Our Staff
Learn more about the administrative, teaching, and support staff at OAKS.
Our Teachers
Christina Stone
Kindergarten Teacher
Christina Stone graduated from Southern Adventist University with her bachelors degree in Elementary Education in 2012. She went on to get her masters in Literacy Education and graduated in 2017. She taught Kindergarten at OAKS from 2016-2018 and has spent the last 7 years staying home with her children. This is her first year back at OAKS. She and her husband Justin Stone have three beautiful children: Hudson, Olivia, and Colton. They enjoy biking, puzzles, and playing board games and card games.
Laurelei Mendoza
1st Grade Teacher
Laurelei Mendoza graduated from Tennessee Tech University with her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education. After teaching for a few years, she continued her education and earned her Master’s degree in Reading and Literacy for grades K-6. Laurelei had the privilege to attend Adventist schools from first through twelfth grade, graduating from Hawaiian Mission Academy in 2004. Her and her husband, Josue are very blessed to have three amazing kids: Isabella, Lucas, and Juliette.
Jesse Hoffman
2nd grade teacher
Jesse Hoffman was raised in Mio, Michigan. He graduated from Southern Adventist University with his B.A. in Elementary Education in 2020 and his Masters in Instructional Leadership in 2024. Jesse is excited to begin his fifth year teaching at OAKS. He expects it to be filled with many games of tag and laughing with his students. Jesse enjoys traveling and spending time outdoors with his wife, Heidi. He also enjoys walking his dog, swimming, and riding his ATV and OneWheel.
Miranda Starr
3rd Grade Teacher
Miranda Starr graduated from Southern Adventist University in 2004 with a B.A. in Elementary Education. In 2021, she graduated with Masters in Literacy Education, also from SAU. She has been privileged to teach in several wonderful schools on the east and west coast spanning 11 years. She is excited to be starting her 6th year teaching at OAKS. She enjoys hiking and kayaking with her husband Geoff and their two children Ben, and Katie.
Kaylan Teller
4th Grade TEACHER
Kaylan Teller grew up in Ooltewah, TN and graduated from SAU with her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education in 2021. She is currently working toward her Master’s degree in Outdoor Education. She is starting her 5th year teaching here at OAKS and hopes to make a difference in the lives of her students. Her and her husband, Alex, enjoy spending time with their two dogs and two cats. Some of Mrs. Teller’s favorite activities include camping, reading, and traveling.
Audrey Walker
5th Grade Teacher
Audrey Walker graduated from Southern Adventist University in 2006 with a B.A. in Elementary Education. She taught for 2 years at Ruth Murdoch Adventist School at Andrews University. After moving back to Tennessee she taught 10 years in Hamilton County Schools. While there she also served as grade level chairperson and mentor for teachers new to the profession. She was awarded model mentor and master mentor awards for her work with new teachers from the University of Tennessee in Chattanooga in 2021 and 2024.
Audrey then transitioned back into the Adventist Education system and taught at John L. Coble Elementary. This is her first year teaching at OAKs.
Audrey lives in Ooltewah, Tennessee with her husband Mark and her two sons William and Seth. When she’s not teaching, she enjoys reading, cooking and hiking especially to waterfalls.
Sharon Adams
6th Grade teacher
Sharon Adams graduated from Andrews University with a B.S. in Behavioral Sciences with an emphasis on student development. She enjoyed being a dean at the high school and university levels before homeschooling her two children. She later received her teaching certification from Southern Adventist University and is in her 10th year at OAKS. She teaches 6th grade homeroom.
Some of her favorite pastimes are kayaking, scrapbooking, music and reading. She lives with her family on a small farm with horses, a cat and a dog. A favorite bible verse is Joshua 1:9 where we are reminded that we need not be afraid for God is with us wherever we go. We are so blessed.
Janel Jensen
Vice principal
7th-8th Language Arts, Science
Janel Jensen graduated from SAU in 2012 with her B.A. in Education and secondary teaching certificate in English. She taught for four years in Northern California and earned her elementary teaching certificate from PUC in 2014. She graduated from WGU in 2015 with her Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction and then earned her Master’s degree in Instructional Leadership in 2018. This is Janel’s 9th year at OAKS. She enjoys the outdoors and traveling around the country with her family.
Alex Milano
7th-8th Math, Bible, social studies, technology
Alex Milano grew up in New England and graduated from Southern Adventist University in 2021 with a B.A. in Secondary Education. This year marks his first year teaching at OAKS, and he is excited to begin the journey. He loves to laugh and enjoys discovering the many ways students learn best. Growing closer to Jesus is an important part of his life, and he loves sharing that joy with others. When class is over, Alex enjoys being outside in the fresh air, whether he’s playing tennis, pickleball, or joining in on whatever sport or activity is happening. He’s always ready for good conversations, new adventures, and a little bit of fun along the way.
