Welcome 2026–27 New Teachers & Staff!
- 3 days ago
- 10 min read
We’re thrilled to introduce the newest members of the NRCA family for the 2026–27 school year! These talented teachers and staff bring a passion for Christ-centered education, a heart for students, and a wealth of experience to our community. Please join us in giving them a warm NRCA welcome as they begin this exciting new chapter.
Tae Badweh | First Grade
Hi, I'm Tae Badweh, and I'm so excited to be joining NRCA as a first grade teacher this year! I earned my bachelor's degree in education from Taylor University in 2021, then spent five years teaching at Heritage Christian School in Indianapolis. This July, I married my husband, Sheenaymu, and moved to Knightdale to join him. Before the move, I served mostly in youth ministry at my church, with some time in children's ministry too.
Teaching, for me, is a calling — I believe every child is made in God's image, and I see myself coming alongside parents, who are their children's primary educators. This year, I'm looking forward to growing with my first graders, cooking, hiking with my husband, and exploring the southeast coast together.
A fun fact is that I was born in a refugee camp in Thailand and lived there for about 10 years before coming to Indianapolis. I can't wait to see all that God has in store for this new chapter, and I'm so grateful to be part of the NRCA family.
Brian Balsis | Seventh Grade Science
My name is Brian Balsis, and I’m super excited to join the NRCA family as a science teacher this year. Teaching is nothing new to me, as I spent 21 years teaching in the Wake County Public School system before God led me to be a staff member here at NRCA.
My wife, Erin, and I have been married for 21 years and moved to NC from NY right after we were married. Even though this is my first year teaching at NRCA, my family and I have been a part of NRCA for years. I have two children who have been at NRCA since the Little Knights PreK program. My daughter, Claire, is a rising eighth grader and my son, Riley, is a rising 10th grader. I am also an assistant coach for the varsity cross country and track teams here at NRCA.
In my free time, I compete in Spartan Races (extreme obstacle course races) all over the East Coast. I also love sports and cheer for the UNC Tar Heels, NY Yankees, and Denver Broncos.
I greatly look forward to meeting all the wonderful students and families in the coming weeks and am super excited to have an amazing year ahead!
Brandon Bogumil | Sixth Grade English
Hello! I am so excited to join the NRCA community. My name is Brandon Bogumil, and I will be teaching sixth grade English. I am originally from Buffalo, NY. When I was in third grade, my family moved to Cary, NC, as all northerners seem to do, and we never looked back. We were happy to leave the cold winters and feet of snow.
I attended NC State and started working at St. Timothy's School in the After School Care Program, where I met my wife, Lisa. We eventually married and had a child who has somehow grown into a sixth grade student seemingly overnight. My son, Arkham, will be here at NRCA with me, which is a huge blessing. We are a soccer-loving family. Outside of soccer, my wife and I love reading and spending time together with friends and family.
Over the past 19 years, I have had the opportunity to serve in Christian education in a variety of roles, including teaching, coaching, technology integration, and administrative leadership. I am excited to bring that experience to NRCA as a sixth grade English teacher.
I am passionate about reading, writing, and grammar because I believe words are powerful and influential, and each student needs to understand how to use them in service of God's will. A good author and story can share wisdom and truth with readers. A strong communicator can effectively spread that wisdom and truth and also inspire and influence others toward good and meaningful acts. I am thrilled to be at NRCA and look forward to the year ahead.
Crissy Bradford | Sixth Grade Math
Hello, NRCA families! My name is Mrs. Crissy Bradford, and I am excited to be teaching sixth grade math this year. I bring 21 years of teaching experience and hold degrees from Appalachian State University and UNC Greensboro. My desire is to create a nurturing classroom where every student feels valued, supported, and inspired to use their God-given gifts to glorify God and serve others. I believe every child is uniquely created by God with the ability to learn, grow, and succeed. My goal is to help students build confidence in math while growing in their faith through learning.
Outside the classroom, I am married, have two children (ages 4 and 8), and a dog named Maverick. I am involved at New Life Church in Rolesville, where I serve alongside my husband, the associate pastor. I enjoy cheering on my children in their athletic events and rooting for the Appalachian State Mountaineers and the UNC Tar Heels.
