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WILLAMETTE LEADERSHIP ACADEMY
  • Home
  • About Us
    • Mission
    • Board of Directors
    • Testimonials
    • WLA FAQ's
  • Contact Us
  • WLA Staff
  • Transportation
  • Compliance & Reports
  • Synergy Parent & Student VUE
  • WLA Cadet Handbook
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Second Battalion
Administration & Leadership

Battalion Commander
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Name:  LTC Kate Klontz
Position:  2BN 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
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Name: SGM Jim Brainard
Position: 2BN Sergeant Major

Teaches: Military History
Education: High School Graduate and some college
Started 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.
Email: jbrainard@wlacademy.org


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Name: 2LT Maya Griffin
Position: Alpha Company 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
​

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Name: CPT Joseph Lengele
Position: Charlie Company 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
Started at WLA: 2017
Comment: I got into teaching because its one of the greatest gifts to be able to teach our future.
Email: ​​jlengele@wlacademy.org

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Name: 1SG George Cabral
Position: Bravo Company 1st Sergeant
Teaches: PE, Drill and Ceremony
Education: Navy

Started at WLA: 2019
Comment: 
Email: gcabral@wlacademy.org


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Name: 1LT Teila Brainard
Position:
Delta Company Commander
Teaches:
7th and 8th grade Mathematics
Education:
Started at WLA:
Comment:
Email:​
tbrainard@wlacademy.org

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Name: 1SG Robert Lockhart
Position:  Delta and Echo Company 1st Sergeant
Teaches: Color Guard, PE, and Drill & Ceremony
Education: 7 yrs Army (Infantry) Human Services, Psychology, Social And Behavioral Science
​Started at WLA: 2012
Comment: The Choices of Today Become The Memories Of Tomorrow: Make Them Good Ones.
Email: ​rlockhart@wlacademy.org


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Name: 1LT Matthew Stemple
Position: Echo Company 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


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​Name: MAJ Andrew Potterf 
Position: Foxtrot Company 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

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Name: CPT Judy Thomas
Position: Special Education Case Manager
Education:
Started at WLA: 
Comment: 
Email: jthomas@wlacademy.org

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Name: WO Kati Ruiz
Position: Case Manager Assistant
Education: 
Started at WLA: 2019
Comment: 

Email: kruiz@wlacademy.org


2nd Battalion Support Staff

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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