Kathleen Guerra
Stevensville,MD
Summary
Knowledgeable Classical Christian educator and institutional leader with expertise in the integration of theology, philosophy, and the liberal arts. Committed to the renewal of Classical education through the study of the liberal arts, the cultivation of virtue, and the formation of souls to encourage a flourishing, good life. Experienced in teaching students of all ages, curriculum design, and leading academic communities grounded in the Christian intellectual tradition.
Overview
2027
2027
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Co-Founder
The Cathedral Institute of Classical and Christian Studies
Severna Park, MD
01.2025 - Current
- Founded a non-profit institute dedicated to the study of theology, philosophy, and the Great Books.
- Design and lead seminars for members in both in-person and virtual settings.
- Facilitate discussions centered on a particular Christian virtue using primary texts, scripture, philosophy, works of art, and poetry.
- Develop curriculum integrating Biblical studies, philosophy, literature, and cultural analysis.
- Cultivate a community of intellectual and spiritual formation oriented toward the pursuit of truth, goodness, and beauty through fellowship and study.
Head of School
Lighthouse Christian Academy
Stevensville, Maryland
01.2017 - 01.2025
- Provided academic and institutional leadership for a small classical Christian school, including every aspect of admissions, development, advancement, faculty recruitment and cultivation, vision-casting, and Board development.
- Cultivated a unified faculty culture rooted in collegial, collaborative discourse.
- Mentored faculty in the implementation of classical pedagogy and provided ongoing faculty development and funding for continuing education.
- Mentored and trained the Board of Directors toward a deeper understanding of Classical education and generative Board governance.
- Implemented the development of a rigorous liberal arts curriculum aligned with the cultivation of Christian virtues for kindergarten through eighth grades, including curriculum mapping and scope-and-sequence for all core subjects.
- Increased school enrollment by 300% over six years, founded the Junior Kindergarten program.
- Improved the school’s finances from a negative deficit to a surplus of more than $1.5 million in 5 years.
- Cultivated a school culture that welcomed parents to engage in the education of their children, worship corporately with our community, and develop relationships with one another through strategic community events.
Teacher, Literature and Writing (6th-8th Grades)
Lighthouse Christian Academy
Stevensville, Maryland
01.2016 - 01.2023
- Guided sixth- through eighth-grade students in the reading and analysis of classic novels, developed the grammar and vocabulary skills of students, and broadened students’ experience and practice of writing through the Progymnasmata.
- Developed proprietary curriculum that scaffolds the developing skills and mastered skills of students through the middle grades.
- Collaborated with the Dialectic team of teachers to ensure the integration of curriculum across disciplines and the planning of Feast Days and other interdisciplinary activities.
- Created a Capstone Tour for eighth graders that ensured enrollment and stability through the eighth grade.
Freelance Writer and Copy Editor
Words & Numbers
Baltimore, Maryland
01.2005 - 01.2010
- Authored and edited educational materials including textbooks, study guides, and assessments.
- Collaborated with subject matter experts across disciplines.
- Managed formatting, artwork, deadlines, feedback, and long-term project goals collaboratively with the in-house project team leader.
- Cover-to-cover writing projects include Pharmacology Made Incredibly Easy for Pharmacy Technicians, Pharmacy Calculations Made Incredibly Easy for Pharmacy Technicians, Exam Review for Pharmacy Technicians Made Incredibly Easy, and Lippincott Williams & Wilkins’s Foundations in Sterile Products for Pharmacy Technicians (all LWW titles); Reading with Purpose (Grades 6-8; Glencoe); Medical Abbreviations and Acronyms and The Human Body medical cards (Research and Education Association); THINK Social Problems (Pearson/Prentice Hall); and North Carolina Public Schools End-of-Grade Test Preparation, Grade 5 (Harcourt).
Freelance Scientific Copy Editor
Cadmus Communications
Columbia, Maryland
01.2000 - 01.2011
- Edited peer-reviewed journals weekly including Molecular Pharmacology, Pharmacological Reviews, and Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics.
- Edited content for clarity, consistency, and adherence to style guides.
Middle School Teacher (Science and Language Arts)
Annapolis Area Christian School
Annapolis, Maryland
2001 - 01.2003
- Guided 75 seventh grade students through Christian school curriculum of life science and American literature.
- Developed a three-week “Winterbridge” grade-specific curriculum integrating history, literature, science, and math.
Assistant Managing Editor
Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
Baltimore, Maryland
01.1998 - 01.2001
- Supervised editorial teams and managed publication of multiple academic journals.
- Developed editorial training programs including computer-based learning of a proprietary database.
- Initiated and implemented departmental initiatives.
- Managed seven journal production editors and their workloads for fourteen journals including deadlines, production schedules, personnel reviews, and employee training and monitoring.
Secondary English Teacher
Overlea High School
Baltimore, Maryland
01.1997 - 01.1998
- Guided 150 ninth and eleventh students through state-mandated curriculum encompassing grade-specific literature, writing, poetry, and vocabulary.
Education
M.A. - Leadership in Classical Christian Schools
Gordon College
Wenham, MA05-2023
B.A. - English
University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Catonsville, MD05-1996
Certificate - Secondary Education
University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Catonsville, MD12-1996
Professional Educator’s Certificate -
Association of Christian Schools International
2002
Skills
- Classical pedagogy and curriculum design
- Online and hybrid teaching environments (Zoom and virtual seminars)
- Hospitality
- Writing instruction and rhetorical training
- Faculty mentorship and academic leadership
- Partnership cultivation
- Verbal and written communication
- Relationship building
- Public speaking
- Strategic leadership
Affiliations
Society for Classical Learning
Severn Leadership Group
The Fellows Initiative: The Falls Church Fellows, speaker
Certification
- Secondary Education (grades 5-12), Maryland Department of Education, Professional Certificate (expired but renewable)
- Professional Educator’s Certificate, Association of Christian Schools International
Timeline
Co-Founder
The Cathedral Institute of Classical and Christian Studies
01.2025 - Current
Head of School
Lighthouse Christian Academy
01.2017 - 01.2025
Teacher, Literature and Writing (6th-8th Grades)
Lighthouse Christian Academy
01.2016 - 01.2023
Freelance Writer and Copy Editor
Words & Numbers
01.2005 - 01.2010
Freelance Scientific Copy Editor
Cadmus Communications
01.2000 - 01.2011
Assistant Managing Editor
Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
01.1998 - 01.2001
Secondary English Teacher
Overlea High School
01.1997 - 01.1998
Middle School Teacher (Science and Language Arts)
Annapolis Area Christian School
2001 - 01.2003
M.A. - Leadership in Classical Christian Schools
Gordon College
B.A. - English
University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Certificate - Secondary Education
University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Professional Educator’s Certificate -
Association of Christian Schools International
Professional Service and Leadership
- Mentor, Severn Leadership Group (2026, ongoing)
- Secretary, Annapolis Area Christian School Alumni Board (2007–2013)
- Bible Study Fellowship, Discussion Group Leader (2000–2003)
- Coordinator, Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS International) (2005–2010)