The faculty and staff at UM Global Academy represent some of the best high school educators in the world, collectively embodying a breadth and depth of knowledge, expertise and experience in all subject areas. Each individual teacher is representative of the best in his or her field, having a variety of teaching experiences in traditional public and private schools, experiences which focus on the intellectual, emotional and physical development of all students. We encourage challenging young minds to stretch themselves into new areas of study, to develop their full potential, and to become better equipped to enter the global world. They will be ready to give their best, to live productively, and to believe in the power of service leadership in making life better for their fellow man.

Lead Teacher, Sciences
Jennifer Taylor

Ms. Taylor received her Bachelors of Science in Biology and Masters of Art in Teaching at Cornell University. As part of her undergraduate teaching assistantship in arachnology, she and her mentor pioneered an extensive outreach education program in Ithaca, New York. She is published in her research on Polistes dominulus foraging preferences on different plant varieties and caterpillar species. Ms. Taylor taught for five years at a nationally ranked high school in Westchester, New York. Her courses included Applied Chemistry and Inclusion, Regents and Advanced Placement Biology. She also designed and implemented an Advanced Placement Biology review course for highly motivated students in Greenwich, Connecticut. No novice to online teaching, she has provided internet-based tutoring using a whiteboard and chat. She believes current technology offers a wealth of techniques for teaching and learning that can surpass the offerings of traditional classroom instruction. In addition to teaching, Ms. Taylor works with a local teen center and is chapter president of a support group for mothers. Her interests include community service, fitness, music and cinema.

Lead Teacher, Social Sciences
Yianna Pavlakos

Ms. Pavlakos earned a Master degree in History from Saint John's University in New York. She also holds a Bachelors Degree with History as a major and Philosophy as a minor from the same institution. Ms. Pavlakos has ten years of teaching experience at the elementary, middle and high school levels and has extensive experience with ESE (Exceptional Student education) programs. She is not new to online instruction, since she has served as history instructor at the collegiate level in an online program. Ms. Pavlakos was the organizer of the Social Studies Fair and the creator of the Social Studies Club at her previous school, and she enjoys innovative programs, as well as constant and meaningful interaction with her students.

Lead Teacher, Language Arts
Karen Panerali

Ms. Panerali earned her bachelor's degree in Journalism with a minor in English from Northern Illinois University in DeKalb, Illinois. After an exciting journalism and public relations career in Chicago, Illinois, she decided to pursue her lifelong dream of becoming a teacher. Ms. Panerali obtained her professional teaching credentials in Secondary English Education by completing graduate-level coursework at Michigan State University's Graduate Studies in Education Overseas (GSEO) in the south of France. As part of this international teaching program, she completed a two-year Language Arts teaching assignment at a private international school in Colombia, South America. Ms. Panerali has been teaching Language Arts in South Florida for more than ten years, in both public and private high school settings and at various levels, including standard, honors and Advanced Placement English. Her experience as a director of a successful summer outreach program which combined online learning technologies with reading, composition and creative writing, inspired her to continue to foster the natural relationship between Language Arts and technology through online teaching.

Lead Teacher, Mathematics
Thomas A. Green

Mr. Green holds a Master of Science in Mathematics from Texas A&M University, as well as a Bachelor of Science degree in Applied Mathematics from Montana Tech of The University of Montana. He has taught mathematics for ten years at the middle and high school levels in Florida, for both private and charter schools. His courses included Algebra I, Algebra II, Geometry, Trigonometry, Pre-Calculus, and Advanced Placement Statistics. Mr. Green also has extensive experience teaching mathematics at the collegiate level, having served as a professor for Edison State College and Barry University. During his graduate studies, he participated in the design of an international web-based school model for students in the United States and Mexico to learn cooperatively with each other. Mr. Green is also an advocate for autism research, and he volunteers his time with at-risk youth as a mentor. He also enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling, in addition to computer programming and networking.

