About Us: Staff and Faculty

A well-trained faculty, characterized by their individual commitment to the Mission of the School, is key to the success of Wye River Upper School. A majority of our teachers and staff hold graduate degrees in their content area and all are required to pursue continued training. Several have forged partnerships with community businesses and agencies to sponsor applied learning opportunities for their students. Our faculty is vested in the mission and development of the school through participation in the Board of Trustees, School Leadership and key decision-making.

Click on names below to email faculty or staff:

Chrissy Aull, Founding Executive Director
Chrissy was motivated to found the school having realized the need while a parent of a middle school aged son and a special education teacher at Radcliffe Creek School.  Chrissy and another mother set about organizing a small group of interested educators, parents and community members in January 2002.  After nine months of preparation, the founding Board successfully opened the doors of WRUS in September 2002.  Chrissy received a B.A./B.S.W. from Western Maryland College, and Masters in Education from Loyola College. She holds a Maryland Advanced Professional Certificate in Special Education, is trained to teach Orton Gillingham reading instruction and previously taught reading and math. Mrs. Aull regularly speaks to local and regional organizations and has presented at national levels to further awareness of the need for appropriate education for students with unique learning styles. She is a member of the Shore Leadership Class of 2005, who honored the school with their Leadership in Education Award and has been honored by the Easton chapter of the American Association of University Women. She is a past Senior Warden of St. Paul's Parish in Centreville where she remains active in youth leadership and programming. Chrissy has recently been named Executive Director of WRUS and will focus largely on advancement as the school seeks to relocate to the Armory building in Centreville, Md.

Nicole Sophocles, Director of Education
Nicole Sophocles has been named WRUS Director of Education as of the 2010-11 school year. Nicole will oversee all aspects of curriculum, instruction and programming, in consult with the Executive Director. She holds a B.S. from the University of Miami and Masters in Education from the University of Maryland. She has spearheaded a unique relationship with nearby Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center, which has provided students with a variety of hands-on learning experiences and involvement with Bay Restoration Project on-site. Nicole is a founding teacher and serves on the WRUS School Support Team.

Darra Kell, Dean of Students
Darra Kell holds an M.A. from Johnson State College and works closely with parents and students setting short- and long-term goals as our full time school counselor. Her strong background in small group and individual counseling brings a supportive and skilled presence working with our students and faculty. Ms. Kell has extensive post-graduate training in crisis management, social skill development, and mediation, and has served in leadership roles in academic and residential settings throughout her career. She is credited with initiating a community service component into our graduation requirement and serves on the School Support Team.

James Martinez, Chair, Arts and Technology
James Martinez has a B.A. from Texas Tech University and an M.F.A. from the University of Delaware. His Photography/Movie Making course incorporates state-of-the-art techniques in creating digital photos and movies, using student and faculty laptops and digital photographic equipment. He leads interested students in developing portfolios for post secondary work and has organized several Student Exhibits in the area, as well as his own. Mr. Martinez is also the webmaster for Wye River Upper School and coordinates all technology. Mr. Martinez is a founding teacher and serves on the School Support Team.

Elizabeth Houser, Teacher
Elizabeth teaches Earth Science, Algebra and Bay Ecology. She holds a B.A. from Salisbury University. Her previous employment includes outdoor education, working extensively with youth. Liz coordinates the overnight camping experiences for WRUS and serves as the Coach for the WRUS Lady Raptors Basketball squad.

Kara Klucsarits, Teacher

Kara joins WRUS this year as the Music Instructor.  She will lead Music Introduction and Music Ensemble toward a culminating performance in May.  Kara will also coach the WRUS soccer squad and support the development office with seeking and writing grants.  Kara graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Music Management and Performance from Frostburg State University.  She has previously worked as an instructional assistant for a local county system.

Rachel Morris, M.Ed., Special Education
Rachel joins the WRUS faculty in order to support the emphasis on providing individualized programs for each WRUS student. Her certification in Special Education and Master's in English, and training in Wilson Reading systems will bring increased strength to the reading instruction offered by WRUS. Rachel will frequently co-teach with all WRUS faculty in order to best support students.

