Administration
Erica Scheve, Director
Erica Scheve began homeschooling in 2008, which sparked a love for classical education. She has taught a variety of homeschool classes, conducted training for homeschool teachers, helped to develop high school humanities classes, and built much of the curriculum map for St. Thomas Classical Academy. She received a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from Central College. She and her husband Mark are proud parents of eight delightful girls, and happy parishioners at the Basilica of St. John.
Kara Storey, Coordinator of Home School Support
A transplant to Iowa from New Mexico, Dawn Ogden has a B.A. in American Studies from Hillsdale College and taught at a classical charter school in Colorado Springs, CO. She and her husband,Thomas, as well as their four children live in Norwalk on an acreage just south of Des Moines and attend St. Augustine Catholic Church.
Tami Lingor, Coordinator of Faith Formation
Tami received her Bachelor of Arts from Concordia College in Moorhead, MN, then her Master's in Social Work from OLLU in San Antonio, TX. She traded in her LICSW for mom and Air Force wife duties. With 20 years of homeschooling experience, the first half with military moves, Tami has been involved in co-ops and other various homeschool and religious education programs over the years. Her family settled in Norwalk, Iowa, after her husband retired from a 26 year Air Force career. Since arriving in Iowa, she has added Catechesis of the Good Shepherd to her experience. She is trained in Levels I, II & III and has served as a catechist in the atrium for seven years. Tami currently serves as our faith coordinator.
Rachel Marr, Admin Assistant
Rachel Marr is a wife, homemaker, and homeschool mom to eight children ranging in age from three up to eighteen. She grew up on a Christmas tree farm on the outskirts of Omaha, NE. Rachel graduated from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln with a degree in mechanical engineering in 2003 and she took her first job as a mechanical engineer with LMHT Associates, a smaller architect & engineering firm specializing in restaurant design. During the next 16 years of moving around the country for her husband’s graduate degree and career, and while adding babies to the family every couple of years, she worked part time from home for LMHT. Her family moved back to Des Moines (Windsor Heights), IA, in 2020 where they hope to remain planted. She would say the highlight of her life has been her journey to the Catholic faith. After a long and sometimes brutal wrestling with protestant doctrine and her evangelical/nondenominational background, she came home to the Catholic Church in 2010. She enjoys singing and being active with her family whether it’s taking long walks with her husband, Bud, or working in the yard with her kids.
Lindsay Maher, Upper School Coordinator
Lindsay, her husband John, and their four children live in Pleasant Hill. They are parishioners at the Basilica of St. John and are involved in teaching baptism preparation class, Troops of St. George, and Lindsay cantors. Lindsay runs her own personal financial education and advising business and volunteers with a couple different organizations educating and advocating for the preservation of God given natural rights and liberty. Lindsay holds a Bachelor of Science in biology, minor in chemistry, from the University of Northern Iowa and a Master of Science in microbiology (emphasis in virology) from the University of Iowa.
Jaine Pfantz, Curriculum Coordinator
Jaine, her husband Brad, and their four children reside in State Center where they are active parishioners at St. Joseph Catholic Church. Originally from Des Moines, she attended parochial grade school and Dowling Catholic High School. Her family has been classically homeschooling for ten years and was drawn to St. Thomas because of its strong combination of Catholic tradition and classical education. In her free time, she enjoys reading, baking, and experimenting with new recipes.
Zach Bishop, Business Assistant
Zach Bishop, along with his wife Ashley are proud parents of six children, four of whom attend St. Thomas Classical Academy. He is a strong proponent of St. Thomas Classical Academy and homeschooling, and loves the community and structure that STCA provides for his own family and the families of others in the community. He works as a sales director at Sammons Financial Group, and in his free time enjoys running (5k to Marathon), and spending time with his wife and kids. He is a graduate of the University of Nebraska and Dowling Catholic High School.
Bryan Gonzalez, Mass Assistant
Bryan, his wife, and nine children live in Winterset, where he is the Director of Development for InnerVisions HealthCare, an unplanned pregnancy and STD medical clinic. Bryan also consults with non-profits, doing workshops on effective board leadership and fundraising. He graduated with a Master’s degree in theology from the International Theological Institute in Austria in June 2010, then worked for a Benedictine monastery in Italy until 2015. Among his hobbies are being outdoors with his kids, reading the great works of Western Civilization, traveling, and speaking Italian and Latin.