who we are

Dr. Tara Buckley Wyman received her undergraduate degree in Chemistry from California State University, Los Angeles, and her doctorate in Organic Chemistry from UCLA. As a post-doctoral fellow, Dr. Wyman studied gene therapy at the University of California, San Francisco, before accepting a position as professor of chemistry at De Anza College, Cupertino.

Dr. Wyman lives in Atlanta with her husband, Greg, and their twin boys. Dr. Wyman completed the Waldorf high school teacher training program in 2007. At Academe of the Oaks since 2004, she teaches chemistry, physics, mathematics, and quilting. Dr. Wyman is a member of Academe’s Leadership Group; she coordinates the Governor’s Honors program for the high school; and she contributes mightily to the drama department’s wardrobe of contemporary and period costumes.

TG Pelham received his B.A. in philosophy and history from Goucher College in Baltimore, MD, and his M.A. in rhetoric from Georgia State University. Mr. Pelham has taught in both public and private schools since 1995, specializing in literature and history, debate, and outdoor experiential education.

Mr. Pelham has coached both college and high-school debate teams for national competition. As a faculty member of Emory University’s National Debate Project, he helped establish urban debate programs for underfunded public schools. An outdoor enthusiast, Mr. Pelham has also created several outdoor education programs. For 20 years he directed youth summer programs at Turtle Island, a camp run by Eustace Conway and featured on the History Channel. Mr. Pelham teaches outdoor skills such as South Eastern American Indian technologies, backcountry and primitive camping, white-water canoeing, and rock climbing.

He lives in Decatur, GA, with his partner, Lesli, their two sons, and Sydney, their convenient travel-sized Mini Aussie.

Corrina Sephora Mensoff began her life-long interest in metalworking at the age of five in her father’s workshop. After receiving her BFA in Sculpture and Metalsmithing from the Massachusetts College of Art (Boston) in 1995, she moved to Atlanta, Georgia, where she created a self-guided journeyman’s apprenticeship. Two years later, she established Phoenix Metalworks, specializing in sculpture, furniture, and architectural works.

In 2005, Ms. Mensoff received her MFA in Sculpture from Georgia State University. Her metalworking awards include “Best in Show” from Annette Cone Skelton of MOCA, Silver Award from Icarus International, and a Silver Sculpture Award from NOMMA, among others. Her metalwork is on permanent display in Atlanta at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens, Temple Sinai, the Martin Luther King Natatorium, and in many private collections nationally. She continues to exhibit in museums, galleries, and public art venues.

Ms. Mensoff teaches blacksmithing to the ninth grade at Academe of the Oaks.

Marshall “Mac” Isseks is a musician and educator originally from Liberty, New York. He earned a BA in philosophy from Emory University and an MM in jazz studies from Georgia State University. He has studied and performed with many of Atlanta’s great jazz community members including: Gary Motley, Kevin Bales, Louis Heriveaux, Mace Hibbard, EJ Hughes, Audrey Shakir and Kermit Walker. Mr. Isseks’s undergraduate work in philosophy focused on French existentialism and jazz improvisation, both of which have remained lifelong passions. He performs regularly in Atlanta’s fertile music scene. Mr. Isseks teaches the Jazz Ensemble at Academe of the Oaks.

Aria Posner recently earned her Master’s degree in Cello Performance from the Royal Academy of Music in London, where she studied with renowned cellist Robert Cohen. During her time there, she co-founded Trio Thalassa, which gained recognition by winning the Historical Women Composers Prize and earning a residency in the 2024/25 Hans Keller Forum.

Now based in Atlanta, Aria performs with the Columbus Symphony Orchestra and as a substitute cellist with the Charleston Symphony and Savannah Philharmonic. She also holds substitute positions with the New World Symphony and the Civic Orchestra of Chicago.

A graduate of the Cleveland Institute of Music with distinction, Aria studied under Dr. Melissa Kraut and earned a minor in Suzuki Pedagogy. She previously served as principal cellist of the Atlanta Symphony Youth Orchestra and was a member of Franklin Pond Chamber Music, where her quartet won the college division of the Franklin Pond Virtual Chamber Competition.

