Faculty Directory

Very Rev. Gregory Wilson was raised Methodist in St. Matthew’s, SC. At age 11 he saw a classmate make the Sign of the Cross and became curious about the Catholic Church. Over the years of high school and college, he continued to slowly learn about the Catholic Faith. He entered the Catholic Church April 2, 1994, was called to the Priesthood and ordained on 9 June 2001. Fr. Wilson was first Rector of the Cathedral from 2008-2011 and returned in 2022 as Rector. He also serves as Vicar General and Director of Vocations for the Diocese of Charleston.

Rachel Willoughby is a native of Augusta, Georgia and a devoted daughter of the Catholic Church, deeply committed to seeking Christ through the pursuit of truth. Raised in the Melkite Greek Catholic tradition, she treasures the rich universality of the Catholic faith, particularly as it is expressed through the diverse traditions of the Eastern Catholic Churches.

Ms. Willoughby earned a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematics from Ave Maria University in 2007. She later pursued advanced theological studies at the International Theological Institute in Trumau, Austria, where she received a Master’s degree in Sacred Theology in 2011, followed by a Licentiate in Sacred Theology in 2013.

Her passion for truth led her to the classroom, where she spent five years teaching Geometry, Latin, and Sacred Scripture at Aquinas High School in Augusta. During her time there, she especially cherished her students' eagerness to discover objective truth in Geometry and moral truth through Sacred Scripture.

Following her tenure at Aquinas, Ms. Willoughby served as Director of Adult Faith Formation at a large parish in Charlotte, North Carolina. In this role, she led sacramental preparation efforts and facilitated ongoing faith formation programs for adult parishioners.

Most recently, she has been teaching theology to freshmen and sophomores at Charlotte Catholic High School. Ms. Willoughby is excited to begin a new chapter in Charleston as a member of the faculty at Chesterton Academy of Saint Finbar.

Tony Licari is a devoted Catholic husband and father of seven children. His expertise and teaching experience includes a variety of disciplines. He holds a BA and MA in English Literature from the Citadel and is a published F. Scott Fitzgerald scholar. 

Mr. Licari previously taught Literature and Composition as an adjunct professor at the Citadel and frequently returns as a guest lecturer. During his twelve-year career in the US Navy, he served as an instructor in the US Navy nuclear power training pipeline where he taught reactor theory and operation. 

As the current lay Director of Catholic Campus Ministry at the Citadel, he organizes weekly bible studies, theological lectures for Catholic students and faculty, and works with young adults entering the church through the Order of Christian Initiation for Adults.

Mr. Licari is also a black belt instructor in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu with nearly twenty years of teaching and competition experience. In addition to his teaching experience, Mr. Licari has written professionally as a technical writer and editor for the Department of Veterans Affairs.

In his free time, Mr. Licari enjoys spending time with his growing family, reading, and writing religious icons.

Valentino Piran grew up in Vicenza, Italy, the city of Palladio, between Padua, Verona and Venice in a devout Roman Catholic family. Before moving to the United States in 2006, he completed his studies, with a degree in Building Surveyor and a Master in Piano performance at the “A.Pedrollo” Conservatory of Music. He also worked as a teacher, professional musician, conductor of the “Palladio Orchestra”, and as a music director for an Army Chapel, Theater and High School. Between 2007-2009 Valentino attended North Carolina School of the Arts completing his Master of Music in Orchestra Conducting, while working as performing artist for the school of ballet and as music director for the ASOP opera program. His studies allowed him to visit and participate in a Master Class at the Metropolitan Opera. 

After the completion of his Masters Degree and following the call to ministry, he furthered his education by receiving his Doctorate in Sacred Music. 

His experience includes over thirty-two years as a choral and orchestra conductor, director of liturgical music, music teacher, pianist and organist. Valentino finds teaching to be a natural vocation. It is an honor, and a great responsibility to accompany young minds and souls during their course of study. Music is a complete discipline. It is very rewarding to witness how through dedication and positivity his students discover the beauty of a composition and are able to perform challenging music from different eras. 

Valentino, his wife Nancy and their three children (in the home) live in Goose Creek. Presently, he is the Director of Sacred Music at Sacred Heart Catholic Church and the director of the Choral Program at The Citadel College. 

