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 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.
Mr. Ben Kleier | Email
Literature, History, and Rhetoric 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 9 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 literary movements from European realism to Catholic modernism. His courses explore literature and composition at the intersection of faith, wisdom, history, art, and rhetoric.
Mr. David McCarty | Email
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 | Email
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. Finnegan Ritchie | Email
Philosophy, Theology, and Physical Education Faculty
Mr. Finnegan Ritchie was born and raised in Traverse City, MI. He is the eldest brother to his two younger sisters. He attended Benedictine College and received a B.A. in Theology. Within those four years, he studied the history and development of Catholic theology and philosophy in Germany and Italy. He has a special fondness for Dante’s Divine Comedy as well as the integration of faith and reason. In his pursuit of a M.A. in Catholic education from the Augustine Institute, he has discovered a deep love for discovering truth with particular regard to the Liberal Arts. He is excited to be a teacher at Fiat Classical Academy and hopes to be of service to his students’ growth and study.
Mr. Jay Schroeter | Email
Latin and Math Faculty
His hometown is Amarillo, Texas. He received a B.A. in classics and religion from Williams College in Williamstown, Massachusetts, during which time he happily entered the Catholic Church on April 3, 2021. He then taught at public schools for one academic year but eventually came to realize that secular education is missing something of both the systemic care for souls and the unifying vision of the Church which are essential for an ultimately good education. He then traveled the world for one year and did manual labor in Texas for one year before beginning an M.A. in Catholic Education from the Augustine Institute in St. Louis, Missouri. He has a love for Scripture, etymology, and peanut butter chocolate ice cream. He is looking forward to a life of fidelity to the Tradition and of keen attention to intellectual precision, both in hot pursuit of the Truth. His favorite saints include Sts. Mary, Francis, Francis Xavier, Francis Xavier Cabrini, Hildegard von Bingen, Thérèse of the Child Jesus, John Paul II, Thomas Aquinas, Martín de Porres, Mary and Martha of Bethany, and the Sons of Thunder.
Mr. Evan Sharp | Email
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.
Mrs. Miriam Sternhagen | Email
Art Faculty
Mrs. Sternhagen brings lots of various interests and experiences to Fiat Academy as its art teacher. Raised in Oregon, she earned a BA in English and worked in Japan for two years as an English teacher before coming back to the USA and getting married. She and her husband Don have lived in many states as well as homeschooled and raised 5 children. They are now the proud parents of one priest and four married children and have 14 grandchildren and counting! Mrs. Sternhagen has pursued art on her own, taught art handworks and sews.including plus handwork and sewing. She currently works part-time as a cook and housekeeper for two elderly gentlemen as well as helps maintain a small homestead in Manchester, IN. She enjoys reading, gardening, doing artwork, sewing (mostly doll clothes these days), milking cows, and helping out neighbors, and she loves teaching.
Mrs. Karen Weber | Email
Drama Faculty
Mrs. Karen (Weckenbrock) Weber was born in Cincinnati, OH and grew up in Yorkville, IN. She was homeschooled and starred in multiple drama productions as Mother in Cheaper by the Dozen and the owner of Uncle Tom in Uncle Tom’s Cabin. She married her husband Darren and lived in Terre Haute and Indianapolis, IN. She currently lives in Sunman, IN on a small homestead. She is the mother of 9 and grandmother of one granddaughter. She has homeschooled her children for 13 yrs. During this time she ran a swim lesson program, coached on a developmental swim team as well as the local high school swim team. Mrs. Weber started and led Catholic Schoolhouse Sunman for four years. While there she helped organize the Advent Showcase, Los Posadas. She also helped put on the production of The First Nativity with another local homeschool group. She has pursued her passion of floral design for weddings and other events. She is a wedding coordinator aiding couples on one of their happiest days. She absolutely loves bringing beauty and joy to the lives of others. She hopes to help foster appreciation and love for bringing joy, awe, and beauty in the students through the Fiat Classical Academy drama class. Some of her favorite saints are St. Catherine of Siena, St. Rita, St. John Paul II, St. Josephine Bahkita.
Miss Clare Wilson | Email
History & Music 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.
