Faculty and Staff Directory

List of 16 members.

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  Mrs. Paula Watkins M.Ed 

  Head of School

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  Mrs. Watkins joins Holy Trinity Clifton School as the first Head of School.  She most recently worked as the Director of Student Achievement at the St. Matthew’s Campus.  In this role, her primary focus was to support learners with diagnosed learning differences.  Prior to her years at Holy Trinity, Mrs. Watkins was the Principal of St. Francis of Assisi and Assistant Principal/Learning Coordinator at Mother of Good Counsel.  Prior to her administrative work, she was a classroom teacher, serving as a resource teacher for students with special learning and behavior needs.  Mrs. Watkins has a bachelor’s of science in special education and a master’s of arts in educational administration.  Opening the Clifton School and being a part of changing the face of Catholic education for all Archdiocesan children is a culmination of ALL her career goals!   She is beyond excited to be on this new journey and create the story/history of Holy Trinity Clifton School!  Mrs. Watkins and her husband, Neil have two children, Olivia and Luke.
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  Mrs. Ann Drury 

  Office Manager/Community Liaison

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  Mrs. Ann Drury joins us as the “face” of our school.  You will be greeted by her kind voice and see her in the school office upon your arrival.  Mrs. Drury has been working at the Clifton building for several years.  She also serves as the community coordinator for the rental part of our building.  She coordinates all rentals of the available meeting rooms, reception hall and theatre.  Mrs. Drury and her husband Arnold have two daughters and four granddaughters!
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  Mrs. Cristin Linebach MS, CCC/SLP 

  Speech Language Pathologist

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  Mrs. Linebach has served as the speech-language pathologist (SLP) for the Holy Trinity Clifton School since it opened in 2019. She loves being part of this innovative school which allows students to receive a Catholic education while also receiving the tailored instruction they need to succeed in the classroom and beyond. Mrs. Linebach earned a Bachelor of Health Sciences and a Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology at the University of Kentucky. She maintains the American Speech and Hearing Association’s (ASHA’s) Certification of Clinical Competence for Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP) as well as a Kentucky Speech-Language Pathology License. Prior to working at Holy Trinity Clifton School, she worked in a variety of clinical settings with diverse clientele, including five years with preschool and elementary school-age children in the private school setting. Mrs. Linebach and her husband Collin have two young sons, Carter and Cole.
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  Mrs. Ashley Berger 

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  Mrs. Berger joins us as the occupational therapist for Holy Trinity Clifton Campus School. With advanced certifications including a bachelor’s in science, a master’s in occupational therapy, interactive metronome, therapeutic listening, and sensory processing. Mrs. Berger has a strong passion for helping children learn what they are capable of with just-right challenges. Mrs. Berger has 9 years of experience practicing in outpatient clinics and in-home therapy settings. For the past 3 years, Mrs. Berger has been working in a school setting providing one on one and group therapy intervention to increase students’ independence at home and in the classroom.
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  Mrs. Amy Cundiff MSSW 

  Counseling

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  Mrs. Cundiff joins us as the counselor for Holy Trinity Clifton School. With advanced certifications including a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Kentucky and a Master of Science in Social Work from the University of Louisville, Mrs. Cundiff is prepared to support the personal growth and development of ALL learners. During her graduate studies, Mrs. Cundiff acted as a student counselor alongside Ms. Laura Probus at both Holy Trinity Parish School in St. Matthews (2018-2019) and at Holy Trinity Clifton School (2020-2021). One of the highlights of her experience was assisting Ms. Probus in the launch of an animal-assisted therapy program with Marley the canine counselor. Mrs. Cundiff is from Louisville and lives with her husband, two children, and three pets. She is a graduate of Saint Martha and Assumption High School and is grateful to have the opportunity to assist in providing an enriching parochial experience to a new generation.
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  Ms. Caroline Reel 

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  Ms. Caroline Reel is a Franciscan University of Steubenville alumna with a bachelor's of science in early childhood (preK-3) and special education (K-12). Miss Reel has spent time teaching both 1st and 3rd grade for a network of public charter schools and served university students by teaching Advanced English in Lviv, Ukraine. Born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio, Miss Reel is thrilled to invest in the Holy Trinity community, live close to family, and explore Louisville! She spends her free time traveling with dear friends and going on adventures with her St. Bernard puppy, Butter. Miss Reel is excited for the 21-22 school year!
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  Mrs. Kristina Schmitt M.Ed 

  Classroom Teacher

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  Mrs. Schmitt has been employed at Clifton School since opening its doors in 2019. She holds advanced certifications including a bachelor’s of science in elementary education, a master’s of science in reading and literacy, and a rank I program initiated in Special Education.  Mrs. Schmitt also holds an Associate certificate from the Orton-Gillingham Association and is a member of the International Dyslexia Association.  Mrs. Schmitt stands ready to support ALL learners in her classroom! Mrs. Schmitt has experience in parochial and public classrooms ranging from Pre-K to 5th. Some of you may remember Mrs. Schmitt when she taught grade 3 and Kindergarten at Holy Trinity Parish School – St. Matthews from 2004-2008. Mrs. Schmitt is married to her husband, Dan and has 4 children, Julia, Anna, Sam and Laney.
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  Mrs. Jennifer Richards M.Ed 