Emily French Kenny is an illustrator, designer, homeschooler, and an active parishioner at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, along with her husband, Sean, and their two children. Emily has homeschooled her 11-year-old and 9-year-old for five years and, as a recent convert, is committed to a Catholic Classical education. Having attended the Cathedral since 2021, she was confirmed on Easter 2024 and is deeply grateful to her husband for leading her to the faith.

In addition to teaching, Emily is a working artist who occasionally shows in local spaces and sells work from her online shop. Her deepening faith is a catalyst for the creation of new work, with the ever-growing intent of honoring God, and encouraging others to do the same with their unique gifts. She feels privileged to help students become “divine instruments of the eternal” and to teach them how to reflect the beauty of God’s creativity and divine order through their own study of the arts.

For over a decade prior to homeschooling, Emily owned and operated a branding and web design studio. She received her undergraduate degree in Fine Art from the University of Virginia in 2005.

Laura Mixon Camacho, PhD, is a renowned executive communication strategist specializing in Executive Presence. Drawing from extensive research into luxury brand messaging, political persuasion, and neuroscience, she crafts personalized strategies that help high-performing professionals connect, engage, and inspire to drive business success and foster a positive workplace culture.

Before opening her firm in 2009, Laura spent 9 years teaching communication courses at East Carolina University and College of Charleston. She has a BA degree in Economics and Spanish from Sweet Briar College, an international MBA from University of Dallas and a PhD in Communication Studies from Regent University. Her research covered the political rhetoric of former Venezuelan president, Hugo Chavez.

Her thought leadership has been featured in prominent publications such as Forbes.com, The Southern C, Lionesses of Africa, and Training Industry. As an author, Laura has written the Cultured Communication Workbook and The Practical Guide to Effective Communication, both lauded for their practical insights into mastering communication. Additionally, her podcast, Speak Up: Develop Your Executive Presence, is recognized as the #2 communication skills podcast globally and ranks in the top 2.5% of all podcasts worldwide.

Laura’s impressive client list includes top-tier companies such as ABI, Bosch, Comcast, Google, Nestlé, Medtronic, and the Society of Women Engineers, among many others.

Patrick Lausi has been an active member of the fencing community for over 20 years - first in Columbia, SC, and now in Charleston. As a competitor, he participated in tournaments at the local, regional, and national levels before spending the past decade leading Edge of America Fencing Club.

Driven by a strong belief in the power of community and its ability to transform lives, Patrick founded Ready? Fence! - a nonprofit dedicated to providing fencing scholarships and opportunities for under-resourced youth in Charleston.

When he’s not coaching or sparring, Patrick enjoys spending time at home with his wife and their four children.

Mark Kayser is a devoted Catholic husband, father of seven children, and an active parishioner at Stella Maris. A native of Mitchell, South Dakota, Mark spent his childhood as an avid hunter and fisherman in his home state. After spending 20 years on active duty in the U.S. Marine Corps he retired in 2007 from Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, SC.

Since that time Mark has been an active member in Scouting America program providing youth mentorship and marksmanship training for both rifle and archery. In 2017 his children became involved with the National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP) and he became a certified NASP Basic Archery Instructor. In 2020 he became the Head Coach and Director of the Holy City Archery Homeschool team and continues in that role today. He is passionate about introducing marksmanship discipline and skill to youth who have never been exposed to shooting sports and instilling confidence in their ability to learn focus, self-control, discipline, and patience.

The archery curriculum is centered around international style target shooting with an emphasis on safety, competence, techniques, and skill enhancement with an opportunity to participate in competitive tournaments here in the low country and throughout the nation. There are currently over 1.3 million archers participating at over 9,500 schools nationwide and over 66% of participants are first time archers.

In his free time Mark enjoys spending time with his family conducting physical activities such as camping, hiking, running, and motocross.

Ella Rose Kayser is a native South Carolina resident, parishioner at Stella Maris Catholic Church, and an upcoming 2026 homeschool graduate.

In 2018 Ella joined a homeschool English heritage dance group and loved the experience. Since then, she has adopted a variety of styles including swing, traditional line dance, waltz, square dance, and, of course, the Charleston. Ella is often found instructing dances at social gatherings, and most recently has participated in a Charleston-based swing dance group.

Ella is passionate about learning the history behind traditional dances and keeping them alive in the younger generation. In her free time she will most likely be working on a crochet project or reading.