Since 1971, Atlantic Christian School has graduated nearly 600 alumni. These students have gone on to pursue careers in education, medicine, media, ministry, the armed forces, and public service, to name a few. Looking back on their years at ACS, our alumni often tell us that ACS “made a difference in their lives.” ACS holds several alumni events annually — including a fall Homecoming Alumni Soccer game and winter Alumni Basketball games. We are inspired by the stories that our alumni and former students share with us about how God is working in their lives and using them to make an impact for Christ in this world. Here are some of their stories:
Tracy Thompson (’74-6th grade) is a Registered Dental Assistant in the Absecon, NJ office of Dr. Michael Combs, where she has worked since 1980 after graduating from Absegami High School. During her 6th grade year at ACS, Tracy entered a school-wide contest to design the school’s first logo and her design won 1st place and was used as the school logo for a number of years. In 1974, ACS went up to the 6th grade and Tracy and classmate, Debby Zanes Reinwalds, were the only two students in the 1974 graduating class. They have remained friends throughout the years. Tracy is mom to triplets — Victoria, Alexia, and John — and lives in Galloway, NJ. She worships at Beacon Evangelical Free Church.
Pastor Bob Stahler (’82) is pastor of the Great Commission Baptist Church in Cape May Courthouse, where he has served since 1988. He has been a member of the Board of Trustees of the Atlantic City Rescue Mission since 1998, serving three years as its Chairman. Pastor Stahler returned to ACS to participate in the June 2013 commencement as the keynote speaker. He earned a BA in elementary education at Asbury College and a MA in religion at Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary. He and his wife Marcy met at Asbury College. They have eight children who over the years have traveled with them on eight missions trips, six of them to Johannesburg, South Africa. Bob said the teachers at ACS had a great influence on him and prepared him for ministry. “The public speaking class I had with Mrs. McNeal taught me more about preaching than any class I had in college or seminary,” Bob said.
Kristine Cassell (’85) is an elementary teacher at Pilgrim Academy in Egg Harbor City, where she has taught 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grade classes since 1994. She earned her BA in elementary education and Bible from Clarks Summit University in 1989. While a senior in college, she did student teaching at ACS and in the fall of 1989 returned to teach 4th grade for one year. Kris then taught 3rd grade for two years at Seaford Christian Academy in Delaware. The following year, she traveled to Santiago, Chile, where she taught 3rd grade at Santiago Christian Academy. Kris returned to the states and taught again for one year at ACS before putting down long-term roots at Pilgrim Academy. For many years, Kris has sung and led children’s church at Chelsea Baptist Church in Atlantic City, where her late father, Rev. Daniel Cassell, served as pastor for 36 years. Kris resides in Galloway with her mother, Pat Cassell, who retired from ACS in 2007 after 29 years of distinguished service as an ACS kindergarten teacher and principal.
Karen Kizer Woerner (’86) earned a BS in elementary education in 1990 from Liberty University and minored in Bible and history. She returned to her hometown of Pleasantville, NJ to begin a successful 15-year career as an elementary teacher, mostly teaching 4th grade. She received the Teacher of the Year Award twice while at the Leeds Avenue School in Pleasantville and was nominated and chosen twice for the Who’s Who of American Teachers, a distinction only 5% of teachers in the nation ever receive. “Since the 7th grade, I felt God was calling me to be a teacher and to teach in my hometown,” Karen said. She and her husband, Michael, married in 2001 and reside in Galloway. They have two children, Kirsten and Andrew, whom Karen homeschools. In fall 2020, Karen stepped back into the classroom part-time to teach 4th and 5th grade at Westminster Christian Academy in Ocean City. She has also taught Kids Club at Emmanuel Church in Egg Harbor City, where the family worships. While attending ACS, Karen said she learned by the example of her teachers what it meant to live as a Christian and to have that beneficial fellowship of being with other believers. Karen is pictured here (at right) at the ACS 50th anniversary Homecoming event in October 2020, with her friend and ACS parent, Kelly Schlundt.
Kim Clark Eaves (’87) returned to ACS as a school parent in September 2020 to enroll four of her five children, and in November 2020 was a featured speaker at the 50th anniversary Elementary Chapel. She talked about her passion for helping and serving others, and how that passion led her to become a foster parent. She adopted three of her children after fostering them. Over the past 30 years, Kim has held a variety of positions in the medical field, from working as a radiology tech to practicing and teaching massage therapy. Currently, Kim is working as an entrepreneur in a health and wellness social retail network marketing business. She resides in Egg Harbor Township and her family worships at Gospel of Grace Ministries.
Bill Robinson (’87) is head coach of the Milligan College Buffaloes Men’s Basketball team in Tennessee, a position he has held since 2009. Coach Robinson went to Milligan after establishing a winning tradition as head coach for 12 seasons at Montreat College, a Christian college in North Carolina, where he earned over 200 career wins. He has an outstanding reputation for recruiting and developing some of the finest student-athletes at the NAIA level. Prior to Montreat, Coach Robinson served as the head men’s basketball coach at LeTourneau University in Texas, where at the age of 25 he became the youngest head coach in the nation. Bill earned a BA in physical education from The King’s College in New York and a master’s in health and kinesiology from the University of Texas at Tyler. A native of Ocean City, Robinson competed at the varsity level in soccer, basketball and baseball while at Atlantic Christian, earning 12 varsity letters. He served as team captain and was voted team MVP in all three sports. As a junior at ACS, Bill led the nation in scoring with 39.8 points per game and was named USA Today All-American honorable mention in basketball. He was the first ACS student-athlete in school history to earn over 1,000 points during his basketball career. Bill and his wife Barb have three children. His mother, Nancy Robinson Craven, worked as a teacher for 21 years at ACS and served as principal from 1989-1993.
