Karen Carney is the Head of School. Karen’s career demonstrates a rich and diverse set of skills: project oversight, curriculum development, educator training and mentoring, and classroom instruction. Prior to coming to Chicago Friends School, she worked as a senior specialist in science curriculum for American Institutes for Research. Before this, she oversaw educational programming at the Adler Planetarium, first as its director of education and then as associate vice president for visitor experience and learning. She has also worked in instruction and teacher development at the University of Illinois at Chicago’s Learning Sciences Research Institute and has authored more than 20 scholarly papers, book chapters, and conference presentations.
Karen is an active, dedicated Friend (Quaker) and has held various leadership positions at the Evanston Friends Meeting. She enjoys baking, cooking, and painting and is a member of the Playmation improv comedy team.
Elizabeth DeVries, our second and third grade teacher, was born and raised in South Florida and has a degree in Elementary Education from Indiana University Bloomington. She has pursued licensure with a focus in K-8 literacy. Upon graduating from IU Bloomington, Elizabeth moved to Chicago and taught third and fourth grade students in Skokie, Illinois. During her experience in Skokie, Elizabeth had the opportunity to co-teach in a combined general education/special education classroom. This experience has helped her truly understand the learning, growth, and acceptance that can occur when students of varied skills and abilities come together as one classroom community.
Elizabeth enjoys baking, exploring nature, reading, and taking long walks in the neighborhood.
Nicholas Hittner-Cunningham (he/they) is our fourth and fifth grade teacher. Nicholas completed his M.Ed. at Loyola University Chicago and has worked most recently as a fourth-grade teacher and library assistant in Rhode Island. In the past, he has worked at Francis W. Parker School as a fourth-grade assistant and has taught extra-curricular French and math. Nicholas grew up in the Midwest and Europe, where he earned his M.A in Gender Studies from the Albert-Ludwigs-Universität in Freiburg, Germany.
Nicholas enjoys reading, puzzles, and playing piano, viola, and guitar.
Mercedes Lechlitner is the middle school humanities teacher. Mercedes is an educator who is passionate about working collaboratively with middle school students, and believes in the importance of social emotional development. She received her bachelor’s in Secondary English Education from Indiana University Bloomington, and then went on to complete her master’s in social work from Indiana University. She has been teaching and serving as Middle School Coordinator at the Harmony school in Bloomington for the last several years until planning her move to Chicago in the summer of 2024.
Mercedes shares the ordinary magic of life with her fiance and two cats, and is excited to build a new home with them in Chicago! She is known for her quirky earrings, moxie, and kindness. You’ll often find Mercedes cooking, tending her garden, swimming any chance she gets, or surrounded by materials for a craft project she over-committed to.
Adrian Spencer is the middle school math and science teacher. They grew up in Illinois and Florida and have a Master of Arts in Teaching degree from the College of Charleston in South Carolina. Adrian has taught math and science in both public and charter schools in Chicago prior to coming to Chicago Friends School. They’ve been a classroom teacher for students from grades three to eight and have taught math and science courses to students as young as preschool in other settings.
Isabella Suárez is our K-1 lead teacher. She worked at Chicago Friends School for four years while attending Loyola University and then joined CFS as a full-time teacher in the fall of 2022. While at Loyola, Isabella took on increasing responsibilities at CFS, first as an assistant teacher in K-1, then as a student teacher in middle school, and finally as co-teacher in the K-1-2 class.
Isabella is a 2022 graduate of the Loyola School of Education, with a degree in Elementary Education and a concentration in Bilingual Education. She brings a deep knowledge and love of the students, families, and culture of Chicago Friends School.
Isa enjoys sewing, playing water polo, swimming, reading, and learning about new cultures.
Ta’Fanesamekeya (Taffy) Davis is our Finance and Business Manager. Ta’Fanesamekeya grew up on the west side of Chicago in the Austin neighborhood. Taffy completed her Bachelors in Business Administration and proceeded down the path of accounting and finance. Taffy has worked in a variety of accounting and finance environments, including non-profit, higher education, corporate, and start-up. Taffy has also spent some time in education classroom support during a brief hiatus from accounting.
During “down time,” Taffy enjoys reading urban fantasy, historical fiction, biographies, SEC submissions, as well as black and white photography.
Latin Heroes brings language to life so children can develop a new language naturally. Our native-speaking teachers immerse students in the language through our curriculum, games, and other engaging activities, making our classes fun and exciting. Latin Heroes provides Spanish programs to Chicago Friends School as well as other private schools in the Chicago area. To learn more, visit Latinheroes.com
Merit Music in Communities is a program provided by Merit School of Music to create in-school music education programs for Chicago-area schools. This program provides high-quality music education through group instruction in strings, band, choir, piano, guitar, early childhood, and general music. In addition to year-long courses, multi-week general music residencies are available where Merit teaching artists collaborate with students and classroom teachers to creatively enhance reading, language, and critical thinking skills through music. Looks great. To learn more about Merit School of Music, visit www.meritmusic.org.