FACULTY
Matthew C. Briel, PhD - Head of School
Matthew Briel, serves as the founding Head of School for St. Augustine's. His career began with a year as a Visiting Assistant Professor of Theology at the University of Scranton. He then served as an Assistant Professor of Theology at Assumption University in Massachusetts. He has spent the last two years teaching humanities and working in development at the University of Mary. Before earning a PhD in Theology from Fordham University in 2016, Briel received an MA in Classics from the University of Minnesota in 2010, an MTS in the History of Christianity from the University of Notre Dame in 2007, and a BA in Philosophy, magna cum laude, from the University of Notre Dame in 2003. Briel has studied at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome, the Gennadius Library of the American School of Classical Studies in Athens, the University of Vienna, and as an accredited scholar at the Vatican Library. He has written on a variety of topics from the history of Christian thought, including the works of St. John Henry Newman and Gennadios Scholarios.
mbriel@staugustineschoolmn.org
Ellie Peters - Dean of Girls
Ellie Peters comes from a background of eight years of experience teaching Philosophy, Literature, History, and Scripture to students in grades 6-12. Graduating from Davidson College magna cum laude, Ellie earned a B.A. in Political Science. She completed a capstone paper on Thucydides' Peloponnesian War, exploring the relationship between justice and self-interest in Athens’ imperial foreign policy. Her writing has appeared in Veritas Journal and Between Cities, with a forthcoming article titled "Undone, Redone, Repeat: Reflections on Motherhood and Homer's Odyssey" set to be published in Between Cities.
epeters@staugustineschoolmn.org
Steve Hendrickson - Dean of Boys
Steve Hendrickson has 28 years teaching experience teaching Mathematics, Science, and Scripture for grades 7-12. Steve earned a B.S. in Applied Mathematics from Indiana University at South Bend. In addition to his role as a teacher, Steve also served in several roles in school administration including Dean of Boys, Building Manager, Mathematics Program Coordinator, and Mathematics Master Teacher.
shendrickson@staugustineschoolmn.org
Laura Miller - Teacher
Laura Miller has six years of experience teaching Doctrine, Philosophy, Literature, History, and Scripture to students in grades 7-12. She earned a B.A. in English Literature with a minor in Intellectual History from the University of Colorado - Boulder, graduating magna cum laude. Laura went on to complete an M.A. in Catholic Studies at the University of St. Thomas in Saint Paul, where her Master’s Essay, Education by the Muses: The Poetic Mode and the Restoration of Western Education, explored the role of poetry in revitalizing classical learning. In addition to her work in secondary education, Laura spent three years establishing and leading a homeschool co-op for elementary-aged students.