Heather Dillard | Nurse Assistant
Hello all! My name is Heather Dillard, and I am incredibly excited to be joining the NRCA family as the nurse assistant. I graduated from Meredith College with a degree in child development and from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington with a Master of Healthcare Administration. I am incredibly thankful that the Lord opened this opportunity for me to serve the children and families of NRCA. I have a rising eighth grader, a rising third grader, and a rising first grader here at NRCA. Our family attends Hepzibah Baptist Church in Wendell.
I enjoy spending time with family, reading, traveling, and all things sports (especially the Wolfpack!). I'm looking forward to a wonderful year!
Sierra Farley | Kindergarten
My name is Sierra Farley, and I am teaching kindergarten this year. I have been teaching elementary education since 2010. I earned my BS in Early Childhood Education from Liberty University. I have spent my career in home, private, and public education—most recently in Johnston County as my family and I relocated to the Raleigh area last year. I am grateful for how God has guided us during this transition, leading us to NRCA.
As both an educator and a parent, I value the importance of a strong partnership between school and home. My husband and I have three children who will also be attending NRCA, making this community especially meaningful to our family. I look forward to partnering with families, building meaningful relationships with my students, and helping create a Christ-centered kindergarten experience that lays a strong foundation for lifelong learning.
Shannon Ferguson | PreK Teacher
Hi! My name is Shannon Ferguson, and I’m excited to join NRCA and serve as the new PreK teacher! I’m originally from Wilson, NC, but have lived in Raleigh for more than 20 years. I’ve previously worked as a preschool teacher at The Growing Place at Mount Vernon Baptist Church for eight years, collectively, as well as a substitute teacher for Wake County. My husband and I have two boys, Caleb (11th grade) and Daniel (9th grade). We are active members at Providence Church, and this past summer our family went on our first mission trip together to Puerto Rico.
In my free time, I enjoy reading, traveling, spending time with family and friends, and thrift store shopping.
I believe every child learns best in a loving, Christ-centered environment where they feel safe, valued, and encouraged to grow. I look forward to building relationships with my students and their families this year.
Danielle Greening | Third Grade
Hi! I’m Danielle Greening, and I am so excited to join the NRCA family. Before coming to NRCA, I taught in Wake County for 14 years. I have taught both third and fourth grade, and I am thrilled to be joining NRCA as a third grade teacher.
My husband, Nate, and I have three beautiful children: Ellie, age 9; Benjamin, age 7; and Isaac, age 2. We live just outside of Wake Forest. I am also so excited to have Ellie and Benny join me at NRCA.
Our family is very involved in our church family at Richland Creek Community Church, and I am so grateful for the opportunity to share my love for Jesus and education together in the classroom.
In my free time, I enjoy running my own family photography business and spending time with my family. I can’t wait to share my love for Jesus, sloths, and all things sunshine and happy with my students!
Aron Hall | High School English
Hi everyone! I’m Aron Hall, and I’m excited to be returning to North Raleigh Christian Academy as a sophomore English teacher. Coming back to NRCA feels like coming home. I previously taught here and spent 13 seasons coaching cross country and track, and over the years God has also led me through education, nonprofit leadership, sales, entrepreneurship, and coaching at New Life Camp.
My wife, Becky, and I have been married for 25 years and have four children. We’ve spent the past eight years homeschooling, and this year our youngest, Reagan, is excited to begin at NRCA as well. That journey has given us a deep appreciation for the partnership between home and school.
I believe English is about far more than books and essays. My hope is to help students think deeply, communicate clearly, love what is true, good, and beautiful, and ultimately see how every story points to the greater story God is telling. I’m grateful to be part of the NRCA family and look forward to a wonderful year together.
Melanie Johnson | PreK Assistant
I am excited to join NRCA's staff this year as a PreK assistant! I am a Raleigh native, although I have lived in Tennessee, Illinois, and Germany before coming back home. I have an undergraduate degree in German and linguistics and a master's in speech and hearing sciences, both from UNC Chapel Hill. I have worked as a speech-language pathologist, a stay-at-home mom, and most recently as an early childhood music educator. My husband and I have two boys who have both attended NRCA since PreK. Our family attends Good Hope Baptist Church in Cary, where I enjoy leading the preschool music ministry and a mom's discipleship group, and I take part in the adult choir and praise team. I have a special interest in using my training as a speech pathologist to support early literacy skills in the preschool setting and applying my love for music-making in the preschool classroom.
