Mr. Wiencek returns to Yap Catholic High School as the newly appointed Director. Mr. Wiencek first came to Yap in 2012 when he was a member of the YCHS Volunteer Teacher Program for two years. After a year teaching at Cristo Rey Philadelphia High School, he returned to Yap to continue to help the school achieve its mission of educating students live their faith in the service of God and others.

In addition to being director, Mr. Wiencek also teaches Calculus, as well as supplemental math for certain periods. He is excited to work with the faculty, staff, students, families, and supporters of YCHS to continue building a community of academic achievement and faith formation.  

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Gilippin Pongliyab, known to the students as Ms. Gail, found one of her true passions as a teacher at Yap Catholic High School. Born and raised in Yap, Micronesia, Ms. Gail ventured far from home to gain new experiences and ideas after high school. In 2005, she acquired a BA in English from the University of California, Northridge. 

Since 2013, she's had the fortune of working with dedicated staff and faculty at Yap Catholic High School. Along with her principal duties, Ms. Gail also teaches Literature 12 and supervises the Yearbook Club. 

Fr. Rich McAuliff, a Jesuit from the U.S. East Province, has served in Micronesia for more than thirty years—in the Marshall Islands, in Chuuk, in Palau, and now in Yap. He began at Yap Catholic High School in 2018 as the school director before stepping down in summer 2025 to focus on the Yap Vicariate and his pastoral duties.

He is now based in the Micronesian Seminar Library as its acting director, and is also continuing on campus as the school chaplain.  

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Entering his eighth school year with Yap Catholic High School as college counselor, Mr. Southwick is excited and humbled for the opportunity to continue to prepare students at YCHS for their journey towards a post-secondary education.

Prior to joining the school, Mr. Southwick served as Scholarship Coordinator for the State of Yap for almost eleven years. Born and raised in California, but calling Yap home for the last twenty years, Mr. Southwick lives with his wife of twenty-five years and two children. In addition to college counseling duties, he teaches two classes: Freshmen Algebra I and Junior Algebra II.

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Ms. Jermin, as she in knowned, joined Yap Catholic High School in School Year 2021-2022 as the Director of Finance; the new position was created the summer of 2021 to assist the school's growing financial responsibilities.

As the financial officer, Ms. Jermin is responsible for the school's accounting & bookkeeping, tuition payments, and other administrative duties. She is also a club advisor and student mentor. 

Cyril Joseph Moofel is a dedicated school administration assistant at Yap Catholic High School, expertly balancing a diverse set of responsibilities. In addition to managing the administrative workload with efficiency, he also teaches World History to the senior class, bringing a passion for the subject and a commitment to student success.

Mr. CJ is known for his ability to connect historical events to the students’ lives, making the subject both engaging and relevant. Beyond the classroom, he coaches the school’s basketball team, where he instills teamwork, discipline, and sportsmanship in his players. His unique ability to juggle multiple roles makes him an invaluable member of the school community. He is dedicated to contributing to the academic and athletic development of the students, ensuring they are well-prepared for life beyond high school. Mr. CJ thrives in a dynamic environment and is committed to making a positive impact in every role he takes on.

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Ms. Saralyn is an alumna from the second graduating class of Yap Catholic High School. She received her Associate of Arts Degree in Pre-Teacher Preparation at the College of Micronesia - FSM.

​Ms. Saralyn returns to YCHS as the English Language Arts teacher to the sophomores and seniors, and for the second time as the Civics & Geography teacher for the freshmen. 

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Mr. Patris is a volunteer teacher at Yap Catholic High School. Brandon Patris is the youngest of eight siblings, and is a proud Palauan. He graduated from Mindszenty High School in 2015 and furthered his education at the University of Scranton, receiving his Bachelor of Arts in History and Philosophy in 2019. From 2019 to 2024, Mr. Patris explored different organizations from non-government organizations to government organizations to private corporations.

After working for 5 years, Mr. Patris decided to teach at Yap Catholic High School and share what he learned as a result of his hard work. For his second school year at YCHS, Mr. Patris continues to cover Literature 9, Religion 10 (Jesus of History: Christ of Faith), and Religion 12 (The Magis: Exploration of Ignatian Spirituality), along with Campus Ministry. 

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Mr. Lavallee was born and raised in Florida and spent most of his life there. He started teaching Agriculture in 2004, and has since studied and taught in several countries, such as Nigeria, Finland, and South Korea. He enjoys all things pertaining to agriculture and biology, and really enjoys gardening in his spare time.

He first came to Micronesia to teach at Xavier High School in Chuuk in 2023, but relocated to Yap in 2024 to proudly teach at YCHS. He teaches Science 9 (Earth Science), Science 10 (Biology), and Social Studies 11 (US History). 

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Mae Lynn E. Tiningidow was born on September 17, 1966 in Kolonia, Pohnpei but was reared in the State of Yap.  She currently resides in Aringel, Dalipebinaw. She moved to Yap in 1975 and has been here since, except when she went off to school. She worked for the Yap Small Business Development Center from 1999 to 2009 as an Administrative Assistant for one year, and became a Business Counselor for the remaining years with the program.  In 2009, she moved to the Yap State Department of Education as a volunteer teacher, and six months later she became a permanent teacher. 

She received her AS degree at the College of Micronesia - FSM in Education.  She also attended Palau Community College from 1994-1997 majoring in Business Administration.  

YCHS welcomes Ms. Mae to the team as she takes on three humanities courses. 

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Eliana Tinngig, known to her students as Miss Ellie, graduated from The University of Scranton in 2025 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry, and is an alumna of Yap Catholic High School’s Class of 2021. Returning to Yap, she is excited to give back to her home island and her people.

This year, Miss Ellie teaches Chemistry to the junior class, College Math Prep to a group of seniors, and Micronesian History to the sophomore class. She also serves as the senior homeroom teacher and will be helping with extracurricular activities such as volleyball.

Miss Ellie values hard work in learning, a deep appreciation for our culture, and living life through the Ignatian values. She hopes to pass these values on to her students, guiding them grow into confident young leaders ready to serve both our islands and communities

Perfi Angeli Talaid is originally from the Philippines but spent most of her life in Yap. In 2022, she returned to the Philippines to pursue her college education and graduated in May 2025. As an alumna of YCHS, Class of 2021, she has always dreamed of coming back to YCHS to give back.

She will be teaching Senior Physics, Junior Literature, and Sophomore Geometry. As this will be her first year of teaching, she looks forward to an insightful and meaningful experience. Having been raised by teachers, she is eager to explore this career path and see where it leads her. Ms. Perfi aims to bring out the best in each student and, as a proud YCHS alumna, share her own experiences to help prepare them for college and beyond.

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Ms. Teresita was born and raised on this beautiful island of Yap. She feels blessed to be once more a part of the YCHS family this school year. She is looking forward to the many great things that are in store for YCHS this year. She is confident that the school community will continue to thrive and the students will continue to succeed in all that they do, at school and wherever they may go.

Ms. Teresita continues to teach the religion course to the freshman class at YCHS, even as she begins the process of shifting her duties to the Micronesian Seminar. 

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Teacher Libyan returns to Yap Catholic High School in the 2nd Quarter of the school year, after taking a hiatus after the last school year. For School Year 2025-2026, he will be focused on administrative duties as assigned by the director and principal. 

On top of his administrative duties, "Mr. Teacher" will also be covering the collaboration periods between classes along with any other assigned classes. He looks forward to challenging the students and celebrating their achievements.