Faculty & Staff

Headmaster

Mr. Copeland serves as Headmaster of Chesterton Academy of St. Katharine Drexel. A North Carolina native, Mr. Copeland attended Judson College, where he studied both history and humanities at the undergraduate level. He also holds a graduate degree from Missouri State University in History. Prior to joining Chesterton Academy of St. Katharine Drexel, Mr. Copeland served as Upper School Principal at Covenant Classical School, where he also taught in the humanities. He loves both Classical education and the Church for how they foster virtue, holiness, wisdom, and love for God and neighbor. In his leisure time, Mr. Copeland enjoys tea, books, home cooked meals, daily Mass, gardening, wrestling his kids, and chatting with his lovely wife. You can read more from Mr. Copeland on his blog, The Green Dragon, hosted by the Classical Education group, The CiRCE Institute. 

Director of Operations

Mrs. Obermiller spent fifteen years as a homeschooling Mom before her youngest child enrolled at Chesterton Academy (then Drexel High School) in Fall of 2023. Since then, she has been very involved at the school in various capacities and currently enjoys keeping things organized behind the scenes. She is grateful to serve a school community rooted in the truths of the Catholic faith and committed to academic excellence. Originally from Ohio, Mrs. Obermiller holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design from the University of Dayton and a Bachelor of Science in Physical Therapy from The Ohio State University. She lives in Huntersville with her husband of 28 years, Mark, and her adorable Portuguese Water Dog, Luna. She enjoys reading, all kinds of music, a good pun, a large cup of hot black coffee first thing in the morning, and binge-watching period dramas on BBC.

Science & Mathematics Teacher

Mrs. Akerblom teaches Science and Mathematics at Chesterton Academy of St. Katharine Drexel. She is a dedicated teacher with twelve years of experience in private, home- and hybrid-schools. She brings a wealth of knowledge and enthusiasm to the classroom. Mrs. Akerblom has a strong foundation in math and science, with a MS degree in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Virginia and BS and BA degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Theology from the University of Notre Dame. She is excited about leveraging her skills and experience to continue building up the academic program and Catholic culture at our Chesterton Academy. She lives with her husband and three of their six children in Gastonia, with one of them attending Chesterton Academy. In her spare time, she enjoys going to daily Mass, taking walks with her dog and her husband, traveling, and enjoying meals with family and friends.

Humanities Teacher

Mr. Brandolini attended Belmont Abbey College, where he received a B.A. in Government and Political Philosophy. Since then, he has taught a variety of grades and subjects in classical K-12 schools for over a decade, focusing most of all in high school humanities and great books courses. During this time he also received a Master’s degree from the University of Dallas in Humanities with a focus in Classical Education. Some of his favorite authors both inside and outside of the classroom include Plato, Homer, St. Augustine, and Flannery O’Connor.

Music & Arts Teacher

Mrs. Rosenbaum was born in California, where she was raised by her grandparents. There, she was instilled with a passion for art and a deep love for God. She met her husband while doing mission work in her late twenties. Shortly after marriage, she converted to Catholicism. She attended the Academy of Fine Arts in San Francisco and has been a professional artist for 26 years, having worked in a variety of mediums. She has taught children, high school students, and college students Bible, theology, and OCIA. Mrs. Rosenbaum has a passion for teaching and mentoring and a great love of the Church. She is looking forward to being a part of the Chesterton Academy community.

Humanities Teacher

Mr. Scott teaches History and Theology at Chesterton Academy of St. Katharine Drexel. He is a long time Gastonia resident and is a graduate of Belmont Abbey College, where he received Bachelors degrees in philosophy and economics. His love for Catholic classical education began at a young age, and he further developed and pursued his passion for studying and teaching the Great Books as a member of Belmont Abbey’s Honors College and as middle school teacher at Ascent Classical Academy. Mr. Scott cherishes and is passionate about Catholic classical education because it endows students with a lasting sense of wonder and reverence at a world so filled with beauty, grandeur, purpose, and adventure—a world that shines forth God’s creative glory. In his free time, he enjoys reading, walking, playing volleyball, and spending time with family and friends.

Latin & Mathematics Teacher

Mrs. Tomaszewski teaches math, Latin, and logic for Chesterton Academy of St. Katharine Drexel. She has over nine years of experience working in classical schools. Mrs. T earned her BA studying philosophy from the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign where she also minored in psychology. However, the two best things she received from her university experience were reception into the Catholic Church Easter of 2013 and meeting her husband, Christopher. She also received her MA in classical and liberal education from Belmont Abbey College. Mrs. T and her husband love to travel and take care of their beast of a German shepherd, Borromeo. When not teaching, she can be found studying languages, craning her neck in European cathedrals, reading extensively, drinking far too much coffee, and planning adventures with friends flung across the country.