Amorah Nelson
Co-Director of Academics / Teacher
Amorah Nelson earned a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in Biology and minor in Chemistry at Seattle Pacific University. During her years at SPU, she spent two summers conducting marine biology research. Later, she obtained her Master of Science in Biology at Western Washington University. While at SPU and Western, she instructed upper level biology lab classes. The results of her research work at SPU and WWU have been published in scientific journals. She was an adjunct professor for SPU in 2006. Amorah is a certified teacher through ACSI (Association of Christian Schools International).
Amorah has been teaching at Hill Creek for 19 years and has been in a leadership role for 15 years. Through this time, she has been richly blessed by all of her students and her interactions with the parents. This school is truly a ministry for her. Amorah’s teaching style is concrete sequential and she teaches using a direct instruction approach. All of her classes incorporate labs to add the hands-on, creative experience. She has high standards for her students and is very willing to spend extra time with students who ask for assistance.
Amorah is blessed to be a wife and a mother of two girls and a boy. When time allows, she can be found outside trying to create a beautiful garden. Above all, she is grateful to the Lord, who has blessed her beyond measure and has led her to this career and to this school.
Dennis Weems
Co-Director of Administration
Dennis Weems is Co-Director for Administration for Hill Creek Christian. Dennis earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics from the University of California, Santa Barbara. He also completed graduate level work with honors with the United States Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. He has three years teaching experience in the Military Science Department, Saint Augustine College in Raleigh, North Carolina. He retired from the United States Army with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in 1992.
Dennis has been an ardent supporter of HCC since they began using Emmanuel Baptist Church facilities in 2009. As co-director, Dennis keeps track of the finances, policy making, safety protocols, disciplinary issues, and much more. “It is fun and exciting to be involved with a ministry that God is blessing, and it is a joy to work with the HCC staff and teachers.”
Teachers
Brandy Vizmanos-Garcia
Brandy Vizmanos-Garcia received her Bachelor of Arts degree in secondary education with a major in history and a minor in political science from the University of Arizona in 1998. She also earned a middle school endorsement. Brandy later earned her master’s degree in special education with an emphasis in emotional behavior from the University of Arizona in 2002. She worked in the public school system for nine years and has been running Calvary Heritage, an Academy Northwest learning center, for the last 17 years.
She has had the great pleasure of working at HCC for the last 11 years. Brandy has taught mainly at the middle school and high school levels. She has taught English, World History, US History, Government, and Current World Problems.
Brandy and her husband, Ed, have been married for 23 years. They moved to Washington State from Tucson, Arizona, 22 years ago. Both of their children were enrolled with ANW in first grade and graduated from Academy Northwest. Their son Kyler graduated from ANW in June 2021 and is a Marine Reservist. Their daughter Sydney graduated from ANW in June 2024 and is pursuing an education in Early Childhood Education.
Tim Drumm
Tim Drumm grew in Texas where the Lord saved him late in his teenage years, placing him under theologically sound biblical teaching at a local church. At that church, Tim married the love of his life, Katie. They are blessed with four children: Luke, Elizabeth, Phoebe, and Jack.
Tim graduated from The College of Biblical Studies Houston in 2011 with a Bachelor of Science in Christian leadership and a minor in Bible. He then graduated from The Master’s Seminary with a Master of Divinity. While there, he completed his certification as a Biblical Counselor with ACBC.
Tim is passionate about teaching students the truth of the Bible and encouraging their growth in Christ. During the past 18 years, Tim has been involved in campus FCA meetings, Sunday school classes, church administration, conferences & camps, youth ministries, and teaching as a professor at The Master’s University. He loves to teach, preach, and mentor students.
In 2018, Tim and his family relocated to Mount Vernon to take his dream job as the Pastor of Student Ministries at Emmanuel Baptist Church where he oversees the junior high, high school, and college ministries. Tim & his family are so thankful to be part of the church family at EBC.
