Staff

Connie Angstadt is a graduate of East Stroudsburg University in Pennsylvania with a Bachelor of Science in Special Education. She is certified to teach ages birth through twenty-one years. At Samford University, she received a Master of Education in School Administration. Growing up in Clarks Green, Pennsylvania, she attended Our Lady of Peace Catholic School. Previous professional experience includes teaching middle school students at Friendship House Day Treatment Center where she also worked as a psycho-education specialist. At Haverford High School in Philadelphia, Mrs. Angstadt created and implemented a work study program for her students. At Highland Park School in New Jersey, she taught middle school and assisted in school curriculum development.

Despite numerous family relocations, she continued to exhibit her passion for continuing her education by taking courses at schools such as Villanova and St. Joseph’s University. Upon moving to Alabama, she worked at the Early Intervention Center for Infants and Toddlers in Jasper. In Birmingham, she taught preschool for five years at Hunter Street Baptist Church, then served as the Director of Preschool at Bluff Park Methodist Church. In 2000, she opened Adventure Ark Playschool and Prince of Peace Catholic School. For over twenty years, through her role as principal, she has dedicated herself to implementing her school vision and to continuing school growth to meet the ever-evolving needs of the community. She and her family have been active members of the Prince of Peace Church community for over twenty years.

Debby Arnold is a graduate of Samford University where she received her Master’s in Elementary Education. She joined the Prince of Peace teaching family in 2009 after having taught at St. James in Gadsden, Alabama. Her enthusiasm for teaching can be detected a mile away. Perhaps her greatest teaching talent is her ability to truly discover each child's deepest love and foster opportunities for that interest to be developed to an even deeper level.

Jim Atkinson, a retired Civil Engineer, has been a member of the Prince of Peace family since the late 1980’s. Jim, his wife Roberta, and their children were among the founding members of the congregation.  He recalls how the church met in an office building in Bluff Park, Alabama, while plans for the current Church location were in their infancy. Jim served the parish as Chairperson of the Building Committee at that time and continued to lead the building efforts as the parish expanded its campus and opened its school.

In 2015 Jim oversaw the design and building of the Middle School building with state-of-the art safety features and energy efficient systems. Just this year, Jim oversaw the building of the newest addition that houses the priests' offices, enclosed bridge, new bathrooms, and new tech lab incorporating the newest technology advances. Jim continues to support the church and is an active part of the school community.

Lynn Bertolini is a graduate of the University of Alabama at Birmingham where she received both a Bachelor of Science in Business Management and a Master of Business Administration. She is a long-time member of the Catholic Diocese of Birmingham, attended Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic School, and graduated from John Carroll High School. In 2006, Lynn joined the Prince of Peace family as the school secretary and in 2012 moved to the position of bookkeeper. In 2017 Lynn began managing the finances of both the church and school as Finance Manager. She works meticulously at creating an office environment that attends promptly to the needs of each individual, while never underestimating the role of humor in brightening everyone’s day.

Kaitlyn Brown joined the Prince of Peace middle school team in January 2017. She has over 10 years of experience teaching the middle grades both here and in Nashville, Tennessee.  She has taught Spanish to grades 5-8 and 6-8th grade math. She currently teaches the 7th and 8th grade Course 3 Math classes as well as 7th grade Religion and Civics/Geography. Mrs. Brown has both her Bachelor and Master's degrees from Lipscomb University. She brings with her the ability to make all students learn to laugh at themselves and to feel comfortable in a math classroom. She has been a parishioner of our parish since childhood and is also a Prince of Peace parent.

Laura Brown is a graduate of Spring Hill College where she received a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education. Her graduate work was completed at the University of Montevallo where she received a Master’s degree in Elementary Education. She is also a graduate of McGill-Toolen Catholic High School. Mrs. Brown loves technology and mentors fellow teachers on its use in classroom curriculum. Cursive and study of the sacraments are prominent in her classroom. Students also create a structured piece of writing every week in her class and enjoy the daily writer’s workshop they experience. Students are soothed by the classical music filling her room, “obsessed” with her literature circles, and engaged with the her hands-on math centers.

