Meet the Teachers

Nubia Aguiar is the Early Childhood Atelierista of Art, Music and Language. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts from the University of New Orleans and also studied Art at the College of Santa Fe, New Mexico. She joined the Ursuline family in 2010. Nubia is also a Certified Music Together teacher. Originally from Brazil, Nubia is fluent in Portuguese as well as English and Spanish. Nubia is married and a proud parent of a daughter. Her passions are her family and friends, working with children, animals, art, music, gardening, traveling and reading.

Meghann Rooney is an Ursuline Academy Merry Mac of 2006 who joined the faculty in 2017. She is excited to continue sharing her love of the arts with our students as the Lower and Middle School Art teacher. She graduated with honors from the University of Louisiana in Lafayette in May of 2010 with a B.S. in Apparel Design and Merchandising. Upon moving back to her hometown of New Orleans, she participated in numerous fashion design competitions and worked in the wardrobe department for the local film industry. She volunteered during the 2016-2017 school year in Ursuline’s lower and middle school art departments and taught Visual Arts for Camp U in July 2017. She has worked at Ursuline Academy as a Kindergarten Assistant and now as the Elementary Art Teacher for two years. Meghann is married and has a 2 year old son. In her spare time she enjoys spending time with family and friends, creating art, and cooking.

Maureen Cremaldi, Fine Arts teacher, began working at Ursuline Academy in August 2007. She earned an M.S. in counseling from Loyola University and a B.A. in History from Marymount College, Fordham University. Maureen Is a Licensed Professional Counselor who originated from New York City. Prior to her teaching career she was the Clinical Director of Bethlehem Children’s Treatment Center and a therapist at other local psychiatric institutions in the city. She has presented at numerous state conferences on creative approaches to treating victims of child abuse, including the use of art therapy. Maureen is married with two sons. Her hobbies include reading, travel and art. She continues her art education at the New Orleans Academy of Fine Arts.

Mrs. Natalie Vitrano graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a BFA in Art Education. She has been a visual arts instructor at the elementary, middle and high school levels in Texas and Louisiana for over 30 years and has been a high school art instructor at Ursuline Academy since 2012. She is a member of the National Art Education Association (NAEA). Mrs. Vitrano is married with three grown children. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, writing, cooking, painting, practicing yoga, and playing music with
her band.

Emily Pastorek, an experienced educator with teaching experience across many different grade levels, will continue her career as the Pre K-7th grade Technology Teacher at Ursuline Academy. Emily is originally from the City of New Orleans and earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education from Louisiana State University in 2012. Emily is certified as a Level 1-Google Educator, an Apple Teacher, as well as a BrainPop Certified Educator (CBE). She has a passion for fostering technology-oriented classrooms through lessons, activities, and communication to ensure each student is ready to succeed in our increasingly digital world. Emily enjoys watching her students grow spiritually, academically, and socially. Her hobbies include trying new restaurants and traveling
the world.

Sara Quinlan, Technology and Spanish teacher, was born and raised in Algonquin, IL. She earned in a B.S. in Business Management from Loyola University Chicago and joined the Ursuline community in 2017. She currently teaches Spanish 1, Computer Apps, Digital Graphics, Publications, and Physical Education. In addition to teaching, Ms. Quinlan, is the high school advisor for Key Club. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time in with friends and family while exploring all that New Orleans has to offer.

Lauren Benoit joined the Ursuline family in 2018, and is deeply passionate about teaching music to children. A native of Lafayette, Louisiana, Lauren received her Bachelor of Arts in Choral Music Education and Master of Arts in Teaching K-12 Music Education at Centenary College of Louisiana. Before joining the Ursuline family, she taught PK-8 Music and Choir at St. Joseph Catholic School and directed the St. Luke's Choir in Shreveport, Louisiana. She is a member of the National Association for Music Education and the American Choral Directors' Association and she stays connected with colleagues in choral music throughout Louisiana. Lauren's goal is to prepare each Ursuline girl to create music independently, share God's love through music, and realize her full potential as a trailblazer. She enjoys spending time with her fiance and their dog Ziba, cooking, and attending concerts with friends.

Lulu Reeks currently teaches Suzuki-based music classes to ages 3-5, violin to 3rd & 4th grades and Orchestra 5th- high school level. She holds a BA in Music with concentration in Violin from Loyola University were she received a full music scholarship. She attended the American Suzuki Institute at Stevens Point, WI where she received Suzuki teacher certification. Before joining Ursuline in 2017, Mrs. Reeks taught orchestra, violin and gifted and talented in music classes for 9 years at Lusher Charter School. Other programs where she has taught include the New Orleans Suzuki Institute and the Louisiana Academy for performing Arts. As a violinist, Mrs. Reeks has played with local orchestras and ensembles. She has soloed with local choirs such as the men’s chorus and children’s chorus. She collaborates with musicians and local artists on records, movies and theatrical productions. Her goal at Ursuline is to encourage students to use their music to build a strong community and to practice Serviam.

Irina Vychko, piano teacher and accompanist, began working at Ursuline Academy in 2001. She has been teaching for over 22 years. Irina was born in Chisanau, Moldova; where she beganstudying pianoat six. Shestudied at the Gifted S. Rachmaninoff Music School, and received her Master’s degree in music from the Moldavian State Conservatory. She qualified as a piano teacher, Chamber Ensemble performer, and accompanist. Irina was educated in the best traditions of the Russian School of Music, and was raised by professors from Moscow and Saint-Pitersburg Conservatories. As a member ofMTNA, Irina’s Ursuline students perform in numerous concerts, and are winners of theBach and Sonatina competitions. Some of her graduated students continuestudying piano at the university level. Irina collaborates with prominent area musicians, including players from the LPO, as well asUNO singers. Irina has worked as the staff accompanistat UNO, performed inSLU’s ensembles, and served as the music/choir director, pianist, and organist in several churches.

Helen Honoree Myers, N.C.T.M. is a proud 1984 Sioux graduate of Ursuline Academy. She has been on faculty since 2013 and teaches AP Music Theory, Fine Arts Survey, Chorus and Group and Private Piano. Mrs. Myers serves as the Tri-M Music Honor Society Moderator and Bach Contest Director. She holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Loyola University New Orleans and has been teaching private and group piano lessons for over thirty-five years. While at Loyola on a music scholarship, she was an active member of the University Chorus. Mrs. Myers is permanently state and nationally certified to teach piano at all levels through Louisiana Music Teachers Association and Music Teachers National Association. In addition to her private studio, she taught private and group piano lessons through the Loyola Preparatory Arts Program from 1986-2000. She recently rejoined the Prep faculty, as a private and group piano instructor and a certified and licensed Musikgarten instructor. Mrs. Myers has also been the staff accompanist for the Komenka Music and Dance Ensemble since 2011 and substitutes as a church accompanist in the Greater New Orleans area . Mrs. Myers is a member of the New Orleans Music Teacher Association, (NOMTA), Louisiana Music Teachers Association (LMTA), Music Teachers National Association (MTNA), Louisiana Music Educators Association (LMEA) and American Choral Directors Association (ACDA). She is the proud mother of a Merry Mac of 2018 and a Sioux of 2020.

Amanda Zirkenbach has been a part of the Ursuline Academy family since 2012. A graduate of the University of New Orleans and Certified Teaching Artist, she is an award-winning actor with more than two decades of experience in theatre and the performing arts. Mrs. Z moderates Queen's Players and is the proud mother of its two unofficial mascots, Alexander and Gabriel. She enjoys spending time with her family and friends and continues to be an active member of the New Orleans theatre community.