Teachers at Young Musicians of Virginia must have degrees in their area of application or have adequate experience and be able to demonstrate a level of excellence in that area.  Several have Masters and PhD’s.  Check out our awesome academic teachers below:

• Marlene Berkley
(Spanish I, II, II and French I, II)
B.A. in French from UNC Chapel Hill and continuing education at Old Dominion University.
M.A. ESL, English and B.A. in Spanish from Old Dominion University
Marlene Berkley has taught English as a second language to students of all age groups and countries, including two years teaching in Japan and one year as a volunteer High School English teacher in Israel. She has lived and worked in French-speaking Switzerland for many years and first studied Spanish at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland when she worked in the Latin American Department of the International Organization for Migration. She has studied intensive Spanish in one month courses in Spain and Mexico. She is pleased to be teaching at YMV and enjoys the Christian environment.

•April Bullard
(American Literature, U.S. Government)
A.A. Biology and Chemistry, San Diego Community College, B.A. Religious Studies, San Diego State University, M.A. Education, National University.
Mrs. Bullard has taught in children’s ministry since 2010. She was a preschool teacher for 3 years in Hawaii, but has been homeschooling her 3 children since moving to Virginia in July of 2020. She is an Air Force veteran and her husband currently serves in the Navy. Her family participates in local and overseas missions through their church. She enjoys philosophy, gardening, camping, and hiking. She and her family hope to use their North Carolina mountain property as a home base for family backpacking trips.

• Veronica Dowdell
(General Science, Physical Science)
B.S. in Science Education, East Carolina University
Roni Dowdell has been a part of YMV for nearly 20 years, first as a homeschool parent, then a hall monitor and office staff worker and finally a teacher. Prior to YMV, she taught at Tidewater Classical Academy teaching General Science and Worldview Humanities for 5 years. She has also taught high school science (Chemistry, Biology, Physical Science, Life Science and Earth Science) overseas at Naples International School. A mother of four grown children, she enjoys cooking, sewing and Bible study.

• Colleen Ignacio
(Middle School History)
A. A. General Studies, Palomar College; B.S. Biological Sciences, Old Dominion University; B.S. Nursing, Norfolk State University; M.S. Nursing Education, South University
Colleen Ignacio is a Navy and Marine Corps Veteran, a Registered Nurse Educator, and homeschooling mother of 9 years to her beloved daughter, Ericka Ignacio. She has been blissfully married to her husband, Erick Ignacio, for 22 years. She is grateful for the opportunity to partner with parents and see their students light up when they grasp new concepts!

• Nickie McCreary
(Algebra I, Algebra II, Geometry, PreCalculus)
B.A. Math, College of William and Mary, M.A. Education, Regent University
Nickie is a homeschooling mom to two boys. She started out as a high school math teacher with Chesapeake Public Schools and taught several semesters of math at Tidewater Community College. In recent years, she has helped manage a local homeschool co-op of about one hundred students. When she is not crunching numbers, she can usually be found making a quilt or sitting in the sun at the beach.

• Christi Monti
(Middle School Writing, Latin, Logic)
B.M., Cleveland Institute of Music
Christi Monti is a homeschooling mom to four children, whose passion (in addition to loving and serving Jesus) has been classical education and redeeming her own education. Formerly an orchestral French horn player in and around the Cleveland, OH area, Christi teaches English grammar and writing, logic, Latin, and British Literature, and American Literature within and outside of the Classical Conversations Challenge Program. In addition to homeschooling her own children, she tutors students in English/literature and Latin online and currently teaches at multiple programs throughout the area. During the summers, she offers the Memoria Press Latin Form Series to homeschoolers both locally and online. Most of all, Christi loves helping students learn and find joy in learning.

• Mrs. Courtney Rollick, LMT
(Chemistry, Physics)
Mrs. Rollick is a mom to a toddler and two cats and is a life-long learner. She has two consistent passions – teaching and science. She currently employs both as a holistic health practitioner. She’s excited to combine those two passions and share that excitement with her students as they learn about our Creator through His creation.

• Mrs. Dee Williams
(Math Skills; Pre-Algebra; Personal Finance; Elementary Science)
Mrs. Williams and her husband, Robert, have been married over 32 years and have three home-schooled children who love music and attended YMV. Their family has been part of YMV for over 17 years.