Julie Buttrey is a native of New Orleans, LA, and has lived in Birmingham with her family since 1995. She holds a Bachelor's in Elementary Education from Troy State University and has been teaching for more than twenty years. Julie is very passionate about passing on the Catholic faith to her students and her own children. In both her home and the classroom, Julie recognizes that God did not make us the same and her compassionate teaching style helps children learn to accept each other’s differences, finding success through trial and error. She successfully helps her students recognize their individual gifts while growing into the person God intended them to be. When Julie is not teaching early elementary classes she spends time with her own large family of seven children playing games, baking, and simply being together.

My name is Ann Cortopassi. I am from Mobile, Alabama and just moved to Birmingham June 2020. We moved to Birmingham so my husband could start his residency at UAB hospital. This is my 8th year teaching. I taught third grade for 6 years and taught one year in second grade in Mobile. I attended the University of Alabama, where I received a Bachelors of Science in Elementary Education and after that received my Masters in Elementary Education at the University of South Alabama. I am so excited to be living in Birmingham and working at Prince of Peace! 

Amy Deer joined the POP preschool team in 2021. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education from Spring Hill College. She received her Master’s Degree in Education from the University of Montevallo. She is a parishioner at Prince of Peace and has been involved in the MOMS Group. She and her husband have two girls and a dog. Amy’s favorite things about teaching include hugs from the kiddos, watching them learn to help each other, and watching “light bulb moments” when a new concept clicks with them!

Mr. Doss serves as the President of Prince of Peace School and as the Operations Business Manager for the Parish. He joined Prince of Peace in May 2017 after wrapping up a successful 33-year career at the American Cancer Society as the Mid-South Division’s senior-most staff executive.  In that position, he held responsibility for driving development and implementation of the Society's mission and income strategies across six states.  Under his leadership, the Mid-South Division served over 59,000 cancer patients and caregivers; engaged thousands of volunteers to support community-based programs; inspired and equipped hundreds of companies to provide healthy workplaces; and raised $53 million annually to support the many programs of the Society.

As a lifelong Catholic and resident of the Birmingham area, Kelly has been extremely active in his parish and has served as parish finance chairman, PSR teacher, Eucharistic minister, reader, and also serves as a member of the Parish Council and choir.           

He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from the University of Alabama in Birmingham and has taken several post graduate business courses. He is also a past board member of several non-profit organizations.  Kelly and his wife Carla have three grown children and three granddaughters.

Megan Everett joined Prince of Peace in 2007 as the Director of Formation. She is a graduate of Indiana University with a Bachelor’s in Education and a Master’s of Adult Education. She also holds a Master’s in Pastoral Studies from Loyola University. Megan also holds a Master’s of Divinity, also from Loyola. Whether teaching Baptism Preparation, working with members of the Minus One Group, or serving as a Eucharistic Minister, Megan is inspired to share her passion for the love of Jesus with people of all ages. She enjoys the heartfelt discussions that come with her position and regularly integrates different types of media into her message to boost conversation.     

Sandy Hardee, R.N. graduated from the University of South Carolina with a Bachelor’s in Nursing. She joined forces with Kristie Bauer, R.N. in 2014 to work in the Prince of Peace Health Room. She works mainly on Fridays, attends most POP field trips, and also works as needed in the Health Room. Her nursing experience is in pediatrics, OB/GYN, medical/surgical, and community health. Sandy’s husband is retired from the Army. So she has had the opportunity to work in SC, NC, Germany, and Alabama. She also brings 17 years of being a mom and does her best to care for the students as if they were her own

Kati Horton is a graduate of the University of Alabama where she earned a Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood and Elementary Education. She is currently pursuing a Master's in Special Education from Mississippi College. Kati has assisted with almost every aspect of Prince of Peace and is among the founding members of the POP staff, having taught the school's first Kindergarten class.  She has even served as the President of the School Board in 2008 and 2009. Prior to teaching at Prince of Peace, she taught kindergarten at Sacred Heart Cathedral School in Knoxville, Tennessee. Kati especially enjoys creating lessons which incorporate multiple learning styles. Her unique ability to reach each learner allows for the success of each individual student. Under her tender and uplifting care, students blossom and thrive.

