Faculty / Staff Biographies
April Lessard
Administrator
Mrs. Lessard holds a Bachelor of Music from Old Dominion University with a minor in Art and Aesthetics and a Master of Art in Music from Florida State University.
Mrs. Lessard is a professional singer, having sung with the Virginia Opera for three seasons as a chorister and lead role understudy. Mrs. Lessard had the honor to coach with the world renowned composer Thomas Pasatieri and be the first to premiere a staged version of his song cycle Letter to Warsaw. She has studied operatic roles abroad in Italy and has performed lead roles with FSU's opera program while pursuing her Master's Degree. Mrs. Lessard has studied Italian, French, German, and Hebrew in college and sings in nine different languages including Latin, Russian, and Czech. Mrs. Lessard was also a licensed Kindermusik educator for six years and taught classes at the ODU Community Music Academy in Norfolk, Virginia and The Music Staff in Chesapeake, Virginia while pursuing her bachelor's degree.
Mrs. Lessard has taught in the private school sector at Heritage Academy and Myles Preparatory School before pursuing the opening of Tree of Life Tallahassee in the fall of 2017. She currently teaches all middle and high school English and History classes at Tree of Life as well as Music and Art electives. She has taught Elementary Music, Middle and High School Choir, Music History, and Music Theory. Her music ensembles have performed Christmas and Easter Cantatas as well as traditional classical music in Latin, German, and Hebrew. Her elementary music students have written musical compositions and played the handbells as well as the soprano recorder. Mrs. Lessard is a versatile educator who has also taught 2-D Studio Art, U.S. and World History, K-5 Mathematics to ESE students with Autism, Consumer Math, Home Economics, and High School English. She LOVES working with ESE students and strives for student mastery in her teaching all while fostering an environment of FUN!
Rabbi Joshua Lessard
Director of the Board, Tree of Life Tallahassee
Rabbi Joshua Lessard is an experienced educator, musician, and congregational leader. He is a certified teacher in the state of Florida, holds a bachelor's and master's degree in music, and is fully ordained through the International Alliance of Messianic Congregations and Synagogues. He also hold's a second Master's Degree in Theology from The King's University. He has been a successful middle school teacher for over twenty years, and also has experience teaching on the elementary and collegiate levels. He believes in the vital importance of a God-centered education, delivered through patient and structured instruction, to help students attain academic, relational, and spiritual success.
Our HIGHLY Qualified Full-time Teaching Staff:
Mrs. Liz Nichols, Elementary, K-3
Ms. Christian Hall Mosley, K-3
Ms. Sarah Hurst-Cornelius, K-3, Music, Spanish
Bios coming soon
Miss Bridney Thomas, Middle School and High School Math and Science
Miss Thomas returns to Tree of Life after a several year hiatus while pursuing higher education and research projects. Miss Thomas was with us at the very beginning of our school opening, and we couldn't be more thrilled to invite her back to join our family one again!
Miss Thomas holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology,
and a Master of Public Health from FAMU
Dr. Sharon Careccia, Emeritus, Math and Science
Dr. Careccia has taught at Tree of Life for the past four years and is leaving us in October of 2025 to get married! Although she is moving to Pennsylvania, she will still serve on the board of the school, and will be contracted to teach online classes for our advanced high school students when needed. She will also be available for online tutoring sessions.
Dr. Careccia holds an A.A. in Art, a Bachelor of Science in Engineering, a Bachelor of Science in Physics, a Master of Science in Physics, and a Ph.D. in Physics. Dr. Careccia has years of teaching experience and has spent 9 years as a Senior Lecturer at Georgia College and State University. She is currently an adjunct Physics professor at Central Georgia Technical College.
scareccia@treeoflifetallahassee.com