Our Leadership

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Brandon Johnston grew up in Bremerton and has always had a deep love for both learning and leading. After earning his degree in Business Information Systems from Ashford University, he spent eight years working in the IT world before God called him into full-time ministry. For the past 14 years, he has served as a pastor of Coram Deo Church, where he has had the joy of shepherding people, overseeing staff and ministries, and helping build a strong, Christ-centered community.

As Head of School, he brings together his love for the Lord, classical Christian education, and the next generation. He is passionate about helping students grow in wisdom and virtue and considers it a great privilege to walk alongside families in that journey.

He has been married to his wife, Crystal, for 18 years. Together, they are raising two energetic little boys—ages five and three—who keep them laughing and on their toes every day.

When he's not working, Mr. Johnston can usually be found roughhousing with his boys, enjoying a good meal with Crystal, reading old theologians, playing guitar, building something in the wood shop, tending the garden, or firing up the grill for a backyard BBQ with friends.

The Johnstons are grateful to be part of this community and excited to see what God continues to do in and through the life of the school.

Chelsie Determan joined CDA as the Secretary in July 2025. Born and raised in Moscow, Idaho, she moved to Mountlake Terrace, Washington, after high school, where she earned an Associate Degree in Biblical Theology from Calvary Chapel Bible College. While there she met her husband and relocated to his hometown of Shelton, Washington when they married in 2009.  In 2024 they moved to Bremerton for a new job. Together, they have four children -- two boys and two girls. 

Chelsie has been a store manager, children's ministry director, homeschool mom, and taught at homeschool co-op. Additionally, since 2014, she has been a certified birth doula, birth assistant, and childbirth educator. Driven by God's grace and deep gratitude for what He has done, she is excited to contribute her skills and talents at CDA, where she looks forward to supporting operations, serving others, and nurturing the growth of each child.

Born and raised in Auburn, Washington, Stacey Goodnough moved to Silverdale with her husband in 2010. She studied at Green River Community College before transferring to the University of Washington where she earned her B.A. in Spanish. During her senior year, she had the opportunity to study abroad in Spain at the Universidad de Cádiz. 

Her family has attended Coram Deo Church for 16 years and have been members since 2017. She is the wife to an amazing husband and mother of three awesome kids. She loves reading, camping and is trying to foster a love of gardening!

With a degree in elementary education, time teaching at a Christian school, homeschooling her three children, and helping start a co-op at her church, Julie Bartels has over 15 years of experience teaching. She loves to watch as a child’s light bulb clicks on and understanding is gained. 

Born and raised in Oklahoma, Mrs. Bartels and her husband Josh, a pastor at Westside Baptist Church, are now happy to call Washington their home. When she’s not in the classroom, you can find her knitting, crocheting, baking, reading (mostly historical fiction), and spending time with her family.

Katie McClelland fell in love with classical education in 2017 and has been helping other people fall in love with it ever since. She spent four years classically educating her three children at home, and is now in her fourth year teaching Primary C. 

Mrs. McClelland loves that Christian classical education trains our affections so we will know what is true, beautiful and good. She can often be found swimming and camping with her family. She also loves road trips, knitting, sewing, and quilting, all with one airpod in, while listening to a book or podcast.

Brooke Zylstra holds a B.A. in Buisiness Management and Technical Communications from Arizona State University. She has pursued and completed theological studies in York, England, and Jerusalem, Israel. Prior to her role as a Primary teacher at CDA, she was a supervisor, trainer, and coffee master at Starbucks Coffee Company, and become a homemaker and mom in 2019. 

Mrs. Zylstra has been joyfully married to her husband, Mark, since 2018 and they are blessed with a jolly, spunky daughter. She and her family have been members at Coram Deo Church since 2021. Children are a blessing and heritage from the Lord, and Mrs. Zylstra is excited to partner with parents in guiding their children toward Christ and the gospel. 

When she's not in the classroom, you will find Mrs. Zylstra baking, spending time with her family, hosting friends, planning next year's garden, hiking, reading, and drinking lots of coffee. 

Andrea Lee graduated from Trinity Western University with a B.A. in General Studies (English/ Education/ Music) and from Whitworth College with a master's in teaching. She holds a teaching certificate with endorsements in K-8 Elementary Education and 4-12 English/ Language Arts. Prior to teaching at Coram Deo Academy, she homeschooled her children and taught for 19 years at a public elementary school. 

Mrs. Lee loves being part of the Coram Deo Academy faculty, where she can teach Christ at the center of everything and equip students with a Biblical worldview. She is a wife to a wonderful husband and mom to two great kids. She loves reading, gardening, hiking, and inspiring wonder for God's creation in her students.

Rochelle Lancaster, born and raised in Bremerton, Washington, holds a B.A. in Elementary Education from Jamestown University and a master's in special education from Washington State. While this is her first year at Coram Deo Academy, she brings over 15 years of teaching experience across public schools, cross country and track coaching, homeschooling, and co-op. 

Mrs. Lancaster is thankful to have been classically homeschooled and loves wrestling through discussions with her students while they discover the wisdom, truth, and beauty of who God is and who He created us to be. 

She and her husband enjoy taking wild adventures with their four children, whether scaling mountains, setting up tents, traveling around the world, baking in the kitchen, or reading great stories.

A loving wife to her husband, Michael, and mom to four kids, Stephanie Palmer has been teaching for over a decade, first in the public school system and then in private Christian schools and homeschool co-ops. 

Mrs. Palmer and her family are Washington transplants and are finding new things to love about the PNW every day. She is excited to be a part of the Coram Deo Academy family and to partner with parents in the education of their children. 

Rhiannon Petrick holds a B.A. in Foreign Languages and Literature from Washington State University. She taught at a private school in Bellevue, Washington, before moving to Kitsap County in 2009. 

Mrs. Petrick was a homeschool mom for eight years before joining the staff at CDA. She enjoys gardening, reading, baking, tromping around the woods and beach, watching her kids play sports, and road trips to visit extended family in Eastern Washington and Northern Idaho. She lives in North Kitsap with her husband and five children.