Meet Our Staff

Being a Lutheran school professional is more than a job, it is a calling. ESM is blessed to have a dedicated staff of people that are committed to establishing Christ firmly at the center of life and connecting children and families to the grace freely offered by our loving Savior. All of our classroom educators are rostered and called to serve as Lutheran Church Missouri Synod teachers.

Learn more about our staff and faculty and contact them using the directory below.

PRINCIPAL

ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS

Photo of Mrs. Jennifer Ackmann

Mrs. Jennifer Ackmann

Assistant Principal - Preschool

Assistant Principal and Preschool Director, Jennifer Ackmann, is a product of Emmanuel-...

Photo of Ms. Melissa Greener

Ms. Melissa Greener

Assistant Principal - Union Street and Athletic Director

Photo of Mrs. Keri Latin

Mrs. Keri Latin

Assistant Principal

Keri Latin is ESM's Assitant Principal and has her office at the Getz Road cam...

Administration

Photo of Mrs. Darlene Buuck

Mrs. Darlene Buuck

Secretary - Getz Rd Campus

Photo of Mrs. Erin Clark

Mrs. Erin Clark

Admissions Director

Photo of Mrs. Rachel Eckert

Mrs. Rachel Eckert

Food Service Director

Photo of Ms. Melissa Greener

Ms. Melissa Greener

Assistant Principal - Union Street and Athletic Director

Photo of Mrs. Kathy Lash

Mrs. Kathy Lash

Administrative Assistant - Union St. Campus

Photo of Rev. Jonathan Meyer

Rev. Jonathan Meyer

Shepherd of the School

Preschool Teachers

Photo of Mrs. Erin Bains

Mrs. Erin Bains

Preschool Teacher, Getz Campus

Photo of Miss Gwen Kanning

Miss Gwen Kanning

Preschool Teacher, Union Campus

Photo of Mrs. Colleen Kobi-Berger

Mrs. Colleen Kobi-Berger

Preschool Teacher, Getz Campus

Photo of Mrs. Michelle Madden

Mrs. Michelle Madden

Preschool Teacher, Union Campus

Kindergarten

Photo of Mrs. Jewell LaBrash

Mrs. Jewell LaBrash

Teacher - Kindergarten

Jewell Labrash is a graduate of Taylor University with a BS in elementary education and...

First Grade

Photo of Mrs. Mary Smith

Mrs. Mary Smith

Teacher - Grade 1

Mary Smith is another proud graduate of Concordia University Chicago. With a BA in elem...

Photo of Mrs. Bethann Wright

Mrs. Bethann Wright

Teacher - Grade 1

First grade teacher, Bethann Wright, holds a BA in elementary education with a minor in...

Second Grade

Photo of Mrs. Kim Faley

Mrs. Kim Faley

Teacher - Grade 2

Photo of Mrs. Sarah Smith

Mrs. Sarah Smith

Teacher - Grade 2

Sarah Smith joined the ESM teaching staff in 2022. Born and raised in Fort Wayne, Sarah...

Third Grade

Photo of Mr. Paul Buuck

Mr. Paul Buuck

Teacher - Grade 3

Understanding that there is good-natured rivalry between graduates within the Concordia...

Photo of Mrs. Amy Konow

Mrs. Amy Konow

Teacher - Grade 3

After years of joyfully serving as teacher aide at ESM, Amy Konow turned her attention ...

Fourth Grade

Photo of Mrs. Susan Murphy

Mrs. Susan Murphy

Teacher - Grade 4

As a mother of three, Susan Murphy brings her maternal instincts and nurturing nature t...

Fifth Grade

Photo of Mr. Joshua Eggold

Mr. Joshua Eggold

Teacher - Grade 5

When Joshua Eggold is not front and center in his fifth-grade classroom, he is likely t...

Photo of Mrs. Rachael Johnson

Mrs. Rachael Johnson

Teacher - Grade 5

Rachael Johnson is a native of Fort Wayne. She attended Bethlehem Lutheran Sc...

Sixth Grade

Photo of Mrs. Abby McCoy

Mrs. Abby McCoy

Teacher - Grade 4

Abby (Wietfeldt) McCoy joined the ESM family in 2021 as one of our 4th grade ...

Photo of Miss Kathy Palmreuter

Miss Kathy Palmreuter

Teacher - Grade 6

The youngest of six children in her family, Kathy Palmreuter grew up on a farm in Vassa...

Seventh Grade

Photo of Mrs. Rebekah Staub

Mrs. Rebekah Staub

Teacher - Grade 7 / Spanish Teacher

Representing Concordia University Chicago, Rebekah Staub has a BA in secondary educatio...

Eighth Grade

Photo of Mr. Jeremy Staub

Mr. Jeremy Staub

Teacher - Grade 8 / MS Choir Director

With a BS in secondary education and a concentration in biology and instrumental music,...

PE, Art, Music & Technology

Photo of Mrs. Pauline Benner

Mrs. Pauline Benner

Teacher - Getz Rd Music

Pauline Benner serves in a variety of roles at ESM. She teaches elementary general...

Photo of Mrs. Casey Lee

Mrs. Casey Lee

Teacher - Union St Art, Finance Administrative Assistant

Casey Lee brings to ESM gifts in both education and administration.  She is a grad...

Photo of Mrs. Stephanie Maxson

Mrs. Stephanie Maxson

Teacher - 4th & 5th Music

Stephanie Maxson graces our campuses with the sound of music!  As St. Michael&rsqu...

Photo of Mr. Kevin McGuigan

Mr. Kevin McGuigan

Teacher - Physical Education

Kevin McGuigan is our PE teacher at the both campuses and boys varsity basketball ...

Photo of Mr. Jeremy Staub

Mr. Jeremy Staub

Teacher - Grade 8 / MS Choir Director

With a BS in secondary education and a concentration in biology and instrumental music,...

Resource

Photo of Mrs. Lisa Heilman

Mrs. Lisa Heilman

Resource Teacher - Union St. Campus

A Fort Wayne native, Lisa Heilman grew up attending St. Michael Lutheran Church and has...

Photo of Mrs. Dana Hildebrand

Mrs. Dana Hildebrand

Resource Teacher - Getz Rd Campus

Dana Hildebrand is a graduate of Concordia University-River Forest.  She serves at...

Photo of Mrs. Lisa Meeks

Mrs. Lisa Meeks

Resource Teacher - Union St. Campus

Lisa Meeks graduated from Purdue University with a BA in elementary education. After se...

Photo of Mrs. Kelly Steffen

Mrs. Kelly Steffen

Resource Teacher - Union St. Campus

The 2019-2020 school year marks Kelly Steffen’s twenty-first year in the educatio...

Church Leadership

Photo of Rev. Daniel Sheafer

Rev. Daniel Sheafer

Asst. Pastor - Emmanuel

Pastor Dan Sheafer has served as associate pastor at Emmanuel since July 2016. He share...

Photo of Rev. Shawn Davis

Rev. Shawn Davis

Missional Pastor - St. Michael

Pastor Shawn is the son of a retired Air Force Chaplin. Shawn and his wife Anna met at ...

Photo of Rev. Dr. Dennis Goff

Rev. Dr. Dennis Goff

Senior Pastor - St. Michael

Rev. Dr. Dennis Goff was born in Columbus OH, the youngest of four children born to Lor...

Photo of Rev. Thomas Eggold

Rev. Thomas Eggold

Senior Pastor - Emmanuel

Pastor Eggold shares that "I love our church family. Preaching to, teaching, and c...