Faculty and Staff
All members of our faculty and staff take an Oath of Fidelity to the Magisterium at the beginning of each academic year. Because we see God as the center of everything we do and teach, we recognize that fidelity to Jesus Christ and His Church are necessary for every academic discipline to flourish.
Consistent with our educational vision, the community of faculty and staff will meet together regularly, ensuring integration across disciplines and a modeling of ongoing learning.
Office phone number: 812-954-2045
Mr. Brad Macke | Email
Head of Mission; Theology & Math Faculty
Mr. Brad Macke, originally from Northern Kentucky, now lives in Sunman, Indiana with his lovely wife, Emily, and their five daughters. After graduating from Northern Kentucky University with a Bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education Mathematics, he then taught high school mathematics for three years before discerning a call to study theology at the Pontifical John Paul II Institute in Washington, DC, where he received a Master’s degree in Theology. This propelled him into teaching high school theology and serving as a campus minister, followed by working in parish ministry as a Director of Adult Faith Formation and Outreach in Cincinnati, OH. He brings a combined experience of 15 years from his teaching and parish ministry background, and sees God’s work through the years in preparing him for this unique role in co-founding Fiat Classical Academy. He loves teaching teens and having the opportunity to immerse them in the Faith of the Church, with the end goal of leading them to a profound relationship with our Lord Jesus, both now and for eternity. In addition to starting new ventures and teaching, Brad loves being with his wife, reading to his daughters, spending time with family and friends, running, studying, gardening, and building anything made of wood.
Mr. Adam Iadipaolo | Email
Headmaster; Theology & Physical Education Faculty (and Indoor Air Quality Coordinator)
Mr. Adam Iadipaolo, born in Peoria, Illinois, is proud to hail from the same diocese as Venerable Fulton J. Sheen. Adam completed a bachelor degree in Philosophy at St. Mary’s University in Winona, Minnesota, then studied in Rome for two years. He then earned his Licentiate in Sacred Theology at the Washington, D.C. session of the Pontifical John Paul II Institute. He started his teaching career in Washington, D.C. before moving with his beloved wife, Kate, to her hometown in Northern Kentucky. They have been blessed with five children on earth and three in heaven. He has taught high school theology for 20 years, and also served as a school administrator before joining Fiat Classical Academy as its Headmaster. When not working in education, Adam may be found playing or watching soccer, tending the family’s straw bale garden, spending time with family, feeding wild birds, hosting friends, chopping firewood, or reading a good book. He counts on the intercession of his favorite saint, Pope Saint John Paul II, for all his endeavors to share Christ’s love with the world.
Mrs. Laura Edwards | Email
Art Faculty
After spending decades teaching visual art to K-12 students in the homeschool, private school, and public-school setting, Mrs. Laura Edwards is eager to step into the art classroom at Fiat. Her initial education includes earning a BA in art education, a BFA in fabric design, and a minor in art history from the College of Mount St. Joseph. Later, her studies involved getting her MA in art education from Miami University along with 18 additional graduate credit hours pertaining to art and education. Through her role as an art educator at Fiat, she hopes to inspire an appreciation for God’s perfect designs, to build knowledge of significant art across cultures and throughout history, and to encourage the development of artistic gifts so together we can seek, enjoy, and create beauty in our earthly home.
Mr. Ben Kleier | Email
Literature, Art, Philosophy, & Physical Education Faculty; Communications Assistant
Ben Kleier studied art and literature at Thomas More University and received his M.A. in Professional Writing at the University of Cincinnati. He has taught composition and literature for 7 years at the middle school, high school, and university level. As communication and consumption of information are transformed in a technological world, he goes to the wisdom found in literature, the classical authors, art, Scripture, and the Catholic tradition. His reading interests span many authors from Augustine’s Confessions to the essays of Wendell Berry and movements and styles from European realism to Catholic modernism. He is excited to teach at Fiat Classical Academy and explore literature and composition at the intersection of faith, wisdom, history, art, and rhetoric with students.
Mr. David McCarty
Science Faculty
Mr. David McCarty grew up in the suburbs of Chicago and could be found most days exploring the woodlands around his house. His dream was to study birds as a career, so he pursued a Biology degree from Cornell University (home of the Laboratory of Ornithology). After graduation though, God had other plans and his path took him down a career in technology sales and consulting with many years spent working for IBM. He never lost interest in God’s Creation and can be found during his free time managing his restored native prairie in Patriot, Indiana. Mr. McCarty is a recent convert to the Catholic Faith, having received the sacraments of Baptism, First Communion and Confirmation at St. Mary’s Easter Vigil on April 3, 2021. He is very excited to share his passion for nature and science with Fiat’s students.
Mrs. Jillian Riley
Administrative Assistant
Mrs. Jillian (Knueven) Riley was born, raised, and currently resides in Sunman, Indiana. She received a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Marian University. Mrs. Riley, her husband, and their three children are parishioners at All Saints Parish in Dover, Indiana. She has experience not only in elementary education, but also as a building manager for Yeager Properties in Indianapolis. A few of her favorite saints include: St. Faustina, St. Philomena, St. Gianna Beretta Molla, St. Isidore, and the married Saints Zelie and Louis. Mrs. Riley is passionate about life long learning and each year tries to gain knowledge in something new. She enjoys learning how to live on the land and finding other Catholics who are doing the same. If you were to ask her children what she says the most, they would say, “Eat more protein!” Mrs. Riley is delighted to be a part of the Fiat Classical Academy staff and looks forward to assisting the faculty and staff in exposing the treasures of the Catholic Church.
Mr. Evan Sharp
Latin & Math Faculty
Mr. Evan Sharp was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio. He graduated from the University of Cincinnati in 2021 with a Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy. From 2021 until February of 2025, Mr. Sharp was a seminarian for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. During his time in college and later in seminary, he grew to love the Latin language, especially under the aspect of it being the sacred language of Holy Mother Church. Mr. Sharp, having studied advanced mathematics in college, possesses a great appreciation for math, seeing it as something that allows us to more fully understand and appreciate the wonderful and beautiful order that the Creator has built into the very fabric of His material creation. He is very passionate about theology and philosophy, especially in the tradition of the Angelic Doctor, St. Thomas Aquinas. He greatly enjoys continuing to learn more about the sacred doctrine of Holy Church and the truths that can be attained by the guidance of rightly ordered Christian philosophy. He has a passion for learning sacred music, especially Gregorian chant. He also has a great love for the natural world of God’s creation, being greatly vivified by spending time simply enjoying the beauty of creation, which is a participation in the infinite beauty of the Almighty Creator. Mr. Sharp entrusts his teaching to the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Seat of Wisdom, that she may always intercede for him and for his students.
Miss Clare Wilson | Email
History, Music, & Drama Faculty
History and Music faculty: Miss Clare Wilson grew up in Sunman, Indiana, was homeschooled through high school and went to Christendom College in Front Royal, Virginia. She graduated in the Spring of 2022 with a Bachelor’s Degree in the Liberal Arts, majoring in History and receiving a minor in Sacred Music. Since graduating, Clare has taught History, Music, and English to middle school students at two local homeschool co-ops. She looks forward to sharing her love of History with her students at Fiat Academy, not only through her lectures, but also through a number of fascinating source texts, engaging power-points, and class discussion. Other educational and fun activities will include charting maps and keeping timelines. She hopes to provide her students with an experience that will utilize all of the different learning styles. For music, the students will gain a deeper understanding of music theory and the fundamentals of Gregorian Chant. They will also receive some vocal training and learn to sing together as a choir. Clare has received extensive musical training herself and enjoys sharing her knowledge both of History and Music with her students.
