Faculty & Staff

Father Aloysius Ssensamba, also known as Father Luigi, is from the Archdiocese of Kampala – Uganda. He was born and raised in Uganda in a large peasant family of 8 siblings. He was ordained a priest at Rubaga Cathedral Church in Uganda at 29 years old. After additional studies in Rome, graduating with an M.A. and PhD in Sacramentology, and serving at parishes and universities, he came to the Archdiocese of Seattle in 2016, and was assigned to St. Alphonsus in 2022.

Mr. Padrnos began his career in Catholic education teaching 5th grade on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. After moving to Seattle, he taught high school world history, economics, and theology. He earned his Bachelor of Business Administration from Gonzaga University, Master of Education from the University of Notre Dame, and Principal Certificate from Seattle University. As an educator, he views the world through the lens of faith and reason and is passionate about helping students find God in all things. Outside of school, Mr. Padrnos enjoys fly fishing, rollerblading, podcasting, reading Lord of the Rings, and hiking 14ers in his native Colorado.

Sarah comes to us from San Antonio, moving here with her husband and two young sons, who attend St. Alphonsus. Sarah brings with her a wealth of experience in public school working with a wide variety of learning styles and environments. She has rich experience planning lessons, developing programs, and collaborating with other teachers/specialists to encourage growth in all students.

Charleen brings a wealth of unique experience to St. Alphonsus. Charleen served in the Unites States Army as a helicopter pilot and as an officer in the Aviation and Signal Corps. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Humanities from Seattle University. Charleen enjoys outdoor activities such as bike riding, gardening, and traveling and spending time with her family.

Mr. Brad Marvin was born and raised here in North Seattle. His family were parishioners and attended mass at St. Alphonsus during the 1970s through 2000. He has a lot of blessed memories here. Mr. Marvin has two adult children, Jacob (26) and Francesca (24), who were both baptized at St. Alphonsus. He has always had a passion for keeping equipment and workspaces clean and in good working order. He loves the NW and enjoys spending time fishing, crabbing, and boating in the Puget Sound. He is grateful for the opportunity to provide his services to you, your family, and our Church!

Edal is our Montessori Room preschool teacher. She has rich experience facilitating and developing lessons based on Montessori principles and is a fully certified Montessori teacher. She assists students as they prepare themselves for the academic, social/emotional, and spiritual needs they will have with her in the classroom as well as in their years to come.

Jennifer has over 20 years of experience in education, having joined St. Alphonsus as the Kindergarten teacher in 2000. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Early Childhood Education from Linfield College and a teaching certificate from Western Washington University with endorsements in Preschool – 3rd grade and K-8 Elementary Education. Jennifer is an accomplished walker, having completed several half-marathons and 5-K events. She has also volunteered for the last decade with the Seattle Animal Shelter’s dog-walking program.

Tricia has over ten years of experience in education. She has been teaching second grade at St. Alphonsus since 2007. Prior to her work at St. Alphonsus, Tricia was a substitute teacher in the Bellevue and Lake Washington school districts. Tricia has a Master in Education degree, with a focus in reading and writing, from the University of Washington and a teaching certificate in K-8. Tricia enjoys reading, writing, and traveling with her husband.

Mr. Marsh has a degree in Environmental Studies from the University of Washington and Master’s in Teaching from Western Governor’s University with endorsements in Middle School Mathematics, Earth & Space Science, Biology. He is proficient in software programming, has worked for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and played D-I soccer at UW. He currently teaches middle school mathematics, religion, and a STEM elective.

Jennie has been a parent and parishioner at St. Alphonsus since relocating to the Ballard area from Southern Indiana. She has five children currently attending St. Alphonsus Parish School. Jennie received her Bachelor of Arts degrees in Political Science and Religious Studies and Law Degree from Washington University in St. Louis. She obtained her Masters of Law in Taxation from the University of Washington. While obtaining her degrees in St. Louis, Jennie worked part-time in the campus library. She also taught religious education at St. James for seven years. When she is not sharing her love of reading with the students, Jennie can often be found searching the great Seattle bookstores for new books for the classrooms and library. She currently teaches middle school social studies, language arts, and religion.

Mr. Tiffany graduated from UC Davis with degrees in History and Political Science and has an MA in Political Science. Mr. Tiffany taught high school in San Diego for ten years before moving to Boston for his wife's residency program, where he focused on raising his two kids. His family moved to Seattle in 2015, where he has taught middle and high school in Shoreline and Edmonds before landing at St. Alphonsus. He loves to travel and spend time with his kids in his spare time.

Katie brings a deep history of music to St. Alphonsus, having once been an opera singer. Katie taught elementary school music and voice at a range of schools in California before coming to St. Alphonsus. She holds a Bachelor of Music from University of California, Santa Cruz, and a Master of Music from The Boston Conservatory. Katie enjoys spending time with her husband, Kevin, and young son Tucker.

Michelle is in her second year at St. Alphonsus. Prior to joining our teaching staff, Michelle spent six years teaching high school PE and Health at George Washington Academy in Casablanca, Morocco. Prior to Morocco, she taught PE and Health in the Spokane Public Schools for three years. She has also coached a variety of sports throughout the years. Michelle holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Kinesiology and a Master in Teaching degree with a K-12 Fitness and Health endorsement from Whitworth University. Michelle is coach of the Ballard High School Varsity Women’s Basketball. She enjoys traveling, exercising, and spending time with friends and family. ​

Mr. Palermo has a degree in Computer Science from Florida International University and has tutored students in courses from algebra to calculus. He has also taught coding and programming languages like C++, Python, and Java to elementary and middle schoolers. He is passionate about making connections between mathematics and video games. Mr. Palermo co-teaches a STEM elective for our middle school.

Mrs. Wisen began teaching in 1997 in Maryland after graduating from Mount Saint Mary’s University with a Masters in Elementary Education. She also holds a BA in Anthropology from the University of Washington. She is a product of a Catholic School Education having attended Holy Family Parish School and Eastside Catholic High School. She is fascinated by art, in particular how we interact with art and make it a part of our everyday lives. She has travelled to just about every state, with New York being her favorite. Most of all, she loves spending time outdoors with her four boys and husband, Tony. They love living in Ballard and being members of the St. Alphonsus community.