Faculty & Staff
Helping Young people reach their full potential so They’re empowered to make a difference.
Having teachers who truly care has taken Colby to another level. He’s not just doing well—he actually wants to keep improving.
Matt Snoei, Parent
I could tell you all the great things about UMEI—but until you experience it for yourself, that’s when it really clicks. Take the leap.
Teresa Mazzella, Parent
Ken Brown
Maintenance
Mandy Brown
Custodian, Maintenance
Zach Howell
Teacher
BA, B.Ed
Sarah Wiens
Teacher
B.Comm, B.Ed
Nicholas Driedger
Instructor
Derek Bedal
Instructor, Athletic Director
BA
Alyssa Epp
Teacher
B.Mus, B.Ed, OCT
Jillian Suta
Teacher
BFA, MA.
Tina Avila
Teacher
BA, B.Ed, OCT
Erin Armstrong
Teacher
B.Mus., M. Mus, B.Ed.
Lucas Froese
Teacher
B.Sc, B.Ed, OCT
Olivia Toews
Teacher
BASc, M.Ed, OCT
Joel Warkentin
Teacher
BTH, BA, B.Ed, OCT
Nancy Loewen
Learning Support and Guidance Services, Teacher
BMath, BEd, OCT
Christine Calder
Finance Manager
Kim Rutgers
Administrative Assistant
B.Comm, B.Ed
Chani Wiens
Director of Enrollment and Community Engagement
BBA, B.Ed, OCT
Darcy Bults
Principal
BA, B.Ed, OCT
Mandy Brown
Custodian, Maintenance
Ken Brown
Maintenance
Derek Bedal
Instructor, Athletic Director
BA
Nicholas Driedger
Instructor
Sarah Wiens
Teacher
B.Comm, B.Ed
Zach Howell
Teacher
BA, B.Ed
Lucas Froese
Teacher
B.Sc, B.Ed, OCT
Erin Armstrong
Teacher
B.Mus., M. Mus, B.Ed
Jillian Suta
Teacher
BFA, MA
Alyssa Epp
Teacher
B.Mus, B.Ed, OCT
Nancy Loewen
Learning Support and Guidance Services, Teacher
BMath, BEd, OCT
Joel Warkentin
Teacher
BTH, BA, B.Ed, OCT
Olivia Toews
Teacher
BASc, M.Ed, OCT
Tina Avila
Teacher
BA, B.Ed, OCT
Darcy Bults
Principal
BA, B.Ed, OCT
Chani Wiens
Executive Director of Admissions & Advancement
BBA, B.Ed, OCT
Kim Rutgers
Administrative Assistant
B.Comm, B.Ed
Christine Calder
Finance Administrator
Principal
Darcy Bults
BA, B.Ed, OCT
Director of Enrollment and Community Engagement
Chani Wiens
BBA, B.Ed, OCT
Learning Support and Guidance Services, Teacher
Nancy Lower
BMath, BEd, OCT
Teacher
Joel Warkentin
BTH, BA, B.Ed, OCT
Teacher
Olivia Toews
BASc, M.Ed, OCT
Teacher
Lucas Froese
B.Sc, B.Ed, OCT
Teacher
Erin Armstrong
B.Mus., M. Mus, B.Ed.
Teacher
Tina Avila
BA, B.Ed, OCT
Teacher
Jillian Suta
BFA, MA.
Teacher
Alyssa Epp
B.Mus, B.Ed, OCT
Instructor, Athletic Director
Derek Bedal
BA
Instructor
Nicholas Driedger
Teacher
Zach Howell
BA, B.Ed
Teacher
Sarah Wiens
B.Comm, B.Ed
Administrative Assistant
Kim Rutgers
B.Comm, B.Ed
Finance Manager
Christine Calder
Custodian, Maintenance
Mandy Brown
Maintenance
Ken Brown
Teacher
Zach Howell
B.Comm, B.Ed
Mr. Howell loves building meaningful relationships with students and watching them grow into confident, thoughtful young people. He strives to make every student feel seen and valued while adapting learning to help each individual succeed. He especially appreciates UMEI’s caring community and the opportunity to learn and grow in faith together.