Christina South
Christina South has a Bachelor of Arts and a Washington State teacher certification for secondary mathematics. She is also a certified educational therapist and literacy specialist through NILD. Christina has been involved in the education of students for more than 25 years–home schooling, teaching classes to various groups, tutoring, classroom teaching, and coaching speech and debate students. She taught in Christian schools for eight years before becoming a home-schooling parent. With her NILD training in 2015, Christina has been working with students who struggle with academic learning. She helps students to improve their cognitive skills and advises homeschool parents in ways to support struggling students. Helping students to overcome math phobia is another of Christina’s skills. She enjoys the challenge of making instruction meet the individual needs of her students. Christina and her husband have six children–two biological and four adopted. She also has six wonderful grandchildren. Christina enjoys reading, gardening, and spending time with her grandchildren.
Alora Schubkegel
Alora Schubkegel attended Hill Creek Christian after being homeschooled for most of her young life, and she thrived in the high-quality education and overwhelming support the teachers provided. During that time, Alora was active in chapel leadership, Skagit Defenders Speech and Debate Club, and SEA-TECH 4-H Club. As a result, Alora is passionate about engaging the next generation of students to embrace new opportunities, find community, and grow in Christ in all aspects of life.
Alora earned her Pre-Nursing associate degree from Skagit Valley College in 2019. She then worked as a Certified Nursing Assistant and Medication Aide in Washington and Oregon for three years. Her passion for helping others to meet their fullest potential opened the door to an unexpected opportunity at Hill Creek Christian in the summer of 2022. Since then, Alora has shifted focus to being a full-time elementary teacher at HCC with the new goal of providing an environment of excellence and support for the homeschooled students who walk into her class. Alora married Rylan in the summer of 2020. To complete their little family, they adopted their cat, Ollie, and moved back to Skagit Valley from Oregon to be close to their community. When Alora is not keeping Ollie out of trouble, she loves adventuring outdoors, getting coffee with friends, creating needle art, and making music with her husband.
Stephanie Riley
Stephanie Riley graduated from Whitworth University in 2011 receiving a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education with minors in visual arts and reading instruction. She began her teaching career as a kindergarten teacher in the Mount Vernon school district. She continued as an elementary art teacher and sixth grade math, science, and Bible teacher at Rift Valley Academy in Kenya. Currently, she homeschools her 3 daughters. Stephanie is excited to teach in a Christian setting while continuing to homeschool.
Stephanie has been married to her husband Joe since 2011, and they have three young daughters: Emily, Katelyn, and Sophia. They enjoy getting outside together and enjoying God’s creation by going on hikes, walks, and gardening together. Stephanie especially loves growing flowers and brightening friends’ days with a bouquet from her yard. She also likes baking sourdough bread, making kombucha, and reading a good book.
Sarah Slyman
Sarah Slyman received her Bachelor of Arts degree in religion with a minor in art from Palm Beach Atlantic University. After graduation, she worked as a full-time tutor in a public high school and later worked in a Christian Montessori school, assisting in math and art. She has enjoyed working one-on-one with students. Providing a quality education for her students and her children has always been a priority for her.
Sarah and her husband, Patrick, were married in 2000. They are both from the East Coast and moved to Mount Vernon from the Boston area in 2014. In addition to homeschooling her daughters, Sarah is a pastor’s wife and enjoys an active role in church life. She runs an Etsy Shop called Patch Me, offering designer eye patches for those who need vision therapy. Working with children and teens has been a big part of Sarah’s life. She spent many summers on staff at Christian camps, teaching Sunday school, directing children’s church, volunteering on youth staff, training groups for mission trips, etc. She has a passion for people and a love for the gospel. When it is not raining, she loves to garden and travel with her family. When it is raining, she enjoys crocheting, watching movies, and reading.
Dana Bitto
Dana Bitto graduated from Seattle Pacific University in 1997, earning a Bachelor of Arts in elementary education with an emphasis in English. She taught 4th grade at Twin City Elementary for seven years while earning a Master’s in Education with an emphasis on literacy development from Western Washington University in 2001. In 2003, she and her husband welcomed twin boys and thus began her homeschooling journey.