Pastor Kevin Goos (’88) served as senior pastor of Awakening Church in Colorado Springs, Colorado for 18 years and in July 2020 moved to Spokane, Washington to plant Thrive Church. Kevin is a graduate of Houghton College and is a strong advocate of Christian education. He and his wife Barb have four children and 6 grandchildren. While in Colorado Springs, his children attended Evangelical Christian Academy, where he was also the high school soccer coach. “For many families, paying for a Christian education is a sacrifice, but what is more important than investing in our children?” Kevin said. He said studies show that 3 out of 4 students who go to Christian school are following the Lord as adults, whereas only 1 out of 4 who attend public school are following Christ as adults. Kevin is also the author of “Dry Bones: Redeeming Your Past” and he and wife have a consulting ministry called Fortify LLC that focuses on pastoral counseling and mentoring.
David (DJ) Schrag (’88) is a licensed clinical social worker who is the Director of AtlantiCare’s Adult Outpatient Services, a position he has held since 2006. Not only is DJ an ACS alumnus, but he is also a dedicated ACS parent and has been a member of the ACS Board of Directors since July 2019. His son, Quinn, who is a junior this year, has attended ACS since the 1st grade. DJ earned his BA in family studies from Messiah University, where he also met his wife, Joelle. He went on to earn his Masters in Social Work from Rutgers University in Camden. After returning to live and work in Atlantic County, DJ and a fellow believer, Todd Maples, planted a new church in Egg Harbor Township — the Parresia Church — where he served as an elder for 8 years. He and his family now worship at Friendship Bible Church. DJ and his wife also recently founded a nonprofit called “Made Anew Ministries” that is focused on providing Christ-centered therapy for individuals, couples, and families. In November 2020, DJ was a featured speaker at the ACS 50th anniversary Middle School/High School Chapel.
David Stabler (’89) has ministered for over 20 years in 32 nations as a missionary with Youth With a Mission (YWAM). From 2009-2019, he was based in a YWAM center in Orlando where he trained future missionaries. He now serves at the YWAM Switzerland base. David came to ACS in his junior year, a change that became a turning point in his life. “At ACS, I was able to grow and develop my faith and I rededicated my life to Christ,” David said. “I grew up in a Christian home, but ACS helped lay a solid foundation for what I’m doing now.” David also served as the youth pastor at Praise Tabernacle from 2002-2004. He and his wife Rebecca have three children, Marina, Noah, and Tiffany.
Pastor Ryan Atkinson (1996-8th grade) is lead pastor at Lakewood Chapel in Mays Landing, NJ. He first served for three years at Lakewood Chapel as the youth pastor and was ordained pastor in 2012. He is a graduate of Cedarville University in Ohio. He and his wife Sarah have one daughter and reside in Mays Landing.
Jonathan Cassell (1996-8th grade) is a certified public accountant and works at Fitzpatrick, Bongiovanni, and Kelly in Linwood, a position he has held since 2015. After graduating from ACS in the 8th grade, he attended high school at Pilgrim Academy. He went on to earn a BS in criminal justice from Cedarville University and a BA in business administration from Stockton University. Jonathan and his wife, Amanda, reside in Egg Harbor Township and have two sons, Mason and Noah. They attend Lakewood Chapel in Mays Landing, where Jonathan’s ACS classmate, Ryan Atkinson, is the lead pastor. Jonathan is also the church treasurer.
Jessica Davey Kalisa (’02) is a high school ESL teacher in the Lakewood Public School District in Lakewood, NJ. Prior to that, she was an ESL instructor at Atlantic Cape Community College. Jessica holds a Masters’ degree in international global education from Drexel University and is also a certified international peace negotiator. After earning her Masters’, Jessica took an overseas position in Rwanda, serving as the Vice Principal and Curriculum Director at the Kigali International School. She and her husband Flabien, who married in 2010, have a son, Kirenga, and a daughter, Michaela.
Tiffiny Butl
er (’03) played every sport at ACS and chose to attend Eastern University to become an athletic trainer. After receiving her BS in biokinetics, she earned her MA in athletic training at Temple University. But while at Temple, Tiffiny had her first experience doing research and earned her PhD, enabling her to teach at the college level. During her four years at Temple she taught anatomy and physiology and found that she loved interacting with the students. “It’s all about what God wants to do with you,” Tiffiny said. “He will equip you with what you need.” In 2013, Tiffiny relocated to Worcester, Massachusetts, to be a post-doctoral fellow in biomedical engineering at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. She became an assistant teaching professor in 2016. Since July 2019, Tiffiny has held a dual role as a Teaching Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering and as the Director of the Office of Multicultural Affairs at WPI. Tiffiny returned to New Jersey in August 2021 to serve as the Senior Director of Educational Equity at Rutgers University in New Brunswick. In August 2021, Tiffiny was promoted to Interim Associate Vice Chancellor for Educational Equity at Rutgers.
Tim Richvalsky (’03) joined the Atlantic City Police Department in 2012 and serves in the training division. He is also a Technical Sergeant in the NJ Air National Guard. “At ACS, I learned to think Biblically,” Tim said. “I developed a Christian worldview that has influenced how I live my life and guided the decisions I have made.” In October 2019, Tim was honored by the Atlantic City Police Foundation at its annual Heroes Luncheon that recognizes individuals who have given back to the public safety community. Tim was recognized for his role in responding to a hit-and-run that resulted in his being stabbed. Tim is married to another ACS alumnus, Ariel Nothaft (’05). who taught high school English at Atlantic Christian School for several years. She earned her BA in English literature from Eastern University’s Templeton Honors College and was a copy editor for the campus “Waltonian.” After graduating, Ariel returned to ACS as a faculty member and taught high school English for nine years. In May 2020, she earned her Masters of Information in school library media from Rutgers University. She also works as a youth librarian at Linwood Public Library. Tim and Ariel have 3 children and reside in Absecon.