Alex is new to the POP family this year! After graduating from the University of Alabama in 2014 with a Bachelors in Broadcasting, she completed her Masters in the Art of Teaching (Elementary Education) at Mercer University in Atlanta, GA. Prior to working at POP, Alex worked at Christ the King School in Atlanta for 3 years. She believes in using hands-on learning techniques, excitement, and humor to keep her students engaged.

Vicki Jordan joined Prince of Peace Catholic School in August 2018. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education/Early Childhood Education and a Master’s Degree in School Counseling. Vicki is a parishioner of Prince of Peace Catholic Church and has 2 children that attend POP and one child that attends John Carroll Catholic High School. She is dedicated to making a positive impact in the lives of POP students and help facilitate their social, emotional, and academic success.

Stacey started her teaching career at POP in 2001, when she came on as a Kindergarten teacher. Stacey has also spent a number of years as a third grade teacher. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Early Childhood Education from Montevally University, Stacey is known for her calm, happy nature in the classroom. She welcomes the energy of her students and encourages each child to develop their skills as strong readers. Although she loves literature, Stacey also believes students learn by doing and loves the hands-on math and science learning methods that help her students become confident thinkers. 

Hannah joined the Prince of Peace Church staff in 2019 as Youth Minister and joined the Prince of Peace School staff in 2021. She graduated from Auburn University in 2018 with a degree in Human Development and Family studies. Upon graduation, she went to work at a preschool in Lake Tahoe, CA. She loves helping lead kids in their education and faith life, and finds them equally important.

Ale joined Prince of Peace in 2013 as the Preschool and Kindergarten Spanish teacher. She grew up in Mexico and came to the US with her husband and three daughters. Although she studied Accounting in school, she felt her calling was to work with children. Ale uses laughter, movement, and fun to introduced to the Spanish language to her students.

This is Erica Neumann's first year teaching at Prince of Peace, and she is so excited to begin the year!  Previously, she taught 7th and 8th grade English at Mountain Brook Junior High.  Erica attended OLV and John Carroll, and she graduated from UAB with a bachelor’s in English in 2009.  She recently earned her Master’s in Education in Secondary English Language Arts.  Prior to returning to school, she spent many years as a legal assistant.  However, Erica's passion for literature and her desire to help students develop into analytical thinkers and skilled writers led her to become an English teacher. Regardless of students' interests, Mrs. Neumann hopes to help them gain the skills to better pursue those passions as they advance in their educations and lives.

While she is new to teaching at POP, her family is not new to the POP community as both her boys have attended the school since preschool.  When Erica is not at school, she loves to cook adventurous foods, read about far off places, and cheer on LSU.

Mary Elizabeth Sammis is new to Alabama, moving from the Tampa, Florida area. Mary Elizabeth joined the Prince of Peace team in 2017 teaching 7th and 8th grade science classes, and 7th grade religion. Her prior teaching experience comes from Corpus Christi School as the STEM teacher, where she began in 2013. She has extensive experience with the NEXGEN science standards, which is the new curriculum the Diocese of Birmingham has adopted. Mary Elizabeth has numerous relevant courses in science fields from her work at the University of South Florida, and experience with the Dauphin Island Sea Lab. She is also in the process of working on her Master’s degree in Learning and Cognition from Florida State University.

Barbara Sanders is a graduate of Troy University with a double Bachelor’s of Science in Special Education and Elementary Education.  She is certified to teach children ages preschool through twenty-one years.  Barbara also has a Master’s of Education in Learning Disabilities.  Barbara also pursued a Master’s of Religious Education at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. She has a Reading Recovery Endorsement from Georgia State University. During the spring of 2017, she attended and received a certificate in the Orton-Gillingham method of teaching reading. Barbara has experience in both public and parochial teaching in Alabama, Louisiana, and Georgia. She has taught within the general education classroom, self-contained, resource, and inclusion settings with experience in grades Kindergarten through twelfth. Barbara’s experience in and out of the classroom has confirmed her calling to be an educator. Her patience, flexibility, and love for learning are reflected with students, as well as co-workers.

