Meet Our Staff

Dr. Mary Kay Clark, the Director of Seton Home Study School, holds her Ph.D. in Education from Assumption University (1983). She also holds two Masters Degrees, one in Library Science (Case Western Reserve) and the other in Christian School Administration (Grace College).

In addition to her degrees, she has years of teaching experience as a grade school teacher and principal at Mater Dei Academy in Columbus, Ohio. Most importantly, Dr. Clark homeschooled her seven sons for almost two decades from Kindergarten through High School.

As a parent and an educator, her concern has always been to provide a solidly Catholic education to every Seton student and to create an atmosphere where Seton students, especially in high school, have the best opportunity to succeed in their studies and maximize their potential.

Ken Clark is a graduate of Christendom College and received an MA in education and a law degree from the Catholic University of America. A few of his areas of expertise include organizational management, constitutional law, and art history.

Ken is a committed advocate of parental rights and Catholic homeschooling, and has helped lead Seton along with his mother, Dr. Mary Kay Clark, since the late 1980’s. Since Seton Press first started publishing textbooks in color, Seton has gained a reputation for its focus on Catholic art largely due to Ken’s work in photographing the masterworks of Catholic culture from museums and churches across the world.

Kevin Clark graduated from Christendom College with a history degree, which he promptly put into use by working in the computer field. He has owned a software development company and now is the Director of Computer Operations for Seton Home Study School. His writings have appeared in Reflections, The Teaching Home, Hereditas, The Annals of Ste. Anne de Beaupre, and Catholic Men’s Quarterly.

Draper Warren is the Director of Admissions and Conferences at Seton Home Study School and the Administrator of Catholic Harbor. He is a Seton alumnus, a graduate of Christendom College, and is currently completing an M.B.A. degree.

Rhonda Way graduated from Boston University with a degree in Political Science. Rhonda had experience in administration before she came with Seton Home Study School in 2000 as a grader. Very quickly, Rhonda took over as the Administrator and Evaluator of all the Elementary Graders, and after a few years, became Head of the whole Grading Department. She answers questions dealing with grades and grading for the High School students, while her assistant, Bruce Hacker, answers questions regarding grades and grading for the Elementary level students.

Stephen received his Bachelor of Science Magna Cum Laude in Psychology and Religion from the University of Mary Washington in 2000, and his Master of Teaching in Special Education with an endorsement in Learning Disabilities from the University of Virginia in 2002. He spent two years teaching children with learning difficulties in the public school system and has experience administering and interpreting the Woodcock Johnson III Achievement Test and designing and implementing IEPs and Behavior Modification Plans. Stephen taught a First Communion Catechism class at St. Joseph’s in Richmond. He is married with eight young children.

Joe Sparks is the Director of Multimedia Development at Seton. He has an M.A.Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in Instructional Technology from Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, VA. He lives with his wife and five children in the mountains of Northern Virginia.

John Adams is the Director of Curriculum Development.

Jim graduated from Florida Atlantic University with a B.B.A. in Business Administration. He and his wife Betsy raise children and chickens in the Shenandoah Valley and are members of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church.

Mr. Clark, a Who’s Who historian, majored in history at John Carroll University and the University of Alaska before serving two tours of duty as a Green Beret Captain in U.S. Special Forces. Since his return from military service, he has taught or supervised almost every level of academic and vocational education. He has also been a radio talk show host, as well as a consultant and speaker for a variety of historical and political organizations. A home schooling father of seven, Mr. Clark has been the Seton Historian since 1989. The author of five historical novels: The Custer Legacy, The Castro Conspiracy, The Blood-Red Flag, Redcoats and Rebels, and The American Renegade.

Cecilia has been with Seton since 1998. She home schooled her daughter from 7th grade through 12th grade with Seton. Her past work experience includes working with industrial engineers and as a technician in a quality control laboratory. She is available for general curriculum questions, elementary math help, assistance with how to home school, and encouragement for moms.

Greetings! John Thorp here, at your service in the Admissions Department to help you enroll in our school. Whether it’s transitioning from a public/private school, re-enrollment, or pursuing a High School diploma, I am here to assist you in making the right decisions with your family’s homeschooling plans.

I hold a Master’s degree in Education, a BA in Liberal Studies, and have been a credentialed teacher in California, Texas, and Hawaii. As a proud Seton homeschooling father of five children, my wife and I have dealt with many of the same questions you may have. Helping you begin and succeed in your homeschooling journey would be a great honor for me. I truly look forward to hearing from you.