Academic Coach
Kara Trucchio

Ms. Trucchio holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a Minor in Women's Studies from Florida International University, and a Master's of Science in School Guidance & Counseling from Nova Southeastern University. Before working at the University of Miami Global Academy, she was a middle school teacher and guidance counselor, and currently teaches an Undergraduate Psychology course at a local community college. She is a State of Florida Certified Guidance Counselor with experience in coordinating and implementing awareness programs, group/individual counseling, academic advisement and mentoring, while always maintaining a strong focus on academic success. Ms. Trucchio believes every student is an individual with unique personal circumstances, and guides students with that in mind. She trusts that students can accomplish their goals with the proper guidance and support. Ms. Trucchio has a passion for learning and understanding others which shows in her work. In her spare time, she enjoys doing things that make her laugh, spending time with ones she loves, and finding beauty in life's simple things. She strives to never let anyone come to her without leaving better and happier.

Teacher, World Languages & Social Studies
Maxi Hughes

Ms. Hughes received her Bachelor of Arts in both French and Education and also has a post-graduate specialization in Applied Linguistics and Education Methodology. Ms. Hughes has taught in Argentina, Chile, and in the United States. Her teaching experience includes world languages of French, Spanish, and English at all levels from elementary through higher education. In addition, she has worked with business professionals to help acquire a language and has also worked as a court translator. In addition to her teaching, Ms. Hughes enjoys spending time with her family.

Teacher, Spanish/Latin
Drew Cardinale

Mr. Cardinale was born in Brooklyn, New York and raised in New Jersey. He received his Bachelor of Arts in Spanish and Latin from Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pennsylvania and his Master of Arts in Romance Philology from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He began his teaching career in 1991 as a teaching assistant and then started teaching in private schools in 1993. He has taught Spanish, Latin, and Italian at several schools in the New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania until he moved to Miami in 2008. In addition to these languages and his native English, he speaks Portuguese. He is currently teaching Spanish and Latin at a private high school in Miami. He enjoys music and has had formal voice training. He has sung small roles and in the chorus in operas in New York City and sacred music both in the Northeast and in Florida. He has a great passion for travel and has spent much time in Mexico and in Italy.

Teacher, Mandarin Chinese
Victoria Wu

Ms. Wu received her Bachelors and Masters of Literature at Hebei University, in China.  She has taught English at several universities in Beijing, China until she moved to the United States in 2006.  She has more than 20 years of foreign language teaching experience at all levels.  In her various teaching positions, she has worked with students of all levels and with different interests. She has been successful in adapting her teaching strategies to meet the needs of individual learning styles.  She enjoys teaching and sharing her knowledge of languages with her students.

Teacher, Chemistry/Physics
Ana Ferraz-Lago

Ms. Ferraz-Lago earned a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering at the University of Florida and a Master of Business Administration at the University of South Florida.  She also holds a Bachelors of Science in Biological Sciences from Florida International University and an Educational Specialist in Science Education from Nova Southeastern University.  She has experience teaching all levels of Biology, Chemistry and Physics in public, charter and private schools.  Ms. Ferraz-Lago has also taught Biology at the college level.  She believes online education offers a unique opportunity for students to develop their individual talents.  Besides science, her interests include languages and swimming.

Teacher, Mandarin Chinese
Jaime Perris

Jaime Perris, an Australian Educator and Author, has attained her Bachelor of Arts (Major in Chinese, Mandarin) and her Diploma in Education from Melbourne, Australia. She is currently completing her Masters in Counseling and is an Educator of Chinese, Psychology and ESL. She has traveled and taught in many parts of the world including Australia, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Burma, Philippines and The Bahamas. Predominantly in South East Asia, she has worked as an Educator on all levels: Teacher Training in Burma, Teacher Recruitment at Hsinchu High School, Taiwan, Lecturer of World Culturisation, Curriculum Development for Chinese Language Studies at a charter school in Miami, FL, Editor/Publisher of High School Magazines, Melbourne, Australia, Victorian Examination Assessor of Curriculum and Training in Business Management, Melbourne, Australia. She enjoys traveling and participating in philanthropic activities and has done voluntary Social Work in Manila, Philippines. Ms. Perris loves to inspire the youth and work with the homeless, by acting as a Volunteer Leader for Hands on Miami.