Meet our New 23-24 Faculty and Staff

Wael Awad joins The Fay School as an Extended Day Counselor after serving as a Camp Counselor during this past FAYcation. He has coached various sports and taught Yoga at the Arabic Church of Houston. He holds Associate Degrees in Theatre and Kinesiology from Houston Community College, has his coaching certification from the National Federation of High Schools, and studied accounting for two years at the University of Alexandria in Egypt. He has played professional soccer for two years. 

Evelyn Canalas joins our Primary one as an Assistant Teacher after serving in the same role at St. Mark’s Episcopal School since 2007. She created and provided a warm, accepting educational environment that promoted learning through all instructional and developmental areas, like intellectual, physical, and social-emotional. Before that role, she was an administrator at Holy Trinity Episcopal School in Houston. She holds an Associate Degree in Child Development from Houston Community College and a Healthcare Interpreter Certificate from the University of Texas at Austin.  

Carol Christ joins The Fay School as Curriculum Director, a first for the school. Carol has over 34 years of experience working in independent schools. She most recently served at St. Francis Episcopal School as Head of Curriculum and Instruction, Interim Head of Middle School, and Head of Lower School. Additionally, she has served in key administrative and teaching roles at Holy Spirit Episcopal as Associate Head of School and at St. John’s School as a Lead Lower School Teacher. Carol holds a B.A. in Elementary Education/Curriculum and Instruction with a Kindergarten Endorsement and Reading Specialization. She has an M.Ed. in Elementary Education/Gifted and Talented from the University of St. Thomas. In 1998, she received The Cullen Master Teacher Chair in Primary Education from St. John’s School and was nominated for enrollment at Columbia University’s Teacher College for Educational Leaders. 

Andrea Couto joins us as an Assistant Teacher in First Grade. She earned her Doctor of Dentist Surgery from Universidade de Santo Amoro in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and spent the first part of her professional career as a dentist. She is a native Portuguese speaker and fluent in English, Spanish, and Italian. In 2014, she transitioned to education as a Spanish Teacher, Substitute Teacher, and Student Affairs Assistant at the Dallas International School. Most recently, she served the Episcopal School of Dallas as the Kids on Campus Coordinator. 

Dalhia Chokr joins The Fay School as a Third Grade Lead Teacher. Most recently, she served as a First Grade Lead Teacher and a Third Grade Language Arts and Social Studies Teacher in the New Orleans, LA public school system. She is not new to Fay, as she was a FAYcation Camp Counselor in 2021. She holds a B.S. in Kinesiology from Louisiana State University and a Master of Arts in Teaching in Elementary Education from the University of New Orleans. Additionally, she has a Louisiana Level 1 Teacher Certificate (Elementary, 1-5) and a Texas Educator Certificate-Core Subjects with STR Grades (EC-6.) She is fluent in both English and Arabic. 

Kellie Finch joins the Second Grade as an Assistant Teacher. Most recently, she served as a Pre-K Teacher at BridgePoint Early Learning Academy, where she planned, developed, and implemented interactive and engaging multisensory lessons and activities. She has served in other roles, including Kindergarten and First Grade Teacher, Reading Specialist, and Assistant Preschool Director. She holds a B.A. in History and an M.Ed. in Language and Literacy from Texas Tech University. She has also earned her certificate as a Texas Generalist EC-6.  

Janet Hinojosa rejoins The Fay School as Extended Day Coordinator after serving as a Short-term and Long-term Substitute Teacher and FAYcation Counselor. Before serving at Fay, she served St. Mark’s Episcopal School as a Kindergarten Teaching Assistant for nearly 25 years. Janet holds a nursing degree from Lon Morris Jr. College and has participated in numerous professional development opportunities like Rice University’s Literacy Programming and Responsive Classroom.  

