Faculty Bios

Shawn Wheatley, Principal of Highlands Latin School, has a B.A. in Biology from Transylvania University, an M.A. in Education from the University of Kentucky, and an M.S. in School Administration from Bellarmine. Shawn has taught algebra, chemistry, biology, physics, and earth science to middle and high school students since 1998. Often developing his own materials, he was nominated by his peers for the Aneon Award for Outstanding Science Teacher in Jefferson County. In addition to his administrative duties, Shawn teaches The Iliad and Odyssey to 7th graders and astronomy to 3rd graders. Shawn and his wife, Georganna, have three sons.

Leigh Lowe, author of Memoria Press' beginning Latin program, Prima Latina, is a writer and curriculum developer for Memoria Press and was one of the founding instructors of Highlands Latin School. Leigh holds a B.A. in Business with a minor in Computer Science from Transylvania University and an M.B.A. from the University of Louisville. She received the Newkirk-Moore Award for Female Entrepreneurs in 2000 and the Landrum Rotary Fellows Award for Leadership in 2001. Leigh was recently included in the "Forty under 40" issue of Business First magazine, featuring young business leaders in the Louisville area. Leigh started her own business, the highly successful Campus Quilt Co., which has been featured on NBC's The Today Show, the Rachael Ray Show, and in the Washington Post and Courier-Journal.

Brian Lowe, son of Highlands Latin founder Cheryl Lowe, is a graduate of St. Xavier High School, a National Merit Finalist, with a B.A. in Physics and Mathematics from Transylvania University and a J.D., summa cum laude, from Vanderbilt Law School in 2002. He managed a rare achievement for a law student when his research project on predicting the outcome of the Supreme Court was cited by a MIT Mathematics professor and a UCLA Law professor in the Minnesota Law Review. Brian was classically educated by Cheryl Lowe as she developed many of the courses that are carried on by Memoria Press today. Brian is the business manager for Highlands Latin School, Memoria Press, and the family business, Vittitow Refrigeration. Brian and his wife, Leigh, have one son.

Mary Lynn Ross is Director of Admissions and the Lower School. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Elementary and Early Childhood Education from Lander University. Mrs. Ross is from Charleston, South Carolina, where she taught for six years before moving to Louisville. She has a wide knowledge of children's literature and has written our literature guides for 1st and 2nd Grade. She and her husband, Gregory, have a daughter who is a graduate of HLS, and a son who is an HLS 10th grader.

Dr. Louie L. Bailey is minister of music at Crescent Hill Baptist Church where he administers a music program of eleven musical groups for all ages, including choirs, handbells, voice classes, and orchestra. Dr. Bailey, a native of Decatur, Georgia, is a graduate of Georgia State University with a B.A. in Music (Piano and Music Education). He earned a M.A. in Church Music and a Ph.D. in Musical Arts (Voice and Music Education) from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Dr. Bailey works with the Louisville Youth Choir as director of the Louisville Children’s Choir and is assistant director of the Preparatory Choir. Dr. Bailey’s musical experience is extensive, having conducted such diverse works as Vivaldi’s Gloria, Bach’s Christmas Oratorio, and Mozart’s Requiem. Dr. Bailey’s wife, June, is also a gifted music teacher. The Baileys have two grown sons who live here in Louisville.

Wendell Berry is a visiting literature instructor and is teaching this year's Senior English class for the fall term. He is an author and poet and was recently honored by the Smithsonian Institute as one of the 100 Most Influential Men in America. Edward Abbey has called him "the best serious essayist now at work in the United States." The Washington Post Book World says Berry is "one of the most perceptive critics of American society writing today." The New York Times Review of Books accounts him "perhaps the great moral essayist of our day," and Page Smith at the Christian Science Monitor calls him "the prophetic American voice of our day." "Berry is a philosopher, poet, novelist, and essayist in the tradition of Emerson and Thoreau," says the San Francisco Chronicle. Selections from his writings now appear frequently in anthologies of great American writers. In books and articles such as "Christianity and the Survival of Creation," Berry evokes the theme of communal relationships rooted in the soil of agrarian life. Berry lives, farms, and writes on his family's farm in Henry County, Kentucky.

Carrie Christensen, a graduate of Centre College, has completed her research for a Ph.D. in Biology at the University of Louisville. While working on her M.S. at Tennessee Tech. she taught human anatomy and physiology, conducted research in animal behavior, and in her spare time, milked cows on her family’s dairy farm!  Carrie teaches biology and anatomy and physiology at HLS and coordinates science activities for the lower school. She also teaches anatomy and physiology to nursing students at the local community college.

Martin Cothran is a writer and teacher who lives in Danville, Kentucky with his wife and four children. He is the author of Memoria Press' Traditional Logic, Material Logic, and Classical Rhetoric programs, which he teaches at HLS. Mr. Cothran also developed and manages Memoria Press' online academy. He holds a B.A. in Philosophy and Economics from the University of California at Santa Barbara and an M.A. in Christian Apologetics from the Simon Greenleaf School. He still serves, on a consulting basis, as senior policy analyst with The Family Foundation of Kentucky. He practices the art of rhetoric in frequent articles on public policy issues that have appeared in the Cincinnati Enquirer, Louisville Courier-Journal, The Lexington Herald-Leader, and various other newspapers around the state. He has served on several state commissions dealing with state education policy and has been a frequent guest on KET's "Kentucky Tonight" program.