Lindsay Adolph Medina (’04) is the co-founder of Grace Alliance Academy, a Christian hybrid school in Saylorsburg, PA, that opened its doors in 2019 to serve homeschooling families. At the time, the school was near to where Lindsay and her husband, Barrie, and their five daughters were living. Although the family relocated to Hanover, PA in 2020, Lindsay remains involved with the school as an administrator. By training, Lindsay is a registered nurse, earning her degree from Atlantic Cape Community College. She and Barrie were married in 2008. Lindsay worked for five years as a nurse before becoming a full-time stay-at-home mom to Johanna, Isabella, Anneliese, Evelyn, and Carolyn.
Pastor Sean Grossman (’04) is pastor of Westfield First Baptist Church in Westfield, PA, a position he has held since 2013. He also works at Wardflex, an industrial metals manufacturing company. Sean received his Bachelor’s in Biblical studies in 2008 from Eastern University and his Master’s of Divinity from the Evangelical Theological Seminary in 2012. While studying for seminary for two years, Sean served in his first ministry position as youth director at Zion United Methodist Church in Myerstown, PA. Sean and his wife, Carissa, met at Eastern University and were married in 2008. They have three children, Elizabeth, Ben, and Sophia, and reside in Westfield, PA.
Lauren Miller Carney (’04) earned her BA in elementary education from Eastern University in 2008. After graduating, she began substitute teaching at ACS before becoming a full-time faculty member in 2010. Lauren taught 3rd grade and middle school at ACS from 2010-2016. Lauren said she felt blessed to be able to return to teach at ACS, a place that she said felt like home when she was a student here. Lauren and her husband Dan reside in Absecon and have a son, Grayson.
Ian Wallace (’04) is the operations manager at Shoemaker Lumber Co. in Ocean City, NJ, a position he has held since 2011. Ian earned a BA in history from Eastern University. He was in the first ACS graduating class to graduate at the new campus in Egg Harbor Township in June 2004. He returned to ACS to serve as the Varsity Boys’ Baseball Coach from 2009-2013. Ian is a deacon at Ocean City Baptist Church and has overseen their adult basketball outreach on Tuesday nights in the winter and spring. One of his favorite life verses is Philippians 4:13 – “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
Chris Masi (’05) was accepted in the fall of 2013 into the highly competitive NBC Universal “Writers on the Verge Program,” a prestigious writing fellowship in Hollywood. Masi was one of 8 writers selected to participate in the program out of over 2,000 writers who submitted spec scripts. The script that Chris wrote, and that won him a position with the Writers on the Verge, was a script for the HBO show, “The Newsroom.” Currently, Chris is the Writer’s Assistant on the hit show “Graceland” on the USA Network. Previously, Chris worked with USA’s “White Collar.” Chris received his first on-screen “Story By” credit on the 10th episode of “White Collar” season 5 that aired in the fall of 2014. Chris earned his degree in Film, Radio, and Television at Biola University in 2009. On a visit to ACS in the spring of 2013, Chris spoke about the challenges of finding job in the television industry with juniors in the ACS 21st Century Life and Careers class. “ACS gave me the foundation of a Christian worldview and the values that build Christian character, which help me keep everything in perspective,” Chris said.
Christina DeLellis Raine (’06) is pursuing her love of dancing and will be part of the 2015 cast of the “Celebrate the Season” Christmas show in Orlando, Florida’s Magic Kingdom. This will be her third Christmas season with the cast. From January to March 2015, Christina also danced in a nightly variety show with the Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line. A member of the Actors Equity Association, she teaches part-time at the Encore Performing Arts Studio in Egg Harbor Township. She is married to ACS alumnus Jeff Raine (’06) and they reside in Egg Harbor City.
Amy Marino Pibernat (’06) is pursuing a successful career as an interior designer with Noble Hampton, Inc. in Northfield, New Jersey. Amy earned her BA in Art with a concentration in interior design in 2010 from Anderson University in South Carolina. Amy chose Anderson because it was a smaller Christian college “that would be just like my experience at ACS as well as match my interest in interior design.” Amy and her husband, Marc, met at Anderson and were married in 2011. They reside in Philadelphia and have one daughter, Mia.
Kelly Richvalsky Lane (’06) is a nurse with AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center in Atlantic City, New Jersey. She and her husband Chris returned to southern New Jersey after working with two Christian relief organizations in Lyra, Uganda. Kelly worked with Global Refuge International, an international health cooperative, helping train medics in Uganda on the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of malaria. Her husband worked with the Timothy Initiative. Kelly and Chris met at Palm Beach Atlantic University, where Kelly earned her nursing degree. They have two children and reside in Mays Landing.
Jeff Raine (’06), a 2012 Police Academy graduate, has been a member of the Pleasantville, New Jersey police force since April 2014. Prior to that, he served in the Atlantic County Sheriff’s Department. Jeff is also a Tech Sergeant in the Air National Guard of the U.S. Air Force and recently spent a month serving on a special mission in Bulgaria. Jeff married alumnus Christina DeLellis (’06) in 2009 and they worship at Praise Tabernacle.
Twin brothers Scott Stringer (2006-8th grade) and Chris Stringer (2006-8th grade) are pursuing two very different career paths. Scott earned his BA in finance in 2020 from Rutgers Business School, after initially pursuing his degree at the University of Georgia. In the summer of 2013, he worked as an intern in the finance department at Fox News in Manhattan. Scott was also president of the Runners Club at the University of Georgia. He resides in Atlantic City. Chris is a pilot with American Airlines, based out of Philadelphia. He also holds a private pilot’s license. Chris earned his BS in aeronautical and astronautical engineering at Ohio State University. Prior to being a pilot with American Airlines, Chris worked as a satellite controller for ORBCOMM.
