Dr. Dana Phelps joins the Norfolk Academy family as a Middle School history teacher. She is an archaeologist and cultural anthropologist. She earned her B.A. in art history and archaeology from the American University of Rome, where she also was a Vatican City tour guide. She received an M.A. in cultural heritage studies from University College London, while also conducting archaeological fieldwork in Albania. After an internship at UNESCO in Paris and employment in the international development sector in Washington DC, she went on to earn a second master’s degree and a Ph.D. in anthropology from Stanford University; she also conducted more than two years of anthropological and archaeological fieldwork in Albania, Greece, and Italy. She has also worked for the tech giant Meta (formerly Facebook), employing her anthropological background to study the users of their technology. Her love for teaching and for ancient history brought her to Norfolk Academy.
Why did you want to become a teacher?
I became a teacher because I wanted to inspire our next generation of global citizens. I wanted to teach young adults to love ancient history and be curious about the diversity of our world.
What excites you about Norfolk Academy?
Unlike where I went to middle school, this is an institution that focuses first on character and then on academics and sports. To me, this is a place that just gets it.
What's your favorite activity?
Cooking, running, studying chess, and reading to my girls (in no particular order).
What's one fun fact about you students might find interesting?
I have traveled to more than 25 countries and have lived in five of them.