Asya Sigelman, Ph.D

Dr. Sigelman is a founder of the school as well as a teacher of Latin and Art History.

An Associate Professor of Ancient Greek at Bryn Mawr College, Dr. Sigelman conducts scholarly research on the poetry and literature of Classical Antiquity and regularly teaches both undergraduate courses and graduate seminars on the language, literature, culture, religion, and philosophy of ancient Greece and Rome. Her book, Pindar’s Poetics of Immortality, was recently published with Cambridge University Press. Throughout her teaching, Dr. Sigelman encourages her students to explore not only the beauty of the language and literature of the ancient world but also their relevance as the origins of Western culture, politics, art, and philosophy. Much of her work has involved connecting with students with no prior background in classics.

Prior to Bryn Mawr, Dr. Sigelman served as adjunct faculty at Tufts University and as a Teaching Fellow at Brown University. In the course of her academic career, Dr. Sigelman has also accrued experience in primary and secondary education. She has taught Ancient Greek at the Wheeler School, an elite independent school in Providence, RI as well as elementary school classes in Ancient History and English literature at the Shaloh House Jewish Day School in Brighton, MA and at the Torah Academy of Brookline, MA.

Dr. Sigelman holds a Ph.D. in Classical Studies from Brown University and a BA summa cum laude in Ancient Greek & Latin, with minors in Music and in German, from Boston University.

Frank Chilbert

After earning his BA in Theological Studies from Eastern University, Mr. Chilbert and his wife taught in Arizona at a Great Hearts Classical School. During his time there, he taught Ancient History, Medieval History, and Literature and Composition to Junior High students. Since returning to Pennsylvania in 2017, Mr. Chilbert has fallen in love with Main Line Classical Academy. As a teacher, he has enjoyed working with young students in the English classroom and as an administrator, he has enjoyed helping students grow in self-discipline and character. In 2019, he completed his Masters of Arts in Classical Education at the Templeton Honors College and has been using his degree to further the school's vision to equip students to seek Truth, Beauty, and Goodness. Some of Mr. Chilbert's greatest loves include reading the works of J.R.R. Tolkien, listening to Tchaikovsky, and camping with his family.

Philip Cialini

After earning a BA in History from Eastern University, Mr. Cialini taught Latin, Ancient and Medieval History, and English at Regina Angelorum Academy in Ardmore, PA for six years. In 2020, he completed his MAT in Classical Education from Templeton Honors College. Mr. Cialini has also taught and worked for various international programs. His wife is from England—a country whose landscape, history, and culture Mr. Cialini holds close to his heart—and together they enjoy travel, reading good books, watching old movies, being with family, and raising their three children. Mr. Cialini is a drummer and an amateur guitarist with a particular interest in jazz. His ideal day consists of a comfortable chair, a warm drink, a stack of books, and a record player.

Sasha Fradkin, Ph.D

Dr. Fradkin has loved math from an early age, and seeks to share that love of math with others. She earned both her BS and PhD in Mathematics from Princeton University and thereafter spent five years working as a professional mathematician. For the three years prior to joining Main Line Classical Academy, Dr. Fradkin taught enrichment math at the Golden Key Russian School where she introduced children of ages 4-10 to mathematical gems beyond their school curricula. Dr. Fradkin writes a blog titled Musings of a Mathematical Mom about her various mathematical adventures with kids. Most recently, Dr. Fradkin has co-authored “Funville Adventures”, a math-inspired children’s fantasy adventure that introduces kids to the concept of mathematical functions, recently published by Natural Math. She is also the recipient of the 2025 Edyth May Sliffe Award for Distinguished Mathematics Teaching from the Mathematical Association of America. Her students have also won a number of prestigious awards including 2nd place in the Delaware County Chapter MathCounts Competition.

Craig Carpenter

Craig Carpenter double-majored in classics and English at Cornell University and holds graduate degrees in biblical literature, languages, and history from Westminster Theological Seminary and Princeton Theological Seminary. He taught interdisciplinary, literary, and writing-intensive courses at Villanova University for six years, where he received the Pohlhaus-Stracciolini Award for Teaching Excellence for teaching that is "intellectually stimulating, challenging, and accessible." He is currently writing a book that draws on his training in classical languages, history, philosophy, and literary analysis to model close reading as an irreplaceable mode of human thinking and living.

