Faculty & Staff Directory
We keep an open door policy at Southfield School. Parents are always welcome to join their child for lunch, flag ceremony, class plays, and more. We want to be available when you need us. Part of what makes this school so special is the open line of communication we enjoy with our parents.
Administration
Gordon Walker
Headmaster
(318) 213-6332
gwalker@southfield-school.org
Gordon Walker made the leadership transition to Headmaster of Southfield School in 2013. He was previously the Associate Headmaster from 1998 to 2013. He has a Certificate of Education from The Cambridge Institute of Education, United Kingdom, a Bachelor of Education Degree (with Honors) from Nottingham University, UK, and a Masters Degree in Administration and Supervision from the University of North Texas. Before joining Southfield Mr. Walker had 20 years experience in education as both a teacher and an administrator. Mr. Walker is in his 20th year at Southfield School.
Lesley Brice
(318) 213-6337
lbrice@southfield-school.org
Lesley Brice joined Southfield in 2007. She began her career at Southfield teaching math as well as serving as the Student Advisory Coordinator in the middle school. In 2016, Mrs. Brice assumed the position as Assistant Head of School for 3rd grade through 8th grade. She earned her BS and MS from Texas Christian University and has over 23 years of experience in education. Mrs. Brice has two alumni children of the School.
Sunny Huckaby
(318) 213-6344
shuckaby@southfield-school.org
Sunny Huckaby joined the Southfield faculty as a second-grade teacher in 2008. She became the Preschool Director in 2010 and is now the Assistant Head of School for Preschool through 2nd grade. Mrs. Huckaby earned her BA in Elementary Education from Louisiana State University, Shreveport. She received her Master’s in Early Childhood Education from Northwestern State University. She is certified to teach preschool through eighth-grade students and has two alumni children of the school.
Clare Coburn
Admissions Director
(318) 213-6333
ccoburn@southfield-school.org
Clare Coburn is a graduate of Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge with a BS in Early Childhood Education. She began working at Southfield in 1990 as Director of the Preschool program and in the classroom as a preschool teacher. Clare left the classroom in 1997 to add the position of Admission Director to her responsibilities as director of the Preschool program. She became the full-time Admission Director and Parent Relations Director in 2005. Clare has over 25 years experience in education and has been both a member of the Southfield staff and a Southfield parent, with three alumni children.
Adnan Samhan
Cynthia Johnson
(318) 213-6334
cjohnson@southfield-school.org
Cynthia Johnson joined Southfield in 2013 as the senior accountant in the business office.
Brian Rowell
(318) 213-6340
browell@southfield-school.org
Brian Rowell is the Director of Technology at Southfield School. Mr. Rowell joined the Southfield School faculty in 2000, having spent four years as a fourth-grade teacher and nine years as Lower School Technology Director. He has a BA from Louisiana State University in Shreveport. With 22 years in education, he is in his 18th year with Southfield School.
Matt Burt
(318) 213-6884
mburt@southfield-school.org
Jeanette Conaway
(318) 213-6331
jconaway@southfield-school.org
Jeanette Conaway joined Southfield School in 2017. She completed her undergrad at Oklahoma State University and her MBA at the University of Texas in Tyler.
Christina Ogea
Christie Lamoureux
(318) 213-6335
clamoureux@southfield-school.org
Christie Lamoureux is the Director of Marketing at Southfield School. She joined the Southfield School faculty in late 2018. Christie has a BS in Business Administration from Louisiana State University in Shreveport and has experience in marketing and non-profit administration. She has a son, Julian.
Chris Hutchison
(318) 213-6886
chutchison@southfield-school.org
Chris Hutchison’s love of Southfield began 15 years ago as a parent to three children who are now Southfield Alumni. Chris has served in several volunteer capacities at the school, including PA President and member of the Board of Trustees. Chris joined the staff as the Alumni Director in January 2018. She has a Business Degree from Texas Tech University.
Janice Smoak
Patti Shelton
Roslyn Rushing
Preschool
Abby Hale
(318) 213-6870
ahale@southfield-school.org
Abby Hale is the Preschool Exploration Lead Teacher at Southfield School. She joined our preschool in 1997 with 3 years of experience in education. Mrs. Abby earned her BS from Centenary College. She has three daughters enrolled at Southfield.
Lacie Kennedy
(318) 213-6876
lkennedy@southfield-school.org
Lacie Kennedy joined Southfield School in 2012 as a preschool assistant. After teaching first grade for a few years, Lacie will now be a lead teacher in Southfield’s Kindergarten. Lacie received her BS in Early Childhood Education and Masters of Education specializing in reading from Louisiana Tech.
