Princeps
Nikki Carroll
valatinacademy@gmail.com
GLA Class: Theme lecture group project
Nikki Carroll earned a B.A. in Latin and Classics from Randolph-Macon College and an M.Ed. in Latin from the University of North Carolina - Greensboro. She is the World Languages Department Chair and teaches Latin and IB Theory of Knowledge at Trinity Episcopal School in Richmond, VA. This is her eleventh year being involved with the Latin Academy: she was a student in 2005, RA in 2008, teacher from 2012-2014, lead teacher 2015-2019, and now she is thrilled to be serving as director. Her favorite Latin authors are Ovid, Plautus, and Seneca the Younger. Outside of the Classics, she loves hanging out with her dog (Pot Roast), cat (Squeaks), and chickens (Ruth, Edith, and Dolores). You might also find her riding horses, teaching riding lessons, watching Survivor, or listening to true crime Podcasts.
Nikki Carroll
valatinacademy@gmail.com
GLA Class: Theme lecture group project
Nikki Carroll earned a B.A. in Latin and Classics from Randolph-Macon College and an M.Ed. in Latin from the University of North Carolina - Greensboro. She is the World Languages Department Chair and teaches Latin and IB Theory of Knowledge at Trinity Episcopal School in Richmond, VA. This is her eleventh year being involved with the Latin Academy: she was a student in 2005, RA in 2008, teacher from 2012-2014, lead teacher 2015-2019, and now she is thrilled to be serving as director. Her favorite Latin authors are Ovid, Plautus, and Seneca the Younger. Outside of the Classics, she loves hanging out with her dog (Pot Roast), cat (Squeaks), and chickens (Ruth, Edith, and Dolores). You might also find her riding horses, teaching riding lessons, watching Survivor, or listening to true crime Podcasts.
Lead Teacher
Phil Gallagher
GLA Class: Magical Women of Myth
Phil Gallagher taught Latin in Roanoke County for six years before moving to North Carolina to teach at Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy, a smaller charter school about an hour outside of Charlotte. He will be returning to Latin Academy for his sixth year as the spoken Latin teacher. He is a semi-professional gamer specializing in Magic: The Gathering; he runs an educational website for the game as well as regularly streams. He enjoys watching anime, going to conventions, and playing his Nintendo Switch. Essentially, he's a giant nerd and he's quite proud of it.
Phil Gallagher
GLA Class: Magical Women of Myth
Phil Gallagher taught Latin in Roanoke County for six years before moving to North Carolina to teach at Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy, a smaller charter school about an hour outside of Charlotte. He will be returning to Latin Academy for his sixth year as the spoken Latin teacher. He is a semi-professional gamer specializing in Magic: The Gathering; he runs an educational website for the game as well as regularly streams. He enjoys watching anime, going to conventions, and playing his Nintendo Switch. Essentially, he's a giant nerd and he's quite proud of it.
Teacher
Brent Cavedo
GLA Class: Theme lecture - "Nil Humani Alienum"
Brent Cavedo teaches upper school Latin at The Westminster Schools in Atlanta. He holds a BA in Latin and Classical Civilization from the University of Mary Washington as well as an MA in Latin and an MA in art history from the University of Georgia. This is his eleventh summer as a teacher at the Latin Academy. His favorite ancient texts are Ovid's Metamorphoses and Pliny the Elder's digressions on sculptors and painters. In his free time, he enjoys listening to music, walking in the park, running up hills, watching funny tv shows, and relaxing with his pets.
Brent Cavedo
GLA Class: Theme lecture - "Nil Humani Alienum"
Brent Cavedo teaches upper school Latin at The Westminster Schools in Atlanta. He holds a BA in Latin and Classical Civilization from the University of Mary Washington as well as an MA in Latin and an MA in art history from the University of Georgia. This is his eleventh summer as a teacher at the Latin Academy. His favorite ancient texts are Ovid's Metamorphoses and Pliny the Elder's digressions on sculptors and painters. In his free time, he enjoys listening to music, walking in the park, running up hills, watching funny tv shows, and relaxing with his pets.
Teacher
Noah Cogan
GLA Class: I'm the Bad Guy...Duh(?)
