Katie has completed a master’s degree in Montessori Education from UW – River Falls and a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Rehabilitation Psychology from UW – Madison. She holds an AMS Montessori certificate in early childhood. Her love and interest in the Montessori Method began through experiencing the beauty of Christ and the Church through Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS). She is certified in all three levels of CGS, serving children from ages 3-12. She is also a certified adult formation leader and guides the coordination and implementation of CGS throughout the Diocese of Madison. Katie lives in rural Verona with her husband, Nick, and nine children and are parishioners at St. Christopher. Together, she and her family enjoy gardening, crafts, sports, and getaways to the Great Lakes.
Barb graduated from UW-Platteville with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education with a minor in math. She taught 4th grade for 5 years in a public school while coaching cross country and basketball. She and her husband Scott have 8 children which she has homeschooled through 5th grade for the past 17 years. This summer she will attend UW-River Falls to begin her Masters in Montessori.
Laura has been an occupational therapist for the last 15+ years, specializing in pediatrics. She graduated with a degree in occupational therapy from UW-LaCrosse and has worked in public and private schools, as well as private practice settings. Laura has worked with kids of all ages and abilities, many of them with a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder, over the course of her career. Working alongside parents, teachers, and other professionals, she has helped many children improve their ability to engage in the world around them.
Laura and her husband Michael have five children, with two of them attending Divine Mercy Academy. She and her family attend Christ the King Parish in McFarland.
Ryan is the Vice President of Business Development for Commercial Recreation Specialists in Verona that provides recreation solutions to municipalities, campgrounds, camps, resorts, and schools. As a graduate of UW-Whitewater in psychology and statistics and with training in systems theory, Ryan has extensive experience in sales, management, operations and marketing, giving him a valuable perspective and understanding of different types of business models, forging mutually beneficial strategic relationships, and driving growth. Ryan is married to his high school sweetheart, the father of 9 children, and active in his home parish of St. Christopher’s in Verona in religious education, small groups, Knights of Columbus, and more.
Originally from Peru, Dr. Tataje received his doctorate in dentistry from Garcilaso De La Vega University and has completed advanced training in Prosthodontics, TMD, and Orofacial Pain through the University of Minnesota and the University of Kentucky.
Dr. Daniel Tataje owns and leads Mercy Dental Group with an innovative, personalized, and fresh approach to the family dental care experience. A pioneering practice leader, and a proven business builder, Dr. Tataje was named 2017 Entrepreneur of the Year by Midwest Family Broadcasting and the Latino Chamber of Commerce.
Dr. Tataje loves to spend time with his loving wife, Scarlet, an avid DMA volunteer, and their six children (three of whom attend Divine Mercy Academy). The Tataje family love living out their Catholic faith as they experience local and far away adventures together. They are active parishioners of St. Christopher Parish in Verona, WI.
Becca is a wife and mother to four littles, all at Divine Mercy Academy. She was born and raised in New Hampshire and has lived in Wisconsin since 2014. She is a graduate of the University of South Dakota in Health Sciences and most recently worked with Pediatrics in Radiology at UW Health. Becca has a passion for a child's experience in education that is Christ-centered. She has seen Montessori education foster independence, spark the joy of learning and truly honor the dignity of every child.
Kate holds a masters in medical science from Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine. She has practiced as a Physician Assistant in primary care with an emphasis on serving medically underserved communities. She has a BS in biology from St. Olaf College and is thrilled to use that degree to teach nature study at DMA.
In both undergraduate and graduate studies, Kate has researched the effect education has on health metrics in both children and adults. As a mother, her search for an educational model that is Christ centered, academically rigorous and honors the child as an individual was satisfied at Divine Mercy Academy.
Joe and Kate have 3 children, 2 of whom attend DMA. They are members of St Christopher parish in Verona.
Tara is a wife and mother of 5 children, all of whom attend Divine Mercy Academy. She obtained her B.A. in the Program of Liberal Studies (a Classical Great Books program) from the University of Notre Dame and is certified in Montessori Lower Elementary through the North American Montessori Center.
