The Board of Regents and the Superintendent of New Mexico Military Institute announced the selection of Ms. D’Anna O’Mera, formerly of Roswell, as the Head of School, NMMI Intermediate Preparatory Academy (IPA). Ms. O’Mera will begin her duties on June 1, 2023.
“Education is my passion! I have enjoyed a rich and rewarding career teaching students of all ages (from elementary to college), and I have spent five years as an elementary school administrator. As a teacher, principal, and mother I understand the importance of holding high academic standards to promote the cognitive, social-emotional development, and civic responsibility of our students. I am dedicated to fostering a culture in which teachers and families work collaboratively to lay a strong foundation for today’s children to become tomorrow’s contributing and responsible citizens.”
Ms. O’Mera brings to the Head of School position more than seventeen years of leadership, teaching, and administrative experience at the elementary and intermediate school and college levels. Her Master of Education in Educational Administration and a Master of Arts in Teaching from Grand Canyon University, as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from Eastern New Mexico University, equip her with the skill set experience necessary to lead the IPA community, students, parents, and educators. In addition to serving five years as an elementary and intermediate school administrator, she has taught as the 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 8th grades. Her combined experience as an elementary school principal and an elementary/middle school teacher make makes her an excellent choice for Head of School as she demonstrates a strong understanding of her students’ foundational needs in their habit-forming years, and the importance of holding high academic standards to promote the cognitive, social-emotional development, and civic responsibility of her students. As she pointed out during the selection process, she is, and will be, dedicated to fostering a culture in which teachers and families work collaboratively to lay a strong foundation for today’s children to become tomorrow’s contributing and responsible citizens, a philosophy in keeping with the tenants of an NMMI education, “Duty, Honor, Achievement.
Ms. O’Mera will ‘hit the ground running’ as she has significant and applicable experience dealing with the ‘start-up’ nature inherent in the IPA. Previously, as the principal of a K-6 school of approximately 500 students, she executed a reestablishing, or opening, the school after a 7-month shuttering due to flooding. Applying her knowledge and experience to successfully meeting the challenges, she employed the same essential skills necessary to the successful opening of the IPA: a focus on developing strong relationships with students’ families, faculty, and the community, establishing a shared school mission/vision and value system, and developing the leadership and learning capacity of both staff and students.
No stranger to the Roswell and NMMI communities, Ms. O’Mera returns to Roswell together with her husband and 12-year-old son. Her husband, John O’Mera, former NMMI Head college football coach, has accepted the position of NMMI HS Head football coach and PE Instructor beginning this coming season.
The NMMI Board of Regents, the Superintendent, and the entire Selection Committee are excited to have Ms. O’Mera accept the position as the IPA Head of School, and wholeheartedly look forward to partnering with her on continuing to make the IPA an even more exceptional school and community in the coming years.
Ms. Alicia Lopez is the first IPA employee. Ms. Lopez was most recently employed as the NMMI Administrative Assistant for the Admissions Department. She brings with her significant experience working with young adolescents, the general public, as well as many years with NMMI. Those years have provided experience using NMMI systems which will lend well to aiding the staff at the IPA. Ms. Lopez is a native of Roswell, graduating from Roswell High School in 2010. She is currently pursuing a degree in business administration from ENMU.
Ms. Lopez will be responsible for organizing, coordinating, scheduling, and performing a wide variety of clerical activities related to the administration of the diverse programs and operations at the IPA. She will be responsible for prioritizing and scheduling duties and assignments to assure efficiency and effectiveness to meet established timelines. Additionally, Ms. Lopez will provide administrative assistance to the Head of School and other staff to create, schedule and arrange appointments, meetings, and conferences.
When you arrive at the IPA, it is likely that Ms. Lopez is the first smile you will meet! Welcome to the IPA, Ms. Lopez!
“Hi there, I’m Meagan MacCornack and I’m thrilled to be joining the IPA team. As an experienced middle school Math and Science teacher, I’m excited to teach 6th grade math this year. What I love most about IPA is the opportunity to work with other faculty and parents to help shape the leaders of tomorrow. I find working with middle schoolers to be a rewarding experience and I’m excited to share my passion for teaching with them. I grew up in Roswell and have always been passionate about serving the youth in our community. In my free time, I enjoy coaching and playing sports, spending time with my family and friends, and traveling to new places during the summer. I can’t wait to meet all of the new students and their families and look forward to a great school year at IPA!”
Linn Atkinson-Loveless began studying Latin as a 6th-grader at the Brearley School in New York. Initially, not an enthusiastic student, but Ms. Atkinson-Loveless would later discover a passion that led her to a Master’s degree in Classics from New York University and a teaching position at the prestigious Latin/Greek Institute of the City University Graduate Center in New York. In her spare time, she translates Virgil and expands her knowledge of the fascinating and ambitious Julius Caesar. Ms. Atkinson-Loveless has taught Latin and other subjects to students of all ages, 1st-grade – college, and she practiced law for more than a decade. Ms. Atkinson is the mother of three grown children, and now lives in Roswell with her two dogs and a cat. She is a diehard Yankees fan, and she is not yet convinced that all the recent changes to speed up baseball games are a good thing.
Tierny Krasowsky is a native to Roswell, NM. She attended Roswell High where two of her three children have graduated. Tierny obtained her Masters in Secondary Education from Grand Canyon University, and has a passion for educating the youth in her community. Tierny is actively involved in her church and community and serves on several committees for the RPCC. She enjoys reading, staying active, serving others, and hosting her podcast.
Krishna Wright completed her MA in English Literature, with a specialized focus on British Renaissance sonnet sequences, she gained over 15 years of education experience in the university classrooms of America and Asia, teaching creative writing, analytic writing, research techniques, linguistics, as well as English and British literature. Outside of the classroom, she put her efforts into critical analysis, engineering student-focused pedagogical techniques, as well as publishing and editing creative, analytical, and social writings.
Upon moving to Colorado in 2020, she began reshaping the concept of classroom and currently uses the Rocky Mountains to teach natural science and conservation to children of all ages. She also liaised with state, federal, and international agencies to protect rare plant species and mountains, as well as monitoring climate change through phenology studies.
Krishna will bring her formal classroom and outdoor teaching experience to NMMI’s IPA to teach 6th grade science, where she hopes to foster a love for learning, the scientific process, and critical thinking among her students.
“Ms. King comes to IPA after teaching at the middle school, high school, and collegiate level in a variety of places from Cameroon in Central Africa to Roswell, NM. She has a master’s degree in history from the University of Colorado and a Bachelor’s Degree from Agnes Scott College in Atlanta. She loves all things history, but especially African History.
Ms. King’s favorite part of teaching history is helping students find connections to their lives and interests and helping them uncover parts of history that they might not have known about before. But also, looking for what led us to today, how did the past shape our present and how are we shaping the future.
A Colorado native, Ms. King has spent the last couple of decades fleeing cold weather. When she isn’t teaching you can find her exploring the world with her family and camera, supporting her kids in their endeavors, cheering for her favorite teams (Denver Nuggets, the USWNT, and Cameroon’s national soccer team), or sitting with a good book. She also has a grumpy middle-aged cat named Minou.”
E-mail: personnel@nmmi.edu
Departmental Phone: (575) 624-8080
Location: Lusk Hall – Basement
Office Hours: Monday – Friday 7:30 a.m. to Noon and 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Limited Hours: Monday – Friday 7:30 a.m. to Noon and 1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