Noah Cogan earned his B.A. in Greek & Roman Studies from Vassar College and M.A. in Greek & Latin from the University of Maryland College Park. He currently teaches Latin and sponsors various organizations such as the Genders & Sexualities Alliance and Political Awareness Club at St. Catherine’s School in Richmond, VA. He is the resident novus homo of the Latin Academy this year and is looking forward to the experience. His favorite Latin & Greek authors include Homer, Vergil, Plautus, and Lucan. His interests outside of Greek & Roman culture are playing and listening to music, playing and watching soccer (Liverpool FC), board games and video games. He is also a low-key high-key Lord of the Rings nerd (if you challenge him to a game of trivia, YOU SHALL NOT PASS!).
Noah Cogan
GLA Class: I'm the Bad Guy...Duh(?)
Noah Cogan earned his B.A. in Greek & Roman Studies from Vassar College and M.A. in Greek & Latin from the University of Maryland College Park. He currently teaches Latin and sponsors various organizations such as the Genders & Sexualities Alliance and Political Awareness Club at St. Catherine’s School in Richmond, VA. He is the resident novus homo of the Latin Academy this year and is looking forward to the experience. His favorite Latin & Greek authors include Homer, Vergil, Plautus, and Lucan. His interests outside of Greek & Roman culture are playing and listening to music, playing and watching soccer (Liverpool FC), board games and video games. He is also a low-key high-key Lord of the Rings nerd (if you challenge him to a game of trivia, YOU SHALL NOT PASS!).
Teacher
Kevin Jefferson
GLA Class: Homer, Vergil, and Vergil's Homer: The Death of Pallas
Mr. Jefferson teaches Latin at St. Stephen's and St. Agnes School in Alexandria. He holds an MA in Classics from the University of Colorado Boulder and a BA in Classics from the University of Virginia. His Classical interests include epic poetry from Homer and Vergil to Lucan and Statius, Greek tragedy, conversational Latin and ancient Greek, and theories of myth. He also enjoys hiking and experimenting in the kitchen. This will be his sixth summer teaching at Latin Academy and producing the Memoranda DVD, full of pictures and memories from our three weeks in Ashland.
Kevin Jefferson
GLA Class: Homer, Vergil, and Vergil's Homer: The Death of Pallas
Mr. Jefferson teaches Latin at St. Stephen's and St. Agnes School in Alexandria. He holds an MA in Classics from the University of Colorado Boulder and a BA in Classics from the University of Virginia. His Classical interests include epic poetry from Homer and Vergil to Lucan and Statius, Greek tragedy, conversational Latin and ancient Greek, and theories of myth. He also enjoys hiking and experimenting in the kitchen. This will be his sixth summer teaching at Latin Academy and producing the Memoranda DVD, full of pictures and memories from our three weeks in Ashland.
Teacher
Tory Miller
GLA Class: The Monuments of Rome
Tory Miller teaches Latin at Harmony Middle School, Mercer Middle School, and previously Woodgrove High School in Loudoun County. She earned both her BA in Classics and MT in secondary Latin education at the University of Virginia. She attended the Latin Academy as a student in 2008, and worked for four years as an RA and lead RA at the 2013-2016 Academies. She is very excited to be returning to the Latin Academy as a teacher! Her classical interests include ancient art and architecture, and Roman satire. Outside of the classroom, she takes on the roles of UVA basketball fan, musical theater spectator, saxophone player, and cat photographer (her favorite subject being her own cat, Zoe!).
Tory Miller
GLA Class: The Monuments of Rome
Tory Miller teaches Latin at Harmony Middle School, Mercer Middle School, and previously Woodgrove High School in Loudoun County. She earned both her BA in Classics and MT in secondary Latin education at the University of Virginia. She attended the Latin Academy as a student in 2008, and worked for four years as an RA and lead RA at the 2013-2016 Academies. She is very excited to be returning to the Latin Academy as a teacher! Her classical interests include ancient art and architecture, and Roman satire. Outside of the classroom, she takes on the roles of UVA basketball fan, musical theater spectator, saxophone player, and cat photographer (her favorite subject being her own cat, Zoe!).
Lead Resident Advisor
Sallie Blanks
GLA Elective: Hollywood Whitewashing the Mediterranean
Sallie is thrilled to be serving her fourth time as an RA and second as Lead RA after attending the academy as a student in 2014. This past year she finished her Bachelor's and Master's degrees at the University of Virginia and she will begin working as the Latin and Mythology teacher at Brookville High School in Lynchburg, VA in the coming school year. She has previously interned at several schools in the Charlottesville area including Charlottesville High School, Monticello High School, Western Albemarle High School, Walker Upper Elementary School, and recently finished student teaching at E.C. Glass High School in Lynchburg, VA. Her classical interests include mythology, ancient Christianity, race in antiquity, and classical reception and interpretation (i.e. see picture). When she is not reciting the first few lines of Ecce Romani, you can find her playing board games, cheering on the UVa men's basketball team, watching period pieces, or reading old mystery novels (Cadfael, anyone?). She is currently anticipating academy adventures and thinking of a clever way to end her bio.
