School Advisory Board

Purpose and Function

The Saint John Neumann Catholic School Advisory Board is established by the pastor and principal. The Advisory Board shall serve as an advisory body to the pastor or his representative and the principal of Saint John Neumann Catholic School and it exists to serve as an advocate and supporter of SJNCS. The Advisory Board exists to serve the immediate and long-term strategic needs and priorities of SJNCS. The members of the Advisory Board should be a community of discernment and lead the school community in virtue and fruitfulness. They should be sensitive to the nature of the school as a Catholic community. They should foster unity in the school community, encourage full participation of parents, teachers, parishioners, neighboring parishes, and the communities of greater Farragut.

Bylaws

Advisory Board Bylaws (revised and updated September 2024)

Board Members

Jessica Louthan, Chair

My name is Jessica Louthan and I have two daughters, Briar Rose (4th grade) and Belle (1st grade). This is our 2nd year at SJNCS, we started August 2022. As a parent at SJNCS, my goal in joining the Advisory Board is to actively contribute to the school’s community and support its mission. I aim to provide insights, collaborate on decisions, and help create an enriching environment for all students, aligning with the values and teachings of the Catholic faith.

Alex LaFasto, Vice-Chair

My family joined the Knoxville Diocese in 2021 and I am the proud parent of two daughters in 2nd and 6th grade at SJN, as well as a son who is a Sophomore at KCHS. I work as a Talent Development Leader focused on insights and innovation at a large manufacturing company. Outside of work I enjoy spending time with family and reading. I am honored to serve on the School Advisory Board and am committed to supporting the school’s mission of faith and academic excellence.

Hiram Morales

My name is Hiram M. Morales and a former Chair of the Advisory Board. My wife and I have 4 children at St. John Neumann Catholic School. This is our fourth year at St. John Neumann and our ninth year in the Diocese of Knoxville Catholic Schools. Originally from Puerto Rico, I’ve called Knoxville home for the past 17 years. I wanted to be a part of the SJNCS Advisory Board to foster unity and serve the school community.

William Silverberg

My name is William Silverberg. I have been a parent and parishioner at SJN for three years. My wife and I have two beautiful daughters at SJNCS: 3rd grade & Pre-K. My daughters, like all the children at SJN are gifts on loan from the Lord. I accepted the invitation to the Advisory Board in service to them. I have come to know great strength and peace from my Catholic education and I sincerely pray the students of SJN, parents and parishioners come to know the same. I believe the pursuit of the Lord is very much alive in both the school and parish, and I want to aid the children in that pursuit.

Portrait - Erica Morales, December 15, 2022.

Erica Morales, PTMO President

My name is Erica Morales, and I’m currently the PTMO President for the 2025–2026 school year at St. John Neumann Catholic School. My husband and I have 4 children at SJNCS. This is our fourth year at St. John Neumann and our ninth year in the Diocese of Knoxville Catholic Schools. Originally from Puerto Rico, I’ve called Knoxville home for the past 15 years. I wanted to be a part of the PTMO to help strengthen our school community through service, support, and shared faith.

Ashley Allen, Faculty Representative

My name is Ashley Allen. My family and I have been a part of the Catholic school community in Knoxville since 2015. My husband and I have two sons and three daughters. I currently teach middle school math and am part of the Learning Lab team.

Rachel Heller

My name is Rachel Heller. My family and I relocated to Knoxville from West Virginia in 2020 for my husband’s (Adam) job. We are both products of Catholic schools and grateful to have the opportunity to send our kids to a Catholic school, especially this one. After touring several local catholic schools and churches, we knew we were being called to SJNCS. We have five children: Steven (7th grade), Cate (5th grade), Asher (3rd grade), Miles (Pre-K), and Cameron (age 3). We are active in our faith and our community. While I currently stay home with the kids, I hold a master’s degree in elementary education/special education, and I have teaching experience in the intermediate elementary grades. I spend most of my free time cheering on my kids at their sporting events (or driving them there), but I love reading. I’m looking forward to serving on the school’s Advisory Board.

Chris Chandler

My name is Christopher (Chris) Chandler, and my wife, Hillary, and I have six girls. Four are students at SJNCS (Annabel, 7th; Lillian, 6th; Genevieve and Emmeline, 3rd), and our two older daughters graduated from SJNCS and are students at Knoxville Catholic (Charlotte, 11th; Madeleine, 9th). We have been parishioners since 2010, and our girls started at the school in 2019. Our girls have had a wonderful experience at SJNCS, and we are grateful for the opportunity they have to attend. We are confident that their education here will help them to go out into the world ready to live lives that demonstrate the love and charity that Christ asks of all of us.

Ex-Officio Members:

Kelly Mechelke, Principal

Fr. Mark Schuster, Pastor

Fr. Bo Beaty, Parochial Vicar

Sabrina Talley, Academic Dean

Mary Marlowe, Director of Admissions

Patrick Wade, Director of Development

Stephanie Greiner, Director of Communications

Christine Roeck, Director of Account Services

Meetings

Meeting will occur Aug. 21, Sept. 18, Oct. 16, Nov.20, Dec. 18, Jan. 15, Feb. 19, March 19, April 16, May 21, and June 18 from 4:00-5:30 PM.

Non-members, visitor(s), etc., may address the Advisory Board with permission of the pastor, principal, and chair. A written petition setting forth the matter being addressed should be submitted to the principal and/or chair seven (7) days prior to the meeting. The non-members shall have a maximum of five (5) minutes to speak to the Advisory Board, exclusive of member questions. Additional time may be allotted by the Advisory Board when needed.