Staff & Board Members
Debby Esposito
director of Parent and teacher relations
5/6 english teacher
Hello! I love teaching the English I class and helping the administration team for Vine. My husband and I live in Gilroy and have four adult children. Let’s see…militant teddy bear…that's probably the best description I have come up with for myself over the years to help parents understand my teaching style. Haha! I adore my students, shell out tons of love and encouragement, make as many accommodations as possible, AND I run a pretty tight ship. The #1 Rule in my class is, "NO FEAR!" I love the Bible, apologetics, psychology, people, and, especially, date night with my husband!
Shanna Korjenek
Lead site supervisor
7/8 history, home economics, theater teacher
I am originally from Washington State, and I moved to the area in 2011 with my husband and two children (who are high schoolers at Vine). I wear many hats at The Foothills Church, including Children's Ministry, Youth Ministry, and Social Media. We started homeschooling in 2014 and joined Vine in 2022. I have been blessed to be a teacher at Vine since 2023 and I'm excited to join the Admin team this year.
Nikki Beck
Communications & Events Coordinator
I’ve been married to my wonderful husband for 16 years, and together we have three amazing children. I’ve had the privilege of homeschooling for the past 11 years, which has been one of the most rewarding and challenging seasons of my life.
I love a good cup of coffee, English dramas, and, of course, my chickens! My husband and I met at church at CCSJ, and over the years, we’ve had the incredible opportunity to serve in world missions both together and separately. We currently attend SVCC.
One of my greatest passions is studying the Bible - digging into Scripture, dissecting the text, and seeking to understand its meaning and interpretation. I especially love encouraging and coming alongside women as they navigate the unique seasons and stages of life.
Above all, I’m grateful for the life God has given me, the people He has entrusted to me, and the opportunity to encourage others in their walk with Him.
Michelle Montoya
Principal / 5/6 history teacher
As Principal and a teacher of Geometry and History, I view schooling as a spiritual journey to appreciate our Creator. Since 1998, my career has centered on student growth, joining Vine in 2008 where I now lead the Student Council. My goal is to instill a lifelong passion for discovery in my pupils. A Gilroy local, my husband Mike and I have seen our four children graduate from Vine and now delight in life as grandparents.
Mrs. Cameron Knapp
Math 6 & 7, 7th English II
I transitioned from traditional elementary teaching to homeschooling after my first child was born. Over the years, I have served my local church and guided youth groups. My family has been a part of the Gilroy community since 2008, and my eldest of six children graduated from Vine in 2023.
Mrs. Jean Fong
8th English II, 5th Math, creative Art
This year I’ll be teaching Math 5, English (8th grade), and Creative Art. I am a mom of 5 and Grandma of 8, I love traveling, reading, gardening, and crafts. A new goal is hiking the coast of California with my sisters (200 miles so far!).
Mrs. Holly Rauser
Speech & Argumentation
I am an expert in rhetoric with over 20 years of experience teaching at the collegiate level. As a mother of five Vine graduates and wife of a former principal, my roots in our school run exceptionally deep.
Mrs. Jean Fong
8th English II, 5th Math, creative Art
This year I’ll be teaching Math 5, English (8th grade), and Creative Art. I am a mom of 5 and Grandma of 8, I love traveling, reading, gardening, and crafts. A new goal is hiking the coast of California with my sisters (200 miles so far!).
Teachers
Mrs. Lisa Chapman
9/10 English, 11/12 English
Hello Vine families! My career background includes teaching in public school, working as an account representative in electronics distribution and owning/directing a preschool when my children were young. More recently, I taught 7th grade humanities, 12th grade English and Senior Thesis at Calvary Christian School in San Jose.
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I have twin daughters who are high school seniors and a son in 8th grade. My husband and I have been married 24 years and our family loves the outdoors, whether we are biking, hiking, and paddle boarding in the mountains or boogie boarding at the beach!
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I personally enjoy spending time with family and friends, reading, cooking, studying my Bible and serving at our local church. Ever since high school, English has been my favorite academic subject and it is my pleasure and delight to dive into the timeless works of these famous authors and inspire students to love them as much as I do!
Mrs. Cameron Knapp
Math 6 & 7, 7th English II
I transitioned from traditional elementary teaching to homeschooling after my first child was born. Over the years, I have served my local church and guided youth groups. My family has been a part of the Gilroy community since 2008, and my eldest of six children graduated from Vine in 2023.
Miss Danielle Farrell
Chemistry, Algebra 2
Hello! I'm Danielle Farrell (Ms. Farrell), one of the new teachers at Vine. This is my first year on campus, and I'm excited to teach Algebra 2 and Chemistry!
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I earned my bachelor's degree in Pharmaceutical Sciences from UC Irvine in 2023, and I love helping students see how science connects to everyday life. One of my favorite examples is the Maillard reaction, which explains the delicious flavors created through cooking and baking. I enjoy exploring this "kitchen chemistry" through my own baking adventures.
