Staff

Our Team

Sheila Qualls, Director

Sheila Qualls is the executive director of Washington Academy. She holds a BA in English and Journalism and an MA in Communication.

Sheila is a wife of a U.S. Army veteran and mother to a U.S. Army son. She home schooled their five children from kindergarten through 12th grade. She has served as a university professor and has run and taught at several homeschool co-ops.

Prior to coming to Washington Academy, Sheila was an award-winning journalist and editor. She most recently reported on education for Alpha News where she produced a nationally ranked five-part podcast series on the declining academic standards in Minnesota. Producing the series heightened her desire to give all students a knowledge-rich, moral based education where they not only learn the academic fundamentals for success but they also learn their identity in Christ.

She was a Christian marriage and family columnist at Patheos.com where she wrote about issues challenging modern-day wives and families.

Wendy Goda, Head of Schools

Wendy Goda is a passionate educational leader, wife, and mother of four with over 20 years of experience working with children and families. As the Site Director of Washington Academy, Wendy is dedicated to pioneering a model of education that brings joy, support, and long-term hope to every family served. Her leadership is characterized by a profound commitment to trauma-informed care, cross-cultural understanding, and empowering students to thrive both academically and spiritually.

With a background in Intercultural Studies and a long history of working with refugee and underserved communities, Wendy has built programs that are not only academically enriching but deeply relational and community-rooted. She has held leadership roles in early childhood education, youth development, and family support, always centering her work on empowerment, compassion, and mission-driven excellence.

From classroom instruction to community outreach and global missions, Wendy’s life work reflects a calling to uplift the next generation and walk alongside families as they pursue brighter futures. Her approach to education is not only strategic and innovative—but deeply personal.