Faculty & Staff

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND LOWER SCHOOL DEAN

Jennifer Tradewell serves as the Executive Director of Providence Academy. With over two decades of experience in Catholic and classical education, Jennifer brings a deep passion for faith-filled learning, academic excellence, and whole-child development. Her career has included teaching across a range of grade levels, with increasing leadership responsibilities that culminated in her role as Dean of the Lower School before stepping into executive leadership.

Jennifer’s leadership at Providence Academy has been marked by her commitment to fostering a joyful, ordered, and faith-rich environment where both students and faculty thrive. She is deeply involved in curriculum oversight, teacher mentorship, student life, and school-family relationships. Her experience includes supervising faculty, overseeing curriculum implementation, leading parent engagement, and stewarding school events and operations.

A dedicated servant leader, Jennifer combines professional excellence with personal conviction. She has served as a religious education teacher and faith formation sponsor. At home, she and her husband are the proud parents of three children, and she draws daily inspiration from her vocation as a wife and mother.

Jennifer holds a Bachelor of Science in Elementary/Middle Education from the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater and has completed further training in phonetic reading instruction and educational strategies for emerging readers. She continues to lead with a heart for Christ-centered education and a steadfast belief in forming young people in truth, goodness, and beauty.

Jennifer Tradewell

ASSISTANT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Mrs. McClernon is a former graduate of Providence Academy and is delighted to be a part of our staff. She graduated from the University of Dallas with a Bachelor of Arts in History with a Secondary Education Certification. Thanks to her liberal arts education, she enjoys many different subjects such as history, literature, politics, and philosophy. Her main passion is American Military History, but she has also come to appreciate and love studying Ancient and Medieval History. A few of her favorite books are Jane Austen’s Persuasion, Mark Twain’s Huckleberry Finn, Homer’s Odyssey, Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment, Dereliction of Duty by H.R. McMaster, and A History of the American People by Paul Johnson. She has spent the last 10 years primarily teaching history at Providence, but also serving the Academy in many different areas including developing curriculum, mentoring new teachers, running the Christmas Pageant and various clubs, and serving students that need extra assistance by tutoring, teaching study skills, and modifying curriculum. Outside of school, she enjoys cooking things from her garden and spending time with her husband and five beautiful children.

Amanda McClernon

DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

Rachel Beck is from Southern California, is a graduate of Thomas Aquinas College, and has a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts. She’s served in a variety of positions over the past decade, including roles in social work and private estate management. She is excited to serve the school and to advance its mission.

Rachel Beck

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT

Miss Erickson is a native of La Crosse, WI.  A dancer since she was 3 years old, she continues to share her passion for this art form through teaching full length story ballets. Miss Erickson began at Providence in 2025 as a teacher’s assistant before assuming the administrative assistant role.  She deeply appreciates the standard of excellence in this faith filled community.

Madalyn Erickson

PRE-KINDERGARTEN AND ATHLETICS

Before joining Providence Academy in 2024, Miss Pierucci graduated from the University of Dayton, OH with a BA in History and in English. Ancient history has been her favorite area of study ever since translating Caesar’s Gallic Wars in a high school Latin class. Some other works that she holds dear are Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women, The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas, Till We Have Faces by C.S. Lewis, and Ernest Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea. Miss Pierucci also has special devotions to St. Pier Giorgio Frassati, St. Joan of Arc, and St. Teresa of Calcutta. When her books and laptop are shut, she enjoys playing soccer, line-dancing, cheering on her favorite sports teams, and sharing in meals with friends.

Grace Pierucci

KINDERGARTEN

Mrs. Dorobek has her master’s degree in Special Education from St. Mary’s University in Minnesota and a Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise Science with a minor in Psychology from the University of St. Thomas. After college, she worked for four years with adults with disabilities. After taking a special education paraprofessional job, she found that supporting children in their educational and emotional growth was her calling. Prior to teaching at Providence Academy, she worked in different schools as a special education paraprofessional or long-term teaching substitute serving students with a variety of needs. In her free time, she enjoys reading, cooking, gardening, and spending time with her family.

Sarah Dorobek

FIRST GRADE

In high school, Miss Falter began teaching violin to her siblings and directed her church’s choir for Mass. She pursued her love of music and teaching in college. Miss Falter graduated from the University of Mary in Bismarck, ND with a Bachelor of Science in Music Education. While taking Elementary Music Methods in college, she discovered her love of teaching young children. After graduating college, she worked with young children with autism. In her free time, she enjoys swing dancing, reading, and cooking.