Christina Nicolosi

As Director of Admissions & Parent Liaison, Christina guides families through the enrollment process and beyond. She graduated from Drexel University’s Pennoni Honors College with a degree in Chemical Engineering focussing specifically on biological processes. After graduation, she continued work at Merck and Company where she completed two of her college co-ops in Bioprocess R&D, Vaccine Development and Manufacturing. Christina left the field to become a mom of four boys who are currently attending MLCA, swapping out one type of project management for another. She is a dedicated advocate for the school’s classical curriculum and its dedication to the pursuit of truth, beauty, and goodness. She also coaches the MLCA Running Club and helps out with tending the MLCA gardens and courtyards when she can.

Olga Kushnyerova

Olga Kushnyerova (Mrs. K) earned an M.A. of Education and Linguistics in Ukraine, where she taught English, led Summer Language Camps, studied Nonviolent Communication, and organized other educational programs. In 2024, she moved to Pennsylvania with her family.

Ed Soto

Mr. Soto earned a BS in Health and Physical Education from West Chester University. Most recently Mr. Soto worked as a coordinator and coach for Soccer Shots Chester County, PA and Club Sports Coordinator and Club soccer coach at Widener University. Prior to those positions, Mr. Soto was a health and physical education teacher and coach at Friends’ Central School for 22 years. He coached the boy’s and girl’s cross country teams, the wrestling team, and track and field team to league titles. Even though he spent most of his career teaching and coaching at the middle and high school levels, Mr. Soto’s first assignment was at Lansdowne Friends School K-6. Teaching has a special place in his heart. A passion to be creative and think outside the box, Mr. Soto enjoys learning about each individual. He takes their passions and uses them to motivate them further while taking their natural love of movement and empower them to be successful, productive citizens while making healthy choices. As a father of three boys Mr. Soto stays busy supporting them in their education and extracurricular activities.

Tatiana Ter-Saakov

Mrs. Ter-Saakov grew up in a family of mathematicians in Voronezh, Russia, and was exposed to math from a very early age. She has always envisioned math as a vastly broad field, large areas of which even a young mind could explore when guided by an experienced hand. Mrs. Ter-Saakov spent her high school years in Moscow in a specialized boarding school for gifted children with a focus on Physics and Mathematics. There she was blessed to meet many teachers passionate about sharing the beauty of mathematics with young students. She then continued studying mathematics at Moscow State University where she received her BA degree. When raising her own three kids, Mrs. Ter-Saakov became interested in early childhood education. She spent a few years working in a Montessori classroom. Currently, Mrs. Ter-Saakov also runs a math club at Voorhees Middle School, and small home groups of “recreational mathematics.” In recent years, she has been participating in interactive math experiences with Moscow’s popular teacher and author of books on mathematics, Jane Kats. Tatiana has taught Physics at MLCA in addition to Mathematics.

Yulia Shpilman

Mrs. Shpilman started her career in the corporate world, serving as a strategy and organization consultant for the Boston Consulting Group and for Vanguard. However, her true passion has always been teaching. Her diverse teaching experiences range from mentoring elementary school students in West Philadelphia public schools to building and running the Golden Key Russian School, a thriving Sunday enrichment program focusing on mathematics, the sciences, and Russian language & literature. A native of Moscow, Russia, Mrs. Shpilman moved to the US with her family when she was in elementary school. She grew up in the Philadelphia area and went to Central High School. She graduated magna cum laude from the Huntsman Program at the University of Pennsylvania where she earned both a BS in Economics from the Wharton School and a BA in International Studies and French from Penn's College of Arts and Sciences. Mrs. Shpilman also holds an MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management. She resides with her husband, two sons and daughter in Wayne, PA.

Tatiana Fesenko

Ms. Fesenko graduated from the Pedagogical University in St. Petersburg with a degree in technology teaching. For many years, she taught math, computer science, and technology courses at the middle and high school levels. In 2011, Ms. Fesenko was sent by her school to take Robotics courses with the most well-known robotics teacher in Russia, Sergey Filippov. At the end of the program, she won first place in the final Robotics competition for teachers. For a number of years after that, Ms. Fesenko taught robotics and programming at the Presidential Physics and Mathematics Lyceum in St. Petersburg. In addition, she prepared students for the Russian Robotics Olympiad in which many of them won prizes. She spent her summers working at a robotics camp. For many years, Ms. Fesenko has been teaching programming and robotics at an after school program that she started in NE Philadelphia as well as math and robotics at the Golden Key Russian School.

