Learn more about the Great Hearts Talent Team below!
The heart and soul of the Talent Team, Sr. Vice President Kiann Robinson Mapes has been with Great Hearts since the very beginning, teaching in the sciences for many years before helping to found Great Hearts’ HR, PD, Curriculum, and Talent support teams. Her passions (and most fruitful source for useful metaphors) are music (she’s a baroque flutist/early music specialist) and biology. Ask this life-long learner about anything!
Originally from the Netherlands, Jacob “Koos” Van Leeuwen joined Great Hearts in 2012 as a Lower School Latin Teacher and Dean. For many years he served as an Arizona-based Talent Recruiter, but more recently he moved into the role of Director of Talent. He oversees the entire recruiting team in terms of training and resources, and he also specializes in consolidating all Great Hearts hiring data annually. Ask him about his recent travels!
Great Hearts veteran teacher and school leader Alison Chaney joined the Talent Team in 2021 and now serves as Senior Director of Talent Strategic Initiatives. With broad oversight of the Talent Team’s marketing/social media and internal communications, she also supports special recruitment areas (corporate and leadership). Ask her about her time as a founding music teacher and her professional choral work!
Anne Wilcox initially joined Great Hearts as an Apprentice Teacher and moved into a Lead teaching role for many years before joining the Talent Team as a Faculty Recruiter. In recent seasons, she is now our Corporate Recruiter, serving our schools and home office in sourcing for non-teaching and corporate positions. Anne has always enjoyed the sense of community and friendship among Great Hearts faculty and communities. Ask her about her favorite place to hike in Arizona!
Former Great Hearts Math teacher and parent Cara Weddington now serves as a National Faculty Recruiter, overseeing the southeast region of the United States as well as many HBCU’s. Her presence in Georgia will enable her to direct the initial recruitment activities of the Great Hearts expansion into Florida. Cara is a mathematician at heart and loves that Great Hearts teaches students problem solving and critical thinking skills. Ask about her engineering experience at General Motors!
Initially drawn to Great Hearts as a 9th Grade Humane Letters teacher in San Antonio, Peyton Wofford now serves as a Faculty Recruiter for the San Antonio and Louisiana regions. Peyton works with the Department of Defense’s Skillbridge Program and other military pipelines to help service members (often newly separated and/or retired) begin civilian careers at our academies. She has a two-year-old puggle. What’s a puggle? Ask her!
Five years ago, San Antonio-based Talent Recruiter Andrianna Salazar joined Great Hearts as a Reading Interventionist and then made it her personal mission to serve in as many Special Services positions as possible, becoming a 504 Coordinator next and a Special Education Coordinator. She joined the Talent Team in the summer of 2021 and puts that wide array of special services experience to good use, helping new Special Student Services professionals find their forever homes at Great Hearts!
Originally hailing from Pennsylvania, Michael Mlodzienski found his home at Great Hearts as an Apprentice Teacher and Lead teacher after earning his master’s degree from St. John’s College Annapolis. His time in the classroom at Great Hearts has inspired his work as a National Faculty Recruiter, where he supports our North Texas region of academies and engages with local Texas colleges and universities. Ask him about his love of Hemingway's short stories!
Lacey Stapleton is our Visit Coordinator and she handles everything related to our on-campus visits. She taught for six years at Archway Arete in Gilbert, Arizona. She started as a Teaching Apprentice before becoming a lead teacher. Her favorite element of our curriculum is Singapore Math. A native Virginian, she attended the University of Virginia majoring in Italian and Religious Studies. She also holds an MBA from Arizona State. Lacey enjoys spending her days with her two young sons.
Initially drawn to Great Hearts as a parent and teacher, Felicia Snee now serves the network as an Arizona-based Faculty Recruiter and travels extensively to support our New England pipeline schools and programs. Felicia also oversees the coordination of student teachers for our Arizona schools and deepens other novel pipelines in Arizona. Felicia loves the Great Hearts mission of developing the hearts and minds of scholars through the Trivium. Ask her about her trip on the Queen Marry II!
With a passion for meeting Great Hearts candidates far and wide, Laura Hall Scott is a National Faculty Talent Recruiter based in Arizona, and she travels extensively to introduce new candidates to the rewarding career pathways at Great Hearts! Laura also enjoys connecting with local candidates at Phoenix area universities and career fairs, as well as contributing to Talent social media initiatives and graphic design projects. Ask her about her many adventures with her eight children!
Faculty Recruiter, Kate Mickley has enjoyed a long career teaching and leading with our Anthem Prep campus, where she initially served as an Apprentice Teacher before earning her degree and moving into a lead teaching position. She recently served as Assistant Headmaster at the Upper campus! Kate joined the Talent Team as a National Faculty Recruiter, where she supports our North Texas academies and engages with Texas colleges and universities. Ask her about her favorite coffee spots!
Newest Talent Team member Martha Davila-Womack is a National Faculty Recruiter located in San Antonio, who served as Math Interventionist for three years at the Western Hills campus. As a recruiter, she supports the San Antonio campuses and engages with major Texas colleges and universities in south Texas, as well as recruitment efforts within special student services. Martha enjoys her family time travel and outdoor recreation (including pickleball!) with husband and two active boys.