Natalie Colosimo, M.S., B.A. has worked for 20 years in English Language Arts as both an instructor/teacher and Teacher Leader in public high school and middle schools in Pennsylvania and New York City; she also served as a middle school assistant principal in Westchester, New York, from August of 2015 to August of 2020. Currently, Ms. Colosimo is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Florida in the School of Teaching and Learning and teaches undergraduate and graduate coursework focusing on guiding future and current teachers in writing, educational pedagogy, and how to build an engaging and inclusive curriculum that enhances the learning experiences of all students. Along with her passion for teaching, learning, and educational best practices, she is also passionate about using invaluable strategies to help students navigate both academic and personal challenges and stress in a healthy and mindful way.Mrs. Colosimo, who is a one-on-one Instructor Access teacher for the Aquinas Writing Advantage program’s 9-Series high school courses, lives in Gainesville, FL with her rescue puppy Scout. When not teaching, you can find her working on her dissertation research, having dinner with friends, reading fiction, or teaching yoga.

Robin Conley, MFA, was born and raised in Michigan, USA, and earned a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in English and World Literature from Western Michigan University and a double Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degree in  Screenwriting and Genre Fiction from Western Colorado University. She has over ten years’ experience working as a professional writer, including as a technical editor and content creator for businesses on the ground and on the web; as a publication editor for books, curriculum, websites, and more; and as a  transcriptionist for film and television, including work for the Food Network, HBO, FX, and A&E. Ms. Conley has also served as a writing contest judge, and her professional book editing includes ghostwriting for romance, mystery, and fantasy novels. As a writing coach, consultant, and editor for published novelists, short story writers, and award-winning screenwriters, her students and clients have gone on to win awards and become accomplished in their niches. 

After spending a few years in Hollywood working as a writing consultant and editor, she now lives in Brazil with her husband—a home base where she teaches, edits, and is a coach for writers while continuing to develop her own projects for publishing. Ms. Conley is the Instructor Access grader for the middle school creative writing course that she developed for Aquinas Writing Advantage.

Russell Davis, MFA, has written and sold numerous novels and short stories in virtually every genre of fiction, under at least a half-dozen pseudonyms. His writing has encompassed media tie-in work in the  Transformers universe to action-adventure in The Executioner series to original novels. He’s published short fiction in anthology titles like Under Cover of Darkness, Law of the Gun, and In the Shadow of Evil. In addition to his work as a writer, he has worked as an editor and book packager, and created original anthology titles ranging from westerns like Lost Trails to fantasy-like Courts of the Fey. 

He was the president of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) from 2008–2010, and has been a member of numerous other writing organizations including the Western Writers of America  (WWA), Mystery Writers of America (MWA), and the Romance Writers of America (RWA). 

His most recent releases are a re-issue of the four-book Jenna Solitaire series (WordFire Press), and he’s currently working on a new collection, Written in the Scars on Our Hearts, and a middle-grade novel with well-known author Fran Wilde. You can find Mr. Davis co-teaching the science fiction and fantasy short story course here at Aquinas Writing Advantage.

Mrs. Bonnie Donlon earned a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in Literature from the University of Virginia. She taught writing at the Charlottesville Writing Center summer camp, then taught multiple subjects at The  Covenant School in Charlottesville, Virginia, with Pre-K through 4th-grade students, including reading and writing in the classroom and in the after-school programs. Mrs. Donlon also co-taught with her husband for the elementary level religious education program at St. Thomas Aquinas parish. When not teaching and grading student work, Mrs. Donlon enjoys reading, exploring the natural world with her children, and spending time with her extended family, including her sister-in-law, Mrs. Eleanor Nicholson, who is the High School Victorian Literature Instructor for Homeschool Connections.

Mrs. Donlon is the Assistant Director for Middle School with the Aquinas Writing Advantage program; teaches the LIVE 6/7 Series Middle School Writing courses, and is the Middle School Assessment Coordinator.

Mrs. Donna Graziose, MA, MS, has a diverse and strong background in Fine Arts and Professional  

Photography, Web Programming, Library Science, teaching, and writing. While working at an academic art library, she developed a passion for archives and digital libraries and went on to earn a master’s degree in  Library Science. Mrs. Graziose has taught courses in writing, library research, art history, and digital art, as well as mentoring and teaching local homeschoolers for the past 20 years. Mrs. Graziose is also a professional book editor for the Simplified Writing Series books. 

