Faculty Directory

Lauren Sanders
Headmaster

Lauren Sanders is a wife and mother to three children, with a passion for exposing her children and others to bilingual and classical education. She holds two Bachelor of Science degrees and a Master's degree in Education and maintains an Oregon teacher license. Lauren is the Director of Religious Education at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Corvallis, Oregon since 2017 and has networked with other parish families to establish a local chapter of the Catholic Schoolhouse. She is also employed as a supervisor of bilingual elementary school student teachers, working to inspire morally conscious educators, while actively engaging herself in professional development and teacher leadership.

Tristan Mitchell

  • Tristan was born and raised in Corvallis. He attended Corvallis public school and studied pre-medicine at Oregon State University. His interests expanded to philosophy and theology after taking his first philosophy course in his fifth year at OSU. Around the same time, he participated in an Alpha course at the OSU Newman center, where he profoundly experienced God’s love for the first time on a retreat at the Father Bernard Youth Center in Mount Angel. He went on to earn a Master Degree in Theology from Villanova University. He is happy to be back in Corvallis, and is incredibly passionate about bringing classical Catholic education to his hometown!

Sean Akroyd

  • Mr. Akroyd was born in Japan, raised in New Zealand, and moved to Corvallis where he attended Corvallis High School and Oregon State University, earning his BA in History. He is currently pursuing an MA in Theology at Mount Angel Seminary.

    Mr. Akroyd has a wide range of scholarly and personal interests, ranging from classical drawing and monasticism to language learning and playing pool. He is married to his high school sweetheart Sofia and has two beautiful boys. Mr. Akroyd will be teaching history, literature, and art.

Linnea Lochner

  • Linnea Lochner is an Oregon State University graduate, with her Bachelors in Music Studies with an emphasis in Choral Music Education. She has guest conducted for University Chorale and Bella Voce, an all women's choir at OSU. In the summer of 2023, Linnea toured through Europe as a soprano soloist with OSU's Chamber Choir, singing in cathedrals and churches in Germany, the Czech Republic, and Austria.

    Linnea enjoys singing in the Sunday evening mass at St. Mary's, and in her free time she plays piano, reads, and spends time with her seven siblings. She has been a Corvallis resident since she was five years old, and has been involved in the St. Mary's parish since then. She is thrilled and eager to begin her career at the Chesterton Academy of St. Andrew, and to build the music program into something beautiful and meaningful for her students.

Elisa Monaco

  • Elisa is a teacher with a true passion for education. She obtained her bachelor’s degree in veterinary medicine and PhD in Italy. From 2004 to 2014, she worked as a post-doctoral researcher at the Penn State University, PA; University of Illinois, IL; and The Linus Pauling Institute at OSU, respectively. In 2014, she was hired to teach in the Dept. of Animal and Rangeland Sciences at OSU. She has received many teaching grants aimed to enhance students’ learning experience. She has also been recognized for her excellence in teaching by becoming a recipient of the College’s Registry of Distinguished Teachers Award. They have 4 children, and they are active parishioners at Saint Mary’s in Corvallis.

    Elisa loves teaching and values classical studies and the Socratic method that aims to stimulate discussions and encourage students to see the bigger picture. She aspires to give her students a richness of understanding and depth of reasoning that can accompany them for life as they become lifelong learners. When not teaching, Elisa values spending time with her family and friends. She also enjoys exercising and tending to her garden and house, always looking for the next project that will bring more beauty to her life and the life of her family.

Garth Rose

  • Garth Rose has been a parishioner at St. Mary's since 1997 and has been tutoring college and high school students full time in STEM subjects for nearly that long.

    In past years, he has been on the RCIA, Confirmation, and youth group teams; and he has been a lay member of the Order of Preachers (the Dominicans) since 2015.

    Garth is excited to embark on a new adventure with St. Andrew's Chesterton Academy!