ADMINISTRATION
DAVID BONNER
Head of School & Founding Director
Science, Computer Science, Music, Neuroscience
Robotics Coach
Applied Educational Neuroscience
(Graduate Certificate)
Gifted, Creative, and Talented Studies
(Graduate Certificate)
Elementary Education (K-6)
Secondary Science Education
Chemistry & Physics
Electrical Engineering Technology (EET)
Computer Engineering Technology (CpET)
Computer Science Teaching (minor)
David Bonner is the Founding Director and Head of School.
David is licensed to teach elementary, secondary science, and gifted & talented. He has launched several gifted programs in Central Indiana and consulted for several schools both locally and nationwide. Prior to becoming a teacher, David earned two degrees in engineering technology and spent several years as a professional in that field.
David graduated from Butler University in 2021 with a Graduate Certificate in Applied Educational Neuroscience. His thesis was Looking at the childhood experience of giftedness and twice-exceptional giftedness through the lens of neuroscience, trauma, and Adverse Childhood Experiences.
Since 2008, David has directed the local Mensa youth program. He has served on the National Mensa Gifted Youth Committee since 2010 where he helps support other leaders and collaborates in establishing national policy. He received the American Mensa Gifted Youth Coordinator of the Year award in 2010.
David coaches the Elementary and Middle School competitive VEX Robotics Teams at Apogee. His teams have won ten trophies since 2016 including Division State Champion in 2020 and a spot at the VEX World Championship in 2020. His teams have earned a spot at State Finals twice. He also directs regional VEX tournaments.
Joined Apogee October 2015
JULIE CONRAD
Principal
EdD in Educational Leadership (in progress)
Dissertation: Growing up Gifted: A Phenomenological Study of how K-12 Experiences Impact the Self-Efficacy of Gifted Women
MsEd in Educational Leadership
BA in Biology, Secondary Education (General Science Minor K–8)
Julie Conrad is our School Principal.
As a dedicated school administrator with a robust background in instructional leadership, Julie is passionate about driving meaningful change in education. She’s had the privilege of coaching and evaluating hundreds of teachers, fostering growth through professional development that emphasizes student ownership and empowers educators to transition from teaching content to teaching students to think critically.
Her expertise spans dual credit, advanced placement, high-ability students, and STEM education. With leadership experience across K-12 settings, she thrives on bridging the gap between educational research and classroom practices to ensure that innovations positively impact student learning.
In pursuit of her EdD at the University of Southern Indiana, she is researching how the educational experiences of gifted girls have shaped their lives. Her work focuses on uncovering the societal, educational, and other factors that contribute to the underachievement of gifted women, aiming to bring new insights and strategies to support this often-overlooked population.
What sets her apart is her ability to build strong relationships and inspire growth in others, whether it’s students, teachers, or colleagues. she genuinely enjoys the challenge of creating environments where learning and teaching flourish, and she’s always eager to collaborate with others who share a passion for education.
Joined Apogee October 2015, Returned September 2026
TEACHERS
AUDREY EHINGER
5th-6th Core Teacher
Content coming soon
Joined Apogee October 2023
MEGAN FOSHER
7th-High School Core Teacher
ELA Teacher
B.S. Educational Studies
Megan Fosher is our core 5th-6th grade teacher.
Megan graduated from DePauw University in May of 2022 with a Bachelor of the Arts degree in Education Studies. During the summer going into her junior year at DePauw, Megan co-wrote a chapter of the now-published book, Post-Digital Ecopedagogies: Genealogies, Contradictions, or Possible Futures with education studies professor Derek Ford.
Megan intends on attending graduate school to obtain a Master of Arts in Secondary Language Arts Education degree and a certificate in Gifted and Talented education.
Joined Apogee August 2022
GRANT LADOW
3rd-4th Grade Core Teacher
After Care
Education & Curriculum
Theater (minor)
Grant LaDow is our core 3rd -4th grade teacher
Grant LaDow has always had a passion for teaching. Growing up, raised by two teachers, he understood the importance of a good educator in the classroom. He went to Purdue to pursue his passion and got a Major in Education and Curriculum and a minor in theater (on accident). He worked at the Children’s Museum for four years, helping serve the Indianapolis community in nurturing the curiosity of all children
Grant enjoys rock climbing, video games, Dungeons and Dragons and writing. He spends his free time camping and looking for interesting minerals and fossils!