Adam Darer

Mr. Darer grew up in Rockland County, NY where he credits his first-grade teacher for his love of math and his grandmother for his love of science and the natural world. After graduating with a B.A. from Oberlin College in Chemistry (high honors) and Environmental Studies, he worked at Scripps Institution of Oceanography and later Stroud Water Research Center as a research technician studying nutrient and trace metal cycling in aquatic ecosystems. He later discovered his passion for sharing his love of math, science, and the natural world with his students. As an outdoor enthusiast, Mr. Darer brings a strong natural science background to his Science and Hands on Skills lessons at Main Line Classical Academy, where he has taught since 2016. Mr. Darer is also the founder and lead teacher at Philly Outdoor Science Education, an interdisciplinary hands-on educational program, where he runs Outdoor Skills and Outdoor Science-based camps and classes for young learners.

When not teaching, he can be found playing piano around Philadelphia with his 1920’s Jazz Band Parlour Noir.

Dr. Danielle Nagelberg

Dr. Nagelberg earned her BS in biology from Temple University and her PhD in developmental genetics from New York University, and conducted postdoctoral research at Stanford University. Additionally, she completed the coursework for her Pennsylvania level 1 teaching certificate at Drexel University.

Inspired by her own experiences as a science student, as well as by her experiences teaching in a variety of elementary, secondary and post-secondary settings, Dr. Nagelberg strives to make learning science accessible to and enjoyable for all students. She believes that science is important and relevant for all students, regardless of career aspirations, and her goal is to build classroom experiences that reflect this conviction.

She is excited to be returning to MLCA this year as a science teacher for grades 3rd through 8th after previously teaching 6th and 7th grade biology in the 2018-2019 school year.

Vitaliy Kushnyerov

Mr. Kushnyerov, from eastern Ukraine, holds a degree in Science Education from Donetsk National University. With decades of teaching experience, he helps students develop strong study habits and a love of learning. Outside the classroom, he enjoys traveling with his family, reading, and taking long walks.

Paul Wright, PhD

Dr. Paul Wright, a cultural historian (Ph.D., Princeton), studies how stories shape people's understanding of the world. He has taught internationally and locally, from Osaka and Princeton to Villanova University. He is completing a book on Machiavelli and engages in media, film, and educational game projects, sharing his expertise with students worldwide.

Kristy Luke

Mrs. Luke holds a B.A. in American Studies from Miami University and an M.Ed. from the University of Pennsylvania. She taught in public and urban schools, co-founded The Mason Academy, and served on a Hillsdale Barney Charter School board. A classical educator and lifelong lover of old books, she is delighted to share her passion with MLCA students.

Christian Lengkeek

Mr. Christian Lengkeek, born and raised in Haverford Township, studied Philosophy, English, and Business at Eastern University, where he developed a passion for classical learning and tutored for three years. He lives with his wife, Ada (also an MLCA teacher), in Drexel Hill, enjoying old films, Philadelphia sports, and philosophical discussions in his free time.

Graham Gormley

Mr. Gormley is excited to share his fascination with the Ancient World with his students. Mr. Gormley formerly taught college students at nearby Villanova University. When not spending time with his family, Graham enjoys hosting discussion groups at his home and listening to Chopin.

Elena Orekhova

Elena Orekhova (MA, Linguistics, Belarus) has 15+ years as a corporate trainer in Learning & Development. She speaks five languages, helped design content for the Kids Academy e-learning platform, and lives in Chesterbrook, PA, with her husband and three children. She enjoys art museums, movies, and exploring the outdoors.

Gilles Portier

After earning a Masters Degree in Ancient Philosophy from the University of Paris-Sorbonne, Mr. Portier taught French Literature and Philosophy in Parisian high schools for 9 years. In 2012 he moved to Philadelphia, where he became a founding member and teacher of PhilaFLAM, a French non-profit that supports french-speaking students with high level French language courses that in some cases specifically lead to exams like the BAC, DELF, IB. For Mr. Portier, teaching French is more than providing students with new tools, as it is a way to help students take root in French culture. He enjoys sharing his knowledge with students and opening their minds to a different worldview through this second language.