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Outside of the classroom, I love traveling, singing, and serving at South Valley Community Church, primarily with the junior high ministry, and occasionally helping with high school events. I'm grateful for the opportunity to be part of the Vine community and look forward to seeing how God works through each one of us this year!
Mr. David Ortega
5/6 Science, pre-algebra, albegra 1, Guitar 1
An associate pastor at Foothills Church since 2016, I manage worship and theology instruction. I hold a Master of Divinity and spent several years teaching at the university level. With a background in youth ministry across two coasts, I now focus on mentoring future leaders in Gilroy alongside my wife and three children.
Mrs. Brianne McWilliams
7/8 Science, 9/10 Science
My husband Paul and I joined the Vine community in 2024 while looking for a tailored educational setting for our daughters. Licensed as a Doctor of Physical Therapy from Samuel Merritt University, I balance my home health career with my love for teaching. I find great joy in showing students the complexity and wonder of human biology through a lens of faith.
Mrs. Cori Miller
5/6 History
Mrs. Angie Kastle
Jr. High Bible
Being a teacher is an honor and responsibility that I take to heart. Our family has been in the "Vine Family" for over 20 years! This is my 3rd year growing through teaching Jr. High Bible.
My husband and I have a growing crew of 19 here in California and in Ireland. 5 kiddos and 9 grands that are my pride and joy.
Mrs. April Lemau
Elementary bible
I am so excited to be teaching 4/5 grade Bible this year! I have been blessed to serve in children's ministry in a variety of roles for the past 20 years, and I love creating engaging, hands-on lessons that bring God's Word to life and help children grow in their relationship with Jesus.
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My husband and I have been married for 23 years, and he serves as the Senior Pastor of The Anchor Church (Calvary Chapel Gilroy). We have five amazing children, and when we're not at church or school, you'll usually find us cheering on one of our four boys at a basketball game. In my free time, I enjoy crafting and organizing just about anything. I absolutely love everything about fall... cozy sweaters, changing leaves, crisp mornings, and anything pumpkin!
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I am grateful for the opportunity to spend this year with your children. My prayer is that this journey we will embark on will help them discover who God is, understand His faithfulness, and apply through truths of Scripture to their life.
Pastor Kevin Kurzenknabe
High School bible
My wife and I have raised and released two children, having our home here in Gilroy for over 25 years now. God has given me a passion to shepherd His people to seek His truth, goodness, and beauty in everything. I have been a Pastor at South Valley Community Church for over a decade, and I simply love Christ's Church. This has led me into a pursuit of understanding God and His gospel through seminary and study, which brought me here to teach High School Bible at Vine Academy in 2025. My pleasure and desire is to re-enchant the stories of scripture so your students would draw close to the Creator and King, and understand how to live out the Christian faith in light of His Good News in the coming adventures in each of their lives. Never stop praying for your children's maturity in Christ.
Mrs. Amanda (Mandi) Santiago
Fine Arts
I lead as a professional art manager and serve on the Morgan Hill Arts Commission. A certified framer and lifelong teacher, I blend my engineering background with visual arts. My creative work spans from oil painting to music. I am dedicated to making culture accessible and use my precise yet graceful teaching style to help students master artistic expression and design through local collaboration.
Board Members
Craig Friske
PRESIDENT / LOGIC & WORLD RELIGIONS TEACHER
My youngest son attended Vine in junior high and my required parent volunteer hours were used teaching formal logic, coaching basketball/flag football/track, and serving as Principal for a year. More recently, in addition to being on the board, I've taught pre-algebra, government, economics, logical fallacies, and world views/religions at Vine.
Marc Rauser
TREASURER
A part of Vine Academy since 2003, I previously held the role of principal. My wife Holly, a fellow Vine teacher, and I raised our children within our school community.
Mike Montoya
SECRETARY / 9/10 HISTORY / 11/12 GOV & ECON TEACHER
I was born and raised in San Jose, CA. I married Michelle in 1989 and all four of our children attended Vine Academy. Michelle and I welcomed our first grandchild in 2021, and our second in 2024! I've been working for FedEx since 1992.
Debbie Hernandez
BOARD MEMBER
I navigated the homeschooling path from start to finish with my family, utilizing local co-ops and Vine Academy. Married to Jacob since 1987, I consider home education a primary blessing and serve on our board to support other families embarking on this academic adventure.
Heather Oliver
BOARD MEMBER
With extensive experience across public, private, and home education, I bring a wealth of knowledge to Vine. Currently a private tutor and teacher, I successfully homeschooled my sons through to higher education and trade programs. I enjoy the outdoors in Morgan Hill with my husband.
Krista Joiner
ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER
As part of the original starting families of Vine Academy, I am invested in helping parents in our community with their children's education journey. Three of my kids have graduated from Vine with three more to go. I enjoy my family, teaching in a Bible study, reading, cooking, bread making, chicken keeping, and having coffee with new and old friends.