Sallie Blanks
GLA Elective: Hollywood Whitewashing the Mediterranean
Sallie is thrilled to be serving her fourth time as an RA and second as Lead RA after attending the academy as a student in 2014. This past year she finished her Bachelor's and Master's degrees at the University of Virginia and she will begin working as the Latin and Mythology teacher at Brookville High School in Lynchburg, VA in the coming school year. She has previously interned at several schools in the Charlottesville area including Charlottesville High School, Monticello High School, Western Albemarle High School, Walker Upper Elementary School, and recently finished student teaching at E.C. Glass High School in Lynchburg, VA. Her classical interests include mythology, ancient Christianity, race in antiquity, and classical reception and interpretation (i.e. see picture). When she is not reciting the first few lines of Ecce Romani, you can find her playing board games, cheering on the UVa men's basketball team, watching period pieces, or reading old mystery novels (Cadfael, anyone?). She is currently anticipating academy adventures and thinking of a clever way to end her bio.
Resident Advisor
Lexi Harrell
GLA Elective: Wait, Women Wrote Too? Ancient Women Writers
Lexi Harrell is a sophomore at Randolph-Macon College (where the academy is held!) with majors in Latin and Classics and a minor in Secondary Education. She attended the academy as a student in 2017 and is ecstatic to be returning as a staff member for the first time. At R-MC, she is also a Resident Assistant and the Latin tutor, as well as being a part of the executive board of the Classics Honor Society Eta Sigma Phi. She is also a proud Alpha Gamma Delta sister. She can’t wait to show you her campus (which she can’t seem to get enough of during the year) and introduce you to the Classics community at RMC. Her classical interests include ancient female writers (Sappho and Sulpicia!), Roman daily life, and, surprisingly, Latin grammar! Her strange addictions include taking too many disposable camera pictures (see picture that looks like it’s from the 90s), playing card games, and Tik Toks.
Lexi Harrell
GLA Elective: Wait, Women Wrote Too? Ancient Women Writers
Lexi Harrell is a sophomore at Randolph-Macon College (where the academy is held!) with majors in Latin and Classics and a minor in Secondary Education. She attended the academy as a student in 2017 and is ecstatic to be returning as a staff member for the first time. At R-MC, she is also a Resident Assistant and the Latin tutor, as well as being a part of the executive board of the Classics Honor Society Eta Sigma Phi. She is also a proud Alpha Gamma Delta sister. She can’t wait to show you her campus (which she can’t seem to get enough of during the year) and introduce you to the Classics community at RMC. Her classical interests include ancient female writers (Sappho and Sulpicia!), Roman daily life, and, surprisingly, Latin grammar! Her strange addictions include taking too many disposable camera pictures (see picture that looks like it’s from the 90s), playing card games, and Tik Toks.
Resident Advisor
JP Wilusz
GLA Elective: Latin Puns and Word Puzzles
James “JP” Wilusz is a rising 4th year Classics and Economics double major at the University of Virginia. He is currently serving his second term as the President of the Virginia Senior Classical League. After attending GLA in 2016, James is very excited to be returning to the Academy as a staff member. His favorite Latin authors are Cicero, Vergil, Ovid, and Petronius, and his classical interests include Roman History, Latin puns, word puzzles, and Certamen. James spends his summers as one of the coaches for the Virginia Intermediate Certamen team. Outside of the ancient realm, James enjoys spending his time playing video games, watching UVA sports (all of them) and Liverpool soccer, and singing with the Virginia Glee Club.
JP Wilusz
GLA Elective: Latin Puns and Word Puzzles
James “JP” Wilusz is a rising 4th year Classics and Economics double major at the University of Virginia. He is currently serving his second term as the President of the Virginia Senior Classical League. After attending GLA in 2016, James is very excited to be returning to the Academy as a staff member. His favorite Latin authors are Cicero, Vergil, Ovid, and Petronius, and his classical interests include Roman History, Latin puns, word puzzles, and Certamen. James spends his summers as one of the coaches for the Virginia Intermediate Certamen team. Outside of the ancient realm, James enjoys spending his time playing video games, watching UVA sports (all of them) and Liverpool soccer, and singing with the Virginia Glee Club.
