School bell “rings in” seven new Catholic school leaders

By Emily Chaffins -

MIAMI | The first ring of the schoolbell this academic year, starting August 11, will mean something new for seven Catholic educators in the Archdiocese of Miami.

The bell’s ring will signify their readiness for brand new roles in school leadership.

• Happily sent to the principal's office

Seven new Catholic school principals and presidents in total were commissioned July 2 during a ceremony at St. Martha Parish in Miami Shores. The new principals/presidents are overseeing Holy Family School in North Miami; Immaculate Conception School in Hialeah; Monsignor Edward Pace High School in Miami Gardens; Our Lady of Lourdes Academy in Miami; St. David School in Davie; St. Patrick School in Miami Beach; and Sts. Peter and Paul School in Miami.

The Archdiocese of Miami is one of the largest Catholic school systems in the southeastern United States, serving more than 37,000 students through 65 schools and three stand-alone preschools in Miami-Dade, Broward and Monroe counties. More than 3,000 Catholic educators and staff members serve students from infancy through 12th grade, combining academic excellence with faith formation.

Get to know more about each of the new school leaders through their bios below.

 

Christie Barbeite, Sts. Peter and Paul School, Miami

Born in Miami, Christie Barbeite is an alumna of both St. Brendan Catholic Elementary School and St. Brendan High School in Miami. She brings over 20 years of experience to her new role as principal of Sts. Peter and Paul School in Miami.

Barbeite began her career as a teacher's aide in a deaf and hard of hearing classroom for kindergarteners to third graders. She completed her teacher certification at Mercer University in Atlanta, Georgia, and began teaching first grade in the Atlanta public school system.

After returning to Miami in 2012, she began working at Mother of Christ School, where she dedicated 14 years to serving the school community. During her time there, she taught middle school science and literature before taking on leadership roles as the curriculum, technology, and Exceptional Student Education (ESE) coordinator. In 2019, she earned a Master of Science in Educational Leadership from St. Thomas University in Miami Gardens and was later appointed assistant principal of Mother of Christ School in 2021.

Now principal of Sts. Peter and Paul School, Barbeite is also pursuing a Doctor of Education in Leadership at St. Thomas University. She remains committed to fostering academic excellence, supporting teachers and helping students grow both intellectually and in their Catholic faith.

 

Yveta Brise, Holy Family School, North Miami

Yveta Brise is a Catholic school alumna and a dedicated educator who is passionate about helping students, teachers and families succeed. With 15 years of classroom experience, Brise has devoted her career to creating meaningful learning experiences and supporting both academic and personal growth.

Brise received a Bachelor of Education in Early Childhood Education and Teaching from Florida International University in Miami. She also earned a master’s degree in Educational Leadership and Administration from St. Thomas University in Miami Gardens. In 2025, she completed a second master’s degree in Applied Behavior Analysis from Capella University.

Throughout her career, she has supported teachers with instructional planning, professional development and student achievement initiatives. She enjoys working alongside educators to build positive school cultures, strengthen instruction, and inspire a shared commitment to excellence.

Although her new role as principal of Holy Family School marks her first time working in the Catholic school system, Brise’s experience of attending Catholic school as a child has made her familiar with and appreciative of the values and traditions of a Catholic education. She believes that great leadership is about listening, serving others and leading by example.

She believes that every child deserves a safe, supportive and inspiring learning environment where they feel valued and encouraged to reach their full potential. Her approach to leadership is rooted in compassion, collaboration and the belief that strong relationships are the foundation of a successful school community.

Above all, Brise is committed to making a positive impact through education, believing that every student has the ability to learn, grow and achieve when given the right support and encouragement.

 

Loyda Cardenas, St. Patrick School, Miami Beach

Having served the St. Patrick School community for over 20 years, Loyda Cardenas will now be stepping into the role of interim principal. Cardenas’ journey in education has been guided by a deep commitment to Catholic values and the belief that every child is uniquely created by God with gifts and talents.

Cardenas earned a Bachelor of Business Administration from Pace University in New York, a Master of Arts in Education in School Administration and Supervision from Saint Peter’s University in New Jersey, and a professional certificate in Human Resource Management from Villanova University College of Professional Studies in Pennsylvania.

Throughout her career as a teacher and assistant principal at St. Patrick School, and now as principal, she remains passionate about building meaningful relationships, supporting teachers and creating a welcoming environment where students can grow spiritually, academically, and personally.

As Cardenas begins her new role, she looks forward to learning from and collaborating with fellow principals across the Archdiocese of Miami as they continue to lead with faith, serve with compassion and inspire excellence in Catholic education.

She is honored to continue working alongside St. Patrick School’s dedicated faculty, staff, students, families and parish. She is grateful for the opportunity to serve and trusts in God's guidance as she embarks on this new chapter.

 

Denise Delgado, Immaculate Conception School, Hialeah

Denise Delgado, principal of Immaculate Conception School in Hialeah, is a devoted wife and mother of four children – all of whom currently attend Immaculate Conception School and have always been part of the Immaculate family. As both a parent and an educator, she deeply values a school community rooted in faith, academic excellence, and love for each child.

Delgado brings two decades of experience in education. She pursued her undergraduate studies at St. Thomas University in Miami Gardens, where she majored in Elementary Education. She began her career as a paraprofessional in a public school PreK 4 classroom. After earning her bachelor’s degree, she taught third grade, all subject areas.

