Fr. Don Gutmann was born in Hillsboro in a strong and loving Catholic family. He graduated from Hillsboro High School in 1976 and OSU in 1980. He worked a few years in the family wholesale nursery business before discerning God’s call to serve as a priest. He was ordained in 1991 and has served in various parishes around the diocese. He came to St. Clare in the summer of 2016. Fr. Don loves being a priest and wants to help others experience the goodness of God in their lives. In his spare time he enjoys kayaking and fixing up his old house.
charris@stclarepdx.org
503-244-7600
Chris Harris joined the St. Clare community as Principal in July 2020. He grew up locally in Tigard and attended St. Anthony School through 8th grade. He went on to La Salle High School and then graduated from Gonzaga University, studying Elementary Education. He received his Masters in Educational Administration and principal certification at St. Martin’s University. Early in his career, he was a substitute teacher in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, where he had the opportunity to teach at every grade level and speciality. He then taught 3rd grade for several years in both the LA and Seattle Archdioceses before becoming a principal. He’s been a principal in this archdiocese for the past 7 years. On top of his teaching experience, previous roles have included technology coordinator, drama director, and accreditation chair. As an administrator, he has served as a region chair in the Portland Archdiocese, faith formation committee member, and is a current member of the Superintendent Advisory Committee. He’s excited to bring his background and experience to St. Clare.
dmacneur@stclarepdx.org
503-244-7600
Donna began working as a teacher in BASC 13 years ago, and concurrently served as an assistant in the office to the principal and office manager. Donna has an extensive business and marketing background, besides being an internationally acclaimed concert organist and recording artist (a career she began professionally at 13). She plays the organ and piano for St. Clare’s Saturday Masses and other occasions. Her daughter, Bethany, is our 4th grade teacher. Donna enjoys gardening, reading, scrapbooking, boating and water skiing, snowmobiling, and spending time with her family’s Golden Retriever.
emccarthy@stclarepdx.org
503-244-8747
Eve McCarthy, has been our BASC director for 12 years, preceded by three years as the 4th and 5th grade Teacher’s Aide. She is the mother of three; her daughter and two sons are all graduates of St. Clare and Jesuit High School. Eve has an extensive background in business and as a restaurateur. Before moving to Portland she was the Dining Services Manager at Longacres Race Track overseeing three restaurants and nearly 100 employees – which gives her the upper hand when “managing” 75 kids in BASC! She and her husband, Mike, of 28 years have owned several businesses since then, including 25 years vending at the Beaverton Farmer’s Market. She is a sports enthusiast, with a special love for swimming and baseball. On any spring day you may find the smartboard streaming a college game with her son pitching!
gvroman@stclarepdx.org
503-345-1800
Gwen Vroman has been the bookkeeper at St. Clare for 13 years and is the former teacher’s aide in 4th and 5th grade. Before that she was the middle school math teacher at St. Clare for 3 years. Previous to St. Clare, Gwen taught middle school math for 3 years in Salem where she was also a volleyball coach for the 8th grade team. Gwen and her husband have two young boys. She loves sports, reading and camping.
pmorgan@stclarepdx.org
503-345-1800
Patrick Morgan has worked for the Archdioceses of Portland as a part-time Youth Minister for 33 years. In 2015, he began a new journey at St. Clare School as the Director of Technology. His responsibility at St. Clare is to search out new educational technologies and to resolve current technology issues. Mr. Morgan also helps to educate teachers & students about the many different technologies used at the school. He also spent 33 years with the North Clackamas School District mainly in the area of technology but has also coached high school and junior high volleyball, basketball, softball and baseball throughout his time with the district. In 1998 he was honored with a honorary PhD in Technology from NCU. Dr. Morgan has lived in the Portland area his entire life. He is married to Kindra and they have five children; Joseph, Isaiah, Rachel, Elijah and Christian, along with two grandchildren.
elazaris@stclarepdx.org
503-244-7600
Ellen is a Portland native, graduating from St. Thomas More and St. Mary’s Academy. She first fell in love with St. Clare School when her daughter started here in 2019. She was very excited to join Donna MacNeur in the office in 2021. Ellen has two daughters, one at the University of Pittsburgh and Jenny here in 8th grade. In her spare time, Ellen enjoys running, reading and cooking, and the whole family loves skiing. Please feel free to contact Ellen with questions about attendance or volunteering at St. Clare.
ebridge@stclarepdx.org
503-244-7600
Emily joined the St. Clare School staff as the Director of Enrollment and Marketing in August 2022. She comes to St. Clare after working for nine years in Admissions at University of Portland. A proud UP Pilot, Emily earned a BA in Social Work, with a minor in Education in 2008, and completed her MBA in 2014. With her children currently attending St. Clare, Emily has seen the dedication and love all the staff and teachers pour into their students and families. Outside of work, Emily enjoys spending time with her husband and three kids. Often this entails watching their sporting events in the Oregon rain. She also enjoys spending time in the sunshine (she’s a California native), growing dahlias, cooking up Ina Garten’s newest recipe, and taking the occasional Barre3 class.
