Mercy High School is proud to welcome the following faculty and staff as we begin our 65th year! 

Mr. Andrew Baker will teach chemistry and medical innovations. He previously taught a variety of science courses in both independent and public schools. After serving in the United States Army, he completed a B.A. in environmental sustainability and human ecology from The University of Baltimore. A graduate of Archbishop Curley High School, Mr. Baker loves traveling to historic churches, gardening, and spending time with his dogs.

Lucy Burnham ’21 is delighted to return home to Mercy to serve as our communications associate. Lucy earned her Bachelor of Arts degree with honors in writing seminars and classics from Johns Hopkins University (JHU) in May. For the past several years, Lucy has worked as a member of the scheduling and events services department at JHU. As a Mercy Girl, Lucy was named an Archdiocese of Baltimore Distinguished Scholar, and she received the Excellence in the International Baccalaureate Personal Project award. As a member of our communications team, Lucy will manage Mercy’s social media presence, maintain our photo archives, and assist with various writing projects across multiple departments.

Mr. Kieron Kitson-Walters holds a B.S. in communications from Morgan State University and is pursuing an M.S. in clinical psychology from Capella University. Mr. Kitson-Walters previously worked as a senior system administrator at Under Armour and a platform engineer at Peloton. In both roles, he helped to develop and optimize technical systems while supporting users to maximize functionality and efficiency. Outside of work, Mr. Kitson-Walters enjoys going to concerts, attending sporting events with his family, and exploring emerging technology trends.  

Mr. Patrick Lee is excited to join Team Magic, and will teach Spanish II and Spanish III! Mr. Lee graduated summa cum laude from St. Mary’s College of Maryland with a B.A. in Spanish and was a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Society. He later earned an M.A. in teaching from St. Mary’s College. Coming from The Ross School in Long Island, Mr. Lee has experience teaching middle and high school Spanish courses. He also served as a dorm parent for the school’s boarding program. Mr. Lee is a graduate of Calvert Hall College High School and his sister, Katelyn, is a Mercy Girl from our Class of 2015! 

Ms. Lynn Rodgers ’94 will serve as a full-time faculty substitute teacher. Ms. Rodgers has more than 20 years of experience in Baltimore-area Catholic schools. She holds a B.A. in English from Notre Dame of Maryland University (NDMU) and is now pursuing an M.A. in leadership in teaching: library media specialist at NDMU. Ms. Rodgers loves reading and spending time with her family and friends. She also enjoys listening to podcasts and researching her family’s genealogy. Welcome home, Ms. Rodgers!

Ms. Stefanie Tadman will serve in our world languages department teaching all sections of French and moderating the Société Honoraire de Français. She will also serve as the Catherine McAuley Honors Program director. Ms. Tadman has experience at both the middle school and high school levels, teaching most recently at Perry Hall High School. She holds a B.A. and an M.A. in French from Michigan State University, an M.A. in data driven teaching from Johns Hopkins University, and a post-baccalaureate certificate in action research for school improvement from Towson University. In her free time, she is an avid reader and hiker and loves spending time outside with her husband and two children.

Ms. Melissa Turning became a member of the Mercy community in November 2024, and she serves as our annual fund and events manager. A graduate of Denison University in Granville, Ohio, she joined Team Magic after serving at the Robert H. Smith School of Business at University of Maryland. For five years, Ms. Turning led efforts to develop a comprehensive annual giving plan for the school to increase participation and revenue while building a strong annual giving pipeline. Previously, she served for twelve years in the Office of Annual Giving at Johns Hopkins University. There, Ms. Turning developed and implemented comprehensive annual giving strategies for the Krieger School of Arts & Sciences, the Bloomberg School of Public Health, the School of Medicine, the Peabody Institute, the School of Nursing, and the Johns Hopkins Hospital. Her three sons, including a set of twins, keep her busy, but in her free time, she is always up for an adventure—whether it’s traveling or uncovering hidden gems right here in Maryland.

Ms. Elsie Vargas hit the ground running when she started at Mercy in January 2025 as the director of community and belonging! A member of the leadership team, she is responsible for leading initiatives and programming that help support a community where every Mercy Girl feels known, cherished, and loved. Ms. Vargas will also teach one social studies course each semester. She earned a B.S. degree in psychology and two M.S. degrees—one in criminal justice from Nova Southeastern University and another in policy management from Georgetown University. Ms. Vargas brings with her a broad range of experience in educational settings from pre-K to college, including roles as an instructor and academic program director, teacher, and a regional director of human resources. She enjoys traveling abroad and spending quality time with family and friends. 

Dr. Oswaldo Villena will teach DP biology, biology, marine science, and forensics. He holds a bachelor’s degree in agriculture sciences from the National University of San Agustín in Peru and an M.S. in agrarian innovation for rural development from La Molina Agrarian University. He also earned an M.S. in environmental science from Towson University, and a Ph.D. in marine estuarine and environmental science from the University of Maryland College Park. In addition to Dr. Villena’s work as a postdoctoral researcher, he has previously taught at a variety of universities including Georgetown University, University of Maryland, American University, and Goucher College. Outside the classroom, he enjoys playing pickleball, swimming, watching soccer, and traveling with his wife and daughter.

Ms. Jamie Wood will teach in the religious studies department, serve as coordinator of the Frances Warde Service Learning Program, and moderate the Social Justice Society. She graduated cum laude with a B.A. in psychology from Loyola University Maryland and is currently working on earning a Master of Theology and Ministry degree from Boston College. She has previously served as a theology teacher and service coordinator, and while completing her undergraduate degree, she worked in Loyola University Maryland’s Campus Ministry office as a sacristan while completing her undergraduate degree. Ms. Wood spends her free time reading, listening to music, playing sports, and enjoying time with family and friends. She is also an avid Marvel fan!