Katie Martin | Fifth Grade History
Hi! My name is Katie Martin, and I am excited to be returning to NRCA as the fifth grade history teacher.
Although this is my first year in this role, I am not new to the NRCA family. Over the years, I have served as a substitute teacher, fifth grade Bible teacher, and, most recently, nurse assistant. I have more than 13 years of teaching experience in elementary education, preschool, and homeschooling.
My husband serves as the Equipping Pastor at Exchange Church, and we have been married for 24 years. We have four wonderful children: Micah and Caleb, who attend Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama, and Haleigh (11th grade) and Annie (5th grade), who will both be attending NRCA this year.
When I'm not at school, I enjoy spending time with my family, relaxing at the beach, and curling up with a good book. It is a joy and a privilege to invest in the next generation, and I am passionate about helping students grow in both knowledge and faith. I am grateful for the opportunity to serve the Lord by spending my days with the wonderful students in fifth grade!
Isamu Nigro | High School Geometry
Hello! My name is Isamu Nigro, but I'll go by Mr. N. I've taught all levels of middle school and high school math, and I'll be teaching high school geometry this year. After working in business and earning an MBA, I made a career change and found a passion for teaching on the playing field as a coach. My playing experience in college led me to coach student athletes on the baseball field, which evolved into pursuing a career in education. Once I earned my teaching credential, I began teaching in California (San Francisco Bay Area) in 2014. God blessed me further when I met my future wife at the beginning of my teaching career. After starting a family, we moved to North Carolina in 2021 and began pursuing Christ at a local church. I enjoy spending family time with my wife and two children, going on road trips, watching sports, and playing games. I look forward to helping and challenging NRCA students this coming year!
Ashley Tomaszewski | Fourth Grade Science
Hello, NRCA families! I am so excited to join NRCA as the fourth grade science teacher. I’m grateful for the way God has led my family to this wonderful community, and I look forward to all He has in store this year.
Before coming to NRCA, I spent 11 years teaching in Wake County Public Schools and earned my master’s degree in education. My husband, Jonathan, is also a teacher, and we enjoy serving together in our church’s elementary ministry. We have two energetic boys who keep life full of joy and adventure.
Outside the classroom, I enjoy reading, exploring the outdoors, spending time on or near the water, and appreciating the beauty of God’s creation. As a boy mom, I’ve recently embraced camping and have loved making those memories together. These experiences have deepened my love for science. My prayer is that every student who walks into my classroom feels known, encouraged, and excited to learn. I look forward to partnering with your family this year!
Ashley Unzicker | Seventh Grade Computer Applications & Eighth Grade Level Up: Life & Learning Skills
After coming to know Jesus as my Lord and Savior, I spent several years serving as a children's minister, discipling children and partnering with families as they grew in their faith. Later, I homeschooled my own children through elementary school. Along the way, I earned a BA in Psychology with a focus on childhood and an MA in Christian Studies from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. When my children enrolled at NRCA, I started substitute teaching, and it didn't take long for this school to steal my heart. I quickly knew this was where God was leading me.
My husband, Todd, and I met on a mission trip to Honduras in 2007 and have been married for 19 years. We've called North Carolina home for the past 15 years and have loved being members of and serving at The Summit Church. When I'm not at school, you'll probably find me working out with my favorite "gym bros" (my kids!), playing piano, gardening, dancing in the kitchen, playing games with friends, riding my son's e-moto around the neighborhood, or cheering on my children from the sidelines.
I can't wait to get to know my students, teach practical skills they'll really use, and make this a fun year of learning together!
Janice Whitley | Receptionist
Hello, my name is Janice Whitley, and I am a long-time parent of NRCA. We started our journey here 19 years ago when our first child entered kindergarten. Although my professional background was in healthcare, specifically radiology, I decided to turn in my scrubs and become a stay-at-home mom once God blessed us with our firstborn. A short time later, we were blessed with two more wonderful children. When our kids entered school, I was able to serve the teachers and staff by volunteering here for many years. I have enjoyed lots of field trips, special snack days, sports events, concerts, and bonding with so many families and children who feel like my own, and I would not trade that time for anything. I am a natural caregiver, and I believe children remember how you make them feel. My prayer is that your children always feel a warm presence when they see me in the halls. I am excited to be partnering with NRCA for the 2026-27 school year as front desk receptionist two days a week.
