Our Team

Valerie Montgomery has been in the Cherokee family since we opened our doors in 1994. She was a 3rd grade and 4th grade teacher and Assistant Principal at Cherokee for many years, in addition to serving as Principal at Woodland Elementary. Valerie moved back to Cherokee (her home away from home) in 2016 as the Principal at Cherokee. Valerie is married with three grown children, all former Cheetahs.  She enjoys snow skiing, vacationing at the beach, and cheering on the Kentucky Wildcats.

Valerie enjoys spending quality time with students, visiting classrooms and bringing our facility dog, Tecna, to visit with our Cheetahs. She reminds them daily to use their Cheetah PRIDE skills, stay Above the Line, and ALWAYS be kind! 

Mike Stapleton has been an administrator at Cherokee Elementary since 2022.  

Mike attended The Ohio State University for his undergraduate degree, Walden University for his masters in Educational Leadership degree, and Xavier University for his administration degree and licensure. 

Mike and his wife (Brittany) have two young children, a boy and a girl. Mike’s wife is a first grade teacher in the Little Miami School District. Together they love sports, boating, and going on beach vacations!  

Mike strives to be the best leader and educator using a "student first" lens and he believes we can all be lifelong learners! One of his favorite quotes is "Be better today than you were yesterday, be better tomorrow than you were today."

Brenda Day is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor with Cincinnati Children’s Hospital. She has worked as a school-based therapist for over six years in various schools in the Greater Cincinnati area. Brenda values the importance of access to mental health support within the school environment and works with students to help them overcome social, emotional and academic difficulties.

Brenda utilizes a variety of modalities in therapy, including cognitive behavioral therapy, and neurosequential-model of therapeutics-informed therapy, while also using creative and expressive techniques to individualize treatment for each student. Brenda recognizes the importance of the developmental years of childhood and will continue to advocate for students to succeed socially, emotionally and academically. 

Brenda enjoys spending time with her family and is a fan of the arts and sports including local theater, ballet, and is a huge baseball fan.

Laura Feldt joined the Cherokee Elementary family in September 2025 as Office Manager. A graduate of Purdue University, Laura brings with her a long and successful career in sales and administrative support, most recently working with Scholastic Book Fairs to help promote literacy in schools.

Laura and her husband, Brandon, are proud parents of two Lakota students. Outside of school, Laura enjoys watching musicals, traveling with her family (they are true Disney fans!), and cheering on her beloved Purdue Boilermakers.

Laura is excited to support Cherokee’s students, staff, and families each day, and loves being part of the Cheetah community.

Stephanie Latoski has excitedly joined the Cherokee Elementary team as the School Counselor in 2025.

Stephanie earned her undergraduate degree in Family Studies from Miami University and her master’s degree in School Counseling from Xavier University.

During her time at Miami University, Stephanie met her husband, Robert, and the two have been inseparable ever since, making them proud Miami Mergers ♥️. Their college story holds a special place in their hearts, and they cherish the journey that began on campus and continues to grow with each passing year.

At home, Stephanie and Robert share their lives with three beloved pets: Joey, a fun-loving dog named after Joey Tribbiani from Friends (How you doin'?), and two curious black cats, Dana and Fox, named in honor of The X-Files (the truth is out there). Together, they enjoy spending time outdoors, relaxing at home, and sharing plenty of laughs.

Stephanie is passionate about advocating for students, building strong connections, and helping children grow socially, emotionally, and academically. She strives to create a safe and supportive environment where every student feels seen and valued. One of her favorite parts of the job is making people smile, even on the tough days.

Carly Luft has proudly served Cherokee Elementary since 2021 as an Instructional Aide Paraprofessional, working in the front office to support students, staff, and families. Her strengths in organization, communication, and multitasking make her an essential part of the school’s daily operations.  Carly is known for her warm presence, reliability, and dedication to creating a welcoming environment for everyone who enters the building. Whether she’s assisting with administrative tasks, coordinating with families, or supporting staff behind the scenes, Carly brings a calm and caring approach to everything she does.

Outside of her role at Cherokee, Carly is a skilled hairdresser and runs her own salon in Columbus on weekends. Her creativity and attention to detail carry over into her work at school, where she’s always ready to help and make a positive impact.

Carly’s love for Cherokee Elementary runs deep, and she’s honored to be part of a school community that values connection, kindness, and growth.

Dawn has been at Cherokee since 2012.  In those years she has held positions as a Recess Aide, Instructional Aide, and is currently our Office Secretary.  The Office Secretary is also the Secretary to the Assistant Principal.  Various duties include attendance, enrollment/withdrawals, transportation, student records, report cards, OneLogin, Home Access Center, and assisting parents in the front office.

In her free time, Dawn enjoys spending time with her family.  She loves going to concerts, listening to music, and going to the beach.

Julie has been with Cherokee since 2022 and has 11 years of nursing experience.   Julie comes to us with a background in the mental health field.  Prior to Cherokee, Julie worked as a mental health nurse in a maximum-security prison as well as an inpatient psychiatric facility.   Julie lives in Mason and is a HUGE sports fan – Go Xavier!  She has previously coached youth cheerleading and volleyball.  When not at work, Julie can be found spending time with family, friends, or crafting. 

Lieutenant Carl Sigmon retired from the Hamilton City Police Department after serving for 30 years. Lt. Sigmon was also active in the Army for 3 years and was in the Reserves for 3 years. He was assigned as the School Resource Officer at Cherokee in 2019. During the summer, he enjoys car shows, spending time at the lake, and cruising in his prized Corvette.
 
Student safety is the main focus of his job, but he also enjoys relationship building with students, being a positive influence for them, and helping them understand that police officers aren’t just there for the “bad things". He wants students to feel comfortable talking to officers in uniform. He can sometimes be seen shooting basketballs or having lunch with students.