Karissa Evans Costello (’07) returned to ACS to serve on the faculty/staff in 2011, after graduating from Liberty University with a BS in health and physical education. She worked for one year as a Resource Room teacher and aide in the Early Education Center, and since 2012 has served as a preschool teacher. Karissa married fellow ACS classmate Kyle Costello (’07) and they have two children, Colton and Kingsley, who attend ACS. They reside in Egg Harbor Township and worship at Fusion Church. Kyle is a landscaper by trade and in 2017 joined the grounds department with the City of Ocean City.
Lauren Greeley Calogero (’07) is the owner of Internal Harmony Wellness Center, a medical day spa she opened in Linwood, NJ in 2019. Lauren is also a personal fitness trainer and life coach with LevelUp Coaching, a firm she opened in 2014. She earned a BS in Christian psychology and counseling from Liberty University. Lauren and her husband Jordon reside in Ventnor, NJ and worship at Wellspring Church.
Taylor Hadley (’07) is a Physician’s Assistant in Cape May County, NJ, affiliated with Cape Regional Medical Center. After graduating as the valedictorian of the Class of 2007, Taylor continued to excel academically and earned his undergraduate degree from Grove City College. He then attended PA school, where he graduated with Honors in 2017. Taylor and his wife, Kristen, were married in March 2019.
Marcus Hughes (’07) is pursuing a career in medicine. He earned his BS in biology in June 2013 from Rutgers University and his Doctor of Medicine at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey in 2017. “I’m grateful to ACS for the way the teachers and coaches invested their time in me to help me see all that God wanted for me,” Marcus said during a 2016 visit to ACS. “ACS played a critical role in my personal and spiritual development.”
Brianna McHale Haltom (’07) received her Doctor of Education degree in curriculum and instruction, with a concentration in special education, in 2021 from Liberty University. For her final project for her Ph.D., Brianna examined professional development and differentiated instruction at ACS. In September 2021, she began working as a special education teacher in the Resource Room at the Ventnor Middle School. In January 2022, Brianna will also become an adjunct professor at Liberty University. Brianna and her husband Caleb live in Egg Harbor Township and have three children — Brantley and Maverick, who attend ACS, and 1-year-old McKenna.
Grant Miller (’07) earned a BS in physical education and health from Montclair State University and returned to ACS in 2018 to join the faculty. He taught 5th grade for two years and in the fall of 2020 moved into the Upper School, where he teaches Bible and a writing elective class. Grant previously taught 4th-6th grades at Gospel of Grace Christian School in Linwood and 5th grade at Crossroads Christian Academy in Panama City, Panama. In addition to teaching at ACS, Grant has also coached basketball and since 2018 has been the Middle School Girls’ Basketball team’s head coach, a team that has seen winning success in the Atlantic Cape Junior High League. Grant and his wife, Minelva, reside in Northfield and attend Praise Tabernacle. Grant enjoys surfing in Atlantic City and playing in adult basketball leagues in Ocean City and Egg Harbor Township.
Carly Harper Witherow (’08) earned her BA in sports ministry from Baptist Bible College and returned to ACS to coach girls’ soccer. After serving as head coach of the Middle School Girls’ Soccer team for a year, Carly moved up to be head coach of the Varsity Girls’ Soccer team in the 2014 season. Since 2015, she has led the Lady Cougars to six consecutive appearances in the Tri-State Christian Athletic Conference (TSCAC) Tournament finals and five consecutive TSCAC Championships. In 2019 and 2020, Carly received the TSCAC Varsity Girls’ Soccer Coach of the Year Award. Carly and her husband Eric, who wed in 2012, have two children, Delaney and Sheppard, and reside in Marmora.
Alle Nothaft Dorotheo (’08) earned her BS in biology and zoology at Palm Beach Atlantic University. She worked for five years as a zookeeper at the Palm Beach Zoo in West Palm Beach, Florida, where she volunteered and interned while earning her degree. She married Jay Dorotheo, a pharmacy school student at Palm Beach Atlantic, in June 2013. In 2017, Alle and her family moved to Flagstaff, Arizona, where she is a stay-at-home mom to two children.
Sterling Breunig (’09) graduated from Liberty University in 2013 and is a manager at Sterling Tackle in Marmora, NJ. He lives in Beesley’s Point and is active at Greentree Church where he is a high school youth leader and youth event planner for students in the 7th-12th grades. He also leads a 5th-6th grade boys’ small group at Greentree. Sterling enjoys playing volleyball and pickleball with friends.
Rebecca Evans Knight (’09) took off two years during her college years to go to Australia, where she majored in vocals at Hillsong College, a Bible and leadership college. After completing her her psychology degree from Southeastern University, she took a position with Young Life in Auburn, Washington, overseeing the organization’s operations in the local schools there. She married Kevin Knight in 2018 and relocated to Florida in 2020. They have one son, Judah.
Gina Govern Deibert (’09) earned a psychology degree from Gwynedd Mercy College in 2012 and is working at Jersey Shore Gastroenterology Associates. She and her husband, Ian, reside in Smithville, NJ, and she is a busy mom to their three children, Rose, Callum, and Oliver.
Paul Greeley (’09) is serving our country in the U.S. Air Force. He earned an AA in mechanical and electrical technology from the Community College of the Air Force and in 2019 was promoted to Staff Sergeant serving in Special Ops. He is based out of MacDill Air Force Base in Florida. Paul also holds a BA in secondary education from Liberty University and is working on a second degree in history from Liberty. Prior to joining the Air Force, Paul served on staff at the Ocean City Tabernacle. Some of his Pal’s favorite pastimes are scuba diving, hiking, rock climbing, and running marathons, especially obstacle course races like the Spartan Race. While stationed in Idaho, Paul was a teacher and youth group leader with Calvary Chapel Mountain Home Church.
