Education
BA in Classics, Southern Illinois University
MA in Classics, The Ohio State University
PhD in Classics, The Ohio State University

Gabriel likes to tell his students that the only thing he was ever good at in life was school. He loved school so much that he went to school until his degree program told him he couldn't go to school anymore, so he decided to turn around and go right back to work in a school. Rather than pursue a career in university academia, where everyone seemingly has it all figured out already, Gabriel sought to parlay his love of Classical languages and literature into making a positive impact on young people who do not have it all figured out already, something he considers their most endearing characteristic. Wakefield has been his home for over a decade, where he has taught all levels of Latin in the Upper School and served as Director of Academics before becoming Head of the Upper School in 2019. Calling himself a 'nerd's nerd,' he still loves all the things that got him made fun of in high school: science fiction and fantasy, comics, tabletop gaming, trivia, and good old-fashioned book learning. When asked about the role of school in the lives of young people, he writes, "A school must cultivate mutual respect and personal agency to foster intellectual and spiritual autonomy. We must build relationships in our classrooms, our gym, and our entire community such that the well-being of each person matters to every other. This provides everyone the freedom to seek their own purpose free of judgment. A school must strive to provide students with moments of truth in which they may engage not only the details of our content but also the complexities of self-knowledge, the intellect, and justice."