Knightly News

Please join us in welcoming the newest members of our Episcopal community.

Lower School

Emily Godfrey '98

Former Episcopal second grade teacher Emily Godfrey ’98 returns to her second grade classroom and alma mater this year. Godfrey previously taught Episcopal second graders and fourth graders. Before that, she was a first and sixth grade teacher at Parkview Baptist School. Godfrey earned a Bachelor of Science in education from Louisiana State University and a Master of Education with a concentration in English through the LSU Holmes Program.

Laura Smith

This year, Laura Smith transitions to the role of Kindergarten Instructional Assistant. Smith has worked in several capacities within the Lower School community, recently serving as a third grade teacher. In addition to classroom experience at Episcopal, Laura taught fourth grade public school students for four years. She earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Louisiana State University and is certified to teach kindergarten through fifth grade. ​

Amanda Tupper

Amanda Tupper brings a wealth of classroom experience to her role as a third grade teacher. Tupper began her teaching career in 2006 as a middle school teacher and in 2010 transitioned to the elementary classroom. Tupper recently taught first grade at the Dunham School. As an educator in Tennessee for many years, she was recognized as the 2012-2013 ACES Distinguished Teacher of the Year and voted the 2007 I-24 Exchange “Best Teacher.” She is also a graduate of the Cheatham County Aspiring Administrators Academy. In addition to her classroom experience, Tupper has served as a middle school volleyball coach and a middle school yearbook advisor. She earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree in education from Austin Peay State University. Tupper is married to Lower School music teacher Jordan Tupper and they have two daughters.

Jordan Tupper

As the Lower School music teacher, Jordan Tupper is well versed in music education and has extensive experience performing on a range of instruments. He began his career as a Director of Bands in 2008 at Sycamore High School in Tennessee. Since then, he has served as a music teacher, university rehearsal assistant and Director of Instrumental Music for programs, including Port Allen High School/Port Allen Middle School and the Dunham School. Tupper earned a bachelor’s degree in music and religious studies from Elon University and a master’s degree in music education from Austin Peay State University. He is actively involved in professional organizations, including the Louisiana Music Education Association, the Louisiana Jazz Educators Association and the National Association for Music Education. Tupper is also active in the community serving on the Woodland Ridge Homeowners’ Association and previously serving as a City of Pleasant View, Tennessee Alderman and County Commissioner. His previous career experience includes working as a behavior modification teacher, a mental health professional, a youth coordinator, a young adult minister and a freelance musician. Tupper is an Apple Certified Educator and a Google Certified Educator. He is married to Lower School teacher Amanda Tupper and they have two daughters.

Middle School

Chantal Castille

Originally from Chile and a native Spanish speaker, Chantal Castille has a passion for languages. She joins the Middle School Spanish team after six years at Bishop Noland Episcopal Day School in Lake Charles. At Bishop Noland, Castille taught lower, middle and upper school students and was a Spanish summer camp director. Castille is an independent translator and interpreter and an English and Spanish private instructor. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in foreign languages with a concentration in Spanish and a Master of Arts in teaching secondary Spanish education from McNeese State University. She is a member of the Louisiana Foreign Language Teachers Association, the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, the Junior League of Baton Rouge and a former House Corporation President of Chi Omega fraternity in Lake Charles. She is a nationally certified Child Passenger Safety Technician and serves on the Louisiana Passenger Safety Task Force.

Isabella Runge

After 17 years as a PreK French teacher and grade leader at the Baton Rouge International School, Isabella Runge joins Episcopal as the Middle School French teacher. At BRIS, Runge collaborated with the PreK teaching team to create the PYP International Program. She also developed the school’s full French curriculum. Prior to that, Runge was a Dutch language teacher in the City of Saint-Ghislain, Belgium. She also served as an elementary French teacher at Gonzales Primary School in Ascension Parish. Runge is a native French speaker with knowledge of Italian and Dutch. She is a Louisiana Certified Teacher and earned a bachelor’s degree in foreign language education from the Institut D’enseignement Superior Pedagogique in Mons, Belgium. 

