Our Team of Educators
Christina Callaway was born in Manila, Philippines, and moved to Texas as a junior high student. Her experience as a young student at international schools helped her develop an appreciation for other cultures and languages. This eventually led to an adventurous career teaching for a decade in international schools in South America and the Middle East. She has lived in six countries, is fluent in Spanish and speaks conversational Portuguese and Tagalog.
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Ms. Callaway has been in education for over 20 years and has taught a variety of subjects and grade levels throughout her career. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Smith College and a master’s degree in Educational Leadership and Administration from The George Washington University. Ms. Callaway has served as International Baccalaureate Coordinator, Assistant Principal, and Principal in the private school sector.
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Ms. Callaway's desire is for every student at ANCS to know how much they are loved and uniquely made by God. Her own uniqueness comes out through her love of exploring new places, bartering in flea markets, singing to oldies, and spending time with her husband and two children.
Christina Callaway, M.A.
Head of School
Stephen Michalik, M.Ed.
STEM Coordinator / Athletics Director
Stephen Michalik is a graduate of the University of Northern Colorado with a Master’s in Interdisciplinary Studies and Mathematics, and has been in education for 19 years. He grew up on the island of Maui but now calls Texas his home.
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Mr. Michalik has been a collaborative partner for ANCS with numerous state universities like Rice University, University of Texas (Texas Advanced Computing Center), and Texas A&M's Regional Math Collaborative. Program collaborations focus on inquiry-based learning, algebraic thinking and problem-solving. He was recently selected as a lead teacher trainer for the We_Teach CS sponsored technology applications and computer science initiative. He has presented at the district and state level in math, science, and technology in addition to being a recipient for numerous STEM-focused grants and awards.
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When he is not in the classroom, Mr. Michalik stays active in the community by training for triathlons and marathons, exploring the local eateries, traveling with his family.
Kimberly Hewitt, B.S.
Director of Elementary Education
Kimberly Hewitt is from Texas and comes to All Nations with over 25 years of experience in education. She received her Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from the University of Houston and has taught various grades from Pre-K to 8th grade, including two years in an International Baccalaureate program. She also has administrative experience, having been director of a small Christian private school for 8 years.
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Mrs. Hewitt lives with her husband, their Yorkie Olivia, and their puppy Matilda. Outside of school hours, Mrs. Hewitt enjoys tutoring international students for English. She has four adult children and four grandchildren. One of her sons and his wife are also in education. Mrs. Hewitt LOVES to read and share her love of reading with her students. She also enjoys playing board games...except Monopoly! A true Texan, she loves chips and queso and any kind of Mexican food.
Dr. Nicole Puig-Herz, Ph.D., CDMP
Chief of Community Engagement
Dr. Nicole Puig graduated summa cum laude with Dual Honors Baccalaureate degrees from Virginia Tech in Spanish and International Studies, with minors in French and European Studies. After living in Germany for a year, she earned her Ph.D. from Cornell University in Romance Studies with a concentration in Hispanic Literature and a specialty in Catalan Studies. ​
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Dr. Puig is a founding faculty member at ANCS, having started as Spanish Teacher and Spanish Program Coordinator when the school opened in 2018. Since 2019, she has taken on Marketing and Communication duties at ANCS in various capacities, and when the Spanish program expanded in 2020, she became Dual Immersion Coordinator. In 2021 she earned a PRO Certification in Digital Marketing (CDMP) from the DMI Institute in Europe. Starting in August 2024, Dr. Puig has shifted her role at All Nations to become the Chief of Community Engagement, to focus on advancing school development and engaging the school community at all levels. ​
In her spare time, Dr. Puig enjoys music, cooking, and long-distance running. She is currently training for her first ultramarathon. Dr. Puig is passionate about serving her faith community; she has traveled to Peru several times as interpreter for her church, and she currently serves on several committees in missions and marketing, as well as singing in the choir and playing alto sax in the jazz band.
Andrea da Silva, B.S.
Kindergarten Teacher
Andrea da Silva, originally from Montevideo, Uruguay, immigrated to the United States with her family
at the age of 11. She spent her formative years in West Palm Beach, Florida, before moving to
the Washington D.C. Metropolitan Area at 19, where she met her husband, Brian. The couple
later relocated to Texas to further their education.
Maestra da Silva holds a B.S. in Early Childhood and Elementary Education with an endorsement in Bilingual Education from Texas A&M University. Her extensive travels and diverse living experiences, including her time in Nashville, Tennessee, where she worked at the county's first Spanish Immersion school, have enriched her professional journey. She has also explored Europe and South America, with Florence, Italy, standing out as her favorite city.
In 2010, Maestra da Silva and her family returned to The Woodlands to raise their children, Isabel and
Nicolas. Isabel graduated from Grandview Preparatory School in Boca Raton, Florida, and plans to continue her education in Texas, prompting Andrea and her family to return to their beloved home in The Woodlands.