Melany Trudeau

Ms. Trudeau's passion for teaching began, as a child, with the creation of tests and assessments of her childhood friends’ academic knowledge. After obtaining a law degree at Université de Montréal and admittance to the Québec bar, she practiced criminal and corporate law. Ms. Trudeau later returned to school at Western Washington University to earn a second degree in education with an academic focus on K-8. Upon graduation, she worked as an English-as-a-second-language teacher in a Seattle-area school district. After moving to Philadelphia, Ms. Trudeau became a teacher at and the educational coordinator of PhilaFLAM, a non-profit school providing French language courses to French speaking students from pre-k to the preparation for admittance to BAC, DELF and IB. Her personal interests are camping with the family, enjoying the outdoors and paddling on a dragon boat team.

Tal Schachar

Mrs. Tal Schachar, from Kibbutz Baram, Israel, holds degrees in education and theater. Trained at Beit Zvi, she has taught Hebrew to students from early childhood to youth programs. Now in Philadelphia, she focuses on hands-on, engaging lessons that integrate theater. She loves to travel and explore languages.

John Murdoch

Mr. Murdoch is director of Bucks County Classical Arts Center and a master artist and teacher. John has studied and has been making classical art for decades. He creates portraiture, figurative and still life paintings with an otherworldly edge, often using hand-ground paints and gold leaf on wood panels or canvas. One of John's gifts is making this difficult-to-master material accessible for a modern audience. John studied art at the School of Representational Art and the American Academy of Art. “For me the greatest moment in teaching is when I see someone do or understand something that they could not before. It is life changing!”

Ania Robert

Ms. Robert (St. Petersburg State University), holds a Master’s in Latin American Art from San Diego State. She has worked at the Hermitage, Timken, Oceanside, and Penn Museums. Passionate about art education, she runs the children’s program Let’s Go to a Museum! and continues art history research, publishing articles and hosting webinars.

Jessica Harper

Ms. Harper is an artist/photographer. She has taught at Swarthmore College, The International Center for Photography, and Haverford College. In 2017 she was invited to work with children as an Artist in Residence at Merion Elementary School in Merion, PA, where she has also taught art history as a volunteer for 3 years. Her two books of portraiture, Interior Exposure (Damiani 2008) and The Home Stage (Damiani 2014) were both first place prizewinners in the International Photography Awards. The Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery and The National Portrait Gallery in London are independently exhibiting her work as some of the best portraiture of our time. Ms. Harper received her BA in the History of Art from Bryn Mawr College and her MFA in Photography from the Rochester Institute of Technology.

Marina Voznaya

Mrs. Voznaya began her piano studies at the age of 4. In 1993, she completed eight years of study in Tchaikovsky Music School in St.Petersburg under Elena Trofimova. In 1997, Mrs. Voznaya graduated with honors from St.Petersburg Music Pedagogical College N 3. Where she studied under Natalia Khoreva (piano) and Olga Lusina (vocal). While studying there, she taught children (ranging from 3 to 25 years old) in private lessons and at local schools to play the piano as well as singing or vocal, and explained the theory of music. She subsequently worked as an accompanist of the ballet studio and studied at the Herzen State Pedagogical University in the Faculty of Music from 1997-1999, specializing once again in pianoforte. She went on to be admitted to the St. Petersburg State Rimsky- Korsakov Conservatory under the tutelage of Professor Tatiana Novikova and graduated in 2006. She received her Master’s degree in Vocal Studies (Master of Fine Arts in Vocal Studies). While she was studying, she went on concert tours to Germany, Italy, Switzerland and England. She worked with the Mariinsky Theater Choir as a soloist, beginning during the 5th course at the Conservatory and continued with the Choir until 2015. As a member of the Choir, she toured internationally concerts and theatrical performances, including the following countries: United States, Israel, Japan, China, England, Germany, Holland, France and Austria. All opera and performances were sung in the original languages. When she became a mother, Mrs. Voznaya taught music and singing at a private kindergarten and elementary school on a part-time basis until 2018. She was a soloist of a cappella church choir in Cathedral of Saint Catherine until 2018.

Karina Butterworth

Mrs. Butterworth grew up in St. Petersburg, Russia, where she studied music, art and theater. She graduated from the St. Petersburg Music Training College where she focused on violin. As part of her studies, Mrs. Butterworth also learned piano, conducting, ensemble, and led a music class at a local elementary school. Mrs. Butterworth later majored in theater at the St. Petersburg State University of Culture and Arts. She also studied art with Vycheslav Shraga at the Matisse Club Studio in St. Petersburg. Mrs. Butterworth has close to 20 years of experience in working with children. She has taught music, violin, and guitar at formal music school establishments in the Main Line area, including the Nelly Berman School of Music in Haverford. She has also previously taught Art Studio at MLCA.