Teresa Falter

SECOND GRADE

Originally from San Diego, California, Miss Zwibel is a graduate of Franciscan University of Steubenville, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Clinical Psychology. Her interest in working with children began early and has grown through both academic studies and hands-on experiences. She is especially passionate about supporting children’s emotional development and nurturing both their minds and hearts. In her free time, Miss Zwibel enjoys crocheting, thrifting, taking long scenic walks, and spending quality time with family and friends. She is grateful to be part of the Providence Academy community and looks forward to growing alongside her students.

Emma Zwibel

THIRD GRADE

Mrs. Grupe graduated from Minnesota State University-Mankato with a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and a minor in Early Childhood/Family Education.  She holds a Master of Arts in Teaching and Learning from Saint Mary’s University in Winona Minnesota. Mrs. Grupe taught first grade in a Catholic school before stepping down from full time teaching to begin a family.  She continued to use her gifts to teach in Early Childhood/ Family Education, substitute teach and teach Confirmation for Faith Formation.  Mrs. Grupe has taught Kindergarten and has been an Interventionist serving Learners in grades kindergarten through third grade since 2012. She has joyfully taught at Providence Academy since 2023.

Brenda Grupe

FOURTH GRADE

Miss Bostrom graduated Summa Cum Laude from Ave Maria University with a Bachelor of Arts in Humanities and Liberal Studies and Communications. She has been serving at Providence Academy since 2023 and is delighted by the daily opportunity to spark wonder in her students through engaging and active learning. She feels blessed by the opportunity to advance her students’ academic and spiritual growth and to be a member of the faithful community of Providence Academy.

Anna Bostrom

FIFTH GRADE

Miss Wieser holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Wisconsin—Eau Claire and has received teaching certifications in both English education and Learning Disabilities. After graduation, she served as a missionary with FOCUS, the Fellowship of Catholic University Students. She is grateful to be a part of the beautiful and faithful community here at Providence Academy.

Kelsey Wieser

SIXTH GRADE AND UPPER SCHOOL LITERATURE

Miss Schuh earned her Bachelor of Liberal Arts in 2021 from Wyoming Catholic College. There, she fell in love with Aristotle’s virtue ethics, the mountains, and Dostoevsky’s ability to weave the theology of love into the snarls of human relationships. Post-college Miss Schuh taught Latin, history, and literature at Thomas MacLaren School in Colorado Springs, Colorado, sharpening her passion for education. In 2023 her love of wisdom drew her to Rome, Italy, where she studied philosophy at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas while also working for the University of Notre Dame in Rome. Now she is happy to be here in her home state of Wisconsin and to serve Jesus in the vibrantly Catholic community of Providence Academy. 

Johanna Schuh

UPPER SCHOOL THEOLOGY, PHILOSOPHY, AND DEAN

Mr. Wolk is a native of Connecticut. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Medieval and Renaissance Studies from Washington and Lee University in Lexington, VA in 2012. His senior thesis was titled, “Distributism and Medieval English Peasant Life: Testing the Historical Vision of Hilaire Belloc.” On Easter of the same year, he entered the Catholic Church, converting from Protestantism, and before that, atheism. After graduating, he began a Master's in Theology at Franciscan University of Steubenville, which he completed at the Pontifical Faculty of the Immaculate Conception at the Dominican House of Studies in Washington, DC in 2015. He successfully defended his Master’s thesis, “How the Philosophical Doctrines of St. Thomas Aquinas and William of Ockham Affect Their Theological Doctrines of Grace and Charity.”

Carl Wolk

UPPER SCHOOL HISTORY AND LATIN

Dr. McNeil is originally from New Jersey. He lived in Scotland for five years while earning a MA and PhD in Medieval History from the University of Glasgow. While his primary academic interests include medieval military and Church history, he is also fascinated with Classical literature and enjoys reading the Early Church Fathers. Dr. McNeil has published journal articles on medieval history and has adopted his doctoral thesis into a forthcoming monograph, titled King John’s War for the Angevin Empire, 1206-1214. Since returning to the U.S. in 2023, he has taught as an Adjunct Professor of History at several institutions, including Saint Joseph’s University, PA. Outside the classroom, he loves to spend time with his wife and son, read, and take long walks. His passion for classical Catholic education led him to Providence Academy in 2026.

Adam McNeil

UPPER SCHOOL MATH

Mr. Linskey is the oldest of five children and grew up in Holcombe, Wisconsin. After graduating from high school, he attended University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics. He then taught in the public school system while discerning a vocation to the priesthood. In the fall of 2000, he was blessed with the opportunity to attend the Pontifical North American College in Rome. Living near Vatican City deepened his love for the Catholic faith and provided a memorable and formative experience. In the fall of 2001, he discerned that he was not called to the priesthood and returned home to Wisconsin, where he pursued a nursing degree at University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire.  In 2009, he moved to Holmen and discovered Providence Academy and has been teaching and tutoring throughout the years for our students.