She has gained many insights while homeschooling her four children over the last 16 years. Dana has developed a new perspective on
learning differences, such as dyslexia, while focusing on sharing her love of high-quality literature and history. She has been involved with various homeschooling enrichment opportunities in the Skagit Valley, including Friday School and Valley Christian Music & Arts.
Dana began the next chapter in her education career at Hill Creek Christian in 2019. Teaching middle and high school level English classes has been a wonderful way for her to share something valuable and worthwhile with her students. Dana will begin teaching high school level World History and U.S. History classes during the ‘24-’25 school year. She finds pleasure in researching, developing, and implementing classes that help students grow in understanding their place in God’s World. She views learning as a lifelong endeavor. Dana is a certified Level 1 NILD educational therapist. She is continuing collaboration and training to provide services to students who benefit from this multisensory therapy. She looks forward to teaching engaging and challenging classes, preparing students for learning beyond the classroom setting.
Elizabeth Gunn
Elizabeth Gunn graduated from SVC with her AA-DTA in June 2018, where she simultaneously worked as a writing consultant and co-editor for the Cardinal Newspaper. After graduation, she took a gap year to live in North Africa where she worked at an English language learning center and studied Arabic. Elizabeth returned to school and graduated from Western Washington University in 2022, receiving a Bachelor of Arts in English literature and a minor in culture and religious studies.
Elizabeth was homeschooled and attended Hill Creek Christian while in high school. She has taught at HCC for three years and has enjoyed returning to her roots. She is passionate about teaching students how to be strong writers, introducing them to good literature, and giving them the tools to succeed in other areas of their lives through the foundations of English. As an avid reader and writer, teaching English has been a joy for Elizabeth. She loves sharing her love for ELA with her students and desires to see them grow in their various skills.
In February 2021, Elizabeth married her husband, Walker. They live in Acme and attend church in Sedro Woolley. In March 2024, they welcomed their first child, Tyndale James. When they’re not working, they enjoy getting outside and exploring the outdoors as a family.
Nathan Fogde
Nathan Fogde received a Bachelor of Music in Music Education from The Master’s University and a Master of Divinity from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He has served in pastoral ministry in music and college ministries in churches in California and Washington and he has served as a long-term substitute teacher (including K–12 choir, band, and general music) in schools in California and Washington.
Nathan has been serving as the Pastor of Worship and Connections at Emmanuel Baptist Church since September 2017. He is excited to teach music at Hill Creek Christian and he looks forward to developing HCC students’ understanding of this portion of the arts for years to come.
Nathan and his wife, Leanna, have four children: Makaela, Norelle, Landen, and Silas. They enjoy having people over, playing games, sports, family movie nights and sing-a-longs, and exploring the beautiful Pacific Northwest.
Emily Bridge
Emily Bridge is in the final quarter of completing her AA in Early Childhood Education at Skagit Valley College. She has a passion for working with younger children and loves to share the excitement of learning with them. Emily has spent the last seven years gaining experience working with children at a local preschool. She has always enjoyed working in a classroom, growing little minds, and helping children learn about the world around them.
Emily was first introduced to Hill Creek through a friend. She served as a teacher’s assistant in the elementary homeroom classroom for a year before becoming a co-teacher for the Preschool/Kindergarten classroom. She also co-teaches the 1st-2nd grade Homeroom class.
Emily resides in Mount Vernon, fulfilling her dream of sharing a cute apartment with her childhood best friend. In her downtime, Emily likes to read a good book, write short stories, crochet while watching a movie, and watch the beautiful sunsets the PNW offers.
Caty McGrew
Caty McGrew received a Bachelor of Science degree in zoology from Washington State University in 2005. Caty then went on to Whittier Law School where she earned a Juris Doctorate in 2012. Caty received a Master’s in Science with an emphasis in curriculum and instruction from Western Governors University in 2018, and is now working on a Doctor of Education degree through Grand Canyon University.
