Nathaniel Beckman is the first headmaster of the Chesterton Academy of St. Joseph. He received his B.A. in Liberal Arts from Thomas Aquinas College, an M.S. in Mathematics from Old Dominion University, and is finishing a second master’s in the History of Philosophy through Holy Apostles College and Seminary. For the last decade, he has worked in secondary and post-secondary education both in the U.S. and as a missionary in Central America. He and his wife are currently living out their vocation as foster and adoptive parents in Dayton, OH.

To serve my family and bring as many people to heaven as possible; that is my greatest aspiration.

 Although a North Carolina native, Alaina graduated from Wright State University with a Bachelor’s in Marketing in 2018. She has over 8 years' experience in marketing and 4 in fundraising. During her time in college and since, she has truly come to love the Dayton area and community. She lives in Xenia with her beloved husband, John, and their daughter Anastasia. She has a passion for marketing, fundraising, and creating unique Spotify playlists.

Frederique Doepker is the school's office manager. 

Aoife Flieder holds an MFA in Poetry from the University of Oregon, where she taught English and Creative Writing from 2022 to 2024. Before her graduate studies, she trained as a classical musician and earned a Bachelor of Music from the Eastman School of Music.

Originally from Portland, Oregon, Aoife now lives in Dayton with her husband, and is excited to share her love of literature within a school community rooted in the Catholic Faith. She was received into the Church as an adult, taking her confirmation name from Therese of the Child Jesus and the Holy Face.

Born and raised in southern California, Emmie Fryling herself enjoyed attending a classical high school, converting to the Catholic Church in large part because of that formation. While in California, she received a B.S. in Mathematics from Biola University. And after relocating to Ohio, Emmie also received an M.A. in Philosophy from Franciscan University, finishing in the summer of 2024. Some of her favorite pastimes include reading and writing, taking long walks, and hosting dinner parties with friends. Emmie is delighted to teach at the Chesterton Academy of St. Joseph and hopes to foster joy and academic excellence in the classroom.

Dr. Lafferty teaches Theology, Philosophy, and History. He has great love for the history of the Catholic Church and Marian devotion. Received into the Church in 2010, he has since completed a Ph.D. in Systematic Theology at Duquesne University, a M.A. in Historical Theology at Saint Louis University, and a M.A. in Catholic Studies at the University of St. Thomas. He also holds a B.S. in Computer Science. Dr. Lafferty has previously taught Scripture and theology courses to undergraduates and is excited to be part of a community that integrates learning and the Faith.

Matt Young teaches Latin, Biology, and Literature at Chesterton Academy. A native of New Orleans, he earned his Bachelor's degree in 2016 from the University of Alabama, where he majored in English Literature and Latin. He moved to Ohio in 2018 where he served the Archdiocese of Cincinnati as a VIA Missionary alongside his lovely wife, Emily. Together they have two wonderful daughters, Maria and Sophia, as well as an infant son. He has various interests including watching college football, learning about strange animals, and gaming of all varieties. Mr. Young is beyond excited to share his love of learning with the brilliant minds at Chesterton.

Jaired Birks brings extensive experience in education and music to his role teaching Drama and Music. Raised in Cleveland, Ohio, he earned a Bachelor of Music degree in Voice Performance from Ohio Northern University. He previously served as a church music director and Methodist pastor before converting to Catholicism with his wife, Stacy, and their seven children (three daughters and four sons). The family resides in Lima, Ohio. While deeply committed to Catholic education, Mr. Birks possesses experience in public education across all grade levels and is an active member of a local board of education. His personal interests include the study of political history, further developing his conducting and singing skills, and creative writing. He is incredibly happy and excited to teach at Chesterton.

Many moons ago, Stephanie Schutte received a Bachelor of Arts in Music Therapy from the University of Dayton. It was there that she met her husband, Greg.  They have lived in Dayton for most of their 32 years of marriage, during which they have raised seven children. After homeschooling for over 25 years, she managed to pick up enough Latin so that now, as her two youngest children are students at CASJ, she has the privilege of teaching Latin I at the school. Mrs. Schutte also has numerous piano students, and on the rare occasion that she isn’t teaching someone something, she’s probably out looking for birds.

Ben Sisson studied Wildlife Biology at Montana State University, where he met his wife, Kayla, experienced a reversion to the faith, and worked on several ecological studies before serving as an Army Officer in Alaska. After leaving active duty, Ben pursued a M.A. in Theological Studies through Christendom College and now serves in the Army Reserve. He is working on a M.S. in Environmental Science at the University of Dayton while Kayla completes her General Surgery residency with the Air Force. Ben enjoys anything outdoors, reading, and especially, sharing the Catholic faith. 

Melissa Stange is a design and art history graduate of Mount St. Joseph University. She and her husband, Jacob, moved to Dayton following college. They reside in Huber Heights with their five children. 

Melissa enjoys creating and teaching art as a way to cultivate participation in God's beauty. In her resting time, she enjoys sewing, sketching, painting, and time with family and friends. 

Danny Sweeney earned dual B.S. degrees in Physics and Mathematics from Purdue University, where he was active in his Catholic community. He has carried those experiences to each place he's lived. After moving to Dayton in 2019, he became involved in the Evangelization Committee at his parish. In his free time he likes reading fantasy and sci-fi, fantasy world-building with friends, and to help others grow in their relationship with Christ. In his role as Physical Science & Mathematics teacher he hopes to help his students appreciate and understand the subjects, even if they seem scary and difficult at first.