In addition to working as a teacher for one-on-one Instructor Access grading services with the Aquinas  Writing Advantage program for the 9 Series High School foundational writing courses and the Advanced  Punctuation and Grammar course, Mrs. Graziose currently works part-time professionally as an Adjunct  Senior Assistant Librarian at Farmingdale State University of New York. Mrs. Graziose enjoys homeschooling her six children and focusing their education on faith and family.

To get one-on-one Instructor Access grading with Mrs. Graziose, check out the courses in the recorded course catalog here, and sign up for Unlimited Access here.

Rachel Hankinson earned her Bachelor of Arts in Literature from Patrick Henry College, a classic liberal arts school in Virginia, and is currently earning her Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing for Children and Young Adults from Hamline University in St. Paul, Minnesota. She has been working in the academic testing industry creating college entrance exams and classically-based exams for grades 3-12, and she also owns and operates a small business specializing in illustration and blogs about books and literary travel. In her free time, Ms. Hankinson enjoys drinking tea, playing with her beagle, and watching Lord of the Rings movies. Ms. Hankinson is a one-on-one Instructor Access grader for the 9 Series of high school writing courses with Aquinas Writing Advantage.

Aubrey Heki lives in Northern Virginia with her husband and four daughters. She holds a Bachelors degree in Political Theory from Patrick Henry College, a classical liberal arts school in VA. With over eight years of experience as a writing instructor, Assistant Lead Director of an online writing program, freelance editor, and Writing Assessment Coordinator with Homeschool Connections, she currently works as the Managing Director of Aquinas Writing Advantage. One of her favorite pastimes is drinking a hot cup of coffee paired with a baked treat while reading. She takes walks with her family and plays games with her children to stay active.  Mrs. Heki is the Instructor Access one-on-one mentor/grader & LIVE instructor for the Leadership & Interpersonal Communication.

Doug Hughes, MA, has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication (with courses in Radio, TV, and Film) and a Master of Education degree from Bowling Green State University. He has worked professionally in video production in both Ohio and Los Angeles and has taught three different filmmaking courses with several different homeschool co-ops in the Columbus, Ohio, area. In 2014, Mr. Hughes’ homeschool class won Best Student Film at the International 168 Film Festival in Los Angeles. Two years later, the students won a Student Production award for Best Short Film at the Ohio Valley Regional Emmy Awards. Currently, Mr. Hughes works as a multimedia instructor at Marysville Early College High School as well as teaching the Screenwriting I and II courses with Aquinas Writing Advantage here at Homeschool Connections. Mr. Hughes lives in Columbus, Ohio, with his wife, Amy, and twin daughters, Hannah and Emily, who are both attending college in Florida.

Mrs. Sara Keefe, MA earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Education from Michigan State University and a Master of Arts in Teaching Reading and Language Arts from Oakland University in Rochester Hills, Michigan. Mrs. Keefe brings nearly 30 years of experience teaching in traditional classrooms, homeschooling co-ops, and working as a private tutor both in person and online. She is currently homeschooling the youngest of her four sons and is active in her parish, St. Matthew Catholic Church. Outside of class, Mrs. Keefe enjoys baking and experiencing the outdoor beauty of Northern Michigan, where she and her family reside.

Grace Anne McCluskey earned her Bachelor of Science (BS) in Psychology and Christian Counseling at  Liberty University and attended the Act One Screenwriting and Producing Program in Hollywood led by  Barbara Nicolosi. Fun Fact: Grace Anne is a former Homeschool Connections student herself, completing most all the Aquinas Writing Advantage courses (academic and fiction writing) before attending university and authoring The Winter Elf, a children’s fiction book for ages 8-12, published by Morgan James  Publishing. The Winter Elf is more than a fantasy story (though it is thoroughly enjoyed by fantasy readers everywhere); it is also used in therapeutic practices to proactively guide families through the healthy processing of trauma.  

Grace Anne was trained as a behavioral therapist in Yorktown, Virginia, and when not writing or teaching,  she works with implementing proven strategies to help children with autism build their behavioral, social,  and academic skills—uplifting and transforming students’ abilities and confidence. Grace Anne loves helping young writers build their craft and looks forward to coaching young writers as she was guided to excellence in writing and publication. Currently living in the Ozark foothills of Missouri, she is an Instructor  Access grader for Homeschool Connections’ 11-Series fiction courses. 

Mr. Kevin O’Brien is a writer and regular contributor to The St. Austin Review and Gilbert Magazine, with his autobiography soon to be published by ACS Books.