Krystal Huynh has taught kindergarten for 10 years and this is her 8th year at St. Clare School. She attended the University of Portland, where she completed her undergraduate degree in early/elementary education in 2013 and her Master of Education degree in 2015. She also obtained endorsements in special education, reading, English for learners of other languages, and math. When not in the classroom, Mrs. Huynh enjoys weightlifting, exploring the outdoors, and spending time with her husband, daughter, son, and puppy!
Michelle Innes was an instructional assistant at Holy Trinity Catholic School for 7 years before becoming the kindergarten instructional assistant at St. Clare in 2019. She began teaching religious education when her eldest daughter was in the first grade and fell in love with teaching children in a Catholic environment. Outside of school, she enjoys reading, baking, and knitting. She is a native Oregonian and has lived in Beaverton for the last 27 years. She has been married for over 29 years and has two wonderful daughters.
Emily Humm joined the St. Clare faculty full-time in 2022. Prior to joining the St. Clare, Mrs. Humm had been the reading and math learning support teacher at St. Luke for the past five years. In 2021, she served as a part-time learning support team member at St. Clare. She previously taught 2nd grade at St. Luke for five years before taking a break from teaching to be home with her children while they were young. Mrs. Humm graduated from the University of Oregon with an undergraduate degree in Family and Human Services and a Masters of Arts in Teaching. Mrs. Humm has three children who all attend St. Clare. Mrs. Humm spends her free time enjoying traveling with her family, walking her dog Penny, reading, and cheering on her kids at their various sports and activities. Mrs. Humm is passionate about helping all students feel successful, safe, and supported at school.
This is Kathi Austin’s second year here at St. Clare School. She received her early childhood teaching degree from Western Michigan University. She taught kindergarten and first grade in the Beaverton School District for 7 years. Her main focus for the last 15 years has been her own 3 children, the youngest who is now in high school and the oldest who attends the University of Oregon. On the weekends, she enjoys spending time with her family, baking cookies, and walking her dog Cash.
Jessica Montgomery has been a part of the St. Clare Parish for many years, and is entering her 6th year teaching second grade at St. Clare School. Before teaching, she worked in social services for ten years, assisting individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities. She received her undergraduate degrees in political science and elementary education from Gonzaga University and a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction, with an emphasis on STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) from Concordia University.
Tina Erickson has taught in Catholic schools for 17 years, and at St. Clare School for 15 years. She grew up in Portland and lives in Happy Valley with her husband, daughter, and son. Mrs. Erickson graduated from Portland State University with a Bachelor of Science, and she holds a Master of Arts in Teaching from Concordia University. In her free time, Mrs. Erickson enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, and trying new foods.
Bethany MacNeur (known to students as “Miss Mac”) has taught fourth grade at St. Clare School for 19 years, and has taught in the Archdiocese of Portland for 21 years. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from the University of Portland, and her Master of Arts in Teaching with a reading focus from Pacific University in Forest Grove.
Miss Mac enjoys basketball—playing, as well as coaching—and currently coaches JV basketball at Jesuit High School, where she also serves as the JV assistant softball coach. Miss Mac enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling, cooking, photography, boating, and snow skiing.
Mary Ellen Harmeyer has been a teacher for 30 years, and this is her 22nd year at St. Clare School. She attended the University of Pacific in Stockton, California for her undergraduate degree in British Literature and English. She worked in the private sector as a publications writer for a small company’s national magazine before returning to school at St. Mary’s College to earn her teaching credential. Miss Harmeyer moved to Oregon 22 years ago and fell in love with the Northwest, finding her parish and job at St. Clare. She returned to school, earning a Master of Arts in Teaching with a focus on curriculum development from Lewis & Clark College.
Lynnette Howes is the second grade instructional assistant, and this is her tenth year at St. Clare School. Away from school, Mrs. Howes enjoys spending time with her kids, hiking, camping, and reading.
Kathleen Foesch joined the St. Clare staff in 2020 as the fourth and fifth grade instructional assistant. She has worked for the Catholic school system on and off for the past seven years. Kathleen has twins who graduated from St. Clare in 2013 and she is very happy to be back. In her spare time Mrs. Foesch loves to spend time with her family, walk her dog Finn, and volunteer for an educational foundation.
Sr. Regina Namaleha comes from Uganda in East Africa. She belongs to the order of the sisters of Mary of Kakamega. She came to the USA in 2010 for missionary work in the Diocese of Baker. She worked at St. Peter Catholic School for 10 years and her superiors transferred her to Portland to live with the other two sisters. This is her second year at St. Clare School. Sr. Regina has been a teacher for 24 years and a nun for 27 years. She has taught both in Catholic schools and public schools. While in Uganda, she started a school of Children with Special Needs and she was a principal for 5 years. She received her Bachelor’s degree from Kyambogo University in Uganda and Masters of Education in Special Needs from Northern Arizona University. Sr. Regina enjoys singing, games, cooking, traveling and gardening.