J. Scott Stephenson

J. Scott Stephenson joins Episcopal as a Middle School English teacher. Stephenson recently taught seventh grade English and social studies at Jefferson Terrace Academy. Prior to that, he spent five years as a seventh grade Reading Writing Workshop teacher at Louisiana State University Laboratory School, where he also sponsored the chess club. Stephenson has worked with gifted students as the gifted resource instructor at Iberville Math, Science & Arts Academy West in Plaquemine. He has sponsored chess clubs and established a chess elective course. Stephenson was the Iberville Academy’s head girls high school soccer coach. He also coached Plaquemine High School and middle school boys soccer. Stephenson earned a Bachelor of Science in secondary education, English and a Master in Education in gifted education from Louisiana State University.

Alex Wharton

Alex Wharton brings a decade of college coaching experience to his role with the Episcopal athletics department. Wharton’s college basketball coaching experience includes stints at Lonestar College, Angelo State University, University of Houston, UT Chattanooga, Virginia Commonwealth and Louisiana State University. He is also active in sports ministry through the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Wharton earned a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology from the University of Houston and a master’s degree in sports administration from Angelo State University. He is married to Episcopal girls basketball head coach Taylor Wharton, and they have one daughter.

Cross Divisional

Casey Duncan

Casey Duncan serves as the Assistant Chaplain for Episcopal School of Baton Rouge. She previously served as the Episcopal Upper School religion teacher and a long-term Lower School religion substitute teacher. Duncan earned a bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M University and a Master of Theological Studies with an emphasis in New Testament Studies from the Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria, Virginia. She is pursuing a Doctor of Ministry with an emphasis in ministry of educational leadership from the Virginia Theological Seminary. Before joining Episcopal, Duncan was the Program Coordinator and Lay Head of Congregation for the University of Texas Episcopal Campus Ministry. At the time, the UT campus ministry was the largest Episcopal college ministry in the country. Duncan worked with a student vestry, preached sermons, led worship services, offered pastoral care and much more. She is an active community volunteer serving as a Manna Giver with the Society of St. Vincent de Paul and an adult Christian education teacher and volunteer with St. James Episcopal Church. While in Texas, she was a member of the College Ministry Advisory Board, the University of Texas Interfaith Council and a Safeguarding God’s Children and Safeguarding God’s People trainer. Duncan is a proud mother to Carolena and Nils. 

Louis Gagliano

In addition to his role as Technical Theatre Director, Louis Gagliano will now also serve as the Visual & Performing Arts Department Director. Gagliano has worked behind the scenes for many years on Episcopal’s theatre productions, creating sets, establishing lighting plans and teaching an Upper School technical theatre class. He is well known for his lighting expertise and has done work with LSU’s Swine Palace and Theatre Baton Rouge. He has designed plans for productions everywhere from New York City, Chicago and Sag Harbor to North Carolina and Tennessee. Gagliano earned a master’s degree in lighting design from Ohio University. In 2019, Gagliano earned the BroadwayWorld New Orleans Best Lighting Design Award for his work on “Cabaret” at Theatre Baton Rouge.

Lily McGill

Lily McGill joins Episcopal as the Middle/Upper School Theatre Production Director. McGill was recently a social studies and theatre teacher at St. Joseph’s Academy. While at St. Joseph’s, she taught AP Psychology, Theatre I-IV and Technical Theatre. She served as the Black Box Company moderator, directed three productions per school year, planned theatre workshops and coordinated the annual trip to the State Thespian Festival in Natchitoches. She also served as the Habitat for Humanity moderator. Each summer, McGill organizes a two-week play production camp sponsored by Theatre Baton Rouge. As a camp instructor, she teaches sixth through twelfth grade students improvisation, vocal technique and basic acting methods. McGill has extensive directing, acting and technical theatre experience. She has directed or co-directed more than 20 productions with local groups including Theatre Baton Rouge, St. Joseph’s, Playmakers of Baton Rouge and the Musical Theatre Club at LSU. McGill has earned roles in nearly 30 productions affiliated with organizations including Theatre Baton Rouge, Swine Palace, LSU, Theatre Baton Rouge and has performed at the Mahalia Jackson Theatre. She has also served as a wig, scenic and costume designer, and stage manager. McGill earned a Bachelor of Arts in History with a minor in theatre studies and a Master of Arts in teaching secondary education with a social studies concentration from Louisiana State University. 