Although an atheist at an early age, Kevin O’Brien’s experiences with the dramatic arts began a conversion process that, with the help of the writings of G. K. Chesterton, eventually brought him into the Catholic Church.

Mr. O’Brien hosts the television series The Theater of the Word on EWTN and can also be seen on episodes of EWTN’s The Apostle of Common Sense, The Quest for Shakespeare, and The Journey Home. He also portrays J. R. R. Tolkien in several Tolkien specials hosted by Joseph Pearce.

Most recently, Mr. O’Brien has appeared in two movies: Manalive, based on the novel by G. K. Chesterton, and To Follow the Light: the Conversion of John Henry Newman.

In addition, Mr. O’Brien has performed and produced 35 audio books and is the only person in history to play every part in a Shakespeare play (twice!), which he did for his audio readings of The Merchant of Venice and Macbeth for Ignatius Press. Also, Mr. O’Brien and author Joseph Pearce are the co-founders of the website  The Christian Shakespeare, which publishes essays demonstrating the Catholic worldview of the world’s greatest dramatist.

For more information on Mr. O’Brien’s pursuits, visit www.thewordinc.org.

Mr. O’Brien teaches comedy writing, speech, drama, and literature. Check the current LIVE catalog or at the course registration page to get Mr. O’Brien’s LIVE and recorded course offerings and sign up for his comedy writing courses here.

Cherise Papa holds a Bachelor of Science in English with a Creative Writing Emphasis and a Certificate of  Proficiency in Technical Communications from Utah Valley University. She’s spent 10 years helping authors write the books of their dreams in multiple genres, including fantasy, science fiction, memoirs/creative non-fiction, middle grade, children’s literature, and short stories. 

Currently, Ms. Papa is working as a managing editor and building a small press to help authors publish series in the indie markets. She also volunteers at Fyrecon and assists several writing groups that have produced numerous award-winning authors. Ms. Papa and her husband have three small children, three guinea pigs, and more books and board games than they can count. They live in Texas and enjoy the local renaissance fairs there. Ms. Papa is a LIVE course 11 Series Fiction Writing teacher and Fiction Workshops instructor-teacher. 

Geralyn Rea, MA, studied English at Hillsdale College and enjoyed her BA in English so much that she decided to complete a Master of English degree with the University of Dallas, as well. She has been tutoring, teaching online and in-person, and working with the homeschool community across the United  States ever since. Mrs. Rea loves literature and fostering local book clubs and readily says that she can be found chatting about literature with anyone who will join the conversation. 

Mrs. Rea currently lives with her husband and three children in Indiana. Here at Aquinas Writing Advantage,  she teaches the LIVE pre-college 12 Series advanced writing and rhetoric courses and Introduction to  Literature and Writing: How to Read, Interpret, and Write about Literature (Parts One and Two) for middle school students – and is an Instructor Access grading services instructor for Introduction to Journalism and the middle school literature analysis courses.

Mrs. Rea teaches the Journalism courses and the “Introduction to Literature 1: Why and How to Study Literature” course. To get access to Mrs. Rea’s recorded courses, get Unlimited Access here.

Mrs. Maureen Ryan, BA, is a professional writer with more than twenty-five years of experience writing articles and creating content for a wide variety of news outlets, magazines, websites, and book publishers.  She has taught writing across grade levels in classrooms and online for more than eight years. 

Mrs. Ryan has a Bachelor of Arts in English and studied interactive learning at Teachers College, Columbia  University. As the executive editor for Scholastic.com, she helped refine the educational publisher’s interactive teaching tools and web-based lesson plans for grades PreK-12 and relaunched the site’s online writing tutorials hosted by award-winning authors. In addition to writing and mentoring, Mrs. Ryan homeschools her three children. “I feel extremely blessed,” says Mrs. Ryan, “to be able to combine my love  for teaching and writing with an opportunity to serve homeschool families.” 

Mrs. Ryan is the Instructor Access one-on-one mentor/grader for the 6/7 Series Foundational courses (6/7- 1, 6/7-2, 6/7-3, and 6/7-4); the 10-1 and 10-2 Vocabulary and Writing courses for high school students  (Parts 1 and 2); and the 11-9 course, “Business Writing 1: Professional Writing Essentials.”

To get Mrs. Ryan’s’s recorded courses and one-on-one Instructor Access, get Unlimited Access here.