Mike McCarty
Pe teacher, advanced math
Michael McCarty graduated from SAU with a B.A. in Mathematics and then continued with a Master’s Degree in Curriculum and Instruction from UTC. He taught math at the middle school level for three years in the Marshall Islands, three years at what was formerly known as AW Spalding, fifteen years in Palau and is now in his fourth year teaching PE at OAKS. His daughter, Wenita, is at CA and son, Duke, is here at OAKS. He enjoys walking with his wife Yrang, or his mother Rosemarie, playing board games with his brother Gary, playing basketball, and watching the NHL. His favorite Bible text is John 14.
Alisa Hall
art teacher
Alisa Hall is the art teacher at OAKS. She graduated from Southern Adventist University in 2013 with a degree in Character Animation. Along with teaching art at OAKS since 2018, she continues to work in photography and graphic design and offers private art lessons with a focus on drawing.
Wes Bradford
band director
Wes Bradford has taught elementary and high school bands since the year 2000. He received his Bachelor’s degree in Music Education from Southern Adventist University, and his Master’s degree in Music Education from Vandercook School of Music in Chicago. Mr. Bradford has always enjoyed playing any and all instruments, and is grateful for the opportunity to share this with so many students through the years. When he is not teaching or performing, he loves to spend time outside with his wife and 5 children.
Rafferty Bradford
elementary music teacher
Rafferty Bradford serves as the music teacher for Kindergarten and 4th grade at OAKS. A nine-year graduate of OAKS, he is currently pursuing a degree in Music Education at Southern Adventist University. The son of Wes Bradford, OAKS band director, Rafferty is an accomplished performer, playing French horn in the University Orchestra, tuba in the Wind Symphony, and bassoon in the Ooltewah Adventist Church Orchestra. He also has a strong passion for piano and organ improvisation and is proficient on a wide variety of instruments.
Victoria Castro
handbells teacher
Victoria Castro is the Grades 1–3 music teacher at OAKS. She plays violin in the Southern Adventist University orchestra and enjoys sharing her talents on piano and organ, regularly serving at Bowman Hills Seventh-day Adventist Church. Victoria has experience teaching private piano lessons and also plays the clarinet in the Ooltewah Adventist Church Orchestra, giving her a well-rounded background in both string and wind instruments. She is currently studying at Cleveland State Community College, pursuing her goal of becoming a nurse practitioner.
Karen Bieberitz
handbells teacher
Karen Bieberitz is currently in her 4th year at OAKS. She teaches 7th and 8th grade handbells, tests 3rd and 4th grade recorders, and is the music aide for 1st and 2nd grade. She comes from a very musical family where she grew up playing multiple instruments. Currently she is in her 9th year as a member of the Metropolitan Bells, an advanced auditioned handbell group here in Chattanooga. Karen has a passion to share handbells and what they can do.
Karen and her husband live in Collegedale with their 5 boys, 4 of whom attend OAKS, and the oldest who graduated from OAKS and is now a Junior at CA and their sweet Goldendoodle. In her free time, the little she has with 5 musical boys, she likes to read, play games, and do puzzles.
Randy Smith
Librarian
Randy Smith holds a Masters of Library Science degree from Indiana University and a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from UT Chattanooga. Prior to working at OAKS, he was a Research Librarian in Business, Law, & Government for the Broward County Library System, FL in addition to being head of Reference and Assistant Branch Manager at the Leon Slatin Library. He has worked Reference for both Indiana University’s Graduate Library and for the Wake County Library System in Raleigh, NC.
Kristi Zipperer
food service/staff assistant
Marie Nelsen
tutor/aftercare director
Ilsa Camacho
kindergarten paraprofessional
Kandenne De Lauer
1st grade paraprofessional
Stephanie Chitu
2nd grade paraprofessional
Margo Haughee
3rd grade paraprofessional
Darla Moores
4th grade paraprofessional
Aimee Veness
5th-8th grades paraprofessional
Richard Hall
maintenance
James Weigley
Maintenance
Administration
Aaron Hall
Principal
Aaron Hall graduated from Southwestern Adventist University in 2004 with a B.S. in Communication and from Southern Adventist University in 2018 with a Master’s in Instructional Leadership. With 18 years of classroom teaching and 13 years in administration, he now serves as Principal at OAKS, where he is entering his 10th year.
Outside of school, Aaron enjoys traveling and spending quality time with his wife, Alisa, and their three children. He is also passionate about golf, woodworking, music, sports, and exploring the great outdoors.
Yasmin Teale was born in Honduras, but moved to Fort Smith, AR when she was 13 years old. She graduated from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville with a B.S. in Business Administration and Marketing. She is married with two kids, Kaitlin and Ethan. They moved to Tennessee when her husband, Roy was transferred here by McKee Foods about eleven years ago and this is where they now call home. She enjoys spending time with her family, vacations on the beach, watching movies and doing little projects around her house. She is happy to be a part of the OAKS family.
