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AHA Administration

Tom Shipley, President

Phone: 612-798-2602  Email: tshipley@academyofholyangels.org

Tom Shipley assumed the role as AHA President on August 1, 2011. 

Shipley has more than 27 years experience in education, in both the public and private Catholic sectors.

He earned his bachelor of science degree in education from the University of Wisconsin, Madison.  He has a master’s degree in education administration from Northern Illinois University, and he has also has completed significant coursework at Loyola University of Chicago’s post-graduate/Ed.D program.

He began his teaching career in Libertyville, Illinois. From there he grew his responsibilities and experience, assuming the roles of assistant principal and then principal at Libertyville Public Schools.
 
After 13 years in public schools, Shipley returned to his hometown of Madison, Wisconsin, to take over the reins as principal—and later as president—of Edgewood High School, a Catholic High School sponsored by the Sinsinawa Dominican Sisters.  He was the first lay administrative person to assume leadership in the school’s 128-year history.
 
During his 14 years at Edgewood, Shipley made significant accomplishments: creating the school’s first lay governance board, initiating an extensive and comprehensive strategic plan, doubling enrollment, increasing annual giving, updating both the general and religious curriculum, enhancing co-curricular programs, and completing a $14 million capital campaign that revamped the Madison campus.  For his work he was named “One of Madison’s Most Influential Leaders” by Madison Magazine, received the Diocese of Madison’s Visionary Leadership Award, and was honored by Edgewood with the Samuel Mazzuchelli Award for Service to Christian Education.
 
In 2006, Shipley made a professional change to pursue senior management and leadership positions in the business arena.  He was a co-founder and part of an investment group that purchased Greenwoods State Bank, a Lake Mills, Wisconsin, community bank. During that time period, Shipley served as director and senior executive vice president with commercial lending and management responsibilities.

Heidi J. Foley, M.Ed., Principal

Phone: 612-798-2682 Email: hfoley@academyofholyangels.org

Heidi J. Foley is principal and corporate vice president of the Academy of Holy Angels in Richfield, Minnesota. This Catholic, co-educational high school serves more than 850 students in grades 9–12. Heidi leads, guides, and develops professional development opportunities in the areas of curriculum and assessments for AHA educators, and serves on the school’s Board Curriculum, Communications, Facilities, and Technology committees.

 Since becoming principal of this nationally recognized college-preparatory school in 1999, Heidi has increased the number of advanced placement courses from two to 12, and participation in the program from 48 to 367 students. She also led the faculty in a project to align curriculum in all courses, utilize common assessments, and form professional learning teams to ensure continuous improvement in teaching and learning.

Prior to joining AHA, Heidi served as a Spanish teacher for 12 years in Orono Public Schools in Orono, Minnesota. She was selected as the district’s first curriculum director and also served as an interim principal. During her years in Orono, she also taught Spanish at Worthington Middle School in Worthington, Minnesota.

Heidi’s memberships include the Association for Curriculum and Development, National and Minnesota Associations of Secondary School Principals, and Pi Lambda Theta (Epsilon Chapter membership chair). She is a trained North Central Association Accreditation team leader and Malcolm Baldridge examiner. Heidi has presented workshops on assessments and high school professional learning communities for the School of Education at Loyola University.

Heidi earned a bachelor’s degree in Spanish and a master’s degree in second languages and cultures from the University of Minnesota. She is currently pursuing her doctorate in education.

Heidi’s knowledge of curriculum alignment and effective assessments, combined with her experience as a teacher and administrator, result in presentations that speak to all educators who strive to improve their schools and districts. Heidi says, “An aligned curriculum with clearly stated student outcomes helps students and teachers attain and measure learning.”

 

Mark H. Melhorn, M. A., Assistant Principal

Phone: 612-798-2641 Email: mmelhorn@academyofholyangels.org

Mark H. Melhorn is responsible for maintaining a safe, comfortable environment for the students and staff of the Holy Angels community. Working with the Dean of Student Life, counselors, the Attendance Office and other support staff, Mr. Melhorn assists students in dealing with problems and situations that arise inside and outside of school. He is also responsible for Student Government and commencement exercises.

