Administration
- Principal: Adam Wiley
- Vice Principal: Leilani Henderson
- Librarian: Jennifer Gale
Instructors
- Adult Beginner: Randy Gudvangen, Rick Manoff, Dr. Renate Sturdevant, Adam Wiley
- Adult Intermediate: Kirsten Auch, Melanie Sari, Allan Shropshire, Brett Siereveld
- Adult Advanced: Ingrid Thomas, Dr. Wolfgang Wachter
- Children & Teens: Christina Brohammer Celedon, Zach Gale, Leilani Henderson, Autumn Kimber, Birgit Price
Instructor Biographies
Kirsten Auch
I grew up in Germany and moved to the Cincinnati Area in my mid-twenties. I have been part of the Tri-State German School for 25 years including volunteering, substitute teaching and teaching the adult conversation class in the past. I’ve been on the Board as the treasurer for the last 10 years and now that I’m retired from Accounting & HR work, I’m excited to come back to teach adult conversation at Tri-State German School.
Grace Bradtmueller
My grandfather grew up in a German-speaking family, which prompted my interest in learning German in high school. I enjoyed it so much that I participated in a yearlong exchange program and later earned a bachelor’s degree in German. I’ve had the pleasure of teaching at Tri-State German School since 2024 and have enjoyed watching my students engage with the material and advance their German.
Zachary Gale
I have been teaching at the Tri-State German School for four years, sharing my passion for German with teen students. My love for the language began during my exchange year in Germany in 2015–16, an experience that gave me a lasting appreciation for German culture. I enjoy helping students grow their skills, confidence, and curiosity while exploring all that German has to offer.
Randy Gudvangen
When I was a young man, I went to Vienna to study music. It was my first experience living in a culture and learning a language different from my own. I was smitten! After completing my degree in the states, I returned to Vienna for another couple of years to continue my studies in music and German. The experience was life-changing, and I’ve maintained a love of that language ever since. Language learning is a lifelong process that can bring great satisfaction and a sense of accomplishment. A second language also opens a window into understanding how others see us from the outside, an enlightening experience indeed! AS a German instructor, I hope to share the joys of speaking and reading in a new language.
Rick Manoff
As a major of comparative linguistics, education and philosophy, I attended the University of Cincinnati and the Universität Wien in Austria where I did my student teaching practicum. I have taught here and abroad, children to adult levels, in the private and public sectors.
Melanie Sari
When my children were in Elementary School, I first began volunteering and then substitute teaching. As a native German speaker, I was asked to teach German at TSGAS in 2009 and enjoyed it so much that I went back to school to earn a BA in German and a MA in Teaching. Now I am the Kindergarten German teacher at Fairview during the work week – and on Saturdays I enjoy teaching German to adults at TSGAS in a relaxed atmosphere.
Alan Shropshire
My interest in the German language and culture began at a young age and as one of my principal hobbies, I continually strive to provide students with up-to-date instruction based on the following experiences: Participation in exchange programs during high school and for three years while flying with the German Luftwaffe. I studied for 6 months at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, Ca., and during my over thirty years as an instructor of intermediate German at the Tri-State German School, I have attended no less than ten intensive language programs at various locations in Germany.
Brett Siereveld
My goal as an instructor at TSGS is to share my appreciation for the culture of the German-speaking world and my knowledge of the structure and history of the German language. I joined the faculty of TSGS after my studies at the University of Kentucky, where I taught as an undergraduate; the University of Heidelberg; and the University of Cincinnati, where I taught as a graduate student.
Renate Sturdevant
As a native German speaker with a Ph.D. in German, I bring over three decades of teaching experience to my students. I have spent many of those rewarding years right here as a member of the Tri-State German School faculty. I truly enjoy helping students of all levels discover the beauty of the German language and its culture. I look forward to seeing you in the classroom!
Ingrid E. Thomas
Born in Germany, I immigrated to the United States in 1967. I first got involved with the Tristate German American School (TSGAS) in Cincinnati in the late 1980s when daughter Kirstin enrolled in the school for a few years. Later on, I attended the “Deutsch Heute” classes for native German speakers. In 2009, I made the transition to that of a teacher at the school with a class for students at the intermediate conversation level. I served as a TSGAS Board member for 2 consecutive 3-year terms and acted as the liaison from the School to the German-American Citizens League (GACL).
Adam Wiley
I began learning German at thirteen from my grandmother and later earned a B.A. in German Studies and History from Northern Kentucky University. I have been with the Tri-State German School since 2023, and I have taught German and history in private education since 2022. With several years dedicated to teaching German as a foreign language, it is my privilege to serve as principal of the Tri-State German School. It is my passion and joy to guide students of all ages in learning German and to foster lasting cultural ties between the United States and Germany.
Board of Directors (2026/2027)
- Michael Geers — President
- Barbara Alexander — Vice President
- Kirsten Auch — Treasurer
- Claire Outten — Recording Secretary
- Terry Garrard
- Barbara Gloeckner
- Dr. Renate Sturdevant
- Jean Woll
- Helga Bucher — Principal Emerita (Non-voting)
- Brett Siereveld — Principal Emeritus (Non-voting)
- Adam Wiley — Principal (Non-voting)