Kimberleigh Nichols, Teacher 

Kimberleigh is joining the WRUS team from the Dominican Republic where she spent three years teaching English and music in a bilingual school as a missionary.  as the Spanish instructor.  She holds a B.A. in Music and English from McDaniel College where she concentrated in voice, composition, creative writing and art.  She hopes to be a part of the musical community at WRUS as well. Her graduate work is in education and writing.  Before going to the DR, she taught Spanish, English and was a high school choral director.  Kimberleigh is eager to share her love of the Dominican culture with her students and to be a part of the WRUS community.

Larry Patterson, Ed.D., Teacher
Dr. Patterson holds an Ed.D. from the U. of Kentucky. He leads the majority of math instruction, including Geometry, Algebra , and Pre-Calculus. He experience includes long time service as Associate Superintendent for Instruction to the Dorchester County Public Schools. Larry also serves as the Director of SAT Preparation for College Placement Consulting in Easton. He and Mr. Milostan will be leading SAT preparation tutorials at WRUS as part of the WRUS College Advising Program.

Carrington Ritchie, Athletic Director and Teacher
Carrington Ritchie is the Athletic Director and faculty member teaching Earth Science, U.S. History, and American Government. He received his B.S. in Psychology from the College of Charleston in Charleston, SC. Over the years, Carrington has been an educator of Chesapeake Bay colonial history and ecology while working on the Sultana Projects and for the Echo Hill Outdoor School. He has earned a U.S.C.G. Masters License and has been certified in the Orton-Gilliangham teaching method. He is currently working toward MSDE teacher certification.

Kathleen White, Teacher: English
Kathleen "Kakie" White holds both a B.A. and M.A. from Washington College and brings over 30 years of high school teaching experience to Wye River Upper School. She teaches a Civics class and leads a Study Skills program while supporting the college admissions process and the Registrar's office. Kakie also supports the WRUS College Advising Program.

Devin Wootton, Teacher: English
Devin holds a B.A. in English from James Madison University. He is currently working toward Maryland certification in Special Education and secondary English. He has been previously employed in a variety of outdoor teaching settings, including the Schooner Sultana and Camp Woodsmoke in the Adirondacks. He teaches several WRUS English classes, with an emphasis on classic authors including Hemingway, Melville and Hawthorne. Devin leads the WRUS Dramatic Arts program, having directed The Dining Room and 50 Reasons Not to be in a Play.

Tom Mendenhall, WRUS Director of Business and Finance
With an MBA from M.I.T., Tom joins the staff in 2009 to lead all Business and Finance operations of the school. A strong background in entrepreneurship, Tom is well prepared to maintain the current structure as well as lead the finance operations in preparation for a Comprehensive Campaign.

Ellen Smith, Administrative Assistant and Special Events Coordinator
Ellen Smith joined the WRUS staff in 2009. Her Bachelors in Education combined with a very strong background in supporting development and non-profit organizations, will bring great strength to the growing development and campaign efforts the school undertakes. Ellen continues to work with non-profits as a volunteer, particularly the Boy Scouts and agencies in support of Talbot County social services.

Katie Theeke, Director of Admissions
Katie Theeke joined the WRUS staff in 2009. Katie holds a B.F.A. from the University of Michigan and an M.S. from Johns Hopkins University. Katie has a strong background in independent schools through her experience teaching technology and training faculty to integrate technology into their curriculum. Katie also has experience in marketing, sales and fine arts. Katie enjoys collaborating with new families who join our school community and she is enthusiastic about sharing the ongoing successes of WRUS with the larger community.

"I am privileged to lead such a dedicated and talented staff as they guide and mentor each of our students. Whether academic, civic, social, athletic or artistic, we look for the talents and passions that motivate and maintain our students' success and positive choices." - Chrissy Aull, Head of School