Brief Biography:

‍Born in Boston, Massachusetts, and raised in Dublin, Ireland, Fiona grew up in a family deeply rooted in faith and education. From an early age, she felt called to teaching, drawn by its power to shape both the mind and the heart. After earning her Bachelor of Music Education from Trinity College Dublin, she moved to the United States to teach through Teach For America, later completing a master’s in Education in Curriculum and Teaching from Boston University with a focus on Special Education. Over the past fourteen years, Fiona has taught and served in leadership roles across public, private, charter, and classical schools. She currently serves as the Dean of Curriculum and Instruction at Lionheart Classical Academy in New Hampshire, where she has found her pedagogical home in the mission of classical education – to train minds and inspire hearts.

Fiona is pursuing the Master of Classical Education Leadership degree at Hillsdale College beginning in the summer of 2025. She and her husband, a fellow educator, are blessed with four wonderful children. She enjoys music, reading, and spending time outdoors hiking, backpacking, and camping with her family.

What brought you to Hillsdale?

‍I have long been aware of Hillsdale College and its leading role in the revival of classical education. Even before joining Lionheart Classical Academy, I explored many of Hillsdale’s phenomenal online courses, including Constitution 101, The History of Classical Music, and Totalitarian Novels, which deepened my appreciation for the depth and rigor of Hillsdale’s approach. When I began working at Lionheart, a curriculum school using Hillsdale’s K-12 curriculum guide, I found the alignment between Hillsdale’s philosophy and my own educational values made it a perfect fit. Pursuing the MCEL program became a natural next step to grow as an educator and leader, deepen my understanding of classical pedagogy, and serve my students and school community more effectively.

What has been the thing you’ve appreciated most about your time here?

‍I deeply appreciate my classmates. Though we are united by a shared vision of classical education, our varied experiences have made our conversations rich and inspiring. I feel so fortunate that the MCEL faculty provided us with the opportunity to connect in person on campus at Hillsdale this past June before diving into our weekly discussions on Zoom. I am also profoundly thankful for our professors, whose teaching has reignited a spark in me as an educator. In the constant urgency of school leadership, it can be challenging to make time for contemplation, but their guidance has reminded me how vital it is for both personal growth and the students I serve.

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