Lindsey Chipps joined the St. Clare School staff in 2021. Mrs. Chipps taught math and science at Parkrose Middle School in NE Portland. She took time away from teaching full-time while her children were young. She is excited to be back in the classroom teaching full-time again.
Mrs. Chipps attended Southern Oregon University and earned a BS in Biology (with a minor in Chemistry). Mrs. Chipps attended Concordia University where she earned a Masters in the Art of Teaching. In her free time, Mrs. Chipps enjoys cheering on her children as they compete in athletics (baseball, soccer, basketball, and track), and vacationing with her husband and kids on the McKenzie River.
Cathy Kollars has taught Catholic middle school for 40 years, and 22 of those years have been at St. Clare School. She is originally from the Oakland/San Francisco Bay Area, and also lived in Missouri for 17 years. Mrs. Kollars earned her bachelor’s degree in American history (with a minor in English) from California State University, Sacramento and her Master of Education degree from Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Missouri. She loves history, reading, baseball, and her husband, Randy Kollars, who is a religion teacher at St. Mary’s Academy. Together, they enjoy spending time at the Oregon Coast and traveling.
Cathy Wade has taught middle school math and science for 28 years, and this is her 12th year at St. Clare School. She received her Bachelor of Arts degrees in Education and German Language from Portland State University, and her Master of Science degree in Mathematics Education from Oregon State University, emphasizing STEM integration. Ms. Wade regularly attends local and national mathematics and science conferences and workshops as part of her professional development. She believes that education (and especially science) is the process of uncovering, discovering, and seeing the wonders around with new eyes.
In her free time, Ms. Wade enjoys puzzles and games, outdoor adventures, dance, bookbinding and calligraphy, and a good mystery.
sboos@stclarepdx.org
Sara Boos joined the St. Clare School Staff in 2022. Before coming to St. Clare, Mrs. Boos taught public school vocal music in Michigan, Ohio, Minnesota, and Washington. She also enjoyed being a choral singer in many Catholic churches and with the Dale Warland Singers. For the past 18 years, she served as Artistic Director of the 275-voice Northwest Girlchoir in Seattle, where she taught the elementary and high school choir levels, presented an annual concert series, and brought students on concert tours in Europe, Canada, Australia, and Argentina. Mrs. Boos enjoys spending time with my dog, Henry and cat, Miel.
nmedina@stclarepdx.org
Nick Medina started teaching at St. Clare in 2022. Mr. Medina is an educator, performer, and theater director originally from sunny California. After graduating UC Berkeley with a degree in English and a passion for the stage, he made his name as an award winning young actor and director in the San Francisco Bay Area. He began teaching in 2014, directing Shakespeare with middle schoolers and musical revues with elementary. From there, Nick tutored High schoolers on their SAT’s, worked as a Kindergarten aide, and even briefly taught pre-algebra. Since 2019, he has been a full time Teaching artist, working with Teatro Milagro, the Young People’s Theater Project, Jesuit High School’s drama program, and Curious Comedy Theatre. During the average week Nick works with kindergartners to 55 year olds, teaching the basics of theater, comedy, improv, public speaking, and confidence.
Lynn Napoli has been the St. Clare School librarian for 21 years. Prior to that, she taught third grade at St. Clare for 8 years. She grew up in the Portland area and went to Oregon State University, followed by Warner Pacific University, where she achieved her teaching certification. She earned a Master of Elementary Education degree from Lewis & Clark College, with a Library/Media endorsement. Mrs. Napoli lives in Wilsonville with her family. She loves to read, listen to music and attend concerts, travel, and take walks with her dogs.
Melissa Cree began her teaching career at St. Clare in 1988. Ms. Cree grew up in a small eastern Oregon town called Long Creek with five older brothers and three older sisters. This is where her love of sports began! She received her undergraduate degree at Eastern Oregon University in LaGrande, Oregon, and a Master of Science in Teaching Physical Education and Health from Portland State University. Ms. Cree loves most sports, and her favorite activities are tennis, pickleball, and hiking. She also has a son, Hudson, who’s a graduate of St. Clare, and two adorable dogs, Sparky and Jelly Bean.
Lillian Kidwell has worked for St. Clare for 14 years, first as the former 2nd grade teacher for 9 years, then as the school’s marketing and enrollment specialist for the last 4 years, and now as the learning specialist. She has her BA and Masters in Teaching (MAT) from the University of Portland and is working toward receiving her endorsement in Special Education.
Shannon Winningham has been the assistant learning specialist beginning in November 2019. She has a Master of Education degree in Elementary Education and has taught kindergarten and first grade for over 10 years (including at St. Clare School), along with serving as a substitute and tutor for grades K-5. Her husband, Matt Winningham, works at LaSalle Catholic Prep, and they have two children. She is a life-long learner, enjoying such activities as traveling, cooking, reading, and paddleboarding (SUP). She’s passionate about teaching reading and creating hands-on experiences for her students. She also feels blessed to be part of the St. Clare community again.