Jason Moore joins The Fay School as a Second Grade Lead Teacher after nearly 20 years of elementary experience incorporating strategies to promote student agency and make learning more relevant and engaging. Most recently, he served Aci Primary School in Istanbul, Turkey, as a First Grade Lead teacher. While in Turkey, he also served as an Environmental Teacher and Outdoor Guide where he developed and implemented outdoor activities to assist in integrating newly learned material on aquatic fresh-water wildlife, the geological environment, aquifer systems, and basic hydraulic phenomena. Jason holds a B.A. in English from Texas State University and a Teaching Certificate from Moreland University in ESL and ELL. 

Natalie Moussa joins The Fay School as a Primary II Assistant Teacher. Most recently, she served Sun Behavioral Houston Group as a Recreational Therapist, providing therapy to patients receiving treatment for abuse, trauma, and schizophrenia. She holds a B.S. in Psychology from the University of Houston and a Child Life and Yoga certification.  
Ali Salinas joins The Fay School as our Learning Specialist. Before joining Fay, she served St. Francis Episcopal School as the Curriculum & Instruction Specialist. She facilitated the implementation of instructional approaches and programs, including Responsive Classroom, Lucy Calkins Units of Study for Reading and Writing, Words Their Way, and the II-M Research Method. She was also responsible for intervention and enrichment instruction for individual and small groups of students in the Lower School. She has served in various administrative and teaching roles at Holy Spirit Episcopal School, St. John’s School, and Cypress-Fairbanks ISD. She holds a B.S. in Spanish and a B.S. in Linguistics from Georgetown University, where she was on the Academic Dean’s List and Second Honors, an M.S. in Applied Linguistics from Georgetown University, and an Ed. S. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Virginia. 

Lucy Strickland joins The Fay School as an Assistant Teacher in Primary I. Most recently, she taught various elementary grades in Spring Branch ISD, where she demonstrated preparation and skill working with students from diverse cultural, economic, and ability backgrounds. She also planned, prepared, and delivered lesson plans and instructional materials facilitating active learning. Before moving back to Houston, Lucy led a Before-and-After School Care Program in Albuquerque, NM for children aged 5-12. She earned a B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies from Houston Baptist University and is a Certified Teacher (EC-6.) 

Felicia Venza joins The Fay School as a Lead Teacher in Primary I after serving the Blossom Heights Child Development Center as a Lead Teacher since 2017. Among many of her responsibilities, she implemented engaging provocations for children to explore, learn, and grow while challenging them with higher-thinking questions. Before her service at Blossom Heights, she was a Lead Teacher for three years at Chapelwood School for Young Children. She has over a decade of teaching experience, earned her B.S. in Teaching and Learning from the University of Houston, and has her Classroom Storytelling Certificate from Rice University, School Literacy, and Culture.  

Kelly Waheed joins The Fay School as a First Grade Lead Teacher. She holds a B.S. in Multi-Disciplinary Studies with a concentration in Elementary and Special Education from Texas Tech University. She has earned certificates in Core Subjects EC-6, Special Education EC-12, and English as a Second Language Supplemental. She made the Dean’s list twice and the President’s List once while at TTU. Before joining Fay, she held various teaching and support roles in the public school system and most recently served as a First Grade Lead Teacher at the School at St. George Place. In that role, she taught in a self-contained classroom where she taught reading, writing, mathematics, social studies, and science. 

Marlie Wunch returns to The Fay School as a Part Time Music and Motor Teacher. Before starting her family, she was an Assistant Teacher in Primary 1 and Substitute Teacher. Marlie holds a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Alabama and a J.D. with a Media Law Concentration from Tulane University Law School. 
 
Updated Moves: 
Lindsay Stewart has moved to First Grade Lead Teacher from Kindergarten Lead Teacher. 
Scott Cunningham has moved to Second Grade Lead Teacher from Second Grade Assistant Teacher. 
Michelle Goddin has moved to Primary I Lead Teacher from Primary I Assistant Teacher. 
Courtney Black has moved to Kindergarten Assistant Teacher from Second Grade Lead Teacher. 
Pam Gibaut has moved to the Floating Substitute from Primary I Lead Teacher. 
Elizabeth Travis has moved to Kindergarten Lead Teacher from Primary II Lead Teacher. 
Meredith Hedemann has moved to Primary II Lead Teacher from Primary I Assistant Teacher.