Byron Nelson (’09) became the Boys’ Basketball Head Coach at the Atlantic County Institute of Technology in Mays Landing in 2020 and also teaches health and PE. He graduated from Kean University in 2016 with a BS in communication recreation administration. Prior to working at ACIT, Byron worked at Winslow Township High School and at ACS, as a fitness trainer and running basketball clinics. In 2019, Byron married ACS classmate Amy Vogel Nelson (’09). Amy earned her BA in elementary education from Stockton University in 2013. She returned to ACS in 2015 to serve as the Extended Care Director and then became an elementary teacher. Amy and Byron reside in Northfield and have one son, Cameron.
Taylor Piccinich (’09) graduated in spring 2014 from Oral Roberts University with a degree in exercise science. Taylor, who was a stand-out hitter on the ACS Varsity baseball team, played catcher for two years on the university’s Division I baseball team.
Erica Picking Klemic (’09), who was valedictorian of the Class of 2009, earned a BS in exercise science from Liberty University and a Masters in functional medicine and nutrition from the University of Western States. Since 2019, Erica has worked as a nutritionist in the family business at Janice Picking’s Nutritional and Functional Medicine in Egg Harbor Township. Prior to working there, Erica was a personal fitness trainer at Aaron Bada’s Golf Specific Fitness Club in Somers Point. In November 2019, Erica married David Klemic, a former NFL football player with the Kansas City Chiefs. They reside in Egg Harbor Township and attend Coastal Christian Church in Ocean City.
Casey Richvalsky (’09) earned a nursing degree from Palm Beach Atlantic University and spent several years working at St. Mary’s Hospital in West Palm Beach, Florida. In 2016, she took a job as a travel nurse, specializing as a NICU nurse. She travels across the U.S. and works in various hospitals that have vacancies or urgent patient needs.
Jessica Scheule Pandorf (’09) is the Athletics Marketing Manager at Liberty University, a position she has held since 2019. She earned a BS in advertising and a Masters in education from Liberty. She and her husband, Tim, who is also a Liberty graduate, were married in 2015 and reside in Lynchburg, Virginia.
Kim Thomas Hanson (’09) graduated from Stockton University in 2013, with a major in English and a minor in Holocaust and Genocide Studies. In January 2014, Kim went on an 11-month missions trip to 11 countries in Africa, Europe, and Asia to do humanitarian work with the Christian organization called WorldRace.org. “I have a heart to serve Christ because of the influences in my life, such as Atlantic Christian,” Kim said. Her missions trip was also highlighted in a September 2014 article in the Press of Atlantic City. In July 2019, Kim married Will Hanson, who she met during her missions trip. She works in the accounting department at the D’Arcy Johnson Day law firm in Egg Harbor Township. Kim and Will worship at Union Chapel by the Sea in Ocean City and they are expecting their first child in April 2021.
Alexa Weintraub Byrd (’09) earned a BA in interdisciplinary studies from Coastal Carolina University, with a concentration in education and social work. After college, she and her husband, Torren, put down roots in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Since 2018, Alexa has worked at Bridgewater Academy, a charter elementary school in Horry County, and at Bridge Builders Family and Youth Services as a counselor. Alexa and Torren are active at Ekklesia Christian Church and have two girls, Victoria and Ava.
Drew Aungst (’10) moved to Spokane, Washington in the summer of 2013 to participate in a flight training program with Moody Aviation, a program offered through the Moody Bible Institute. He earned his BS in mission aviation technology. He works in Research and Development at Glasair Aviation in Arlington, WA and is working toward becoming a certified pilot. He goal is to fly and build his own plane and to serve God as a missionary pilot to bring the gospel to unreached people groups in remote areas. Drew and his wife reside in Arlington, WA.
Jodi Kelley Crane (’10) joined the Coast Guard Reserves after high school. She attended Cumberland County College, where she was a starting guard and co-captain of the Dukes Women’s Basketball team that in 2013-2014 was ranked sixth among junior colleges in the nation. During her high school career, Jodi set a school record in 2010, becoming the first Lady Cougar in ACS history to score 1,000 career points. Jodi and her husband, Kyle, were married in 2019.
Billy Powell (’10) earned a BA in finance from Stockton University. Since August 2018, he has been working as Director of Operations for Jersey Coastal Realty Group. Prior to that, Billy was the assistant general manager at the Ocean City Water Park for a year and worked for five years as director of the Moorlyn Family Theatre in Ocean City. Billy and his wife, Julia, were married in March 2017 and reside in Egg Harbor Township.
Tommy Tillis (’10) joined the U.S. Navy after high school and served as a Navy rescue swimmer for six years, with three tours of duty to Bahrain. He is married to another ACS alumnus, Rachel Picking (’11), and they have two children, Ellie, and Cooper. While Tommy was serving in the Navy, the family lived in Norfolk, VA, but they returned to South Jersey in 2018. They reside in Egg Harbor Township and are active at Coastal Christian Church in Ocean City. Tommy is a firefighter in Ocean City, his life-long dream job, and Rachel is a stay-at-home mom. Rachel, who was valedictorian of the Class of 2010, attended Liberty University where she earned a BS in business administration.
Harrison Zalman (’10) is a computer programmer at the FAA William J. Hughes Technical Center in Mays Landing. He earned his BS in computer programming from Arcadia University. He continues to enjoy playing the bass guitar and has played with local bands in south Jersey, including the Atlantic Pops Community Band. He resides in Egg Harbor Township.
Dara Brown Heston (’11) worked full-time at the Atlantic City Rescue Mission for six years, overseeing the Mission’s kitchen, which cooks meals for 500-600 clients daily. In the fall of 2020, she became a certified Medical Assistant and began working at a plasma clinic in Atlantic City. Dara and her husband, Mike, who married in May 2014, reside in Egg Harbor Township. Dara is also a talented, self-taught artist who has created murals in Ireland, Florida, and New Jersey, even decorating the stall doors in the Upper School women’s bathroom at ACS.
