Jodi Tagessen

AP English, Film as Literature

J.D., Mitchell Hamline School of Law
B.S., Minnesota State University Moorhead

Jodi Tagessen is a Minnesota native who started her teaching career at Fargo South High School in North Dakota. Her responsibilities included overseeing production of the nationally recognized, student-run Sudhian Newspaper, working with the drama department, and teaching Journalism and grade 10 Language Arts. After leaving Fargo Jodi taught grade 10 and 11 Language Arts and coached junior olympic volleyball in White Bear Lake, MN. 

Jodi worked in commercial real estate for several years immediately prior to joining the NCPA staff. Over her real estate career, she filled many roles including working as an attorney closing commercial transactions, auditing construction projects, and building real estate investment trusts. Jodi also worked as a project manager on large scale construction projects and on national and international corporate real estate accounts.

Chelsea Wilson

AP English

M.S., University of Northern Colorado
B.A., Colorado College

Chelsea Wilson is in her ninth year of teaching. Chelsea started her teaching career at the American School of Kuwait where she taught 9th Grade, 11th Grade, AP Language and Composition, and Philosophy over the course of five years. Just prior to coming to NCPA, she taught 9th-12th grade English, including AP Language and AP Literature, and was the college counselor at the American International School of Bamako, Mali. She has worked with student councils and other student leadership organizations. An Ontario native who lived in Colorado for a number of years before moving overseas, she is licensed to teach in both Canada and the United States.
Chelsea Wilson's partner, Matt Kelsey, is the NCPA Technology Integrator.

Collin Peterson

Grade 10 English

M.A., Lewis and Clark College
B.S., The Evergreen State College

Collin Peterson-vanKanegan’s love for teaching began when he worked as a sailing instructor during college. This is his third year of teaching high school English Language Arts, and his first year of teaching internationally. Prior to starting at NCPA, Collin taught 9th and 11thgrade at West Linn High School, just outside of Portland, Oregon. Before earning his Master of Arts in Teaching from Lewis and Clark College, he worked for several years as a para-educator in a school that served students with severe social and emotional special needs. Teaching internationally has been one of Collin’s goals for years, and he is excited to be starting this part of his career at NCPA.

Emily Roberts

Grade 11 English

B.S., Illinois State University

Emily Roberts has been teaching English for the past 4 years in the city of Chicago and the surrounding areas. While working in the Chicago Public Schools, Ms. Roberts taught in a diverse middle school environment, with students coming from all parts of the world, speaking fifty-two different languages. She worked specifically with ELL students helping them to improve in both reading and writing. She also spent two years working with 9th grade Honors English students as well.

Jill Redl

Grade 10 English, AP English

M.A., University of Virginia - Charlottesville
B.A., Gonzaga University

Jill Redl has been teaching high school English for more than 20 years. She comes to NCPA from Bogota, Colombia, where she spent three years teaching 10th-grade English and AP Language and Composition. Prior to that, she taught American and British literature at a boarding school near Santa Barbara, CA and grades 9-12 at Rutgers Preparatory School in New Jersey. A reader, runner, and traveler at heart, Jill is looking forward to new opportunities for cultural exchange and professional growth at NCPA.
Jill's husband, Don Redl, teaches AP Calculus in the high school.

Katrina Elsen

Drama

B.A., Lawrence University

Katrina Elsen is celebrating her first year teaching at NCPA. Prior to teaching, she worked for professional theatres in Minnesota and Wisconsin as a Costume Designer and Costume Shop Manager. Katrina studied Fringe Theatre in London, England, Theatre Performance at the Gaiety School of Acting in Dublin, Ireland, and graduated cum laude with her Bachelor of Arts in Theatre Performance at Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin.
Katrina Elsen’s partner, Greg Elsen, teaches for the NCPA Social Studies Department.

Lidiya Reese

Grade 9, 11 English

B.S., Eastern Michigan University

Lidiya Reese is in her third year of teaching. After graduating from Eastern Michigan University, she moved to Yuma, Arizona, where she taught 11th grade English along with conversation, listening, and grammar for English language learners. This is her first experience teaching abroad and is very thrilled to be at NCPA.

Maria Thomas

Grade 9 English

M.A., the New School in New York City
M.A., B.A., Brooklyn College, City College of New York

Maria Thomas has been teaching English for fourteen years. She gained most of her experience in New York City public schools, working in middle and high schools with a diverse community of learners. Maria’s experience with international education began in 2013 when she moved from Brooklyn to Beijing. For two years, she worked at the international campus of Beijing No.4 High School where she taught Honors and AP English and also served as a student advisor