Brett Linskey

UPPER SCHOOL SCIENCE

Mrs. Mohr grew up in La Crescent, MN and went to college in Rapid City, SD, where she met her husband and earned a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering with a Biochemical Engineering emphasis. After graduation and marriage, she moved to her husband’s home state of Nebraska, where the bulk of Mrs. Mohr’s engineering career was spent in the power industry, specializing in combustion safety and emission control technology. In 2012, she left the industry to concentrate on family life. Mrs. Mohr came to realize the value of a classical education when homeschooling her children. Returning to Minnesota, she joined the Providence Academy team in 2019. She enjoys teaching at the same school her five children attend. She enjoys spending time with her family, teasing her children, good books, long conversations, hiking, camping, biking, board games, and learning.

Bridget Mohr

LOWER SCHOOL ART

Mrs. LaVoy grew up right here in La Crosse, WI. After marrying her husband, Michael, they moved to San Angelo, TX, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Child Development and Learning in 2008 from Angelo State University. In addition to her teaching role at Providence Academy, she is a mother to a family of accomplished and budding artists.

Maria LaVoy

UPPER SCHOOL ART

Mr. LaVoy grew up on a hobby farm in Necedah, WI. He served four years active duty in the Air Force, working as a videographer. During his enlistment, he earned a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from University of Maryland. In addition to his teaching role at Providence, he serves in the Air National Guard and works full-time as a freelance illustrator. His published works include projects for Our Sunday Visitor, TAN Books/St. Benedict Press, Ascension Press, Voyage Comics and Publishing, Marian Catechist Apostolate, and Holy Cross Family Ministries. He is also a father of five children, who all love art as much as he does.

Michael LaVoy

MUSIC

Mrs. Wolk teaches music to grades K-12, and directs the Providence Academy Schola. She graduated from Franciscan University of Steubenville with a Bachelor of Arts in Sacred Music and Theology. As a Voice major, her degree recital featured arias from Handel’s Theodora and Rossini’s Il barbiere di Siviglia; and the art song of Brahms, Bizet, and Bellini. She sang the lead role of Anima in Franciscan University’s production of St. Hildegard von Bingen’s Ordo Virtutum. She has over two decades’ experience as a sacred musician, and has taught voice privately for many years. She has blessed the Providence community by directing the music program since 2015.

Olivia Wolk

Mary Hendrickson

SPEECH & LANGUAGE

Mary Hendrickson is a part-time speech/language pathologist at Providence Academy. She graduated from University of Minnesota, Mankato as a certified speech/language pathologist and continues to hold licensure in the state of WI.  Her early positions were in Minneapolis suburbs of Mound and Wayzata and then in Mankato, Minnesota.  When her husband, Jim, was transferred to La Crosse, they raised their sons, Jamie and Kristofer in Onalaska.  Mary worked as an SLP for the La Crosse School District which included assignments in many elementary school buildings, along with ten years at Logan High School   A few years after retirement, she accepted a position in the Holmen School District as an SLP in the Early Childhood Program where she worked for five years.  As a staff member at Providence Academy, she continues to help students overcome communication challenges, achieve their therapy goals and thrive academically and socially. 

Katherine Brennan

LOWER SCHOOL SUPPORT

Miss Brennan is a La Crosse native. She attended Providence from Pre-K through 12th grade. She now serves Providence Academy as the Pre-K and Kindergarten teacher’s assistant. She also enjoys working at her family’s farm and at a local day spa. In her free time, Miss Brennan enjoys traveling, art, going on walks, and spending time with family, especially her nephews and niece.

Mary Turner

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Mrs. Turner received a B.S. in Biology from Clarke College in Dubuque, Iowa, in 1986 and a Masters in Pastoral Theological Studies in 2004 from a program that originated at the University of Dallas, Texas, and concluded at Madonna University of Livonia, Michigan.   She worked for both the Rockford, IL, and Oak Park, IL, YMCAs in various capacities in the 1990s. Mrs. Turner founded and directed a non-profit in 2000 dedicated to helping youth and adults alike to respect the sanctity of life.  She has been a lifelong athlete from grammar school to college and beyond. 
She taught physical education at Providence Academy from 2018-2024 and returned in 2026.  Her goal as a physical education teacher has always been to help students appreciate how God has uniquely made each one of them, to learn to see their bodies as temples of the Holy Spirit worthy of respect and care, and to dedicate all that they do with their bodies in giving glory to God.  She loves helping and seeing the students discover the joy of coordinated and intentional movement, especially within the framework of good teamwork when applicable.