Our Faculty & Educators
We are proud to say that our faculty is a diverse team comprised of professors and advisors from nearby Holy Apostles College and experienced tutors with an excellence in education.
Each one of our instructors is a devout Catholic, have degrees, and leads a life of of faith and service.
.
Dr. Cathy Ann Clark
Mathematics
Cathy Ann Clark received the B.S. degree in Mathematics from Morehead State University in Kentucky, the M.S. degree in Mathematics from the University of Connecticut, and the M.S. degree in Electrical Engineering and the Ph.D. degree in Applied Mathematics from the University of Rhode Island.
Dr. Clark was a Communications Systems Analyst with Western Union Corporation, Mahwah, New Jersey from 1969 to 1973. From 1973 to 1979 she taught mathematics at the University of Connecticut and Connecticut Community Colleges. From 1979 to 1997 she was a Principal Analyst with Sonalysts, Inc. in Waterford, Connecticut, working with the Naval Undersea Warfare Center on underwater sound propagation prediction and submarine tactical decision aid development, and with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration on satellite communications. From 1997 to 2021 she was with the Sensors & Sonar Systems Department of the Naval Undersea Warfare Center in Newport, Rhode Island. She has served as an Adjunct Professor of Mathematics at several colleges and universities, including the Universities of Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts and Roger Williams University.
Dr. Clark is a Senior Member of the Oceanic Engineering Society of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and a Fellow of the Acoustical Society of America.
Dr. Alan Fimister
Professor of Theology/History/Philosophy/Curriculum Director
Dr Alan Fimister is a native of Newcastle upon Tyne in the North East of England. He read Modern History and then Philosophy & Theology at the University of Oxford from 1994 to 1999 where he was elected Senior Scholar in Theology at Exeter College and President of the Oxford University Newman Society. After studying Sacred Theology at the International Theological Institute in Austria founded by St John Paul II in 1996 he took his PhD at the University of Aberdeen. Dr Fimister has taught at Universities, Seminaries and other Institutions of Higher Learning in Britain, Europe and the United States for over twenty years. He is the President of the Dialogos Institute a global organization of Catholic scholars devoted to the preservation of the faith of the fathers of East and West according to the mind of St Thomas Aquinas. In addition to innumerable scholarly and popular articles he has published works on European History, Political Philosophy and the Theology of the Church. He is married with three children and lives in Connecticut.
Veronica Diaz, M.A. in Pastoral Ministry
PRE-K/ Social Work Specialist/ Sacred Music
Ms. Diaz has extensive qualifications in education and a passion for a providing holistic support to students. She has a foreign equivalent of a bachelor’s degree in social work and Master’s in Pastoral Ministry. She was a member of the leadership team of Regnum Christi in Miami, FL. Ms. Diaz was also responsible of the Young Adults ministry.
Father Declan Gibson
Family and Faith/Church History
Judah Parkyn, B.A. in History in the Social Sciences and English in the Humanities
Religion/History/Lang. Arts/Film & Production
Judah Parkyn is a passionate instructor of history, religion, and film at Queen of the Apostles Preparatory Academy. He is a graduate of Holy Apostles College and Seminary, where he received his training in theological studies and a bachelor’s degree in History in the Social Sciences and English in the Humanities. Aside from his teaching at Queen of the Apostles and his studies at Holy Apostles, he is an experienced artist and filmmaker committed to using the mediums of art and film at the service of the Church to advance the true, the good, and the beautiful in today’s culture as well as to promote the dignity of life, and to uphold the values of faith and family.
Karen Roche, B.A. in Theology and Sacred Art (2026)
Executive Director
Math/Science/History/Religion
Karen has been a serial entrepreneur for over 36 years before founding Queen of the Apostles Preparatory Academy in 2019. In 2014, Karen became interested in working in Catholic Education after working many years within the Mother of Divine Grace Curriculum as a homeschool mother and then onto become a Catholic Academy Founder in 2015. She downsized her businesses and began to answer the call of the Lord in bringing the children to Him. Karen began working with local homeschooling families, leaders within the Archdiocese of Hartford Office of Catholic Schools, Angelicum Academy, and Holy Apostles College before launching QOTA. She has taught middle school and elementary math, science, and history. She is also currently attending Holy Apostles College for a Bachelors Degree in Theology, with a minor in Sacred Art. Karen is also a co-author of a book, “Incredible Life.” Karen’s chapter is titled “Just Let Go’. She talks about the importance of letting go of fear, doubt, and the controls that bind a person in order for God to work His wonders in each of our lives. Karen has a very dear and special devotion to The Blessed Mother. Her love of our Dear Lady has brought her to many special places such as Medjugorje, Fatima, Guadalupe, and many shrines throughout the United States. Karen has four beautiful children! Her eldest daughter graduated from the University of Dallas, is married and has a beautiful baby girl named Aubrielle. She also has a daughter who is attending Catholic University becoming a secondary education history teacher, a son who is attending the University of Dallas who is working towards his MA in business, and a son who is a senior in High School at Queen of the Apostles Preparatory Academy. Along with two new lab puppies, Caesar and Calpurnia. Karen is proud to be at the service of the children and families of QOTA in helping the children to learn leadership skills, critical thinking, a high standard of academics, and most of all to know, love, and serve God.
Kathy Roden
I am the second oldest in a family of 9 children. I was fortunate enough to be able to attend Parochial School from first grade through college. I attended those schools in the suburbs of Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, PA and Steubenville, OH. As an adult, I lived in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington State before moving to Connecticut in 2020.I worked in Fairfax County (VA)Public Schools for 18 years. Starting out as an Instructional Assistant in Grades K - 6, then teaching Social Studies and Math to grade 4 students. I was recognized in my district as "A Social Studies Teaching Innovator". I also worked in a High School Special Education office in Fairfax County Public School. We moved to Connecticut to be near our daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren. Our son lives in Florida.
I look forward to another year at Queen of the Apostles Preparatory School working with the wonderful staff and students.
Katie Latimer Website & Marketing
Academic Advisors
Institute for Catholic Liberal Education
Angelicum Academy
Holy Apostles College and Seminary
NAPCIS