Mr. Melhorn earned his bachelor’s degree in Education, and his master’s degree in Secondary Administration. He began his career at Holy Angels as a social studies teacher.

Brian M. McCartan, CFRE, Development Director

Phone: 612-798-2618 Email: bmccartan@academyofholyangels.org

Brian McCartan is responsible for fund raising activities at Holy Angels. In addition, He also supervises alumni relations. McCartan joined Holy Angels in 1996. Prior to that, he served as director of corporate giving at the Guthrie Theater. He earned an English degree from the University of St. Thomas.

L. Joseph Uhrich, Chief Financial Officer

Phone: 612-798-2601 Email: juhrich@academyofholyangels.org

Joe Uhrich has been the Academy's Director of Finance since 1996. Prior to joining AHA, Mr. Uhrich had two years of experience in accounting for a manufacturing company and 16 years' experience in public accounting. Mr. Uhrich is a CPA and is responsible for administering the Academy's business and financial affairs.

Jesse A. Foley '89, Director of Admissions

Phone: 612-798-2621 Email: jfoley@academyofholyangels.org

Mr. Foley’s responsibilities include the school’s marketing initiatives, prospective student and family special events and tours, and facilitating and overseeing a committee of AHA staff members who evaluate and select new students.

Mr. Foley joined AHA as admissions director in 1996. He has served as co-president of the Twin Cities Catholic High School Admissions Director’s committee.

Mr. Foley is a 1989 graduate of Academy of Holy Angels. He received his bachelor’s degree in Marketing and Economics from Augsburg College in 1993 and completed his master’s in Education from St. Mary’s University in 2005.

Michael Kautzman,  Director of Activities

Phone: 612-798-2634
Email: mkautzman@academyofholyangels.org

 

Michael Kautzman came to the Academy of Holy Angels in 2003.

 He is a 1989 graduate of Mott Lincoln High School in Mott, North Dakota.

 Kautzman graduated from Dickinson State University Dickinson, North Dakota, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Secondary Education with a Social and Behavioral Science major and Physical Education minor in 1994.  He also holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Philosophy (’97) from North Dakota State University along with Master’s of Theology (’01), Master’s of Divinity (’03), and Education Specialist Administrative Degree with K-12 Principal Licensure (’08) from the University of St. Thomas. 

While at Dickinson State, Kautzman was a wide receiver whose class won four consecutive NDCAC Conference Championships accumulating a regular season record of 30-5.  He was elected to the DSU Athletic Hall of Fame (’08) as a member of the 1991 NAIA National Semi-Finalist Blue Hawk Team. Kautzman served one year as a student-assistant, coaching wide receivers at DSU for Hank Biesot, who is the active NAIA football coach with the most wins, having logged more than 250 victories.

Kautzman then moved on to teach physical education and social studies and coach several high school sports including track, basketball, football, and baseball.  In 1994, he served as an assistant coach for the Halliday Wolverines who finished fourth in the North Dakota State High School Basketball Tournament.  He also spent eight years as the summer recreation coordinator for the Mott Park Board where he expanded programs and increased participation, particularly for female athletes. 

He spent six years in formation studying for the priesthood at Cardinal Muench Seminary in Fargo, North Dakota, as well as St. Paul Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota, before leaving to return to teaching and coaching.

As a faculty member at the Academy of Holy Angels (AHA), he created the Faith in Action program, which incorporates faith, values, and service into all AHA athletic programs. He received the AHA Thomas Noonan Award for Instructional Leadership in 2009 for his role in developing this program and again in 2011, for his work with the Theology Department. He has taught the leadership track of Campus Ministry and has helped to plan and implement the AHA Way, Senior Service Day, and weekly Convocation programs. 

He spent six years as Theology Department Chair and three years in the administrative role as Director of Faith Formation. 

He has completed training in Notre Dame’s ‘Play Like a Champion’ Conference, Neumann College ‘Fostering the Mission of Catholic Education through Athletics’ and West Point’s ‘Ethical Leadership Conference.’