We are delighted to welcome (and welcome back!) the following faculty and staff members to The Heights community this academic year. There are very few new faces in the crowd, with a mix of alumni, alumni parents, and former faculty.

Melanie Brown

Melanie returned to campus this year as the admissions coordinator. She had served previously as administrative and events coordinator at The Heights, before her departure to become the director of admissions for a local parochial school. Prior to her time at The Heights, Melanie worked for the Archdiocese of Washington as the coordinator for marriage preparation, as well as the director of organizational development for Maryland Right to Life. She and her husband, Will, have six children, Kathleen, Willie ’14, Gavin ’16, Austin ’17, Tommy ’19 and Leah.

Mike Houlihan

Mike Houlihan joined The Heights middle school faculty following thirty-five years as a civil and environmental engineer with Geosyntec Consultants. He specialized in infrastructure design, including dams and waste management facilities, as well as remediating and redeveloping contaminated properties, construction engineering, and expert witness work. He held numerous management leadership positions, most recently as the firm’s market development leader. He obtained his bachelor’s (’85) and master’s (’87) degrees in civil engineering from Georgia Tech. He is a registered professional engineer and a Fellow in the American Society of Civil Engineers, and remains a senior consultant with Geosyntec Consultants. Mike is an avid baseball fan and player, runs grade-school chess tournaments for the Knights of Columbus, is a longtime catechist, and loves the peace of the porch at the family’s cabin in the Adirondacks. He and his wife Jane live in Chevy Chase and have two children, daughter Megan and son Chris ’17.

Joseph Kilmer ’17

Joe Kilmer, who graduated from The Heights in 2017, serves as the assistant to the headmaster and registrar. In 2021, he received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Dallas, where he majored in business. Joe stayed in Dallas to teach at Faustina Academy for a couple years after graduation.

Javier Mazariegos ’19

Javier Mazariegos joins the team as an alumni coordinator and development associate. He was born in Providence, Rhode Island, and grew up in Rockville, Maryland, where his family relocated so he and his six brothers could attend The Heights. Three of his brothers are Heights alums, while another three are current students. Javi graduated as a lifer and the salutatorian of the class of 2019. He earned his BA summa cum laude in philosophy and English from The Catholic University of America, where he was the class of 2023 recipient of the President’s Award. In 2024, he was appointed to the university’s board of trustees. Working remotely, Javi lives in New York City where he helps organize activities and teach seminars at Schuyler Hall. He enjoys exploring philosophy and contemporary culture.

Conn Mehigan ’19

Conn Mehigan serves as a production associate, assisting both The Heights Forum and the facilities team. Conn was born in McLean, Virginia. He is excited to be returning to his alma mater where he attended as a lifer graduating with the class of 2019, and joining his brother Finn Mehigan ’13 on the Heights staff. He earned his BA from the University of Chicago in 2024, with honors in classical studies.

Jeff Thompson

Jeff Thompson returned to The Heights, where he will work with Assistant Headmaster Tom Royals, supporting upper school students, and will teach in the upper school. Jeff has a Bachelor of Science from New Hampshire College (now Southern New Hampshire University), where he was a four-year letterman for the men’s basketball team. Beginning in 2002, Mr. Thompson taught in the middle school at The Heights for the next fifteen years. Jeff and his wife, Dominique Dawes Thompson, operate gymnastics academies across the DMV and have four children.

Michelle Tocci

Michelle, a Heights Mom of eleven years, now serves as a fundraising events coordinator. She graduated from the University of Dallas with a BA in English literature and enjoyed it so much that she stayed for her MA as well. She and husband Michael have two sons: Luca ’24 and second-grader Julius, who will get his chance to head to the Valley next fall.

Ian Welch

Mr. Ian Welch was born in Westminster, Maryland, and joins the facilities team this year. After graduating from Westminster High School, he attended Carroll Community College and Alderson Broaddus University, where he played Division II lacrosse. He has held a number of positions in the maintenance industry and most recently worked for the Port of Baltimore. In his current role, he contributes to the upkeep of the campus in numerous ways, including maintenance, remodeling, construction, and event setup.