Caty began tutoring in math and science during the summers of her WSU school years and continued that work after graduating. She tutored all levels of math, from addition to calculus, to all ages of students, from kindergarten to college. She also tutored science courses, including biology, chemistry, physics, earth science, physical science, forensics, and anatomy and physiology. She has been teaching at Hill Creek for eight years and has worked as a Level 1 Educational Therapist through NILD.
Caty has two pets, a dog (boxer) and a snake. Caty also has a passion for all things Disney, especially Disneyland. Her other interests include traveling, movies, sports, outdoor activities, crafting, and reading.
Lisa Rollins
Lisa Rollins received a certificate of Biblical Studies from Emmaus Bible College in 1998. After completing her Associate of Arts degree at North Seattle Community College, she went on to obtain a bachelor’s degree from Western Washington University in general studies with an emphasis in elementary education in 2005.
Aside from homeschooling her children for the last 15 years, Lisa has worked as a Spanish translator for Bellingham Public Schools, taught elementary age students in a homeschool co-op for two years, directed the homeschool group Classical Conversations for two years, and taught English grammar and writing for one year. She has been teaching Spanish at Hill Creek since 2020, and a culinary arts class for two years.
Ever since her exposure to the Spanish language through an inspiring high school teacher, Lisa was motivated to study abroad in Mexico, and continued to travel to Guatemala, Argentina, and Bolivia to improve her Spanish language development and to share God’s love with others. She is an exuberant teacher who works to target multiple learning styles in the classroom and gets excited about sharing her love for Spanish and other cultures with students.
A hippie at heart, Lisa enjoys juicing celery, making soup, growing dahlias, and creating silly songs to entertain and embarrass her 5 children and her patient husband of 21 years.
Brittany Ericson
Brittany Ericson has always been passionate about history, particularly the Middle Ages and the Silk Road. As someone who was homeschooled, she has always sought to continue learning in every area of her life. Growing up in a home that housed many international students and hosted many visiting missionaries cultivated in her a diverse penchant for cooking (and eating) food from around the world, and she is excited to bring this love into her teaching.
Brittany has homeschooled her children since 2016. Her favorite part of
teaching is bringing something to life that may have seemed dull before. She believes cultivating a love of learning is as essential as learning itself.
Brittany has been married to Brandon for 13 years, and they are blessed with two daughters and two sons. They run a family business on Camano Island and love to cook and eat good food together. Brittany is known to read 4-7 books at any given time, and she attempts to keep plants alive! Most importantly, she thanks the Creator of Heaven and Earth, whose endless love and mercy have sustained her and her family in the good and difficult times.
Kyla Haas
Kyla Haas received her Bachelor of Arts from Northwestern College, with a major in Christian Education. Upon graduation, she worked with youth ministry at an RCA church, leading youth groups & planning retreats while sharing the gospel with young people. During this time, she taught pre-school at Happy Hearts Christian School.
After marriage, in 1993, she continued her teaching job until the birth of her second son. Kyla went on to have four children whom she enjoyed homeschooling. Three of them attended Hill Creek, which she found extremely helpful in preparing them for college level work.
Kyla is excited to put her homeschool experience to work at Hill Creek, and this will be her third year with us. She especially enjoys working with younger children and watching their joy of learning grow as they process new things. She is passionate about helping students learn to read well and become lifetime readers. Kyla enjoys travel, hiking, photography, gardening, stitchwork and reading. Her favorite activity is family time and being a grandma to three sweet boys.
Rylan Schubkegel
Rylan Schubkegel is a full-time web developer and software enthusiast. He was homeschooled through high school and competed at the national level in public speaking. He received a Bachelor of Science in computer science from George Fox University and earned the Outstanding Computer Science Student award of excellence in his graduating class.
In addition to computers, Rylan is passionate about art, music, and game design. He loves to hike with his wife Alora and play (complicated) board games. If you have new game recommendations, please let him know!