With 19 years of teaching experience, Andrea's expertise spans from Spanish Immersion Kindergarten to High School AP Spanish. She is committed to accommodating diverse learning styles and meeting individual student needs through both academic instruction and Social Emotional Learning. Maestra da Silva's infectious passion for teaching underscores her unwavering dedication to education.
Kristian Aranda, B.A.
Dual Language Teacher
Maestra Aranda was born and raised in Mexico, in the state of Yucatan. When she was five years old her parents brought her to the United States. She lived in California for five years with her familiy, then moved back to Mexico, where she finished school.
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Being around teachers all the time made her interested in teaching, so she pursued a Bachelors in Education. After graduation, she taught middle school Art and high school History.
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After moving back to California, she attended a community school to learn English, then returned to teaching as a Spanish teacher in a language school. She has taught all ages from kindergarten to adults, in after-school programs and private classes. After seven years living in California, she and her husband decided to move to Texas.
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In Texas, Maestra Aranda started working in preschool and building new experiences with PK, staying with this age group for eight years before returning to work in elementary school grades. She worked as a Paraprofessional for the Dual Immersion program in Conroe ISD before joining the Dual Language Program at ANCS. Maestra Aranda's passion is to give kids the knowledge and tools they need to grow to have a great future.
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During her free time she enjoys being with her family, going to the park, playing games and walking in her community.​
Jennifer Nespory, B.A.
Dual Language Teacher
Jennifer Nespory was born and raised in Houston, Texas. She received her B.A. in Church Ministries at Southwestern Assemblies of God University in Waxahachie, Texas, and is certified in Early Childhood-G6, as well as in ESL. She taught several early elementary grades for a total of 9 years and worked as a caregiver for children of staff at Ark Church in the Houston area, before coming to ANCS.
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Mrs. Nespory's goal in the classroom is always to establish a positive rapport with students and structure her teaching methods with this in mind. To her, the foundational aspect of teaching is creating safe and team-oriented environments, in which students will thrive socially, emotionally, and academically.
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Mrs. Nespory has lived in Conroe with her family for almost 10 years. Aside from her time spent in the classroom and with her family, she invests time in the mission field abroad, having helped plant a church in Guadalajara, Mexico; as well as taking multiple mission trips to various parts of Mexico and Central America. When at home, she enjoys hanging out with her daughter and gardening.
Naary Ferguson, a native of Sonora, Mexico, discovered her passion for languages at a young age, teaching herself English through music and TV. She pursued her dream by earning a degree in English Language Teaching from Universidad de Sonora and thereafter completing a course in Educational Management in 2023.
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After teaching in Mexico for five years, Maestra Ferguson embarked on an enriching journey through the Au Pair Program in Houston, where she immersed herself in American culture. Maestra Ferguson's teaching philosophy revolves around personalized connections with her students, crafting lessons that reflect their interests. Maestra Ferguson's dedication to learning extends beyond the classroom, as she eagerly explores the influence of pop culture on education.
Outside of work, she cherishes spending time with her husband, engaging in activities like gardening and playing with their dog and being part of their house church community.
Naary Ferguson, B.A.
Spanish Teacher
Erica Payne, B.A.
Middle & High School Teacher
Erica Payne was born in Syracuse, New York. She traveled the world as an Air Force brat and then an Army wife, before landing in Houston in 2016 along with her husband, Kenny, their five kids and various pets. Growing up a "third culture" kid gave her a love for both the cultures of the world and the fascinating individuality of each person.
After receiving her B.A. in Education from the University of West Georgia, she taught for fourteen years in the homeschool community. This provided the opportunity to teach in many different settings, from cooperative groups to clubs, academic teams and one-on-one. In addition to instructing in all the core subjects, she has taught Bible, art, logic, Latin, and speech and debate.
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Aside from teaching, Mrs. Payne loves to read, especially British murder mysteries; enjoys writing, including participating in the National Novel Writing Month; and spends any spare minute outdoors
drawing or gardening. All of this, though, becomes immaterial next to the most important thing in Mrs. Payne’s life, which is that she believes in the God of the Bible, who has saved her through His Son, Jesus
Christ.
Mona Hudnall, M.Ed.
High School Science Teacher
Mona Hudnall received her Bachelor of Science in Biology (minor in English) and her Master of Education in Secondary Education, from Northeast Louisiana University (now University of Louisiana at Monroe).
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Mrs. Hudnall has taught in Texas, Louisiana and Alabama at both public and private schools. She specializes in sciences, but also has experience teaching Math and English. She has taught AP, GT and Honors courses. In addition, she taught biology lecture and lab at Auburn University. She was voted Teacher of the Year at Nimitz Ninth Grade Campus in Houston.
