Curious to know more about the new faces at AEA for the 2025-2026 School Year?! Check out the bios for each new teacher below.
Hello! My name is Cortney Shinault and I am so incredibly excited to be teaching K-12 Visual Art at AEA in Strongsville!! I have my two year Resident Educator License for Visual Arts and am certified to teach Art PK-12. This is my first year teaching after graduating from Youngstown State University with my Bachelor of Science in Education in May 2025. I have been in numerous school districts exposing myself to multiple age groups, diverse environments, and accommodations through my field experience at YSU. I have also been a Substitute Teacher and a Volunteer Coach for freshman girls’ volleyball at Pymatuning Valley Local Schools. I have a strong passion for being a positive influence for my students and to guide them through their learning process in their own way. I absolutely love creating art, historical pieces/artists, cultures, and the flexibility that comes with incorporating content into art projects. I hope to have a classroom full of safety, positivity, and never-ending creativity!
My name is Allison McDonald and I have the honor of being a Title 1 Reading Teacher this year at AEA in Strongsville. I graduated from Kent State in 2020 with my degree in Early Childhood Education and I also have a K-12 reading endorsement. This is my 6th year in teaching. I taught as a fully remote Kindergarten - 2nd grade teacher my first year and then taught 2nd grade for four years. In my free time, I love to workout, read, be outside, craft, and spend time with my family and friends. I love traveling, exploring new coffee shops and I am a huge fan of Taylor Swift. I am very grateful for the opportunity to be at AEA this new school year and I am excited for the school year to start.
My name is Connor Mort and I am a building substitute teacher for AEA Lakewood. I am licensed to substitute in the state of Ohio. This is my 2nd year teaching and I have held long-term substitute positions in middle school ELA and mathematics. I love all things related to sports and I spend a lot of time playing and watching various sports. I am super excited to bring the best out of my students and am ecstatic to be here!
My name is Andrea Farenga and I am teaching Title 1 Reading at the Strongsville campus. I have a master’s degree in reading and doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction Literacy from Illinois State University. I have taught for decades from ESL to elementary school and at the university level. I absolutely love books and teaching kids how to read. I have three grown kids and four grandchildren, all of whom are the lights of my life. I enjoy reading, baking, traveling and trying new things. I also love eggplant. I can’t wait to meet you and your child.
My name is Olivia Jisa and I have the privilege of teaching health and physical education for AEA in Strongsville. I just recently graduated from Kent State University in May of 2025. This will be my first teaching job and I look forward to starting my journey here!! At home I have a fiance and a dog. I love spending as much time as I can with them. I also work at a ninja gym where I coach ninja classes on the weekends. I love being active and keeping my body moving. In addition to being active I also enjoy drawing, coloring, reading, and crafting. You will probably always hear music coming from my gym. I love listening to music and it's a great way of creating that positive environment for all my students.
My name is Phil Aliberti and I am a new building substitute for AEA in Strongsville. I have been teaching for over 10 years. I have an Integrated Social Studies license. I attended both Malone University (for education) and Kent State University (Industrial Technology) Plus I have a few classes left for my Masters in Education. I love teaching and have been a substitute for almost all subjects and all grades but my heart is in the Social Studies classes. I enjoy camping and have taken my family all over the US. Mostly east coast but we have been as far west as South Dakota and Wyoming. I am married with 3 older children. I love to play chess and look forward to maybe starting a chess club here at AEA!
My name is Madison Lewis and I am very excited to be teaching kindergarten for AEA in Strongsville this school year. I graduated from Kent State University with a degree in Early Childhood Education and I am certified to teach PK-5. This is my first year teaching and I am eager to build a welcoming environment both inside and outside of my classroom. I love to build Lego’s, read Greek mythology books, and spend time with my cat in my free time. I will almost always have music on in my classroom because I enjoy background music over silence.
Hello! My name is Kristen Smeltzer and I am so excited to be teaching music to the young musicians of AEA in Strongsville. I graduated from Bowling Green State University with a Bachelors in Music Education and am licensed to teach PreK-12th grade music. This is my 15th year teaching and fostering students' joy in music! I love singing, dancing, playing instruments and composing music with students. I have played violin for 25 years, love collecting LEGO, and am passionate about creating things by cooking, sewing, and crocheting. My husband, daughter and I go on adventures to explore museums, renaissance faires, and national parks. We play board games and video games together. Our 12 year old rescue dog supervises our gaming sessions, enjoys adventures and a good snuggle. I look forward to helping students find their voices in music class and seeing them share their excitement with others!
My name is Olivia Kirlough and I have the honor of teaching second grade at AEA at the Strongsville campus. I graduated from Kent State University with a Bachelor’s degree in the Science of Education. I also have an International Baccalaureate certification. This will be my first year teaching and I am beyond excited to help my students grow. I love spending time with my family and friends. I enjoy going to Guardian games, reading, spending time outdoors, traveling, and shopping. I am passionate about helping my students reach their full potential in everything they do!
My name is Kaylee Harris and I will be teaching kindergarten at AEA. I graduated from Miami University with my Bachelor's in Primary Education and PK-5 teaching license. This is my first year of teaching and I could not be more excited! I originally grew up in Strongsville. On the weekends, you might find me shopping or trying new restaurants in the area! I am honored to spend my first year of teaching with AEA and cannot wait to meet my students and their families! Let's have a great year!
Hi, my name is Grace Buchtinec. I am currently teaching high school intervention at AEA in Strongsville. I hold a K-12 Special Education license and am certified to teach within this range. This is my first year teaching, and I have previously worked as a substitute teacher for Medina City Schools and Cloverleaf High School. I enjoy CrossFit, running, and spending time with friends. I recently graduated from Baldwin Wallace University with a degree in Special Education, Mild/Moderate, and a minor in Psychology. I have four older brothers and a twin sister, who is also an intervention specialist at Brunswick Middle School.
My name is Natalie East and I am very excited to be the Elementary Student Success Specialist for AEA in Strongsville. I received my Bachelor's degree in Human Development and Family Studies from Kent State University in 2023. This is my first year working with students in this capacity. I spent my first two years post grad doing behavioral therapy with preschoolers and kindergarteners. I spend most of my time trying new recipes I find online, reading, or working out. I am so excited to get to know everyone and see where this school year takes us!
Hello everyone, my name is Mr. Allomong. I am a high school English teacher at Albert Einstein Academy in Lakewood. This will be my second year in education, and my first at AEA. In 2024, I graduated from The Ohio State University with a degree in Integrated Language Arts. I love anything and everything Ohio State Buckeyes. I am excited to begin my journey at AEA, and I can't wait for an exciting school year!