Academic Studio

Photo of Dr. Parvathy Anantnarayan Dr. Parvathy Anantnarayan Chair of Humanities, 12th Grade Humanities
Photo of Martin Authier Martin Authier 9th Grade Sciences

Mr. Marty Authier (Integrated Humanities) moved to New Orleans in 2001 to pursue a Bachelor’s Degree in Anthropology from Tulane University (2005). He spent eight years at Southern Methodist University in Dallas completing a Masters Degree in Anthropology (2007), conducting archaeological research into early formative cultures in coastal Peru, teaching Honors anthropology seminars, and mentoring students in a residence hall.…

Photo of Dale Baxter Dale Baxter Physical Education
Photo of Dr. Katherine Brooks Dr. Katherine Brooks 10th Grade Sciences

Dr. Katherine Brooks (Integrated Sciences) earned her B.S. in Psychology with minors in Animal Science and Wildlife and Fisheries from Texas A & M University in College Station, Texas. While at Texas A & M she focused her studies on ethology (animal behavior) especially in domesticated animals. She then continued her education at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln to earn her Masters degree in Biological Psychology.…

Photo of Dr. Jean-Marc Duplantier Dr. Jean-Marc Duplantier 11th Grade Humanities

Dr. Jean-Marc Duplantier (Integrated Humanities) holds a bachelors degree in Comparative Literature (Colorado College, 1996), a PhD in French Studies (LSU, 2006), and a master’s degree in Library and Information Science (LSU, 2010). He was awarded Fulbright and Social Science Research Council grants to conduct dissertation research in Haiti. He has extensive experience teaching English at the high school level in the New Orleans area, and he continues to pursue research interests in the history and culture of Louisiana and the Caribbean.

Photo of Dr. Travis Haas Dr. Travis Haas 11th Grade Sciences

Dr. Travis Haas (Integrated Sciences) earned his Ph.D. from the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Tulane University in 2014. His dissertation research examined the evolutionary implications of dam construction on the fishes of the Southeastern United States. He holds a B.A. in Biology and Music (Piano) from Lawrence University (2007), where his piano studies culminated in an interdisciplinary lecture-recital entitled, “The influence of birdsong in the literature of the piano.” He also holds an M.S.…

Photo of Nicole Horne Nicole Horne French Instructor
Photo of Leni Ivanovsky Leni Ivanovsky 10th Grade Sciences
Photo of Adam Karlin Adam Karlin 9th Grade Humanities
Photo of Pauline Kibby Pauline Kibby 9-12th Grade Languages
Photo of Dr. Kate Kokontis Dr. Kate Kokontis 11th Grade Humanities
504-940-2847

Dr. Kate Kokontis (Integrated Humanities) is the Chair of Integrated Humanities and a Founding Faculty member of NOCCA’s Academic Studio. She earned her B.A. from Yale, a post-baccalaureate certificate in painting from the SACI College of Art and Design-Florence, and her Ph.D. in Performance Studies from U.C. Berkeley. Additionally at NOCCA, Kate co-chairs the Equity Committee and has been involved in many collaborative projects with her colleagues in other disciplines.…

Michael Lee Substitute Humanities
Photo of Byron Lilly Byron Lilly 12th Grade Humanities

Mr. Byron Lilly (History and Social Studies) moved to New Orleans in 2003, following a two-year commitment to the Peace Corps in Mali, West Africa.  He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in American Studies from The Evergreen State College in Olympia, WA (2001) and a Master’s Degree in U.S. History from Tulane University (2009), where he is currently a interdisciplinary doctoral candidate.  …

Photo of Dr. Ted Marks Dr. Ted Marks 11th Grade Sciences
Photo of Dr. Kimberly Mighell Dr. Kimberly Mighell 9th Grade Sciences
Photo of Dr. Kit Nelson Dr. Kit Nelson Director of Academic Studio

Kit has been a part of the NOCCA team since 2012 and has served as an Integrated Sciences Faculty Member, Chair of Integrated Sciences and as Director of Academic Studio.  During that time she has helped to build and continues to support the Academic Studio program with a focused on ensuring that the Academic Studio is a visionary school for creative learners.  …

Photo of Felicia J. Steward M.Ed. Felicia J. Steward, M.Ed. SPED Coordinator
Photo of Amy Tilling Amy Tilling 12th Grade Sciences, Coordinator of Assessment and Academic Advancement

Mrs. Amy Tilling moved to New Orleans in July of 2005 and despite being welcomed by Hurricane Katrina only a few weeks later, she is here to stay in New Orleans. Mrs. Tilling earned her Bachelors of Science in Secondary Mathematics Education from the State University of New York College at Cortland (2000) and has just earned her Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from the University of Texas at Arlington (2014).…

Photo of Dr. Angela Watkins Dr. Angela Watkins 10th Grade Integrated Humanities

Dr. Angela Watkins is a Chicago native who earned a B.A. from DePaul University and a Master’s and Ph.D. in English (Literary Studies) from the University of Iowa. Her research background focuses on the African Diaspora and she has published several articles, encyclopedia entries, and book reviews on the Harlem Renaissance, the Afro-Caribbean, and the American South.…

Photo of Dr. Russell Wolfe Dr. Russell Wolfe 12th Grade Sciences

Dr. Russell Wolfe moved to New Orleans in 2007 from Nebraska, where he studied Physics, Biology, and Mathematics. He received his M.S. and Ph.D. in Biomedical Engineering from Tulane University for research focused on understanding how stem cells respond to the physical forces that occur during large-scale bioprocessing. While at Tulane, he also taught hands-on undergraduate engineering courses in robotics, electronic circuits, and medical device design, in addition to mentoring undergraduate students in research practices, public presentation, and professional career development.…

Photo of Raina Zelinski Raina Zelinski 9th Grade Humanities

Ms. Raina Zelinski is a life-long New Orleanian, transplanted from Northern Canada when she was but 5 years old. After studying political science at Tulane University, she received a BA in English from the University of New Orleans and went on to earn a Master’s Degree in English (2010) as well as a Master’s Degree in Teaching Secondary English (2015).…

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