Administration
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Rachelle Gardner
Chief Operating Officer
One of the school’s founders, Rachelle Gardner began her career as an addictions counselor, and is now chief operating officer of Hope Academy. She previously served as director of adolescent services at Fairbanks Recovery Center and as the board chair for the Association of Recovery Schools. Rachelle holds a bachelor of arts in psychology from Indiana University, and a master’s degree in organizational management. She is also a licensed clinical addiction counselor in Indiana. With over 20 years of experience in the field, she is passionate about helping adolescents affected by drug and alcohol abuse and addiction.
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Linda Gagyi
Principal
Linda Gagyi grew up in the Chicago area, attended Eastern Illinois University and graduated from Illinois State University with a bachelor’s degree in education. She earned a master’s degree in education and an administrator’s license from Indiana Wesleyan University. Linda has been an educator for over 30 years, having served as a math, science and technology teacher as well as a building-level administrator. Linda and her husband have two sons, Steven and Christopher, and one grandson.
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Rossi Preissler
Administrative Assistant
With 25 years as an administrative assistant, Rossi Preissler has had the opportunity to meet and work with many wonderful people. Born in San Pedro Sula, Honduras and raised in La Lima, Rossi moved to Longview, Washington, prior to high school. After graduating, she moved to New Orleans, where she earned a degree in business administration. She lived in New Orleans for over 20 years, until Hurricane Katrina devastated the area in 2005, prompting a move to Houston, and eventually Indiana in 2009. Rossi and her husband have five children, one grandchild, two adopted children in India, two chihuahuas and a shi tzu.
School Staff
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Amanda Buck
School Counselor
Amanda Buck joined Hope Academy two years ago, and brings over a dozen years of experience in higher education and secondary education. She holds a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in criminal justice, as well as a master’s in counseling. She and her husband Nick live in Indianapolis and have three sons.
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Joe Dodridge
Mathematics Teacher
Joe Dodridge grew up in Ohio and attended the University of the Cumberlands in Kentucky for college. He earned his master’s degree from Ball State University and is certified to teach both math and music. Joe has experience teaching in private and public schools, in rural and urban areas, as well as at the university level. He’s taught algebra I and II, geometry, probability and statistics, precalculus, discrete math and eighth grade math, as well as band, orchestra, general music, music history and appreciation, and music theory. He and his wife Sara have two children, and he enjoys writing short travel books and Christian devotionals in his free time.
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Jane Drascic
Art Instructor/STARR facilitator
Jane Drascic teaches art classes full-time, and also facilitates the needs of students in our STARR program. She graduated from John Herron School of Art and Design with a bachelor of fine arts, and also earned a master’s degree from Purdue University in the studio arts. She is married with four daughters.
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Mary Giesel
Enrollment Specialist
Mary Giesel joined Hope Academy in July 2018, after working as a business development representative at Fairbanks. She has her bachelor of science in nursing, and has served as clinical program manager at Medical Solutions, and account manager at Guidant Corporation.
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Boyd Gilbert, Ph.D.
Science Teacher
Boyd Gilbert earned his bachelor of arts degree in natural and social sciences from Shimer College in Illinois, and his master of arts in education at St. Francis University in Fort Wayne, IN. He completed his PhD in educational studies at Purdue University. He has taught middle school and high school science across Indiana and Illinois, as well as environmental conservation and earth science courses at the college level. He and his wife Sarah have three children and six grandchildren.
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Crystal Gilliam
English Teacher
Crystal Gilliam joined Hope Academy as an English teacher, after teaching for nearly a decade in private schools and the Indianapolis Public School system. She has a bachelor of arts in Literature and a bachelor of science in secondary education from Ball State University. She and her husband Josh have four children. She enjoys gardening, reading, and being outdoors.
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Janet Hauser
Special Education Teacher
A lifelong educator, Janet Hauser has been teaching for over forty years. She received both her undergraduate and graduate degrees from Butler University, and taught in the Indianapolis Public Schools prior to coming to Hope Academy. When she isn’t teaching, Janet enjoys spending time with her cats and advocating for animal rights.
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Jordan Mills
Social Studies Teacher
Originally from Evansville, Jordan Mills moved to Indianapolis in 2008 to teach at Hope Academy. An avid board gamer who attends Gen Con every year, Jordan enjoys finding social deduction and bluffing games to bring back to school for the students to play. Additionally, he enjoys collecting antiques – many of which are on display in his classroom – and running half marathons.
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Erin Spicer
School Nurse
Erin Spicer completed the LPN program at Ivy Tech in 2007, and serves as the school nurse at Hope Academy. Prior to coming to Hope, she worked at Fairbanks for eight years on the inpatient detox unit. When she’s not at work, Erin enjoys spending time with her husband and three sons, being outdoors, and reading.
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Carolee Vannatta
PE/Health Teacher
Carolee Vannatta teaches physical education and health at Hope Academy, and also facilitates education for the adolescent inpatient students at Fairbanks. She also serves as support staff for fundraising events such as Taste of Hope. Carolee has her undergraduate degree in exercise science from Ball State University, and her teaching degree from Indiana Wesleyan University. She lives in Zionsville and has three children.
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Georgia Wynne
Recovery Coach
Georgia Wynne graduated from Hope Academy in 2011 and joined the Hope Academy staff as recovery coach in 2018. She is passionate about advocating for anyone that is on the journey of recovery, and considers it a privilege to guide young adults on the path of healing their mind, body, and spirit. She enjoys reading, exercise, coffee, scuba diving, and hanging out with her cat (“fur baby”) Prudence.