Maryah Coleman (’11) is co-owner of the 2nd Chance Sneaker Boutique in Absecon, NJ, a place where used sneakers can be bought, sold, traded, and consigned. In the summer of 2015, the Boutique donated more than 40 pairs of footwear to the Hustle Hard Training Program that conducted a 3-day basketball clinic for children in Kenya. Maryah also served as head coach from 2014-2016 of the ACS JV Girls’ Basketball team and Assistant Coach of the Girls’ Varsity basketball team. Maryah was a stand-out basketball player during her ACS career, getting into the record book for pulling down 1,000 rebounds in 2011. She was also a starting forward on the 2013-2014 Cumberland County College basketball team that had a near perfect record of 16-1 and was ranked sixth in the nation by the National Junior College Athletic Association.
Alec Filippini (’11) graduated from Cairn University in 2016 with a BA in business administration. Since 2018, Alec has been working in the accounting department at Cooper University Healthcare in Camden, NJ. During his college career, Alec played on Cairn University’s Men’s Basketball team for three years and was named to the CSAC All-Academic Team in the spring semesters of 2014 and 2015. Alec has a huge passion for basketball and has worked part-time on the weekends with the ‘Pushin The Limit’ basketball organization helping training students from the 3rd-12th grades to develop their ball playing skills.
Morgan Jones Weatherholtz (’11) graduated from Clarks Summit University in 2015 with a degree in health and physical education. During her four years at Clarks Summit, she played on the women’s basketball, softball, and soccer teams. After college, Morgan returned to South Jersey and worked in public relations at Coastal Christian in Ocean City. She and her husband, Jacob, married in 2016 and relocated to Lynchburg, VA. Morgan works at a preschool called The School Zone where she works as the Assistant Director and oversees marketing. Morgan has also worked with in a before- and after-school program for K-6th grade students.
John Westhuis (’11) is an IT specialist at the Ocean City Tabernacle. Prior to that, he was a computer specialist at the FAA William J. Hughes Technical Center in Egg Harbor Township, NJ. In October 2019, John married former ACS student Chelsea Powell, who is a Son Club assistant at the Ocean City Tabernacle.
Tiele Piccinich (’11) graduated from Liberty University in 2016 as a health educator.
Chris Zalman (’11) served two years in the Israeli Army, which included being stationed in Gaza. After returning to the states, Chris joined the U.S. Army and served for three years. He and his wife, Talia, have two children.
Cody Breunig (’12) is living and working in Maryland as a federal police officer. He received his BS in criminal justice from Liberty University. After college, he graduated from the policy academy and became an Ocean City police officer. He and his wife, Molly, were married in June 2020.
Kaylee Breunig (’12) earned her BS in kinesiology from Liberty University in 2016 and joined the faculty at ACS in the fall of 2017. Since that time, she has served as the elementary and middle school PE teacher and as head coach of the Varsity Girls’ Basketball team. In 2018, the Varsity Girls’ won the TSCAC championship and Kaylee was named the TSCAC Varsity Girls’ Basketball Coach of the Year. Kaylee says she never considered working anywhere else but at ACS. “I love being here. I know everyone in the whole school and I see the image of God in the relationships that I have here,” Kaylee said. Kaylee lives in Beesley’s Point and is an active volunteer at Greentree Church. In the summer months, she works in her family’s business, Sterling Tackle. In her leisure time, she enjoys playing tennis and volleyball and crabbing and fishing at Beesley’s Beach and along the Tuckahoe River.
Ani Karabashian (’12) became a full-time student in the fall of 2020 to pursue a Master’s degree in urban planning from Rutgers University. She is looking to pursue a career in urban planning that focuses on food access and creating healthier communities. She earned her BA in social work from Gordon College in 2016. After graduation, she took a position with Food Corps NJ and worked as a nutrition educator with K-8 students in the Atlantic City public schools and at the Salvation Army. In 2018, Ani took a new position as a SNAP-ED nutrition educator with the Community FoodBank of NJ, Southern Branch, teaching nutrition classes to adults and children, which included cooking demos. Ani is active with the women’s Bible study group at Beacon Evangelical Free Church and has served as a leader with the middle school youth group. She enjoys gardening, exploring the outdoors, and cooking, and in the winter of 2020-2021 baked and sold Armenian pastries to raise funds for the Armenian Soldier’s Fund in Armenia. She resides in Ventnor.
Asher Nothaft (’12) is serving in the NJ Air National Guard in the security forces and was deployed in the summer of 2020 to Kuwait. He earned his Associates degree from Atlantic Cape Community College, after graduating from ACS as the salutatorian of the Class of 2012. Asher and his wife, Michelle, reside in Millville.
Shereesha Richards James (’12) led the Lady Cougars to three Tri-State Christian Athletic Conference Varsity Basketball championships and two national championships during her three years as an All-Star forward at ACS. She went on to became one of the best college players on the East Coast, playing for the Division I University of Albany from 2012-2016. A native of Jamaica, Shereesha also played on the Jamaican Women’s National Basketball team during the summer of 2014. While at UAlbany, Shereesha led the women’s basketball team to an appearance each year in the NCAA Tournament. She was named the America East Conference “Player of the Week” over 20 times and by the end of her senior year had broken every all-time scoring and rebounding record in UAlbany women’s basketball history. Shereesha earned her BS in social work from UAlbany in 2016. After graduation, Shereesha played four years of professional women’s basketball in Spain and two summer seasons of pro ball in Australia. Shereesha married David James in April 2020 and they reside in Australia, where she is pursuing a career in social work.