Math & Accouting
Sarah Wiens
B.Mus, B.Ed, OCT
Mrs. Wiens loves the “aha” moments when students solve a challenging problem and realize they can do more than they expected. She cares deeply about student success and works to support each learner by being flexible and responsive to their individual goals and learning needs.
Robotics & Athletics
Nicholas Driedger
B.Mus, B.Ed, OCT
Mr. Driedger enjoys helping students develop real-world skills like problem solving, teamwork, leadership, and responsibility. Through robotics and extracurricular involvement, he encourages students to explore their interests and grow in confidence as they tackle meaningful challenges.
Athletic Director, Phys. Ed. & Communication Technology
Derek Bedal
B.Mus, B.Ed, OCT
Mr. Bedal loves the energy of school life and the relationships that grow with students and their families over time. He works to create a positive, supportive environment with clear expectations where students are encouraged to take risks, build confidence, and discover their potential.
Art & Drama
Jillian Suta
BFA, MA.
Mrs. Suta loves watching students grow in confidence and creativity as they try new things. She encourages students to step outside their comfort zones, develop new skills, and discover talents they didn’t know they had. Her classroom is a place where creativity and courage grow together.
Teacher
Erin Armstrong
B.Mus., M. Mus, B.Ed.
Mrs. Armstrong brings more than two decades of musical experience, energy, and connections to UMEI. She loves helping students uncover their voices, build confidence, and experience the joy of making music together. She especially enjoys creating unique performance opportunities that allow students to grow as musicians while sharing their talents with the wider community.
Science & Math
Lucas Froese
B.Sc, B.Ed
Mr. Froese loves sharing his passion for understanding how the world works and encouraging curiosity in his students. He values the close-knit UMEI community, where students and staff genuinely care for one another and learning often begins with a simple question.
Religious Studies & Chapel Coordinator
Tina Avila
BA, B.Ed, OCT
Mrs. Avila loves helping students discover how meaningful and engaging the Bible can be. She values the close-knit community at UMEI and the opportunity to help students grow in faith and leadership. Tina works to make Scripture accessible to students from many different backgrounds and invites them to ask thoughtful questions.
English, Religious Studies & Social Sciences
Joel Warkentin
BTH, BA, B.Ed, OCT
Mr. Warkentin loves sparking curiosity and helping students make meaningful connections about the world around them. He values the strong sense of community at UMEI and the staff’s shared commitment to supporting the whole student as they grow into thoughtful and engaged young adults.
Student Support & Math
Nancy Loewen
BMath, BEd, OCT
Mrs. Loewen loves helping students realize they are capable of more than they think and watching their confidence grow. She creates a supportive space where students feel safe to try, make mistakes, and keep learning. At UMEI, small class sizes allow her to build strong relationships and provide meaningful support for each student.
Finance Manager
Christine Calder
Mrs. Wiens loves the “aha” moments when students solve a challenging problem and realize they can do more than they expected. She cares deeply about student success and works to support each learner by being flexible and responsive to their individual goals and learning needs.
B.Mus, B.Ed, OCT
Administrative Assistant
Kim Rutgers
B.Comm, B.Ed
Mrs. Rutgers enjoys being part of students’ everyday school experience and helping families feel welcomed and supported. She values creating a positive, organized environment where students are known and encouraged. Kim appreciates being part of a team that works together to help students thrive.
Executive Director of Admissions & Advancement
Math & Business
Chani Wiens
BBA, B.Ed, OCT
Mrs. Wiens loves getting to know students—their passions, goals, and hopes for the future—and supporting them as they grow in confidence. She enjoys helping students face challenges head-on and discover what they are capable of achieving within UMEI’s caring community. She loves helping new families discover UMEI, and growing relationships with alumni and donors.
Principal
Darcy Bults
BA, B.Ed, OCT
Mr. Bults enjoys walking alongside students as they grow, make decisions, and begin to discover their path in life. He values the deep commitment of the UMEI community to supporting students and believes strongly in a simple guiding principle: students first, always.