After three years in the classroom, Delgado felt called to grow as an educational leader. She pursued a master's degree in Educational Leadership at Florida International University in Miami and became a public school Reading Coach, serving for six years. She served elsewhere as a Mathematics Coach, continuing her work in supporting teachers and students and promoting instructional growth.

When an assistant principal position opened at Immaculate Conception School in 2025, Delgado felt called to explore Catholic education. Through prayer and discernment, that opportunity became a reality. She experienced tremendous personal, professional and spiritual growth throughout the 2025-2026 academic year while serving at the school her children call home.

Through God’s continued guidance, her path has led to becoming principal. She is grateful and blessed to serve God through Catholic education and looks forward to continuing to support the students, families, faculty and parish community of Immaculate Conception School.

 

Carmen Molina, Our Lady of Lourdes Academy, Miami

For more than 35 years, Carmen Molina has been blessed to serve students, families and educators in a variety of leadership roles – most recently, as newly appointed principal of Our Lady of Lourdes Academy in Miami. Education has never been simply her profession: she considers it her calling.

Her journey began as a special education teacher after graduating from Florida International University in 1989. From there, she had the privilege of serving as a three-time assistant principal and later as principal at two other schools.

In 2007, Molina also had the unique opportunity to serve as the founding principal of Gateway Environmental K-8 Learning Center in Homestead, helping to establish a community rooted in academic excellence, innovation, and a strong sense of belonging. From 2013-2026, she served as a District Director in Human Resources for Miami-Dade County Public Schools.

Throughout every chapter of her career, her leadership has been rooted in faith, integrity and service. As a proud graduate of Our Lady of Lourdes Academy, returning to the school that helped shape her faith and character is truly a full-circle moment.

Lourdes Academy is more than her alma mater: it is part of who she is. Guided by Mary’s example of faith, courage and unconditional love, she believes her role in Catholic education has the privilege of forming scholars who will serve the world with kindness, justice and hope.

Her greatest joy and proudest accomplishment is being a mother of two sons, raising them to love God, serve others and live with integrity. She is deeply grateful for the gifts God has granted: her parents, family, mentors, colleagues and the opportunity to return home to Lourdes Academy.

 

Ramon Rodriguez, Monsignor Edward Pace High School, Miami Gardens

A dedicated educator and administrator with more than 20 years of service at Monsignor Edward Pace High School, Dr. Ramon Rodriguez has devoted his career to forming students intellectually, spiritually, and morally while fostering a Christ-centered school community.

Throughout his tenure, he has faithfully served as a teacher, guidance counselor, dean of students, and now president, experiences that have provided him with a deep understanding of every aspect of the school's mission and culture.

Dr. Rodriguez holds a Doctor of Clinical Psychology with a concentration in Children and Adolescents from Albizu University in Doral, graduating with distinction. He has also earned master's and bachelor's degrees in psychology, graduating summa cum laude. He completed post-doctoral graduate coursework in Educational Leadership and successfully passed the Florida Educational Leadership Examination (FELE).

Dr. Rodriguez leads with a steadfast commitment to Catholic education, servant leadership and academic excellence. He believes that Pace is far more than a school: it is a family united by faith, service, and a shared commitment to developing young men and women of character, leadership, compassion, and integrity. His leadership philosophy is grounded in the teachings of the Catholic Church and is guided by a genuine desire to serve students, families, faculty, staff, alumni and the broader Pace community.

Working alongside Principal Bianca Acosta, Dr. Rodriguez is committed to building upon Pace's proud legacy while embracing innovative opportunities for growth. Guided by faith and inspired by the school's enduring mission, he is honored to lead Pace into its next chapter of excellence, ensuring that Christ remains at the center of everything the school does.

 

Sue Sandelier, St. David School, Davie

For more than 30 years, Sue Sandelier has been blessed to serve in Catholic education as both a classroom teacher and a school administrator. Her experience in curriculum development, instructional planning and academic leadership supports the creation of learning environments that are firmly rooted in Catholic values and traditions.

An alumna of Catholic education, Sandelier attended St. Matthew Catholic School in Philadelphia, transferring to St. Anthony School in Fort Lauderdale and later graduating from Cardinal Gibbons High School.

She earned a Bachelor of Science from Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, followed by a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale. She then completed an Educational Specialist degree in Administration at Barry University in Miami Shores. She also holds Florida certification in both Teaching and Educational Leadership and recently earned a certification as a STREAM Coordinator.

After teaching at Saint Jude Catholic School in Boca Raton for 10 years, she transitioned into the role of Dean of Curriculum at St. David Catholic School in Davie in 2025. She is now honored to begin her new role as principal of St. David School.

Sandelier’s work reflects a deep commitment to faith, academic excellence and the formation of the whole child. Guided by her strong faith, she believes that Catholic education includes academic and faith achievement, fostering a lifelong love of learning and a connection to God.

Sandelier is truly grateful and excited to continue serving the St. David “Wolfhound” family in this new capacity and to further the shared mission of faith and academic excellence.

Interested in a Catholic education for your child? Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Miami provide academic excellence rooted in faith for students from infancy through 12th grade. Find a school near you and learn more about admissions at the Archdiocese of Miami School Finder.