VPA Staff

STACEY REED: VPA Lead · Dance Teacher · 6 years at TKA
Mrs. Reed teaches all levels of Junior High and High School Dance. Stacey is a TKA alumna who then received her B.A. in Dance from San Jose State University. She has been teaching dance for 12 years within public dance studios and elementary schools. Stacey feels blessed and overjoyed to be continuing for another year!

RHONDA IRWIN: VPA Specialist · 14 years at TKA
Rhonda Irwin has produced more than 60 theatre and dance productions, as well as over 50 concerts and 75 music competitions at the state level for TKA. She oversees 25 independent contractors seasonally to support the 12 unique visual and performing arts programs. She manages travel and competitions for the Class A Championship marching band program, Carnegie Hall-performing choir, and Rita Moreno award-winning theatre program. A lifelong music educator, she connects with students through her experience in playing clarinet in college band, accompanying orchestra and show choir on piano, choral singing, teaching children’s music classes, and working as a box office lead and house manager for theatre productions. She attended California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo and earned a B.S. in Industrial Engineering. She is a Google Certified Educator and a recognized Apple Teacher.

MARK ANDERSON: Art Teacher · 22 years at TKA
Mr. Anderson earned a B.S. from Bob Jones University in Greenville, SC, majoring in art education with a minor in history. He also did graduate work at Bethany University in Scotts Valley. He has been teaching full-time since 1972 and has taught ceramics, calligraphy, linear perspective drawing, junior high school art, and senior high school introductory and advanced art classes since the beginning of his teaching career using the curricula he developed for all of these studio art classes.

RYAN BORTZ: Band & Orchestra Director · 13 years at TKA
Mr. Bortz earned his B.A. in music, with a concentration in music education, from Pepperdine University. Additionally, he has an M.A. in education, with a concentration in curriculum and instruction, from CSU, Northridge, and a Master of Music degree, with a concentration in instrumental conducting, from Sam Houston State University.

ABIGAIL DeGRAAF: Theatre Teacher, Speaking with Confidence 6 and 7-8, Video Editing and Production, Director of High School Play and Musical · 4 years at TKA
Miss DeGraaf received her B.A. in Theatre and M.A.T. from Covenant College on Lookout Mountain, Georgia. She comes to us with 18 years of experience on the stage, most of which took place in the Puget Sound area of Washington State. She has loved theatre ever since she can remember, taking every opportunity to audition and act in plays since she was in elementary school. Some of her favorites include Laura from The Glass Menagerie, Hannah in Consumption, and Antipholus of Syracuse from A Comedy of Errors.

KATHIE MONTGOMERY:  Administrative Assistant · 1st year at TKA
Mrs. Montgomery received her B.S. in Business Administration from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. Kathie has over 20 years experience at local tech companies in marketing and project and program management. 

AMY MYERS: Digital Photography and Yearbook · 11 years at TKA
Mrs. Myers received a B.S. in Mathematics and a B.S. in Secondary Education from Mercer University in Atlanta.  She received a M.S. in Teaching Mathematics from Santa Clara University. She has been in education since 1989, teaching eighth grade math, then high school math until she started her family. When her middle child started 6th grade at TKA, she joined TKA staff to teach Pre-Calculus and Calculus until 2019, when she thought she was retiring. This past year, as she began substitute teaching, God tugged at her heart and directed her back to TKA where she will have the privilege of teaching digital photography and advising  the yearbook’s student staff.

JULIE SOMERS: VPA Coordinator · 2 years at TKA
Mrs. Somers earned a B.S. from San Diego Christian College and majored in Counseling Psychology. As a former Administrative Assistant, Julie comes to TKA with 15 years experience in working with Christian Schools. Her former Administrator asked her to create and execute an Orchestra program within the school curriculum.  It has been a successful program that gets instruments into the hands of hundreds of students. She loves photography and has a respect for theatre and music. As a former General Manager of a large restaurant, her abilities to see the big picture and troubleshoot on the fly will aid her as she assists the VPA program.

MARIEL TUIJT: High School Choir and Knightshine · 3 years at TKA
Mrs. Tuijt comes to TKA with more than twenty-five years of experience. She holds a Bachelor's and a Master's degree from the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston and a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Comparative Literature. She sang major operatic roles throughout the U.S. and Europe while developing her skills as a voice teacher and choral director. She has taught diction for singers, voice, opera scenes, and French at several universities and endlessly volunteered in elementary schools teaching kids about classical music. She is fluent in I.P.A (International Phonetic Alphabet) and speaks 7 languages.