Student Life Counselors

My name is Nate Gibbons & I am excited to have begun work at the Indiana Academy.

Although I am an Indiana native, I came from Texas and then Arkansas, where I spent three years working for college residence life. I chose the Academy because of the incredible team & the fact that I can help high school students prepare for college. A fun fact about me is that even though I grew up in the South, I do not have a Southern accent. I know it is going to be a good year & I cannot wait to make it happen!

Maclaine is thrilled to be returning to the Indiana Academy as a team leader for the Student Life Counselors (SLC). Maclaine was born and raised in West Lafayette, IN. During her junior year of high school, Maclaine was a Rotary International Youth Exchange student to Thailand (D.6560-D.3340). Maclaine graduated with her associate’s degree from Cottey College in Nevada, MO in May 2016, and graduated with her bachelor’s degree from Ball State University in Muncie, IN in December 2019. After graduating Maclaine taught 11th grade English at Blackford High School from 2019-2022.

In her free time Maclaine loves to travel and spend as much time as possible in the water. She is an avid scuba diver, obtaining her dive certification at age 13. Maclaine comes from a long line of scuba divers, starting with her grandparents and continuing with her and her brothers. When on the surface Maclaine enjoys reading an eclectic array of novels and knitting/crocheting. Maclaine looks forward to supporting students on their journey at the Indiana Academy.

Hannah is thrilled to be returning for a second year as a Student Life Counselor and is eager to find new ways to contribute to the community of the Indiana Academy. She has thoroughly enjoyed building relationships with students, supporting them in challenging moments, and doing what she can to make sure each student has a good experience here.

Hannah was born and raised in New Lenox, IL. She moved to Indiana in 2019, and earned her B.A. in Social Work from Taylor University. Throughout her academic and professional career, Hannah has had the opportunity to work in a variety of settings. She has worked as a caregiver for adults with developmental disabilities and done case management with people experiencing homelessness, including an internship at the YWCA in Muncie. Hannah has also spent time volunteering for various nonprofits such as the Boys and Girls Club and St. Martin’s food pantry. In her free time, Hannah enjoys several hobbies. She loves to spend time outside, and enjoys going camping and hiking whenever she can. She enjoys cooking, playing the piano, and having game nights with her family. Having previously worked as a Barista, Hannah loves drinking coffee – especially when she gets to do so with friends! Hannah is looking forward to another great school year, and is grateful to be a part of all the great things happening at the Indiana Academy.

This is Judy’s first year as a Student Life Counselor and she couldn’t be more excited. Born and raised in Indiana, Judy went south and attended Freed-Hardeman University in Henderson, Tennessee. Judy obtained her Bachelor’s of Social Work in May 2023. During her last semester at Freed-Hardeman, Judy worked as a Family Support Specialist at Shenandoah K-12. There, Judy collaborated with students and their families to find community resources, provide mental health care, and support the students in their academic journeys.

In her free time, Judy enjoys reading, listening to podcasts, and spending time with her dogs. Judy has worked a variety of jobs, making pizzas in high school, shelving books at a library, and more recently, piloting the 1859 Balloon Voyage at Conner Prairie. Judy has a love for all things outdoors, frequently going camping with her family, visiting State Parks, and gardening. Judy is looking forward to working with the other Student Life Counselors and school faculty to provide the best experience for students this academic year.

Jordyn is excited to begin her first year at the Indiana Academy as a third floor student life counselor. Jordyn was born and raised in Mishawaka, IN but came to the Academy as a student in 2018. Following her time at the academy, Jordyn completed a degree in Elementary Education at Purdue where she did research in behavioral interventions and mathematics education.

Jordyn’s hobbies include doing puzzles, reading, playing Luigi’s Mansion, and watching Gilmore Girls. Jordyn is grateful for her time spent at the Academy and can’t wait to support students moving forward on their own journey.

Andrew Evans (he/him) is a fourth floor SLC at Indy Academy this year. He recently graduated with his Master’s Degree from Brandeis University in English and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, and got his Bachelor’s in Secondary English Education from Northern Kentucky University. He also has a background in musical theatre and creative writing. Andrew is thrilled at the chance to enrich the education of Indiana Academy students!

Tori is thrilled to be back at the Indiana Academy, this time as an SLC. Tori was born in England and spent half of her childhood there and in Brazil before moving to Indiana in 8th grade. After graduating from the Academy, class of 2014, Tori then graduated from Arizona State University with a BA in English. Most recently Tori worked as a Family Support Specialist, working to provide mental health care and teach life skills to high school students.