Samantha Scott
(318) 213-6872
sscott@southfield-school.org
Susie Collier
(318) 213-6874
scollier@southfield-school.org
Susie Collier joined Southfield in 1994 and has over 15 years of experience in education. After taking several years off to have 3 children and raise them to preschool age she returned to Southfield with her youngest preschooler in 2006. Susie has a BS in Child Development from Northeast Louisiana University and an M.Ed. She is the parent of three Southfield alums.
Cathy Frizzell
(318) 213-6879
cfrizzell@southfield-school.org
Melissa Wyss
(318) 213-6873
mwyss@southfield-school.org
Denise Joffrion
(318) 213-6879
djoffrion@southfield-school.org
Kari LaBorde
(318) 213-6877
klaborde@southfield-school.org
Lauren Rhodes
(318) 213-6876
lrhodes@southfield-school.org
Lauren Rhodes began teaching Preschool at Southfield in 2017 with three years of experience in education. Miss Lauren earned her BS and M.Ed. in Early Childhood Education from Northwestern State University.
Kindergarten
Shannon Bohanan
(318) 213-6330
sbohanan@southfield-school.org
Katie Jackson
(318) 213-6352
kjackson@southfield-school.org
Katie Jackson joined the Preschool team as an assistant in 2010. She became a lead teacher in Kindergarten in 2013. Katie received her undergraduate degree from Louisiana State University in Shreveport and her Masters in Early Childhood Education from Northwestern State University.
Ellen Lockhart
(318) 213-6330
elockhart@southfield-school.org
Ellen Lockhart joined Southfield in 2018 as a PS-3 Assistant. She earned her BS in Arts (Communications Studies) from Louisiana State University and will begin Northwestern University’s Masters of Arts in Teaching program in summer 2019. Ellen previously worked as a nanny in both Australia and Italy.
Lower School
Shannon Martinez
Jackie Singleton
(318) 213-6402 jsingleton@southfield-school.org
Jackie returned to Southfield in 2012 as a first-grade teacher, having previously taught kindergarten at the school for 13 years. Jackie, who has 31 years of education experience, received her BA from the University of Southwestern Louisiana and holds a Masters plus 30 hours from Louisiana State University.
Dr. Mollie Catherine Blunt
(318) 213-6402
mblunt@southfield-school.org Mollie Catherine Blunt joined Southfield School in 2017 to teach second grade. She holds a BS in Elementary Education with an Early Childhood Education certification, a Masters of Education specializing in reading from Louisiana Tech University, and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Louisiana Tech University. Mollie Catherine has five years of prior teaching experience.
Nancy Bynum
(318) 213-6418
nbynum@southfield-school.org
Kayla Barker
(318) 213-6407
kbarker@southfield-school.org
Kayla Barker joined the Southfield faculty in 2007 as a third grade teacher. She has a BA in education from Louisiana State University at Shreveport and her M.Ed. from Centenary College. Kayla has over 25 years of teaching experience.
Carolyn Pearce
(318) 213-6409
cpearce@southfield-school.org
Kay Batte
(318) 213-6406
kbatte@southfield-school.org
Kay joined Southfield in 2012 as a 4th grade teacher. She is certified in Elementary Education and holds a BS in Elementary Education from Louisiana State University. She has 22 years teaching experience in 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades.
Bria Mayeux
(318) 213-6404
bmayeux@southfield-school.org
Middle School
Julie Kaiser
(318) 213-6405
jkaiser@southfield-school.org
Julie joined Southfield in 2018 after retiring from Shreve Island Elementary School in Caddo Parish. This is her 23rd year of teaching. She is married to Jody, an assistant principal in Bossier Parish, and they have 3 children. Shane and Alyson are in college and Peyton is in eighth grade. Julie has her M.Ed. degree from Centenary College.
Eric Lee
Middle School Social Studies and Introduction to Algebra
(318) 213-6355
elee@southfield-school.org
Eric joined Southfield as a Middle School social studies teacher in 2013. Certified in Secondary Education, Eric holds a BA from Centenary College and a Master of Arts from Louisiana Tech University. Eric’s wife, Kate, is a Southfield alumna from the class of 1995. In his free time, he and his wife enjoy taking their sons, Patrick and Latham, on adventures around the world. Their favorite trip is visiting relatives in Australia!
Susan Murrell
Middle School Language Arts and Social Studies
(318) 213-6413 smurrell@southfield-school.org
Susan Murrell joined the Southfield faculty in 1986. She currently teaches fifth grade social studies and language arts. Susan has a BS from Centenary College and has over 25 years of experience in education. Susan also directs Southfield’s summer program. She has two sons who are Southfield alumni.
