First Battalion
Administration & Leadership
Battalion Commander
Name: COL Kate Klontz
Position: Battalion Commander
Started at WLA: 2016
Education: Master of Arts in Education, Bachelor of Arts in English Writing University of Colorado
Comment: Teaching Leadership is a challenging but rewarding endeavor. I believe every person has the ability to learn, grow and become a leader. WLA provides the foundation for Cadet Leadership now and for the future.
Email: kklontz@wlacademy.org
Position: Battalion Commander
Started at WLA: 2016
Education: Master of Arts in Education, Bachelor of Arts in English Writing University of Colorado
Comment: Teaching Leadership is a challenging but rewarding endeavor. I believe every person has the ability to learn, grow and become a leader. WLA provides the foundation for Cadet Leadership now and for the future.
Email: kklontz@wlacademy.org
Command Sergeant Major
Name: SGM Jim Brainard
Education: High School Graduate and some college Years at WLA: 2008 Comment: NO EXCUSES! I pride myself on being fair yet firm, while maintaining open communication with the students. It is very important to me to rise to the challenge of seeing our students become productive members of society. |
Battalion Sergeant Major
Name: SGM Dan Cayton
Education: Associate's degree in Accounting / Business Management Years at WLA: Since 2014 Comment: I am tough but I am fair. In my office, I have a poster that I live by, the motto is "Quitting is not an option, don't tell me what can't be done", "It's not about perfect, it's about effort. and when you bring that effort every single day, that's where transformation happens. That's how change occurs". - Jillian Michaels Email: dcayton@wlacademy.org Phone: (541)246-2842 |
Alpha Company
1st Platoon |
2nd Platoon |
Name: 1LT Ryan Hovey
Position: Platoon Commander Teaches: Math / Engineering Education: Years at WLA: since 2018 Comment: Email: rhovey@wlacademy.org |
Name: CPT Joseph Lengele
Position: Platoon Commander Teaches: 8th grade Health and Wellness Education: Eight years in the United States Army as a Nuclear Biological Chemical Warfare Specialist. AAS from Pioneer Pacific College in Criminal Justice Years at WLA: Sine 2017 Comment: I got into teaching because its one of the greatest gifts to be able to teach our future. Email: jlengele@wlacademy.org |
Company NCO
Name: 1SG Jonathon Rogers
Position: Company NCO Years at WLA: since 2019 Email: jrogers@wlacademy.org Phone: (541)246-2842 Comment: |
Bravo Company
1st Platoon |
2nd Platoon |
Name: CPT Michael Steckler
Position: Platoon Commander Teaches: Prealgebra and Algebra 1 Education: Years at WLA: since 2014 Comment: Email: msteckler@wlacademy.org |
Name: LT Sara Knerl
Position: Platoon Commander Teaches: Education: Years at WLA: since 2021 Comment: Email: sknerl@wlacademy.org |
Company NCO
Name: 1SG George Cabral
Position: Company NCO Teaches: PE, Drill and Ceremony Education: Navy Started at WLA: 2019 Comment: Email: gcabral@wlacademy.org |
Charlie Company
1st Platoon
Name: LT Dax Malone
Position: Platoon Commander Teaches: Science Education: Years at WLA: Since 2021 Comment: Email: dmalone@wlacademy.org |
2nd PlatoonName: LT Jochumson
Position: Platoon Commander Teaches: Education: Years at WLA: since 2021 Comment: Email: bjochumson@wlacademy.org |
Company NCO
Name: MSG Kati Ruiz
Position: Company NCO Education: Started at WLA: 2019 Comment: Email: kruiz@wlacademy.org |
Delta Company
1st Platoon
Name: 2LT Maya Griffin
Position: Platoon Commander Teaches: 7th and 8th Grade English Language Arts Education: Bachelor of Arts in Secondary Language Arts Education from Western Oregon University Started at WLA: 2020 Comment: In 2013 I began volunteering with the Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership Foundation which catalyzed my interest for working with students. My love for literature and writing led me to the content area of English. I started working in Language Arts classrooms in 2014 and that is when I realized that there was no place I would rather be. Email: mgriffin@wlacademy.org |
2nd Platoon