Mrs. Mia Sayre, BA, was homeschooled throughout her education before attending Franciscan University of Steubenville for two years. While there, she had the opportunity to deepen her Catholic faith by immersing herself in the strong Franciscan community. After studying abroad in Austria, Mrs. Sayre transferred to Ohio Christian University, where she graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in  English. She has worked with university papers and grading for academic writing, has been a writing coach for university students, and brings a love of writing and learning to the middle school students here at  Aquinas Writing Advantage. 

Mrs. Sayre currently resides in Steubenville, Ohio, with her husband and three children. When not grading as an Instructor Access Grader, she enjoys spending time outside with her children, playing classical piano,  and baking anything that could possibly contain chocolate. Mrs. Sayer is a middle school writing 7/8 Series  Instructor Access teacher.

Ms. Natalie Meyer Schira, BA, proudly serves as a teacher of middle school English and writing. She graduated from Saint Mary’s College Notre Dame in 2012 with a major in English Literature and a minor in secondary education. Since then, Miss Schira has dedicated herself to Catholic education, joyfully serving nine years teaching English in a Catholic high school in Iowa.  

Miss Schira has also been featured in publications and with awards and recognition for teaching and inspiration. With a love of language and teaching, she is committed to cultivating students’ academic and emotional development and using her teaching credentials to collaborate with and support families and students. Miss Schira’s greatest loves include Christ, commas, communication, caffeine, and her beloved  Chicago Cubs while living a life grounded in faith, joy, and opportunity. To quote one of her favorite pieces  of wisdom from her mother, “When life gives you hold music, dance.” Here at Aquinas Writing Advantage,  Ms. Schira is a LIVE course teacher for the 6/7 and 7/8 Series middle school writing courses. She is also the Middle School Writing Support Specialist.

Mr. Reilly Starrett is a proud graduate of a Catholic K-12 education and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts  (BA) in Philosophy and a minor in Anthropology from Millsaps College in Jackson, Mississippi. 

He has traveled to Chinandega, Nicaragua, with Amigos for Christ, an organization similar to Habitat for  Humanity, and when not building houses or digging ditches, played with the local children, learned  Spanish, and taught English informally. During college, Mr. Starrett volunteered in Kathmandu, Nepal, and after finishing college, taught in the Denver Public School system (United States). Today, Mr. Starrett lives in Yokohama, Japan, and teaches English Conversation and Essay Writing to students of all ages,  preschool through adult. He also helps English as a Second Language (ESL) students improve their English proficiency in writing, reading, listening, and speaking and guides students in their English proficiency test preparation for assessments such as the TOEIC, Eiken, and IELTS. 

When not teaching, Mr. Starrett loves hiking and camping in national parks, taking road trips, reading classical literature, and spending time with his wife (most of all). Mr. Reilly teaches as a LIVE course instructor and team-teaching grader for the 7/8 Series Middle School Writing courses.

Mr. Ryan Starrett earned a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in History from the University of Dallas with a  Medieval and Renaissance Studies Concentration, then went on to earn three advanced degrees: a Master of Theology degree from the University of Dallas; a Master of History degree from Adams State University;  and a Master of Theological Studies degree from Spring Hill College.  

After teaching seven years at a Catholic School in Texas, Mr. Starrett returned home to Mississippi, where he has been teaching middle and high school students for the past six years. When not teaching, Mr.  Starrett enjoys reading, writing, and adventuring with his children.  

A published author with multiple books (check them out at foremanstarrett.com), Mr. Starrett is currently writing a history book about the Natchez Trace with his friend and co-author, Josh Foreman, and you can find him sampling food for a second book all about the classic restaurants in Jackson, Mississippi. Mr.  Starrett team teaches the Middle School 7/8-Series writing courses with Aquinas Writing Advantage.

Michael Stoumbos is a multi-subject educator and award-winning author. He earned his master’s degree in teaching from the University of Washington (Seattle) and is licensed to teach English Language Arts,  Drama, and Mathematics for both middle and high school students, as well as certified to teach English as a Foreign Language (I-TEFL). Mr. Stoumbos worked in traditional classrooms in the state of Washington for eight years, teaching several levels of English Language Arts (ELA) and Math, from introduction-level to  Advanced Placement (AP) courses. Mr. Stoumbos has also been a private tutor; a creative writing  workshop leader for children and adults; an English Language Learner (ELL) Teacher at high school and  college; and a live, televised instructor on a Washington cable program called “Homework Helpline.” 