Joined Apogee July 2023
SCOTT LANDY
7th- High School Core Teacher
Math Teacher
M.B.A. in Marketing
B.A. in Business and Economics
Scott Landy is our math teacher for grades 5-10, and is our homeroom teacher for the middle school and high school class.
Mr. Landy has a B.A. in Business and Economics from The University of Chicago and an M.B.A. in Marketing from the Booth School of Business at The University of Chicago. He previously worked in brand management in the consumer packaged-goods industry, and as a marketing consultant specializing in innovation and new product development. In 2013, after coaching his daughter’s Destination Imagination team for several years, Mr. Landy realized that he enjoyed working with children and wanted to make a career change.
Before moving to Indiana, Mr. Landy has spent more than a decade involved in the Destination Imagination program as a team manager, appraiser, and Illinois Destination Imagination board member. Before coming to Apogee, he worked for more than 5 years as a middle-school and high-school substitute teacher, including long term assignments in both math and special education.
Mr. Landy identifies with, and has a personal interest in, teaching gifted children, having been enrolled in a public-school gifted program from third thru eighth grade. He is also passionate about TTRPGs (table top role playing games) and often teaches D&D or DCC minicourses at Apogee.
Joined Apogee August 2022
ADAM LECLERC
5th-6th Core Teacher
Social Studies
Content coming soon
Joined Apogee February 2024
MS. NELSON
Kindergarten-2nd Grade Core Teacher
Neuroscience Coordinator
Applied Educational Neuroscience
(Graduate Certificate)
M.S. in Educational Leadership
B.S. in Elementary Education
Ms. Nelson has a B.S. in Elementary Education from the University of Missouri-Columbia (“Mizzou”), a master’s degree in Educational Leadership from the University of Portland, and recently earned a graduate certificate in Applied Educational Neuroscience from Butler University. Ms. Nelson was also recently trained and earned her certificate in the Orten-Gillingham method of reading.
The school year 2026-27 marks the beginning of Ms. Nelson’s 19th year of teaching. Ms. Nelson has taught 4th grade, Gifted and Talented Education (7 years on Guam), 5th grade, 1st grade, and is now lead teacher in the combined K-2 gifted class at Apogee. She has substituted for every grade Kindergarten-12th grade, worked as a T.A. for the Special School District of St. Louis County, co-coordinated a before and after school program, taught swim lessons and has been a camp counselor for a variety of summer camps. She also taught low-achieving middle schoolers reading, propelling their skills forward.
Ms. Nelson was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri, but moved to and lived on the island of Guam for about 17 years. Guam is her second home, and she is an island girl at heart. In addition to island-hopping and state-hopping, Ms. Nelson loves to travel this world and has spent time in Thailand, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Singapore, Turkey, Italy, Honduras, Panama, Mexico…maybe more!
In addition to traveling and exploring, top fave activities include art, hiking, reading, writing, organizing, spending time with friends and family, and of course…teaching!
Joined Apogee November 2024
JUSTIN SUE
7th-9th Co-Teacher
Technology Coordinator
Actuarial Science
Justin graduated from Ball State University in 2016 with a degree in actuarial science. Throughout his education, Justin helped his fellow students with coursework — tutoring them in math while in high school and college. After trying different jobs, he’s making a return to education, also working as an SAT/ACT and chemistry tutor.
Justin enjoys reading books, science, and anime, and likes programming (including AI agents), 3D printing and painting, Dungeons & Dragons, and Magic: The Gathering.
Joined Apogee February 2026
TERRI TREPANIER
SpEd Coordinator
School Counselor
Ed. S. in Educational Technology and Learning Engineering
Certification in Blind-Low Vision
M. S. in Educational Administration – EPPSP 31
Certification Transition to Teaching in Special Education in Mild Teacher Leadership Academy
M. Ed. in School Counseling
B.S. in Communication and Media
Ever since I can remember, I have been drawn to teaching and supporting others. From my earliest days in elementary school, teachers recognized my willingness to lend a hand and entrusted me with helping my peers. I am deeply passionate about empowering individuals to discover their potential and succeed in learning, working, and living fulfilling lives. My greatest strength lies in thoughtfully designing and implementing educational intervention plans tailored to each learner. Above all, I find true joy in helping others become confident readers and writers.