Name: CPT George Frost
Position: Instructor Teaches: Platoon Commander Education: Bachelors in Secondary Language Arts and a Masters in Special Education from Grand Canyon University. Years at WLA: Since 2017 Comment: Lt George Frost was a 10-year teacher from Arizona before coming to Oregon in 2016. LT Frost spent one year as a substitute teacher before working at WLA. Email: gfrost@wlacademy.org |
Company NCOName: MSG Nick Cayton
Position: Company NCO Education: Started at WLA: 2021 Comment: Email: ncayton@wlacademy.org |
Echo Company
1st Platoon
Name: 1LT Teila Brainard
Position: Platoon Commander Teaches: 7th and 8th grade Mathematics Education: Started at WLA: Comment: Email: tbrainard@wlacademy.org |
2nd Platoon
Name: 1LT Matthew Stemple
Position: Platoon Commander Teaches: 7th and 8th Grade Science Education: BS Biology & Chemistry, University of Oregon, 2008 MAT, Pacific University Started at WLA: 2019 Comment: "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take. -Wayne Gretzky" - Michael Scott. No one is innately smart; intelligence is not a trait a person is born with. I was not personally born with the knowledge of how DNA is transcribed to make proteins or the nomenclature rules of organic chemistry. It is something I had to learn over time, it had to be taught and explained to me. When you first set foot in my science class, your personal science knowledge might be lacking and that is OK because I am your Sherpa and I am here to guide you up Mount Science. Email: mstemple@wlacademy.org |
Foxtrot Company
1st Platoon
Name: MAJ Andrew Potterf
Position: Platoon Commander
Teaches: 6th grade Language Arts and Social Studies
Education: BA English Literature U of O; MA Education U of O
Started at WLA: 2015
Comment: Helping students discover literature and a sense of intellectual curiosity is incredibly rewarding for me. I work hard to keep my curriculum fresh and interesting.
Email: apotterf@wlacademy.org
Position: Platoon Commander
Teaches: 6th grade Language Arts and Social Studies
Education: BA English Literature U of O; MA Education U of O
Started at WLA: 2015
Comment: Helping students discover literature and a sense of intellectual curiosity is incredibly rewarding for me. I work hard to keep my curriculum fresh and interesting.
Email: apotterf@wlacademy.org
Special Education
Name: CPT Judy Thomas
Position: Special Education Case Manager Education: Started at WLA: Comment: Email: jthomas@wlacademy.org |
Name: CPT Debra Artzer
Position: SPED Instructor Teaches: Special Ed Email: dartzer@wlacademy.org |
Academic Advising, Career and College Readiness
Name: LTC Tyson Migliaccio
Education: B.S. Earth Science, M.S. Science Education from Oregon State University Years at WLA: Since 2017 Comment: "You don't just give up. You don't just let things happen. You make a stand. You say no. You have the guts to do what's right when everyone else just runs away!" ~Rose Tyler Email: tmigliaccio@wlacademy.org Phone: (541)246-2842 |
Spanish
Name: CPT Maria Gutierrez
Position: Instructor Teaches: Spanish Years at WLA: Since 2015 Email: mgutierrez@wlacademy.org Phone: (541)246-2842 |
Support Staff
Name: Kammy Stam
Position: Office Manager Education: Years at WLA: Since 2018 Comment: Email: kstam@wlacademy.org Phone: (541)246-2842 |
Name: Mrs. Faith Wolfe Position: Uniform Manager & Secretary Education: Started at WLA: 2014 Comment: I'm a Lane County native. My husband and I live in Eugene with our 3 children, 2 cats, a bunch of rabbits, 1 lizard, and a tank of fish. I love sewing, all kinds of crafts, reading, and playing board and card games. I enjoy working with youth and am happy to be a part of the team at WLA. Email: fwolfe@wlacademy.org |
Name: WO Edwards
Position: Network Administrator Years at WLA: Since 2019 Email: itsupport@wlacademy.org |
Name: Michelle Freng
Position: Uniform Manager Years at WLA: Since 2020 Email: mfreng@wlacademy.org Name: Janet Bates
Position: Custodian Years at WLA: Since 2014 Email: jbates@wlacademy.org Name: Gene Youngblood
Position: Custodian Years at WLA: Since 2014 Email: gyoungblood@wlacademy.org |