Directory

After a 28-year career with the Dallas Police Department (DPD) where he was a member of the Special Operations SWAT unit, Dale Hackbarth serves the School as director of security, a position to which he was appointed in 2013. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in business and communications from Carroll College in Wisconsin. His other DPD assignments included patrol officer and instructor in sniper, less lethal and assistant squad leadership, with specialization in weapons and tactics. He serves on the Interscholastic Advisory Committee for National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security.

Dr. Andrea Hamilton has been a member of the St. Mark’s community since 2019 and is a faculty member in the Department of History and Social Sciences. She teaches courses in history of American society, foundations of world societies and AP U.S. history. A mom to Miller Wendorf ‘24, she earned a doctorate from Tulane University and holds undergraduate degrees from Indiana University and Southern Methodist University. Prior to St. Mark’s she taught a variety of history and English classes at Southern Methodist University. Hamilton sponsors the St. Mark’s chapter of Junior World Affairs Council and travels with the School’s Model United Nations team.

Angela Hendricks has been teaching here since 2005 and currently serves as an instructor of piano in the Fine Arts Department. She earned a B.A. degree from Dallas Baptist University and a master’s degree in education from the University of Texas at Austin. Her teaching experience includes over 35 years of piano instruction and a two year missionary journeyman teaching assignment in Porto Alegre, Brazil, as well as employment with the Austin ISD and the Dallas ISD. Hendricks plays both violin and viola, sponsors the St. Mark’s Piano Trios and is a member of Dallas Music Teachers Association.

Cameron Hillier ’13 returned to his alma mater in 2020 as a member of the English Department, where he teaches classes in junior English, literature of war and survival and dystopian literature. Before returning to St. Mark’s, he earned a bachelor’s degree from Colby College. Hillier is the head tennis coach here, directs the School’s Wilderness Program and serves as an adviser in the freshman-sophomore class rotation. He also taught English at Christ School in Asheville, NC while coaching tennis and serving as head of house for one of the campus dormitories there.

Matt Hjertstedt has been a member of the St. Mark’s community since 2008 and serves as head athletic trainer in the Athletic Department, where he also teaches Middle School physical education and health classes. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Central Washington University and Master of Science degree from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. He’s also a certified athletic trainer and a licensed athletic trainer. Before joining St. Mark’s, Hjertstedt worked in the fitness industry as a personal trainer and strength coach. A dad to current Marksman Westin ‘31, he also spent time working at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle in the Acute Rehab Unit. Hjertstedt also sponsors an independent studies course in sports medicine for Upper School students and received the John H. Murrell Excellence in Teaching Award in 2014.

A member of the Science Department since 2001, Stephen Houpt teaches physics to upper schoolers. He earned his A.B. from Lafayette College and an M.S. from the University of Texas at Dallas. Before joining St. Mark’s, Houpt taught physics at Jesuit College Preparatory School of Dallas, Lincoln High School and Walden Prep School. He sponsors the Blues Club and the Physics Competition Club. Houpt was honored as Teacher of the Year at Walden and received the DISD Humanitarian Award while at Lincoln. At Jesuit, he received the Green Math-Science faculty Award. He received the John H. Murrell Excellence in Teaching Award in 2011 and is a member of the National Association of Physics Teachers.

Ken Howell started his St. Mark’s career in 2023 as a member of the Mathematics Department, where he teaches courses in algebra and precalculus to students in the Upper School. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Lees McRae College and a master’s degree in teaching mathematics from University of Texas at Dallas. Before coming to St. Mark’s, Howell taught mathematics at Jesuit Preparatory School where he was an assistant coach for the varsity lacrosse team and the head coach for the bowling team.

Joining the St. Mark’s community as a member of the Office of Development and Alumni Relations in 2013, Alex Hughes is assistant director in the Office of Communications. Hughes earned her B.F.A. from Texas Christian University. Before joining St. Mark’s, she worked as a designer for Peterson Ray & Company, a firm that specializes in branding and graphic design for colleges and independent schools. She holds membership in the American Association of Graphic Arts.

Holding the Arnold E. Holtberg Master Teaching Chair, Scott Hunt joined the St. Mark’s faculty in 1998 as a member of the Fine Arts Department. Hunt earned a bachelor’s and an M.F.A degree from Texas A&M University-Commerce. He has taught photography at North Lake College and Texas A&M Commerce and instructs students here in photography in both Middle and Upper School divisions and serves as director of student travel. Hunt’s photography program has been named “top program” in the state 15 of the past 17 years by the Association of Texas Photography Teachers. His students have garnered 12 YoungArts finalists designations, nine honorable mentions and two Presidential Scholars winners since 2004. Hunt was the 2023 recipient of the Ralph B. Rogers Award and the 2003 John H. Murrell Excellence in Teaching Award.

After a professional baseball career with the San Diego Padres farm team and the AAA Portland, Oregon Winterhawks, John Hunter came to St. Mark’s in 2008, where he currently serves as Middle School humanities teacher and head varsity baseball coach. Hunter earned his Master of Arts in Humanities degree from the University of Texas at Dallas and a bachelor’s degree in political science from Texas A&M University. After his baseball career, he transitioned to teaching and coaching, working at Arlington Martin High School and Keller High School before joining the Lions’ staff. Hunter is also the eighth grade class sponsor and eighth grade head soccer coach. A St. Mark’s parent (Blake ‘32) he received the Ackerman Character & Leadership Award in 2018.