A passionate performer and educator, Aria has soloed with orchestras across Georgia and continues to use her artistry for community impact through initiatives such as the CBH Strings Fundraising Concert Series and Concert to Cure, a program she founded to benefit the Ovarian Cancer Institute. She teaches Orchestra at Academe of the Oaks.

Her coaching career reflects more than a decade of experience at the collegiate, high school, and club levels. Before joining Agnes Scott, she spent four seasons as head volleyball coach at Talladega College, where she guided the Tornadoes to a program-best 21–13 record in 2016, an undefeated home season, and a championship appearance that came within two points of a national tournament berth. She began her scholastic coaching career at the Altamont School in Birmingham, Alabama, where her teams advanced to super regionals each season. On the club circuit, Trone spent nearly a decade with Set One Volleyball Club, serving as an assistant coach for the 14U team (2008–2010), head coach for the 16U–17U teams (2011–2016), and assistant coach for the 18U team (2017). In 2018, she led the Birmingham Boom Volleyball Academy’s 18U program as head coach.

In addition to her coaching accomplishments, Trone has more than 15 years of professional experience in higher education, including admissions, academic advising, and athletics administration. A certified Inclusive Leadership Practitioner and LGBTQ OneTeam Facilitator, she is dedicated to fostering inclusive environments, empowering student-athletes, and promoting equity in collegiate sports.

Her leadership philosophy emphasizes servanthood, perseverance, and faith, and she continues to serve the profession nationally through her role on the NCAA Division III Strategic Planning and Finance Committee.

Shannon Trone is coaching volleyball at Academe of the Oaks.

Ms. Gartman has two adult children. Her lifelong passion is singing: she raises her voice in song in a local community chorus, and she sings with an a cappella group that she founded. She is an avid reader and gardener. In her spare time, Ms. Gartman is learning to play guitar and has taken up sketching and painting again, after a hiatus of too many years. She looks forward to working in the creative and inspiring environment of our Waldorf high school.

Not content with merely tending to her buzzing colonies, Deb extends her love for bees into the realm of education. As an instructor, she imparts her extensive beekeeping knowledge and manages the Tara Beekeepers Association’s Teaching Apiary at Academe of the Oaks in Decatur. Deb serves two local Atlanta bee clubs—as the Past President of the Tara Beekeepers Association and as a former board member of the Metro Atlanta Beekeepers Association, where she was the Committee Chair for the Cindy Hodges Young Beekeeper Scholarship, an initiative aiding schools in establishing on-campus apiaries.

Venturing beyond conventional beekeeping, Deb has embarked on innovative efforts to advocate for bees and raise awareness. Recently, she began collaborating with the Georgia Beekeepers Association Prison Beekeeping Program, where she educates incarcerated individuals about the vital role of bees. Additionally, Deb works alongside tree companies and arborists, striving to preserve wild honey bee colonies inhabiting trees marked for removal due to disease or decay. Her mission involves carefully extracting the tree sections housing the bees, preserving the colonies within their nest cavities—a thoughtful approach to both conservation and education.

In 2022, Deb received her Master Beekeeper Certification from Cornell University.

Marschelle Weeks is a communications and marketing professional with a background spanning early childhood outreach, healthcare marketing, and community engagement. She holds a bachelor’s degree in strategic communication from Old Dominion University and an MBA from Keller Graduate School of Management.

As a consultant, Marschelle supports an early learning center by leading social media strategy, enrollment marketing, content creation, and community outreach. She has worked across industries as a project coordinator, content creator, and podcast producer. Before her work in marketing, she worked 19 years as a background investigator for federal contractors, developing strong communication, research, and relationship-building skills.

Marschelle produces Story Time with Bubba, a family podcast project that features her two children and promotes literacy through storytelling and fun. Marschelle lives in Mableton with her husband and two children. She serves on the PTA, is an active member of the Junior League of Atlanta, and enjoys staying engaged in her local community. A proud dance and karate mom, she loves spending time with family and friends, discovering great food, and making lasting memories wherever she goes.