Originally from Malta, Esther assists in planning and coordinating vendors, sponsorship and facility floor plans for homeschool conferences and also assists with online enrollments and placement tests in the Admissions department for the past three years

Kathleen Hunt joined the Department of Special Services in October, 2013.  She has a B.S. degree in Elementary Education, and has earned graduate credits in the areas of British Literature and Political Science from The College of New Jersey.  She has a Collegiate Professional VA Teaching License - PreK-6th grade, and a NJ Teaching Certification in Elementary Education for K-8th grades.   As the Assistant Director of Special Services Kathleen designs and modifies curricula for students based on their learning strengths and challenges.  Kathleen's career in the field of Education spans twenty-five years. She worked at Princeton Public Library for ten years.  She taught at St. Paul's School in Princeton, NJ, Wakefield Country Day School in Flint Hill, VA, and Linton Hall School in Bristow, VA.  Kathleen also worked in the Resource Room at Our Lady of Good Counsel School in Vienna, VA teaching children with special needs ranging from 2nd through 7th grades.  She addressed a myriad of academic, emotional, and behavioral needs as she implemented her students' I.E.P.s.  She also taught at St. Padre Pio Learning Academy, Front Royal, VA. Kathleen's educational experiences have enabled her to hone her skill as an active listener when counseling parents.  She encourages new or overwhelmed parents by sharing a variety of teaching strategies, as well as assisting them in tweaking daily schedules, or lesson plans, presenting a positive can-do stance, and reassuring them of her continued phone, and email support throughout their homeschooling journey.  Kathleen's aim is to foster the "Joy of Learning" with students and the families, who are enrolled in Special Services.  She is married with two children and five grandchildren.  Kathleen is a member of the Legion of Mary at St. John the Baptist Church in Front Royal, VA.

Listen to an Interview with Karen Eriksson-Lee:

Karen Eriksson-Lee holds a Bachelor of Science for Dance with a Minor in Psychology from Shenandoah University, and a Master of Education from Shippensburg University. She began working in Seton’s Special Services Department January of 2018. In 1987 Eriksson-Lee founded the Northern VA Academy of Ballet in Front Royal, VA, where she is Artistic Director, and choreographs for her performing ensemble Dancing by His Grace. She is a professional ballet teacher, private coach and guest teacher.

Karen has taught academically and artistically for over 30 years with children of all abilities from pre-k to young adult, in private and public schools in both Virginia and Pennsylvania. She developed and implemented a Bible school program at St. John the Baptist Roman Catholic Church in Front Royal, VA, and taught at their home school co-op Guild of the Holy Spirit when her children were young. She worked in the Autism Unit at Grafton school, and at the Evans Home for Children for abused and under-privileged children in Frederick County, VA. She has worked in both public and private schools as a teacher and para-professional to children with Autism and those with Learning Disabilities.

Karen has taught ballet since 1985, developing her own Pre-Ballet curriculum over the last three decades, which has given the foundation for many young dancers to succeed and excel in their dance training. She is a licensed MUSIKGARTEN teacher, an Early Childhood Music Program that promotes musical awareness, respect for each other and the world around us, trains the ear, prepares children for both ballet and private music lessons, and promotes literacy and higher-order thinking. Eriksson-Lee has taught students from around the world in Musikgarten and ballet from preschool to pre-professional and is passionate about mentoring children to reach for their dreams.

Karen has three grown children who she home schooled, and who grew up in her studio. They danced in professional productions of George Balanchine’s “The Nutcracker”, and numerous other ballets through the years at the internationally recognized Central PA Youth Ballet where she was on Faculty from 2006-2016 until she resigned to finish up her Master’s Degree. She has written numerous children’s picture books which she is pursuing publication of. Karen loves spending time with her family, and helping her mother with the animals on the family farm. She loves learning, and instilling a love of learning in her students.

Karen is one of the first people you will speak with when calling the Special Services Department, and she is ready to answer questions, help you solve problems, and create strategies to help you in the education of your child!

Walker has over twenty years’ experience with Seton Home Study School, both as a student (1994–graduation in 2001) and as a counselor since 2007. He has graded, developed curriculum and resources, assisted in Seton’s accreditation process, and contributed subject matter expertise for Seton’s aligned English courses. He served as a research assistant for the Seton Press edition of The Ballad of the White Horse.