Holly Odom
(318) 213-6406
hodom@southfield-school.org
Holly Odom teaches middle school mathematics for seventh and eighth-grade students at Southfield School. She has a BS from Mississippi College and an M.Ed. from Mississippi State University. Holly joined Southfield in 2000 with over 10 years experience at that time. Holly is the mother of three Southfield graduates.
Dr. Pete Shumate
Middle School Science & MathCounts Coach
(318) 213-6416
pshumate@southfield-school.org
Dr. Shumate joined Southfield in late 2015. He earned his BS in Chemistry/Mathematics from The University of the Cumberlands in Williamsburg, KY and then his PhD in Physical Chemistry from the University of Alabama. He has 11 years prior collegiate teaching experience. Dr. Shumate and his wife, Angela, have two daughters, Emaline Rose and Abigail Lily.
Leah Thelen
Middle School Language Arts & Social Studies
(318) 213-6354
lthelen@southfield-school.org
Leah joined the Middle School faculty in 2010. She teaches 6th grade Language Arts, Mathematics, and World Geography. She has a BS from the University of Houston and over 15 years experience in education. She has two children at Southfield.
Paige Wolcott
(318) 213-6411
pwolcott@southfield-school.org
Paige joined Southfield in 2009 in the Middle School faculty teaching 7th and 8th grade English and Language Arts. She has a BA from Texas A&M University and over 14 years experience. She has two children.
Specialists
Laurie Bridel
(318) 213-6339
lbridel@southfield-school.org
Laurie Bridel joined Southfield School in 1994. She taught 4th grade for many years and then taught language arts and social studies to sixth grade students. In 2010, she became the Library Director and the AfterCare Director. She has a BA from Oklahoma State University. Laurie has 27 years teaching experience. Both of Laurie’s children are Southfield alums.
Baron Capers
Middle School STEAM Specialist
(318) 213-6382
bcapers@southfield-school.org
Mr. Capers, a professional 2D/3D artist and adjunct faculty member at the Digital Media Institute, is a native of Shreveport who recently returned after living in Texas for several years. He is a graduate of Southern Methodist University Guildhall, which is considered the premier graduate program in video game design. Mr. Capers teaches a middle school enrichment course that includes such topics as concept art, 2D digital art, game history and theory, and the use of 3D in games, movies, and television.
Vicki Cockerell
Math & Science Specialist PS4-5th Grade
(318) 213-6880
vcockerell@southfield-school.org
Vicki Cockerell joined Southfield in 1991 with 10 years experience in teaching. She has a BA from Texas A&M University and has 35 years experience in education. Vicki has taught PS2-6th grade at Southfield. In 2010 she became the Math and Science specialist and teaches 1st through 4th-grade science labs. Additionally, Vicki teaches PS-4 through 5th-grade math enrichment programs. Her three children are all graduates of Southfield School.
Janine Demerath
(318) 213-6347
jdemerath@southfield-school.org
Janine joined Southfield in 2010 as a Spanish teacher for students in middle school. Janine has a BA from Universidad Tecnologica Equinoccial in Quito, Ecuador (her native country) and an MA from Middlebury College in Vermont. She has 19 years of experience teaching Spanish. Janine has 2 children, one a junior in high school and one enrolled at Southfield, currently in 7th grade.
Debbie Davis
(318) 213-6882
ddavis@southfield-school.org
Debbie Davis has been teaching music at Southfield School since 1975. Her knowledge and love of music and her ability to share it with students in preschool through middle school make her a Southfield treasure. Mrs. Davis provides musical direction for the Halloween and Holiday programs as well as the May Pole celebration, Civilization Fair, Fine Arts Festival, and Eagle Singers’ concert each spring. She has her BME from Northwestern State University and Orff Certification from the University of California at Santa Cruz. Debbie’s two daughters graduated from Southfield.
Carly Feightner
Physical Education & School Counselor
(318) 213-5803
cfeightner@southfield-school.org
Carly joined Southfield in 2006 as a Physcial Education Specialist. Carly has a BS from Centenary College and a Masters in Counseling Psychology from Louisiana State University in Shreveport. She is also a certified school counselor in the state of Louisiana. Carly has over 9 years teaching experience. Carly currently has three children attending Southfield School.
Jennifer Fortune
(318) 213-6356
jfortune@southfield-school.org
Jennifer Fortune joined Southfield in 2006 as the Reading Specialist. Jennifer has a BA from Louisiana State University in Shreveport. She has over 22 years experience in education. Jennifer has two children currently enrolled at Southfield.