Jaazhel Villegas Morales, LPN

As the Middle and Upper School nurse, Jaazhel Villegas Morales, LPN, seeks to provide a safe and healthy environment for students. Morales recently served as the school nurse at the Baton Rouge International School. In that role, she provided a range of health-related services, including leading and organizing a first response team, medication administration, injury assessment and medical record keeping. She is an American Heart Association CPR and first aid instructor and a bloodborne pathogens instructor. Morales is also a certified Louisiana Child Care Health Consultant (LACCHC) providing local early childhood centers with mandatory annual health and safety classes and mentorship throughout the year. Morales is a graduate of Delta College of Arts and Technology and is currently studying at Baton Rouge Community College. She speaks English and Spanish and has provided medical translation services.

Upper School

Anita Gilmore

Anita Gilmore uses differentiated instruction, creative motivation and project-based learning methods to ensure student success in her social studies classroom. Gilmore recently taught AP US Government & Politics at Scotlandville Magnet High School. School administrators chose Gilmore to represent the school at the Hybrid Teaching Strategies and Tips workshop sponsored by the East Baton Rouge Parish School System’s Leadership Institute. In addition to teaching, Gilmore served as the Scotlandville college and career coordinator. She was honored as the 2019-2020 Scotlandville Magnet High Teacher of the Year. Gilmore also taught history at St. Amant High School in St. Amant and O. Perry Walker High School in New Orleans. She earned a Bachelor of Science in psychology from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University and a Master of Public Administration from Southern University and A&M College. Gilmore is a member of the National Council for Social Studies and Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority.

Jason Hanks, Ed.D.

Upper School English teacher Jason Hanks, Ed.D, has a wealth of expertise in the field of education, having served as a Dean of Academics, Assistant Principal, University of San Francisco Adjunct Professor and educational consultant. Most recently, Hanks was an English teacher, mentor teacher and ACT prep club advisor at Liberty Magnet High School. He served in numerous roles during his 13-year tenure at Catholic High School, including Assistant Principal for Instruction, Assistant Principal for Formation, Assistant Principal for Discipline and numerous club moderator positions. He also served as the St. Joseph’s Academy Dean of Academics. Hanks earned a doctorate in educational leadership from Southeastern Louisiana University with a dissertation titled “Data-Driven Decision Making in Private/Religious Schools.” He was awarded the Dr. Preston B. Allison Outstanding Dissertation Award for his work. He has presented at the National AP Conference in Washington, DC, the National Catholic Educational Association, the Louisiana Research Association Conference and the Mid-South Research Educational Association. He was named the 2013 National Catholic Educational Association Distinguished Secondary Educator of the Year for the Diocese of Baton Rouge. He participated in a teaching mission trip to Zambia and the Coindre Leadership Program in Lyon, France. 

Jeff McLean, P.E.

Jeff McLean, P.E., returns to Episcopal’s Upper School science department after recently serving as the Vice President of Engineering for Bascom Hunter Technologies. In 2018, McLean taught Episcopal AP science courses and served as the robotics team mentor. He brings a wealth of experience and expertise in mechanical engineering to the classroom. Throughout his career, McLean has served in leadership roles, including Director of Engineering, Manager of Engineering and Project Manager. In the classroom, he strives to use that experience to inspire young people to develop problem-solving skills and understand the world around them. McLean earned a Ph.D. and master's degree in mechanical engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia. Prior to that, he earned a Bachelor of Science in the same field from Louisiana State University.  McLean was named a 40 Under 40 honoree by the Baton Rouge Business Report in 2008. He holds a patent for a method of manufacturing a micro tube heat exchanger and has had his work published in multiple journals.  McLean’s children, Nate and Carter, both attend Episcopal.

Patrick Stephens

Patrick Stephens joins the Upper School English department after serving as the English Department Chair at Ascension Christian High School in Gonzales. In addition to his role as department chair, Stephens taught juniors and seniors. Before that, he taught college-level English at Southeastern Louisiana University and Baton Rouge Community College. Stephens earned a Bachelor of Arts in English and Creative Writing from Louisiana State University and a Master of Arts in English Literature from Southeastern. He is qualified as a Dual Enrollment Course Facilitator and an ACT Test Center Manager.

Staff

Alli Bourgeois

Alli Bourgeois is the Development Operations Assistant in the Episcopal Advancement Office. A native of Baton Rouge, she earned a Bachelor of Arts in mass communications and a Master of Arts in liberal arts from Louisiana State University. Before joining the team, Alli spent five years at the Tiger Athletic Foundation, where her love for development began. After this realization, she decided to pursue a career in advancement and is thrilled to fulfill this dream at Episcopal. Alli is ecstatic to be a Knight and looks forward to helping our community continue to flourish.