Walker’s postsecondary education began at Our Lady of Corpus Christi College in Texas—highlights of which were editing the campus newspaper and weekly Scrabble games with Dr. Ronda Chervin—before transferring to the Franciscan University of Steubenville. At Franciscan, he was the editor of one of the campus publications and a columnist for two others. His semester in the university’s study abroad program included visits to Italy, Poland, and Russia. He graduated with a BA in English, with a Writing concentration.

He is currently obtaining a Master's degree in English from Ohio Dominican University.

Sean joined Seton in early 2019 as High School English Counselor. He has lived most of his life in Virginia, having moved into the Front Royal area in 1997. Sean began his formal academic career at Lord Fairfax Community College after graduating from Wakefield Country Day School in Huntly, VA. While at LFCC, he served the college and surrounding community as the VP of Marketing Officer for Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society, helping raise funds for veteran students and cancer research. In May 2016, Sean graduated summa cum laude with an Associate of Arts and Sciences Degree in General Studies as an Honors Program Scholar while also being named the Outstanding Graduate for the Class of 2016.

After graduating at LFCC, Sean transferred to Benedictine College in Atchison, KS to pursue a degree in English. During his studies, he was committed to campus ministry by playing the violin at daily masses and the monthly “Underground” outreach events. Sean also was a student missionary with Saint Paul’s Outreach, living with full-time missionaries and leading a men’s small group. For excellence in the study of English and the Spanish language, Sean was inducted into both the International English Honor Society, Sigma Tau Delta, and the National Foreign Language Honor Society, Alpha Mu Gamma. In May of 2018, Sean graduated cum laude with a B.A. in English.

In his spare time, Sean enjoys playing violin and drums in addition to taking in the Shenandoah Valley from the seat of a motorcycle.

Manuel Vicente joined Seton as an Admissions Counselor in March of 2003 and is presently does junior high and high school counseling for math, science, and Spanish. He is the father of four children, all of which have homeschooling with Seton. He graduated with a B.S. in meteorology from Florida State University and has worked as a forecaster with the U.S Air Force and as a Spanish-language forecaster on radio and T.V. in Miami. He has coordinated education programs in Florida’s prison system for several years and is a certified math teacher. Manuel has recently been involved in Seton curriculum development projects in science and foreign languages and actively promotes Seton homeschooling in South America and the Philippines.

I would like to introduce myself, my name is John Puglisi, I am proud to have graduated Seton Home Study School in 1998 and went on to acquire a Business degree. I enjoy living in the Shenandoah Valley with my lovely wife as we raise our six young children with the grace and acknowledgement of God. The pleasure of being part of Seton’s efficient, accommodating, and well managed Accounting staff for the past 15 years has been all mine. I’m happy to be of service in any way possible to assist Seton School’s vast and growing homeschooling family and consider our students to be the hope of our great country. I help in the areas of billing, financial receipts, and any accounting related customer inquiries.

Tom Herlihy answers your questions regarding High School Math and Physics. He received a BS in Electrical Engineering from Manhattan College and has home schooled his four children.

Thomas J. Centrella works in the Curriculum Development Department at Seton Home Study School. He has an MA in theological studies from Christendom College and a BS in Electrical Engineering from Wilkes University. He has more than 20 years of experience as an editor and writer, including two years as Managing Editor of IEEE Design & Test magazine. He is also a veteran of the United States Air Force, where he attained the rank of Captain.

Rob Jones is a curriculum development technician.

Jason is the camera technician and videographer at Seton.

Robin Hibl is the Layout and Support Specialist of the Multi-Media Department. She has been working at Seton Home study School for many years, and assists both the Multi-Media Manager and Marketing Director in many areas giving them support with web edits & design, online courses, graphics design & layout for many publications, assisting also with some aspects of social media as well as email support to students and parents.

Robin was homeschooled through Seton for many years, and many family members are also avid homeschoolers. In her spare time she likes to quilt, enjoys singing in two choirs, and spending time with family and friends.

Nathan is our resident illustrator.

Emily Prause is a Graphic Designer and Layout Expert for Seton Home Study School. She is a Seton alum of 2009, and received a Bachelors of Fine Arts in Graphic Design with a minor in Art History from James Madison University in 2015.

Emily recently moved to the Shenandoah Valley from Virginia Beach, and while she misses the ocean, she enjoys exploring her new home. She also sings in a local choral choir, paints, and makes handmade books in her spare time.