Ben Chapman (’13) earned a BS in physical education at Cairn University in 2017. Ben, who was a standout pitcher and hitter during his high school career at ACS, played on the Cairn Men’s Varsity Baseball team. He also played on the Cairn golf team for two years and on the Men’s Volleyball team for one year. During college, Ben worked with KidsSport, a K-12th grade homeschool program, leading their gym classes. “It was a great ministry opportunity and I got the experience of teaching them various sports,” Chapman said. After graduation, Ben taught K-6th PE at Vineland Public Charter School and substitute taught and coached co-ed soccer and Middle School Boys’ Basketball at King’s Christian School. In 2019, Ben returned to ACS to teach Middle School and High School Boys’ PE. He has also coached the Varsity Boys’ Soccer team. In the summers, you can find Ben at Preps Pizza in Ocean City, where he first started working when he was 15. Ben attends Coastal Christian Church in Ocean City, where he is a youth group leader and plays on the church’s softball team.
Ethan Hoover (’13) is the creative director at Coastal Christian in Ocean City, overseeing video and audio production. He graduated from Regent University in 2016 with a BS in business marketing. In January 2022, Ethan launched the “Rechurched” podcast with Coastal Christian teaching pastor Matt Maher. He also tied the knot in April 2022, marrying Sage Thomas, and they reside in Egg Harbor Township. Ethan graduated from Regent University in 2017 with a BS in business marketing. Ethan and his brother, Blair, are co-owners of Hoover Collective, a company they started in 2018 that offers web design services. In 2018, Ethan also founded Driftr Media LLC, a media company that specializes in creating visuals for social campaigns and brands. Ethan also uses his creative talents working for OverWear, a south Jersey non-profit that creates and distributes an inspirational clothing line.
Jonathan Picking (’13) is the owner of Virginia Beach Water Sports, a business he opened in 2019 that offers water skiing, tubing, wake boarding, and sunset dinner cruises. He earned a BS in exercise science from Liberty University, where he met his wife, Bethany. They married in February 2020 and reside in Virginia Beach, VA.
Hannah Schalles (’13) completed Cedarville University’s 7-year PharmD program in May 2020 and received her Doctor of Pharmacy. She is now working as a clinical pharmacist at Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, DE. Hannah, who was valedictorian of the Class of 2013, values the close Christian friendships that she made during her years at ACS. Her favorite class at ACS – Pastor Matt Mouliert’s Bible Leadership Class. “What I learned in that class really strengthened my faith, where I could know that there is concrete evidence for what I believe,” Hannah said.
Jordan Scheidegg (’13), who was Salutatorian of the Class of 2013, is pursuing a Doctorate in nursing at Stockton University. She earned her BSN from Stockton in 2019, with a minor in holistic health, and received her Masters in January 2021. In addition to her academic studies, Jordan works part-time at Royal Suites in Galloway, a nursing home/rehabilitation facility. She resides in Egg Harbor Township and attends Fusion Church.
Jamie Zalman Tortola (’13) earned a BS in sports ministry from Clarks Summit University, where she played on the women’s volleyball and softball teams. After graduating, she was an assistant coach for Clarks Summit’s women’s volleyball team for two years. While on a 2015 missions trip in Guatemala, Jamie met her husband, Andres, and they married in 2018. They reside in Egg Harbor Township and have one son, Sebastian. In the fall of 2020, Jamie was frequently seen at ACS on the sidelines of varsity soccer games, after Andres took a position as head coach of the ACS Varsity Boys’ Soccer team.
Elliott Breunig (’14) earned his BA in business administration from Liberty University in 2018. He is working as a manager at Sterling Tackle, a family business in Marmora. Elliott is involved in service at Greentree Church, where he leads a 3rd-4th grade boys’ small group and teaches 1st-5th grade Sunday school. Elliott’s favorite place to be is out on the water. He enjoys crabbing and fishing and playing volleyball and tennis. He resides in Beesley’s Point.
Luke Evans (’14) enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps after graduating from ACS and served for two years in Washington, DC in a special ceremonial honorary unit called “The Old Guard.” He also served in South Korea. In 2019, Luke transferred into the Marine Corps Reserves and has been working on completing his Bachelor’s from Liberty University. He and his wife, Bridget, who works at Liberty University, were married in 2020 and live in Lynchburg, VA.
Michael Heath (’15) is a police officer, serving since 2017 with the Margate City Police Department. He completed his training at the Police Academy in 2016 and at graduation received an award for finishing at almost 100% in the physical fitness testing his class underwent. Mike is an avid body builder and can often be found working out at the Attilis Gym. He and his wife, Jordan, were married in August 2019 and live in South Egg Harbor, NJ.
Paul Jones (’15) joined the faculty at Trinity Christian Academy in Florida in the fall of 2020, where he is teaching Bible and history and is head coach of the Varsity Boys’ Basketball team. He earned his BA in pastoral ministries from Liberty University. Prior to relocating to Florida, Paul served as a youth pastor at Friendship Bible Church in Egg Harbor Township and worked with the youth ministry at the Ocean City Tabernacle. He also returned to ACS to serve as an assistant coach of Varsity Boys’ Basketball team for several years. He married Hunter Robinson, a former ACS student, in 2017, and they have one daughter, Selah.
Sam Karabashian (’15) has been living and working in the nation’s capital since graduating in 2019 from Biola University with a degree in business analytics. He worked in the Capitol Hill office of Congressman Mark Green of Tennessee and in 2020 took a position as an analyst with DeLoitte, a global firm that provides audit, consulting, tax, and advisory services.
Michelle Reilly (’15) graduated from Anderson University in South Carolina in May 2019 with a BA in public relations. She returned to South Jersey in February 2020 and is working at a local Chick-fil-A store. Michelle pursues photography as a hobby and is using her musical vocal talents as a member of the Worship Team at Wellspring Church in Mays Landing.
Lydia Schalles (’15) lives in Washington, DC and is working for the Department of Defense. After graduating from ACS as valedictorian of the Class of 2015, she attended George Washington University in Washington, DC. She earned a BS in international affairs in 2019, with a concentration in security policy and East Asian studies and a minor in Korean and business administration. Lydia has always been interested in international affairs and spent the summer between her junior and senior years at ACS in South Korea as part of a U.S. State Department-sponsored program with the National Security Language Institute. She is fluent in Korean and first became interested in learning the language while interacting with Korean exchange students at ACS.