Mr. Stoumbos’ professional writing career includes published fiction stories and novels, nonfiction articles,  academic and curricular content, and stage plays. He is best known in the science fiction world for his space opera series This Fine Crew and as a first-place winner of the Writers of the Future contest. A  member of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) and other speculative fiction communities, Mr. Stoumbos continues to share knowledge and opportunities with emerging authors of all ages. With Aquinas Writing Advantage, Mr. Stoumbos teaches the LIVE 10 Series (Vocabulary and Writing),  11 Series (foundational fiction writing courses), and advanced fiction writing courses.

Sally Thomas is the author of two poetry chapbooks, Fallen Water (2015) and Richeldis of  Walsingham (2016), both from Finishing Line Press. Her full-length poetry collection, Motherland, was a  finalist for the 2018 Able Muse Book Award and was published by Able Muse Press in 2020. Forthcoming in 2022 are a novel, Works of Mercy, published by Wiseblood Books, and a critical anthology, Christian  Poetry in America Since 1940, from Paraclete Press. Mrs. Thomas is the recipient of the 2020 J.F. Powers  Prize for Short Fiction and the 2021 Wiseblood Books Summer Residency Award, as well as a multiple nominee for the Pushcart Prize in poetry. As of the spring of 2022, she serves as associate poetry editor for the New York Sun. Literary news and links appear regularly at her author website; she also writes on topics related to Charlotte Mason education at Abandon Hopefully Homeschooling. The mother of four young adults, she lives in North Carolina with her husband and her dog. Ms. Thomas teaches the poetry courses on recording in Unlimited Access.

Ms. Thomas teaches all of the poetry courses in Unlimited Access. To get access to Ms. Thomas’ recorded courses, get Unlimited Access here.

Sharon Hamric-Weis, JD, earned her Bachelor of Science (BS) in Secondary English Education from the  California University of Pennsylvania and taught both middle and high school courses at the Palm Beach  County School system. During her last year of teaching, Mrs. Hamric-Weis converted to the Catholic  Church and was confirmed. Upon her acceptance to the Dickinson School of Law, she and her husband then relocated to her home state of Pennsylvania. 

Mrs. Hamric-Weis has her JD degree and practiced law as Assistant Counsel for the Pennsylvania Board of  Probation and Parole. She has been published in the Dickinson Journal of International Law, as well as working as a decision writer for the Pennsylvania Board of Workers’ Compensation. After working in law,  Mrs. Hamric-Weis left her employment to raise her children and homeschool for several years before returning to work as a paraprofessional, teaching and caring for a student with multiple disabilities. She has taught English as a Second Language in a prison setting and is also presently working in the field of mental health. She is happy to be homeschooling her youngest child and teaching writing courses for Homeschool  Connections. 

Mrs. Hamric-Weis is the Aquinas Writing Advantage Assistant Director for High School and teaches  Foundational writing courses (9-Series courses, including Punctuation and Grammar, Simplified Writing,  and Paragraphs and Essays courses); Vocabulary and Writing (10-Series courses); and Advanced/College  Preparatory Writing courses (12-Series courses). She also teaches Book to Film courses, analyzing film adaptations of classic stories.

Check the current LIVE catalog or at the course registration page to see Mrs. Hamric-Weis’ LIVE course offerings and sign up for her courses..

Nick Wilson, MAR, earned a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in Philosophy from the South Carolina Honors  College and then graduated from Yale University with a Master of Arts in Religion (MAR). Currently a PhD student in Philosophy at the University of South Carolina with a target finish date of Spring 2022, he teaches ethics courses in the philosophy department, grades and gives feedback on university students’  writing, and pursues research in medieval philosophy (especially St. Thomas), philosophy of religion, and ethics. 

Professor Wilson served as a teacher of theology and social studies at a Catholic high school, served as  

the high school campus minister, and served on his diocesan curriculum committee for theology. Professor  Wilson also enjoys a position of leadership in a small nonprofit aimed at the preservation of the liberal arts and public oratory. He is the Aquinas Writing Advantage High School Assessment Director and teaches the  9-Series courses with Homeschool Connections. Professor Wilson lives in Lexington, South Carolina,  where he homesteads with his wife and children.

Professor Wilson lives in Lexington, South Carolina, where he homesteads with his wife and two daughters. Contact Professor Wilson directly at [email protected].

Check the current LIVE catalog or at the course registration page to see Professor Wilson’s LIVE course offerings and sign up for his courses.