Currently, I have the privilege of serving as a School Counselor, where I strive to create a welcoming and supportive environment for every student. My previous experience includes teaching Special Education, co-teaching High School English and Algebra, and leading as both a Special Education Department Chair and Coordinator. Each role has enriched my understanding of diverse learners and strengthened my commitment to fostering inclusive, supportive educational communities.
Joined Apogee August 2025
SUPPORT STAFF
TIFFANY FRITZ
Occupational Therapy
Assistant Director
Occupational Therapy Specializing in Pediatrics (PhD)
Tiffany Fritz is our Occupational Therapist.
Tiffany is a mom of 3 boys, and has been a Pediatric Occupational Therapist since 2004. She has a Bachelor of Science degree in Occupational Therapy from Indiana University at IUPUI and specializes in Pediatrics.
Tiffany founded Untapped Pediatric Therapies in 2017 and is the Assistant Director at Apogee School for the Gifted. She believes that each child should have the opportunity to reach his/her FULL potential (even if that means their potential is different from their peers).
Tiffany met David Bonner, head of Apogee School for the Gifted, and the two quickly realized the complete alignment of their visions of creating programs that allow children to reach THEIR fullest potential in a respectful and creative environment. Tiffany and David are co-directors at each program in order to ensure continued collaboration and maximize success of each student.
Tiffany offers non-therapeutic as well as therapeutic groups to Apogee students throughout their school week. The groups are designed to meet the current needs of the students and vary throughout the year as their needs evolve. Some examples of groups are: organization/executive functioning group, social and mindfulness group, book club, etc. Tiffany is also available to treat Apogee students at Untapped Pediatric Therapies (on the first floor of the building) who qualify for individual Occupational Therapy. Occupational Therapy can address a wide range of needs but often, for the gifted population, some examples of commonly treated areas are: executive functioning, behavioral modification, sensory processing modulation, social anxiety, fine motor skills, gross motor coordination, body awareness and motor planning, etc.
Tiffany also serves as Vice President of the Jonathan William Legg (JWL) Foundation, Inc, raising money to award scholarships each year to Avon, Indiana high school students to carry on the legacy of Jonathan Legg.
Joined Apogee August 2017
DR. RILEY GUARD
Occupational Therapy
Occupational Therapy Specializing in Pediatrics (PhD)
Psychology
Special Education
Dr. Riley Guard, OTR is a 2024 Doctor of Occupational Therapy graduate from Indiana University at IUPUI who specializes in pediatrics. She also has a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and Special Education from Butler University.
During her undergraduate time at Butler, she became connected with Tiffany Fritz and Untapped where she worked as an Untapped preschool teacher from 2018-2021. Riley completed her Doctoral Capstone project and experience with Untapped and Apogee during the spring semester of 2024 to evaluate sensory processes among the Apogee student population in order to help make the Apogee environment sensory inclusive and conducive to learning.
Riley is practicing with Tiffany Fritz at Untapped and providing services for Apogee students and families.
Joined Apogee January 2024
TRACEY HAMAN
Admin Assistant
Public Relations & Marketing
Tracey Haman is an administrative assistant.
She is in charge of the potential student process, school to family contact, the newsletter, the yearbook, party planning, general organization, supporting teachers, and anything else that comes up. When she and her husband enrolled their son at Apogee, Tracey loved what the school was doing for gifted students and wanted to join the team to help the school succeed.
Before working at Apogee, Tracey was a graphic designer/product designer for over 12 years – mostly designing puzzles, board games and catalogs. In the past she worked at Disney World for 4 years and as a travel agent specializing in Disney vacations for 6 years. She graduated from Purdue University with a B.A. in Public Relations/Marketing.
Joined Apogee March 2021
KRISTEN SETTLE
Business Manager
Info coming soon
Joined Apogee July 2026
Indoor air quality coordinator: David Bonner