Jenny Gauthier
jgauthier@southfield-school.org
Jenny Gauthier teaches kindergarten through fourth grade art. She won the National Art Education Association’s 2019 award for New Professional Art Educator. Mrs. Gauthier previously practiced architecture before teaching art. She incorporates STEAM projects in her classroom and collaborates with classroom teachers and specialists to reinforce the students’ curricula with art. Mrs. Gauthier’s two daughters attend Southfield and her husband is a Southfield alumni.
Elizabeth Grondin
Suzuki Strings and Ensemble Director
(318) 869-0048
egrondinsuzuki@southfield-school.org
Elizabeth joined the Southfield team in 2011. Elizabeth holds a M. M. degree in Violin Performance and Suzuki Pedagogy from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. She received a B. M. degree in Violin Performance with Suzuki Pedagogy and iBASE (integrated Business for Arts and Sciences Education) Certificates from the University of Evansville in 2009. She has completed Violin training, ECC through Book 10, with both Carol Dallinger and Mark Bjork, teacher trainers. Past teachers include Linda Wickes, Joyce Davis, Dolores Wilson, Nic Orbovich, Carol Dallinger, and Mark Bjork.
Margaret Holt
(318) 213-6364
mholt@southfield-school.org
Margaret Holt joined Southfield as the Art Director in 2010. She has a M.Ed from Centenary College and a BS from Louisiana State University. Margaret has over 40 years experience in education.
Chris Kennedy
(318) 868-5803
ckennedy@southfield-school.org
Chris Kennedy joined the Southfield staff as Athletic Director in 2008. As Athletic Director he organizes Southfield School’s sports programs; including coordinating schedules with local athletic leagues, securing coaches and officials, and recognizing our student athletes’ achievements. Chris also coaches several teams and assists with Physical Education classes. Mr. Kennedy has a BA in History plus additional graduate level hours from Louisiana State University in Shreveport and is certified to teach physical education by the state of Louisiana.
Elizabeth Lyles
French Teacher Lower & Middle School
(318) 213-6419
elyles@southfield-school.org
Elizabeth is a Shreveport native and a 2001 Southfield alumna who previously taught French in Saint Landry Parish and Lafayette Parish. Prior to joining the Southfield faculty in 2016, she worked as a bilingual partner relations advisor at Apple, Inc. in Austin, Texas. She holds a Master of Arts degree in Teaching from Centenary College and teaches using the internationally acclaimed Accelerated Integrative Methodology (AIM) of foreign language instruction. Having lived and studied in Belgium, France, and Canada, and with a passion for Louisiana’s unique francophone influences, she is always inspired to bring an enriching language experience to her Southfield students. She currently teaches 2nd to 8th grade French.
Gena Matthews
Physical Education
(318) 868-5803
gmatthews@southfield-school.org
Physical Education teacher Gena Matthews has a BS from Ouachita Baptist University. Gena joined Southfield in 2004 with more than 20 years teaching experience.
Voahangy Wascom
French Preschool & Lower School
(318) 213-6419
vwascom@southfield-school.org
Voahangy is a native from France. She graduated with a Master in International Business from the Grad school of Management in Montpellier (France) and fell in love with Louisiana and its culture while getting her Master of Business Administration at Southeastern Louisiana University. After a career in international organizations geared toward education, she has substituted for French teachers and tutored students for several years before joining Southfield school in 2015. She is assisting classes in Middle school and teaches French in Pre-school and Lower school. She has three children attending Southfield School.
Courtney Young
Director of Drama/PS-2 Assistant
(318) 213-6419
cyoung@southfield-school.org
Courtney Young worked as the choreographer for the middle school spring musicals from 2013 -2015 and is in her fourth year as Southfield’s Director of Drama. In 2004 Courtney received her BA in the Arts from Northwestern State University with a major in Theatre and a minor in Dance. She has over 10 years professional experience in dance, stage and film. She is eligible for the Screen Actors Guild Union and has broad experience in dance, theatre, film and commercials. Courtney has directed, produced, choreographed, and played lead roles in numerous stage productions. She has worked on several television shows, in film roles, music videos, and commercials as well as having experience working with the middle school age group. She is also the former owner of a local entertainment production company and former co-owner of a local dance studio.
Teaching Assistants
Maddie Collier
Rhonda Dosset
Ashley Ellis
Debbie Green
Jason Hanes
Valerie Henix
Vicky Mashburn
Bridget Poleman
Lori Smith
Support Staff
Dean Wheeler
Ronald Jordan
Officer R. Candley
Officer Favis
Danette Colvin
LaJuan Wagoner
Kelly Ferris
