Mission
The mission of the Northridge Institute is to aid mission-oriented schools and educators who value the traditional liberal arts to raise the quality of both academic education and character formation. We offer courses and resources to aid all educators in their path toward mastery, equipping them to educate their students in freedom, for freedom.
Who We Are
Shane Ayers
Shane brings a wealth of teaching experience along with a love of the liberal arts to Northridge. He earned his B.A. in Literature from Patrick Henry College and earned his M.A. in Liberal Arts from St. John’s College, Annapolis. For the past decade, Shane has taught humanities, directed Shakespeare productions, and led wood shop class, in addition to editing and writing curriculum. He has also worked for Bill Bennett (former Secretary of Education under the Reagan administration) doing research for The Book of Man: Readings on the Path to Manhood. A Protestant convert to the Church, Shane, along with his wife, Teresa, and their children, celebrated their reception into the Catholic Church at Easter in 2017. Shane currently teaches philosophy, literature, woodworking, and mentors new teachers at Northridge. From time to time, Shane still writes on forming young people and the liberal arts.
Joseph Rhee
Joe Rhee graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 2015 with a Bachelor of Arts in both Political Science and Pre-Health Studies. Joe earned his Masters in Education from Notre Dame’s Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE) Program. Before coming to Northridge in 2017, Joe taught and coached in East Los Angeles (Cantwell Sacred Heart of Mary High School). Since then, he has led the Dangerous Camp for Boys, started a varsity wrestling program, and served as the Head of Middle School since 2019, and continues to teach Science in the Middle School. Joe was named Assistant Headmaster in 2024. During his tenure at Northridge, Joe has developed Northridge’s internal teacher development program and has spear-headed Northridge’s vision of pedagogy. Joe and his wife, Grace, have 3 young children.
Mike Stangel
Mr. Stangel grew up on the Northwest side of Chicago and attended Northridge as a freshman and sophomore before finishing his final two years at Maine South High School. Mike earned his B. S. in Electrical Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and spent five years as an engineer. While working in industries including manufacturing, LED lighting, and RF microwave amplifiers, Mr. Stangel found the most enjoyable parts of his jobs to be the sharing of knowledge amongst his coworkers. Inspired by his past teachers, his own experience teaching at the Midtown Education Program, and his love of Math and Science, Mr. Stangel switched careers and the core values led him back to Northridge. In addition to spending time with his wife and three young children, Mr. Stangel enjoys playing guitar, building/repairing electronics, playing basketball and 16-inch softball.
Bob Barder
Robert Barder is a graduate of Northridge’s class of 1993. Bob worked in the non-profit sector for fifteen years at Misericordia Home, Lions Clubs International, and Midtown Educational Foundation before coming to Northridge. He has also taught for programs in Lithuania, México, and Spain. Bob is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor with experience working with children, adults, couples, and families. With his interest in literature and psychology, he has taught courses at Northridge’s Parent University on Leo Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina as well as a course entitled “Temperament Dynamics in Marriage and Family Life.” Bob and his wife, Julene, have five children.
Kieran Driver
Kieran grew up in England and first came to the U.S. right out of High School as a youth missionary for NET Ministries. After this gap year, he returned home and pursued his Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy from University of East Anglia, while also serving as a student-officer in the Cambridge University Royal Navy Unit. He then came back to the States after receiving a full-ride Fellowship for a Masters in Catholic Studies at the University of St. Thomas. While there he married his sweetheart, Kayla, before moving to her homeland of the Central Valley in California to pursue a career in education. Over the course of four years, he transitioned from teaching to administration, serving as Dean in his final years.
Kieran and his family returned to the Midwest in the midst of the COVID pandemic to work at Northridge, excited about the opportunity to be a part of the leadership team at a school whose mission he is deeply passionate about. Kieran and his wife live in Des Plaines, with their four children.
What We Offer
In-person summer courses on the craft of teaching well. Learn more about our approach in the classroom.