Meet Our Instructors

Instructors at The WEA Academy are accomplished teachers experienced with their content as well as how to teach it. They are dedicated to both quality and personal attention. In addition, their experience with each respective topic makes your learning relevant and effective to your daily work. In other words, what you may learn in a Saturday session can be applied in the classroom on Monday morning.

Nicole “Nikki” Janzen Nicole “Nikki” Janzen is a social justice educator with a Masters in Curriculum and Instruction in Multi-Cultural and Urban Education from UW-Milwaukee. Ms. Janzen has worked in various nonprofits using spoken word and mixed media art in restorative circles work while also serving students, parents, and colleagues in Milwaukee Public Schools. She successfully worked for 13 years as a middle school teacher, later serving as a Social-Emotional Learning coach, and currently as a Restorative Practices coach. Ms. Janzen sees the power of restorative practices as an art to heal self, build community, and connect great divides.

Gina Pagel Gina Pagel has taught elementary Spanish and social studies in Waunakee since 2007. In this role, she works with every student in the school & sees firsthand the diverse experiences, talents, and challenges young people bring to the classroom. Gina is a passionate advocate for diversity, equity, inclusion, & access for all. She has served in many different capacities in her local association & believes that our union has the potential to make lasting change in our schools & communities.

Amelia “Bedelia” McConnell Amelia “Bedelia” McConnell is a proud School Sorceress, AKA school secretary, for the Verona Area School District at the helm of Verona Area International School and New Century Charter School. Miss Amelia is in her first year as ESP-at-Large on the WEAC board, and at the beginning of her journey with Equity Ambassadors and Leaders for Just Schools. She was part of the NEA’s Transformational Journey for Racial and Social Justice Co-Conspirators and has presented at the national ESP conventions in 2023 and 2024 with sessions on anti-racism and social justice. She was most recently part of the creation team of the WEAC Region 6 Anti-Racist Toolkit and has worked for almost 20 years in Dane County public schools as an elementary and middle level music educator, recess and lunchroom supervisor, program secretary and school secretary. When not on the path of being a proud Union Thug, Miss Amelia is also a powerhouse Zumba® Fitness instructor.

Deanna Needham, M.Ed. Deanna graduated from UW-La Crosse in 2001 with a degree in elementary and middle level education and a minor in special education. She started her career in special education at Boscobel Elementary School and received a license in special education from UW-L. She continues to be a life-long learner and leader and pursued her master’s degree from Fielding Graduate University in Collaborative Educational Leadership. A few years later, she got a special education job in Fennimore where she currently teaches at the elementary school. Deanna received her licenses in administration for curriculum and instruction, principal, and special education director in May of 2020. Her passion and leadership assist her to use her expertise to educate and support paraprofessionals and educators do their best work for students with unique needs. She has a passion for teaching, special education, professional development, and life-long learning. She will be the first to lend a helping hand when someone needs to problem solve any situation.

Chauna Perry Finch Chauna is a national speaker and restorative strategist who has provided training and consultation for a variety school districts and organizations across the country. After being the school social worker of the year in 2010, Chauna was the Restorative Practices Coordinator for Milwaukee Public Schools. She led the district in embracing Restorative Practices, creating a K-12 teacher guide and creating a high school social studies elective course. Chauna is a proven expert in the use of Restorative Practices as a tool for creating safe and supportive schools. Ms. Finch is the owner of Restorative TCS, LLC.

Meg Graham, NBCT Meg earned her master’s degree in Spanish and Education from Marquette University in 1985. She received her initial National Board Certification in 2004 and re-certified in 2014. Meg retired from Mukwonago High School in 2021 after 35 years teaching Spanish and serving as World Language Dept Chair. She was Wisconsin’s World Language Teacher of the Year in 2010. Author of the “Ahora Hablo” book series, Meg’s passion is helping people learn conversational Spanish.  In addition to teaching at the WEA Academy, Graham currently teaches Advanced Conversation at Carroll University.

Melissa Bollow-Tempel, NBCT As a licensed bilingual elementary educator and a National Board-Certified Teacher with a master’s degree in Cultural Foundations of Education, Melissa has worked as a bilingual, dual language, foreign language, adult education, and culturally responsive teacher leader since 2000. She is currently teaching in the Waukesha School District. Melissa has been certified as a Welcoming Schools facilitator. She co-edited 2 books, Pencils Down and Rethinking Sexism, Gender and Sexuality with the nonprofit organization, Rethinking Schools, an equity and racial justice education publisher.

Amanda DeSua, Ed.D., NBCT Dr. Amanda DeSua is an elementary school counselor and has worked in education since 1999. While working as an elementary and middle school counselor, she achieved National Board Certification and completed her doctorate degree in educational leadership. Amanda is also a published children’s book author and teaches graduate classes for a local counselor education program.

Regina Prahl, M.Ed. Regina began her teaching career as a biology teacher for Milwaukee Public Schools. Seeing a need for literacy teachers and intervention in both her classroom and the district, Ms. Prahl pursued her master’s in education with a reading emphasis from Concordia University-WI. Regina has taught reading intervention at the high school level for the past seven years and completed course work to obtain her reading specialist license. She continues to use her expertise to educate and support both students and teachers in her building.

Hallie Schmeling                                                                                Hallie is an educator, public school advocate, and changemaker dedicated to building schools where teachers and students thrive through nervous system regulation. After earning her degrees in Mathematics and Special Education from UW–Eau Claire in 2009, she spent 13 years teaching and developing an alternative education program that expanded her perspective and revealed the vital role of regulation in both learning and teaching. Hallie is the founder of Regulate 2 Educate LLC, a movement equipping educators, students, and schools with tools and inspiration to foster calm, connection, and authentic learning.

Rachael Poppe                                                                          Rachael is a national presenter with the NEA’s Disability, Rights and Inclusion Coalition. With an undergraduate degree from UW-Eau Claire and a Master’s degree from UW-Madison in Professional Education through the Department of Educational Psychology Rachael is in special education working with a wide variety of children with special needs and abilities in the Green Bay Area Public Schools. Rachael is currently a Special Education Academic Program Support Teacher. During the 2023-24 school year Rachael was the National Education Association Teacher Quality Teaching Fellow. She also serves on the Executive Board for the Green Bay Education Association and serves on the WEA Academy Board.  Rachael has been a National and State Course Facilitator for the NEA Blended Learning courses offered to NEA, GBEA and WEAC members. She brought the Early Career Learning Labs to Green Bay which provides continuous support for Early Career Educators to focus on the retention of teachers. Rachael also teaches part time at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College for the Foundations of Education program. She has a passion to provide access to high quality professional and personal learning for our members that incorporate our NEA leadership competency framework to promote leadership and retain teachers.