Ken Dennis taught 6th Grade social studies and reading at Jefferson Country Traditional School for 16 years and middle school science at St. Leonard School for 3 years. With 11 additional years of teaching and private tutoring, Mr. Dennis brings a wealth of experience to Highlands Latin. Mr. Dennis was twice named Outstanding Teacher of History in Kentucky (1986 and 1989), as well as being honored as the Outstanding Teacher of Social Studies in 1986. His numerous other awards include the Campbellsville University Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2002. Mr. Dennis is collector of both facinating anecdotes and historic memorabilia, both of which he uses to enrich his high school classes in American and Modern European history.

Matt Dickie earned his B.A. from Valdosta State in Exercise Science, with an emphasis on cardiac and pulminary rehabilitation, and his Master of Divinity degree from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Biblical Studies, with an emphasis on Hebrew and Greek. Mr. Dickie is continuing his study of ancient languages while working on his Ph.D.  He teaches upper school Latin and 9th grade Classical Studies. 

Robert Hublar, has a B.A. in Physics from Bellarmine College and a M.A. in Education with a major in math and physics from Indiana University. He joined Highlands Latin after retiring from Louisville's Trinity High School, where he taught physics for 39 years. Mr. Hublar is a master teacher who was taught by master teachers himself, the Xaverian brothers at the old St. Xavier High School on Broadway. He is always available to give extra help to students, and he makes physics a challenging but enjoyable experience for students.

Mike Keeling brings his 23 years of teaching experience at Jefferson Community College to our staff as a teacher of higher Mathematics through Calculus. He received a B.A. in Mathematics from Campbellsville College in 1973 and a M.A. in Mathematics Education from Western Kentucky University in 1974. He has also taught mathematics at the University of Louisville, Spalding University, Indiana University Southeast, as well as Marion County and Danville City schools. While in Danville, he supervised the Math Bowl Team to the state finals in 1976.

Glen Moore holds a B.S. in Secondary Science Education from the University of Oklahoma.  He teaches Latin in the upper and lower schools, as well as pre-algebra and 8th grade science. Before coming to HLS, Mr. Moore taught science, math, and Latin in elementary and middle schools, and physics in a magnet technology school.  Mr. Moore assists the administration in the daily operation of the school and is an ever present source of energy and enthusiasm. Glen and his wife, Bethany are runners. In fact, they met while running their first marathon in Alaska!

Angela Arnold received her B.A. in Elementary Education from Spalding University. She has more than five years experience in primary school education and is experienced in the art of turning kindergartners into readers. Mrs. Arnold teaches both the T/Th and W/F kindergartens at HLS.

Joyce Aspatore brings 29 years of teaching experience to our Primary Program as the 2nd Grade teacher. Joyce received her B.S. in Elementary Education from Eastern Kentucky University, after which she began her long tenure with Jefferson County Schools, from which she retired several years ago. Offering both expertise and enthusiasm, routine reading and arithmetic lessons are turned into memorable events in her classrooms, where a love of books and learning is carefully nurtured. Joyce and her husband have two grown daughters.

Laura Beth O’Nan earned a degree in music from the University of Mississippi, and a M.A. in theological studies from Southern Seminary. She has a passion for healthy eating and for art, and currently works part-time as the curator of an art museum. Mrs. O'Nan, who is in her second year at HLS, is organized, creative, and enthusiastic. She enjoys the challenge of our 5th grade curriculum, and the opportunity to teach an all-girls class, for whom she is a wonderful role model.  

Tanya Charlton has a B.A. in English from Milligan College and a B.S. in Accounting from Troy State University. She is the past owner of Charlton Tax and Accounting Service in New Castle, Kentucky and a free-lance copy editor for Shoemaker and Hoard Publishers in Washington, D.C. Mrs. Charlton and her husband, Dave, have two boys, Nick and Tyler, who have attended Highlands Latin School for eight years. Mrs. Charlton wrote our 5th grade curriculum and has authored several study guides for Memoria Press.  She teaches 6th grade this year, where she will apply her formidable teaching and writing skills to preparing our 6th grade curriculum for publication.  Mrs. Charlton is the curriculum coordinator for grades 3-6.

Ryan Coatney graduated from Georgetown College with a B.A. in English. After two years teaching 6th grade at HLS, he has moved to the 7th and 8th grades where he teaches English, spelling, grammar and literature.  Mr. Coatney is from Harrodsburg, Kentucky where he still lives with his family.  He is a skilled and experienced teacher, providing a firm, steady hand to our middle school students.

Jim Ashby received a B.S. from Murray State in Physical Education. He teaches all P.E. classes at HLS and has single-handedly developed our physical education program and written our curriculum and goals. He teaches P.E. to kindergartners through 6th grade, and manages the club sports competitions for the Upper School House system. This year he started and coaches our first basketball team and will continue to develop sports programs in the coming years. Mr. Ashby has inspired our students to value fitness and good sportsmanship.