  Classroom Teacher

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  Mrs. Jennifer Richards joined Holy Trinity Clifton School in 2019. Mrs. Richards has advanced certifications including a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Spalding University and has masters’ degrees in both elementary education and special education from Ball State University. Mrs. Richards is dedicated to ensuring a positive learning experience for her students. Mrs. Richards has been in the Archdiocese of Louisville since 2000, beginning as a 3rd/4th grade teacher at St. Athanasius, before transitioning to St. Joseph School in Bardstown as their learning coordinator. For two years, Mrs. Richards worked as a home and community-based behavior specialist. Mrs. Richards is thrilled to be a part of Holy Trinity Clifton School. She and her husband, Patrick, have one daughter, Madalyn.
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  Ms. Maggie McKune 

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  Ms. Maggie McKune has a Master’s degree and advanced certifications in Early Childhood Education, Special Education, and Leadership, Ms. McKune is ready to support and encourage all learners in her class.

  Ms. McKune has 7 years of experience in the Archdiocese of Louisville, most recently at St. Aloysius in Pewee Valley. While at St. Aloysius, Ms. McKune taught Grades 3, 4, and 5. She also served as the K-3 Learning Coordinator for two years. When not at school, Ms. McKune enjoys being with her family, friends, and spending time outside.
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  Mrs. Riley Hachten 

  Classroom Teacher

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  Mrs. Hachten is a University of Louisville Alumna with dual certification in elementary education (K-5) and learning and behavior disorders (P-12). Along with advanced degrees in both general and special education, Mrs. Hachten earned certification from the Orton Gillingham Academy at the Associate Level. She loves being a part of the Clifton community, supporting all students to become life-long learners. Mrs. Hachten and her husband, Ben, have been married since March 2020. Together they have a son, Auggie, who entered into his eternal rest and now intercedes for us as a saint in heaven. Mrs. Hachten and Ben are actively involved at their parish, St. Louis Bertrand, and enjoy travelling and spending time with family, friends, and their labradoodle, Baker!
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  Mrs. Tory Graham 

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  Mrs. Tory Graham is a certified rank 2 teacher with a Bachelor of Arts-Business Administration, Teaching Certificate-Elementary Education and Master of Arts-Teaching-Special Education (learning and behavior disorders (P-12). In addition to teaching, she has also worked with learning challenged young adults and children.

  She is dedicated to teaching a variety of strategies to help all students succeed. Mrs. Graham strives to create a community of learners in a positive and nurturing environment.

  Mrs. Graham grew up in Louisville and has 13 years’ experience in the Archdiocese of Louisville, as a 2nd and 4th grade teacher at St. Rita Catholic School. She is fulfilling a personal dream to be a part of Holy Trinity Clifton School.

  Mrs. Graham has been married to her husband, Kenny, for 33 years. They have three grown children (Davis is 28, Lauren is 23 and Nolan is 21).
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  Mrs. Liz Keller 

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  Mrs. Liz Keller joins us as an instructional assistant. She has a bachelors degree in elementary and special education, a masters degree in early childhood education with kindergarten endorsement.  She retired in 2019 after teaching 40 years. The last 24 she taught kindergarten at Saint Edward School.  Mrs. Keller has 4 married children and 8 grandchildren. She enjoys spending time with her family and friends, traveling, reading and walking her very active dog!
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  Mrs. Jackie Donahue 

  Instructional Assistant

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  Jackie and her husband, John have two children, John and Kayla. She was born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky. Since 2005, Jackie has been working in the Catholic school system as an Instructional Assistant. She is passionate about inspiring children to learn and striving to achieve their goals. Jackie's favorite quote is “I knew when I met you an adventure was going to happen” from Winnie the Pooh. Glad to have you on board for this exciting adventure!
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  Mr. Eric Koestel 

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  Eric Koestel has enjoyed a decade long career as a catering chef but is now transitioning into a career in education. Eric is the instructional assistant for Mrs. Richards' third grade class and is very excited to now be a part the Holy Trinity Clifton School family. Eric has recently enrolled in the Master of Arts in Teaching program at University of Louisville with a focus on special education. When he's not working or doing homework, Eric loves cooking, reading, writing, hiking, spending time with family and hanging out with his dog Biggie.
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  Mrs. Bernadette Johnston M.Ed 

  Instructional Assistant

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  Bernadette loves being part of the Holy Trinity Clifton School as an Instructional Assistant.   She holds a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in education from the University of Kentucky with seventeen years of teaching experience.  Bernadette values every child and strives to support each student with kindness and patience.  She has been married to her husband Bill for twenty years and they have three children, Rhiannon, Ella Rose, Rhyse.  In addition to her passion for kids, she enjoys hiking, camping, and traveling with her family.
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  Mrs. Janet George M.S., M.ED 

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  Mrs. Janet George serves as the Orton-Gillingham Academy Accredited Training Fellow for our school.