In her free time Tori enjoys traveling and exploring new cities, countries, and continents. As an avid racing fan, she finds herself traveling across the country and globe to attend different races, but you can also find her curled with a good book or working on writing her own. During her time at the Academy as a student, Tori appreciated and valued the way the SLCs supported and encouraged her and her peers. Now she is excited to be able to give back to the next set of students.

Alicia recently graduated from Miami University in Ohio with a major in Education Studies. She was raised in her hometown of Harrison, OH all the way until she attended Miami, where she resided in Oxford, OH for the last four years. During her third year at Miami, Alicia earned the opportunity to study abroad in London for a semester. This further enhanced her love for British culture and gave her a new perspective on life.

She is excited to join the residence life team, filled with individuals who share her passion for supporting students on their path to receiving a higher education. Alicia’s free-time usually consists of reading, shopping and playing video games like her favorite, Fortnite. She is an avid thrifter and vinyl collector, with a deep passion for music and animation. Alicia is so excited to be a part of the Indiana Academy and is most grateful to be able to aid and serve the incredible students of the academy in their schooling experience.

Wayne is thrilled to embark on his first year as a Student Life Counselor at the Academy. Originally from Trenton, NJ, Wayne moved to Ohio during his first year of high school and chose to remain in the state to pursue a degree in English with a concentration in Creative Writing at The Ohio State University. Over the past two years, he has gained valuable experience working on the residential side of Phi Kappa Alpha, the largest fraternity in the United States by membership.

Wayne is eager to use this experience to aid students in navigating the challenges of college life and to support their smooth transition from the academy.

In his free time, Wayne is passionate about writing, whether it be creative or journalistic. When he’s not writing, he enjoys engaging in musical activities, watching anime, or following sports. Wayne looks forward to contributing to the Academy and supporting its students in every way he can.

Vincent is beginning his fourth school year at the Academy as a Student Life Counselor on the fourth floor. Vincent was born in Chicago and raised in Fort Wayne, IN. As a graduate of the Academy from its class of 2008, Vincent has had experience being here both as a student and as an SLC. In his time here as an SLC, Vincent has sponsored clubs including the Latinx Student Union, the Video Game Club, and Japan Club, in addition to other smaller student-led clubs. Vincent has also acted as the International/NECP SLC and as a PA Advisor since being hired, and he looks to continue his work as PA Advisor through this year.

Vincent attended Purdue University Fort Wayne, earning BS and MS degrees in mathematics. During his time there as a graduate student, Vincent briefly taught algebra first as a graduate teaching assistant, and eventually as an adjunct faculty member later on. As a former math teacher, and as someone who has received much formal education in math, Vincent hopes to be available to help Academy students with any math-related woes as circumstances allow.

Vincent’s hobbies include playing Smash Bros., rhythm games, and role-playing video games, making origami, tinkering with small electronics and retro games, and watching anime. Vincent is grateful to the Academy and its students for making his experience as an SLC worthwhile, and he hopes to work productively toward assisting as many Academites as he can as they strive for continued personal and academic success this year.

Emma is a first-year Student Life Counselor (SLC) at the Indiana Academy. She grew up in Pendleton, Indiana before earning a B.S. in public relations from Ball State University in 2019.

Until recently, she lived and worked in downtown Indianapolis as a freelance marketing copywriter.

Back to her roots on Ball State’s campus, Emma looks forward to helping Academites navigate school and life. In her spare time, she enjoys reading non-fiction, creative writing and listens to a range of music.

Archer is excited to begin his third full year at the Indiana Academy. He grew up across three continents, gaining an appreciation for the breadth of human perspective, but also a front-seat view of how brutal life can be without hope and opportunity. Despite being a math and science kid his entire life, Archer graduated from Goshen College with a double major in English and Writing in 2020. In both creative and practical pursuits, Archer realized he enjoyed sharing and facilitating ideas even more than discovering them – a passion that is on full display helping students at the Academy come to terms with themselves and the world around them.

Archer is interested in nearly everything. His favorite thing is listening to people and he considers everyone a friend until proven otherwise. He pushes for excellence in competitive hobbies, reaching high ranks in many strategy games including Chess and Magic: The Gathering. While he dabbles in creating original paintings, books, music, and more, his real creative passion is coordinating larger projects like board games and tabletop RPGs. He learns a lot from trying to help students develop communication skills. Archer is looking forward to working alongside the students this year as a 1st floor SLC and is excited to witness another year of joy and growth at the Academy.