Meet Our Faculty
Our faculty receives ongoing training by the Institute for Catholic Liberal Education
Staff & Teachers
Blaise Hockel
HEADMASTER
Mr. Blaise Hockel has been an educator for nearly twenty years. Originally from California, Mr. Hockel has founded and consulted schools throughout the United States.
Mr. Hockel holds a Master’s of Education in Curriculum and Instruction. He loves being a teacher, a headmaster, and is deeply grateful to be part of the OLPA community!
Ed Wilkinson
DEAN OF STUDENT ENGAGEMENT
Mr. Wilkinson and his wife, Linda, nurtured The Wilkinson school for 32 years.
"It is our vision that when children come to Our Lady of the Pillar Academy, they will receive a strong academic education based on a classical Catholic curriculum, as well as an everlasting spiritual formation by experiencing a school culture founded on the goodness, truth and beauty of Christ the Teacher."
Helene Bergez
TEACHER
Ms. Bergez has taught for seven years in a Great Hearts Academy in Dallas, Texas, with an enrollment of 850 students. She is from California, but graduated from the University of Dallas with a B.A. in Art History, concentrating in Ceramics.
Elizabeth Ielmini
TEACHER
Miss Ielmini is from the San Joaquin Valley in California. She studied theology at the International Theological Institute in Trumau, Austria. She has been a high school and middle school teacher in Texas and in Colorado and has a deep love for teaching in the classical tradition and being able through it to introduce her students to the many good and wonderful things of the world and God
Gladys Sanchez
TEACHER
Ms. Sanchez is an anthropologist and psychology major graduate from San Francisco State University. She is bilingual, a parishioner of Our Lady of the Pillar, a volunteer of many organizations
Board Members
Derek Kulda
CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD
Juliette Kulda
DIRECTOR
James Hudon
DIRECTOR
Kristy Hudon
DIRECTOR
Maggie Mattel
DIRECTOR
Jose Villalobos
DIRECTOR
Dr. Michael Kelleher
SCIENCE TEACHER
A former University of Notre Dame football player and twenty-four year missionary to Nigeria, Dr. Kelleher is a lifelong teacher. He brings us a wealth of experience, and a PhD in chemistry.