She is passionate about raising independent children, critical thinking, and Catholic Social Teaching and is thrilled to be teaching somewhere that combines all three.
Emily received her bachelor’s degree in Special Education from UW Madison, and also became certified in early childhood education through Edgewood College. She has taught Special Education in the Middleton Cross Plains Area School District for the past three years.
Emily was inspired to pursue a career in Special Education because of her brother, Michael, who has Down Syndrome. Emily, her husband Jared, and their son Landon live in Madison and are active members of St. Christopher Parish. Emily joined Divine Mercy Academy this year, fall 2022. Welcome, Emily Norgal!
Rosie Francis graduated from UW-Madison with a degree in music education. She has taught general music at the elementary and middle school levels, and worked as the music minister for St. Paul's Catholic Student Center on the UW-Madison campus. She and her husband Patrick recently welcomed their first child, Joseph, into the world and Rosie now enjoys serving Divine Mercy Academy in the Infant/Toddler Environment, as well as providing music education for the elementary students. Rosie and her family are parishioners at Blessed Trinity Parish, where Patrick serves as music director.
Rick and his wife Tina have five children who have been educated at home and in Catholic schools. Rick has a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from UW-Madison and has over 20 years of experience in product design development and simulation. He is currently part of the new product development team at Sub-Zero.
Jessica graduated from the University of Mary in Bismarck, North Dakota with her Bachelor of Arts degree in Theology. She has experience working with children of all ages but most recently she worked as a third-grade teacher in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. She looks forward to serving DMA and being part of this beautiful Catholic community. Divine Mercy Academy welcomed Jess to the team this year, fall 2022. Welcome, Jess Derks!
Elizabeth is a graduate of Wyoming Catholic College with a degree in Classical Liberal Arts and is currently pursuing a Master’s in Theology from Aquinas Institute. She has worked as a backpacking instructor, a Director of Religious Education, and a teacher at a small Catholic School in Edgar, WI. Elizabeth also spent some time working with Learning Atrium tutoring children with dyslexia. She is excited to assist in the Lower Elementary classroom and combine all the experiences God has given her for the families of Divine Mercy Academy.
Ann is married to Jake and a mother to three incredible children—Evelyn, Clare, and Theo. She and her family live in Madison and are active parishioners at St.
Christopher’s parish in Verona.This year Ann is serving as a Catechist for the primary students (ages 3-6) at Divine Mercy Academy. Being a part of Divine Mercy Academy has been a treasure beyond measure. She holds a degree from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities with a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition. She combines her love for tasty snacks and her education to be the unofficial lunch lady.
Alison holds a Bachelor of Arts in Catholic Studies and Social Work from the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN. After having her first child, Alison became interested in Catechesis of the Good Shepherd. Alison received her CGS Level 1 training from Katie Haun in the Diocese of Madison in the spring of 2021. She is an Atrium Catechist both at DMA and her home parish of St. Thomas Aquinas. Alison and her husband Nick now have three children and live in Verona.
Christy is a wife and mother of nine children, five of whom have graduated from or currently attend Divine Mercy Academy. She holds a B.B.A. in Marketing from the University of Wisconsin - Whitewater and worked as an Administrative Assistant and Office Manager at the American Red Cross Badger Chapter prior to starting a family. Most recently she has worked in various childcare settings that allowed her to remain focused on her vocation.
Christy, her husband, Ryan, and their children are active members of St. Christopher Parish in Verona. When not volunteering at church and school, they can be found sitting in the bleachers or at the theater proudly watching their children pursue their love of sports and musicals!
Molly holds a bachelor's degree in Elementary Education from Western Governors University in addition to her professional certification in American Sign Language. She has earned her level one training in Catechesis of the Good Shepherd and has greatly enjoyed the opportunities she has had to teach as a catechist in a Montessori classroom.
She is delighted for the opportunity to continue to pursue and deepen her knowledge of Montessori learning here at Divine Mercy Academy. Molly also loves hiking and camping with her family, crafting, and discussing Christ and Faith.
For more information, please call 608.709.7343 or send us a message and we’ll be in touch soon.
Divine Mercy Academy admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.