Joanna Settine has been at Prince of Peace since the school began in 2000. She has a Bachelor’s from Auburn University. She teaches and leads the choir (5th-8th grade students) who perform at weekly Mass, and also teaches preschool music. She shares her love of both music and art with Kindergarten through 5th grade students, teaches middle school band, and provides after-school music lessons in a number of instruments. Her unique and humble abilities bring out the amazing God given talents in all of her students. 

Although Kelly enjoys the rigor of her detail-oriented position, her gentle nature is always present in the halls and at Prince of Peace Church where she has served as a volunteer Catechism and Vacation Bible School instructor over the years.

Gail Stromeyer joined Prince of Peace in August 2016. Gail has a Bachelor of Science from Loyola University in Secondary Education. Gail also went on to become a certified teacher in elementary education. Mrs. Stromeyer is from the New Orleans area and has been involved with Catholic schools her whole life. She currently is the Director of Technology for POP. She brings a wealth of technology experience to POP. She is mom to two married children and is the grandmother to three grandchildren.

Jess Swetz relocated to Alabama with her husband and four children in June 2015, and began teaching at the school in 2016 after becoming a parishioner. Jess has a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and is certified to teach Special Education, Elementary Education, and middle school Social Studies. Currently, she teaches middle school Social Studies and Religion. Prior to coming to POP Jess taught middle school Social Studies and Religion at Holy Spirit Catholic School in Rochester, MN, where for ten years, she also ran Vacation Bible School, and helped with musical theater. Jess has a unique perspective of student life being both a mother and teacher of POP students. She finds that her understanding fuels her committment to the school's programs which are designed to maximize student success. 

Barbie Taylor joined Prince of Peace in the summer of 2014 as the school secretary. She holds a Bachelor’s in Education from the University of Alabama - Birmingham, with a minor in Economics, and also holds a degree in Paralegal from Samford University. Following her 16 years as an English teacher at  Our Lady of Sorrows, Birmingham, and Bessemer City Schools, Barbie worked in the OLS school library, part-time.

As the school secretary, Barbie’s smiling face is ready to greet all visitors to Prince of Peace. She combines her understanding of school operations with humor in dealing with everyday issues common in her work. She is uplifting, fun, and knows the names of nearly every student in the school!

Susie began teaching at Prince of Peace in 2013. She currently teaches Spanish to 1st-6th grades and serves as a Language Lab Instructor for 7th and 8th grade. She previously taught Spanish at Westminster Upper School, Briarwood Christian School, Covenant Christian School (St. Louis), and Virginia College (Birmingham) as well as two Homeschool programs. Susan graduated from the University of Montevallo with a degree in Social Work and Psychology.

Sharon is currently a teacher in our preK four year old classroom, where she has worked for several years. Sharon also taught Kindergarten at POP from 2000, when the school first opened, through 2007. She holds a Bachelors degree from University of Alabama, Birmingham and has been a classroom teacher in preschool through 5th grade, as well as Special Education. 

Sharon is a fun-loving personality completely committed to the children in her care. She is relaxed and happy which is evident in how her students interact as they prepare for their future in Kindergarten. 

April Wittmann is a graduate of Texas Tech University where she received a BS in Early Childhood Education and a Masters of Education in Language and Literacy Education.  Mrs. Wittmann loves sharing her passion for books with children and helping develop a lifelong love of reading in her students.  She believes that children learn best through hands-on learning; therefore, fun and engaging centers are an integral part of her classroom.  Mrs. Wittmann also loves connecting the arts into her curriculum through art/drawing, music, and drama, such as acting stories out.  She enjoys teaching at her home parish where she has been a member and Eucharistic Minister for the past 6 years.