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In addition to her classroom teaching experience, Mrs. Hudnall has sponsored a variety of student organizations, such as Christian Student Union, Science National Honor Society and Science Bowl. She wrote biology and IPC curriculum for Aldine ISD for 25 years, and she was a Star Educator for the Discovery Educator Network.
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Mrs. Hudnall enjoys spending time with her husband, Stanley, as well as reading, crafting, writing, and participating in activities at her church. She and her husband spent time with their two daughters and their husbands, but it's her grandson Alex who gets more of her attention.
Ruth Ramos
Art Teacher
Ruth Ramos joins ANCS having moved to Texas from Europe. Maestra Ramos is originally from Guadalajara, Mexico, but has lived in four countries. She has spent the last decade living in Germany and Lithuania, during which she enjoyed learning and experiencing other languages and cultures.
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In addition to teaching and creating art, she is also an illustrator and designer. She has collaborated with several authors, illustrating their children's books and activity books. Since she was a child, Maestra Ramos' life has been filled with colors, crayons, and paintbrushes. She loves creating colorful projects with children and inspiring their creativity to come alive!
Jane Hallford, B.F.A.
Music Teacher
Ms. Hallford was born and raised in Miami, Florida. She lived in Chicago for ten years before coming to Texas, where she has spent 32 years. Her Bachelor's was in vocal music education with a K-12 certification from Stephen F. Austin State University. She has over 35 years of experience teaching both piano and voice to a wide variety of ages and grade levels, including both public and private schools, homeschooling, church staff, musical theater, and private lessons.
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Ms. Hallford has also traveled extensively, with experience in cross cultural missions in various countries. Locally, she does community work with cats, helping to catch and release in a spay/neuter program. She also has extensive experience and interest in health/wellness, especially for children, both locally and abroad.
In her free time, Ms. Hallford loves spending time with the Lord, reading His word and introducing others to Him, tropical breezes, sunsets, beaches, flower gardens, walking, biking, tennis, cards, and all things furry…especially cats! She has five grown children and five grandkids.
Yanela Villavicencio
Prekindergarten Teacher
Ms. Yanela was born and raised in Quito, Ecuador. She is bilingual in English and Spanish, and lived in New York City before moving to Texas. She has worked in both churches and schools before coming to All Nations. Ms. Yanela has received training in early childhood development, including a certification as Child Development Associate from Penn Foster.
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Ms. Yanela lives with her husband and their daughter, both of whom also are bilingual in Spanish. She loves working with children, and All Nations students all recognize the cheerful, hardworking presence that she brings to campus every day.​
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Outside of school, Ms. Yanela is active at her local church, enjoys traveling and loves spending time with her family.
Katelyn Rocha, B.A.
Dual Language Teacher
Namaste! Katelyn Rocha has a B.A. in Humanities with a concentration in Intercultural Studies, and a Generalist 4-8 Texas Standard Teaching Certification. She is incredibly grateful to have traveled to 17 countries, having lived in India and China. Mrs. Rocha has had the privilege of experiencing both linguistic and cultural immersion in a variety of settings.
Mrs. Rocha believes firmly that each child is created uniquely with their own sets of giftings and superpowers that directly influence our world. Cultivating a lifelong love of learning is something she values and strives after, both personally and with her family.
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Staff
Martha Sánchez
Front Office
Martha (pronounced "MAR-ta") Sánchez comes to ANCS with a wealth of experience in HR, office management and registrar office, in both public and private schools.
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Mrs. Sánchez originally hails from Chicago but has lived in Texas since she was a teenager. She is bilingual in English and Spanish and is the first generation in a Mexican-American family. Mrs. Sánchez has been married thirty-five years, has two grown children who also speak Spanish, and has a Maltipoo named Luna. In her free time, she enjoys bike riding regularly with her husband.
Donna Reed, M.Ed.
Career/Guidance Counselor
Ms. Reed is a Texas- and New York-certified teacher, with over 35 years of experience in the field of education. She graduated summa cum laude from both high school and college. Her love of international schools began when she student taught in Florence, Italy.
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At the college level, Ms. Reed has taught math at Lone Star College and Math Methods at SHSU. She has served as College and Career Counselor at both private and public International Baccalaureate schools.
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Ms. Reed is a member of both the Texas Association for College Admission Counseling (TACAC) and the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC), and she serves as co-treasurer for Montgomery County Retired School Personnel. She has extensive experience in working with gifted students and is a former member of the Texas Association for the Gifted and Talented.
Ms. Reed loves to read, travel, and attend Bible Study Fellowship classes. She has two grown daughters and has been involved with the founding of ANCS since its early days.
Ms. Reed comes to campus periodically throughout the school year to meet with high school students and parents.
What parents say about ANCS faculty:
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"Loving, caring, patient, understanding, and really want to KNOW each kid"
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"Professional, passionate, and committed to what they do"
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"Very competent, caring, creative faculty"
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"Some of the hardest working, overly-qualified teachers who love and care for their students"