Meet Our Team
Elise Poppe
Elise’s lifelong love of learning found a home in Charlotte Mason’s philosophy — one she believes treats children and mothers as full persons, worthy of a rich and living education. A Master Teacher through Ambleside Schools International, she leads Charlotte Mason Powhatan and consults with homeschooling families through raisingpersons.com.
She lives in Powhatan, Virginia with her husband, four children, and an ever-growing number of animals.
Founder and Director
Destiny Cifers
Destiny has been married for 15 years and is a proud mother of two. With a background in early childhood education and special needs, she discovered Charlotte Mason’s philosophy before her oldest began school and joined the CMP family in 2023.
What drew her to Charlotte Mason is the timeless truth that education is an atmosphere, a discipline, a life — a vision that nurtures the whole child far beyond academics. Her family is building their homestead in Amelia County and participates in wildlife rescue and rehabilitation.
Her greatest hope is that her students grow in confidence, develop lasting life skills, and walk boldly toward God’s purpose for them — all while delighting in His creation.
Curriculum and Program Assistant, Class Three Lead Teacher
Babyleben AideGrace Chimero
Grace joins our team to love the babies of our teachers and learn more about the model of education. Her love for the community and willingness to serve are an encouragement to many! She lives with her husband and son in Powhatan.
Sarah Abshier
Sarah grew up learning through Charlotte Mason’s methods and is now delighted to carry that tradition forward with her own family. She brings both warmth and versatility to CMP — lending her wisdom to our toddler class while also serving as a skilled editor and designer. She lives with her husband and three children in Chesterfield.
Toddlerleben Lead TeacherAmanda “AJ” Jennette
AJ is a homeschooling mother with a background in psychology and nursing — a foundation that deepened her appreciation for how children grow and develop as whole persons. She was drawn to Charlotte Mason’s philosophy through its respect for the child and its belief that education is an atmosphere, a discipline, and a life.
At CMP, she serves as an aide in the Toddlerleben class, where her hope is that every child feels known, loved, and free to explore the world with curiosity and joy. She lives with her family and loves reading and spending time outdoors.
Toddlerleben Aide
Kinderleben Lead TeacherHeather Robinson
Heather is a Tennessean at heart who has called Virginia home for twenty years. She studied Psychology and Spanish at American University before earning a Biblical Counseling degree from Southern Seminary, and practiced as a counselor for many years before discovering Charlotte Mason’s philosophy through a fellow homeschool mom. Mason’s wisdom first transformed the way she and her husband parented, and from there her passion for raising their three children as born persons grew. She has been homeschooling since 2022.
Heather delights in teaching Kinderleben at CMP. In her spare time she hosts neighborhood block parties, geeks out on the origin of words, and devours a good mystery. Her hope for Kinderleben is that every child is invited to the feast and transformed by the beauty of God’s love and truth.
Kinderleben AideAllison Herbert
Allison is a longtime homeschooling mother of four who joins CMP this year to help give our Kinderleben students beautiful ideas and habits in which to take joy. She looks forward to her first year with the program!
Madeline Arbour
Madeline joins CMP this year bringing classroom experience and a passion for learning more about Charlotte Mason’s model of education. She is an Orton-Gillingham trained specialist and lives in Bon Air with her daughter and husband.
Class One Lead Teacher
Heather Hodges
Heather Hodges studied Microbiology at Virginia Tech and worked for several years as a Medical Laboratory Scientist, but decided to become a stay-at-home mom after the births of her two young children. Inspired by the Charlotte Mason educational philosophy, she has chosen to homeschool, embracing its principles to create a warm and inviting learning atmosphere at home. In her free time, Heather enjoys reading and hiking with her family.
Class One Aide
Class Two Lead Teacher
Sarah Selz
Sarah is a Jesus follower, wife of 17 years, mother of three, registered nurse, and personal trainer who began her homeschool journey as a child and has continued it as a mother-teacher. She and her children joined the CMP family two years ago, and she serves as the Class One teacher — with Science and Swedish Drill on the horizon for 2026-27.
She was drawn to Charlotte Mason for the way it honors the child as a person and ties all areas of life into a child’s education. In her free time she supports wellness and health promotion throughout the Powhatan community.
Her hope for every child at CMP is a lifelong love of learning and a deepening relationship with God and the world — an atmosphere where every child knows, “it is good to be me here with you.”
Class Two AideCharlotte Worsham
When her firstborn approached school age nearly 37 years ago, Charlotte and her husband made the decision to keep their children’s education close to home. That journey led her through Raymond and Dorothy Moore, classical education, and many curricula before she found her home in Charlotte Mason’s philosophy. Along the way, Orton-Gillingham training has been a valuable tool — one that continues to serve her today with her grandson.
For Charlotte, education has never been something separate from life, but an ongoing, living process. She is still learning — and delights in it.
Theresa Ornder
Theresa joins us as not only an aide but as our resident wisdom in all things music. A student of Charlotte Mason for many years, she has been part of the CMP family from the very beginning — attending play groups and Mothers’ Trainings long before her children were school age. She lives with her husband and three children in Midlothian and is the epitome of a lifelong learner.
Class Three AideSam Bryant
Sam joins us as her son begins formal schooling this year! She has been drawn to the CM philosophy and looks forward to helping whenever and wherever needed!
Roving Aide