoming school year!

 

Machel (Weinacker) Pannell, class of ’05, is the new Algebra II teacher at St. Paul’s for the ’24-’25 school year.  She has 14 years of experience teaching high school math, with a degree in elementary education. She’s spent the last nine years at McGill-Toolen teaching geometry and coaching varsity and JV cheer. Mrs. Pannell and her husband have three children, two of which will be at SPS this year: Tucker (3rd), Libbey (K), and Sydney (1.5yrs old).  They are so excited to be a part of the St. Paul’s Family (especially since their cousins are also here), and they are all looking forward to a new year at a new school!

 

Amanda White joins the St. Paul’s faculty as the Photography and Film Studies teacher.  Most recently, Amanda spent six years at PMT Publishing, first on the editorial staff of Mobile Bay magazine. She then transitioned to planning and development, assuming such roles as operations manager and web designer for EcoWild Outdoor Expo.  Amanda’s professional experience also includes working as a corporate trainer at Kaleida Health in Buffalo, NY; a public speaking instructor at Virginia Tech; a reading tutor for underprivileged adults; a Jazzercise instructor in Houston; and a substitute teacher at St. Paul’s. Amanda received a bachelor's degree in communication, with a concentration in print journalism, from the University of South Alabama. She also earned a Master of Science degree in Adult Education from Buffalo State University.  When Amanda and her husband, Marty, aren’t keeping up with their combined five kids (three of whom attend St. Paul’s), she enjoys photography, traveling, watching movies, and supporting the Buffalo Bills, South Alabama Jaguars, and SPS Saints.

 

Melissa Sigler is the new 4th grade reading and history teacher. She graduated from St. Paul’s (’98), graduated from the University of Alabama with a B.S. Degree in finance, and graduated from South Alabama with a master’s degree in education. Melissa has 20 years of teaching experience. She taught in the Mobile County Public School System for 13 years.  During that time, she taught first through third grade and served as her school’s reading coach. Melissa has been teaching first grade here at St. Paul’s for the last 7 years and is excited to be teaching 4th grade this year.

 Kris Lester is the new 4th grade AIP support teacher. Kris graduated from the University of Alabama in 1991 with a bachelor's degree in elementary education. She began her teaching career at Edgewood Elementary School in Homewood, AL, teaching 2nd grade and helping K-1st graders in the IBM Writing to Read Lab. After moving to Mobile, Kris taught 5th grade reading at UMS-Wright from 2003-2007. From then on, her experience has been teaching in various, smaller group or individualized settings, such as Read-Write in Mobile, AL and Columbus Speech and Hearing Center in Columbus, GA. Kris has worked with numerous students with learning differences, and her most recent training consists of Linda Mood Bell, Barton Reading and Spelling, and Phonics First.

 

Caroline Hoover: She is the new Math 8 teacher, and a St. Paul’s alumnus, class of ’07. She was at Burns Middle School for her first 3 years of teaching and has been at Baker High School for the last 9 years. This is her 13th year teaching, and first year at St. Paul’s. She has 3 beautiful children: Holt (1st grade), Ansleigh (PreK), and Robert (3 months). She is so happy to be back home, and for everyone to be (almost) in one place!

Melanie Fromdahl: New 6th grade iSTEM teacher. She has 15 years teaching experience at the high school and middle school levels and has taught history and language arts in the Catholic school system. Melanie and her husband have seven children, Murphy is a 7th grader at St. Paul's. She is super excited about this new journey and teaching iSTEM!

Lauren Ritchie: Class of '17, is the new 7th grade World History and Geography teacher. She has experience teaching 7th grade World History, 8th grade English Language Arts, 8th grade Latin and Greek, and 12th grade English. She earned her bachelors in Secondary English Language Arts Education, with a minor in History, from Auburn in 2021, and her masters in the same from Auburn in 2022. She most recently taught at St. Luke's in Mobile, where she taught English and History, and coached Middle School Scholars Bowl. She loves reading, Jeopardy, French fries, and her dogs, Fish and Ziggy. She says, "It's always been my dream to teach at St. Paul's, and I'm SO happy to be back! Once a Saint, ALWAYS a Saint!"

 

Ann Marie Brooks ('06) is a new member of our Kindergarten team. Ann Marie has her Masters in Elementary Education from the University of South Alabama. She brings an extensive background in reading support. Ann Marie and her husband Clay have a 6-month-old son, Clay.

 

Laura Oppenheimer is a new member of our Kindergarten team. Laura recently received her Master’s in Elementary Education. She had the opportunity to complete her internship in kindergarten with us last school year. Laura and her husband Harris (’03) have two children, Harris (7th grade) and Bess (4th grade).

 

Sarah Beth Holland ('00) is our new Kindergarten Support teacher. She has a Masters in Speech and Language Pathology. She will be working alongside Annabel Setterstrom. Sarah Beth and her husband Michael have three sons, Joe, Henry (4th grade), and Mick (PreK).

 

Haley Harrison is a new member of our 1st grade team. Haley has her Masters in Elementary Education with a focus in emergent literacy from the University of Alabama. She has taught multiple grade levels and brings a wealth of experience. Haley and her husband Peter have a 2-year-old son, Hunt.

 

Katie Scoggins is a new member of our 1st grade team. Katie has a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from the University of South Alabama. She has over a decade of teaching experience working with elementary age students. Katie and her husband Jamie ('06) have two daughters, Mary Lillian (4th grade) and Amelia.

 

Austin Downs is an Air Force veteran with a background in aerospace technology. He comes to us from Airbus and is currently attending the University of South Alabama to further his knowledge of information technology. He is married to St. Paul's graduate Klaudia Downs (Larson), class of 2014, and they have three wonderful children, two of whom are students at the lower school. Austin is excited to bring new ideas and knowledge to the Technology Department. 

Cecilia Dupepe is a New Orleans native with a Bachelor of Arts in English from Spring Hill College (2021) and a Master of Library and Information Studies degree from the University of Alabama (2023). Previously, she has worked for the Tuscaloosa Public Library, the Archdiocese of Mobile Archives, the University of Alabama, and the Fay B. Kaigler Children's Book Festival. She is excited to bring new literature and information literacy skills to the students of St. Paul's!

 

Nolen Potts Schoen: Born and raised in Mobile, Nolen is an alumna of St. Paul’s (Class of 2006). She graduated from Auburn University in 2011 with a degree in Education and has spent the last 12 years working in public school systems in Birmingham and Atlanta. Nolen brings a wealth of experience working with families. We are delighted to welcome Nolen back to Mobile with her husband, Mack, and their two children. Her son, Charlie, will start kindergarten at St. Paul’s this year, and her daughter, Wynne, will attend Ashland Place Preschool. She is excited to get to know all of our Saints this year!

 

Willie Bohannon is St. Paul's new strength and conditioning coach. He was raised in Mobile and attended Mattie T Blount High School where he excelled in football, making the all-state football team three years in a row and earning recognition as an ESPN National Top 150 Defensive End/Linebacker. After graduating from Blount in 2008, he attended the University of Tennessee on a full football scholarship and graduated with a degree in Psychology. Willie played professional football in Kiel, Germany, for the Kiel Baltic Hurricanes. After retiring from the sport, he relocated to Nashville, Tennessee, where he worked for Metro Nashville Public Schools and at a non-profit called BackField in Motion. In 2020, he returned to Mobile and started personal training for student-athletes and adults, while also coaching the defensive line at St. Paul's, and teaching Psychology at Blount High School.