Lydia Dice (’16), who was valedictorian of the Class of 2016, graduated with honors in 2020 from Lancaster Bible College, with a degree in Bible and middle level education in science and math. During her college career, she ran cross country for Lancaster Bible. In August 2020, Lydia moved to South Carolina to work as a Resident Leader at the OneLife Institute at South Wesleyan University. She did her own gap-year experience with OneLife during her freshman year in college. She plans to pursue a Masters in high education through Geneva University. Lydia also continues to be active in missions outreach, particularly in the Dominican Republic as part of the Building Houses…Building Relationships project in Los Cocos de Jacagua.
Jeff McConnell (’16) is serving as a full-time missionary with Circuit Riders, based in Huntington Beach, CA. Circuit Riders is a ministry under the auspices of Youth With a Mission, focused on reaching young people with the gospel in universities and high schools. Jeff is primarily working in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington, doing some preaching and helping organize outreach rallies on various campuses. Jeff earned a BA from Rowan University in 2020, double majoring in business and music. While at Rowan, he served in the student government and carried out a service project at a church in Glassboro, designing a new sound system and providing training on how to use the system.
Jacob Mouliert (’16) is pursuing a 5-year Master’s program in counseling at Lancaster Bible College, where he also obtained his undergraduate degree. He and his wife, April were married in October 2020 and live in Lancaster, PA.
Robin Simpson (’16) received her Master’s in social work from the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Social Policy and Practice in April 2020. She is working at Child Guidance Resource Centers, a mental health agency in Havertown, PA. She also works at Gaundizia, a residential drug program that fights substance abuse disorders and related conditions, Robin, who was salutatorian of the Class of 2016, earned her Bachelor’s degree in social work from Eastern University. She resides in Philadelphia.
Candace Winkel (’16) is working on her Master’s in counseling and art therapy from Clarks Summit University. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in counseling from Clarks Summit in 2019, graduating with a 4.0 GPA. Candace began her college career at Davis Bible College, where she excelled in the classroom as well as on the basketball court. For three years, she played guard on Davis’ Women’s Basketball Team and was a top 3-point shooter, just as she was during her high school years at ACS. In her junior year, Candace was named the Women’s Division II Student Athlete of the Year by the U.S. Collegiate Athletic Association. She transferred to Clarks Summit in her senior year, where she continued to play basketball and reached the 1,000-point milestone in the last game of the regular season. She was later named to the sportsmanship team of the Colonial States Athletic Conference. Candace is also a talented artist with for her business “Candace’s Canvasses,” she creates and sells original paintings that often incorporate inspirational scriptures. During the summers, Candace can often be found selling her unique artwork at outdoor fairs and events in Ocean City and worshipping with her family at Coastal Christian.
Dakota (DJ) Hitchner (’17) is a senior at Cairn University majoring in physical education. She transferred to Cairn after her freshman year at King University, where she had received a full scholarship to play basketball. At Cairn, DJ has excelled on the soccer field and on the basketball court, earning a spot on the Colonial States All-Conference team in both sports in her sophomore and junior years. In her senior year playing midfield on the women’s soccer team, DJ was named to the Colonial States Women’s Soccer All-Conference 1st team. She holds the honor of being the sixth all-time high scorer in women’s soccer in Cairn history. During her three years playing basketball at Cairn, DJ has been captain of the Women’s Basketball Team and has received a number of awards. In 2018, she received the Colonial State Sportsmanship Award in Women’s Basketball and in 2019 was named team MVP. In the fall of 2020, DJ was named to Cairn University’s All-Decade Women’s Basketball Team. In the fall of 2021, was selected several times by the Colonial States Athletic Conference Play of the Week. On November 27, 2021, DJ scored 33 points in an away game against Cedar Crest, making her the 3rd highest scorer in a single game in Cairn history. In addition to her athletic accomplishments, DJ is a student leader and serious scholar. She has been on the Dean’s List every semester and has served as student vice-president and president of the Health and PE department, heading up all extra-curricular student activities on campus.
Dakota (DJ) Hitchner (’17), Jacob O’Brien (’19), and Ben Noble (’20), who are attending Cairn University, were named to the All-Academic Soccer Team of the Colonial States Athletic Conference for the fall 2020 season. Jacob and Ben were strong contributors to Cairn’s Men’s Soccer Team and DJ has been a leader on the Women’s Soccer Team. All three were also named to the Dean’s List at Cairn. DJ, a senior, and Ben, who is a freshman, are majoring in health and PE, and Jacob is majoring in criminal justice.
Lindsey Ash (’19) is making her mark on William Patterson University’s Women’s Soccer Team. A junior this year, she just finished her second season a a midfielder, playing for 84 minutes in four out of 21 matches, with two assists, and scoring a goal in William Patterson’s 4-0 over Pratt in late October 2021. Lindsey is majoring in exercise physiology.
Caraline Winkel (’19) was accepted into the competitive and well-respected nursing program at Atlantic Cape Community College in August 2020.
Jeremiah Engle (’21) graduated from the U.S. Navy’s boot camp in Great Lakes, IL in September 2021. He completed eight weeks of grueling training and passed with special awards. He earned the rank of Mail Petty Officer for his division and also received the prestigious Marksman Award for weapons training accuracy. He is currently in the Apprentice Technical Training portion of his education to be an Electronics Technician. After completing his schooling, he will be assigned to a ship and sail the globe, which he is very excited about! His job will involve troubleshooting of technical problems, and repairing the computer equipment that will operate all functions aboard his assigned vessel.
Last Updated December 2021
Alumni – We want to hear from you! Please send us news about how God is working in your life. Feel free to send photos as well. Email alumni news to: ckarabashian@acseht.org