Dr. Jacob Smith has been the owner and operator of Ladysmith Veterinary Clinic LLC since 2015. He previously held the same role with Ridgeland Veterinary Clinic LLC until it was sold in 2022. He is a longtime youth athletics coach, leading hockey, baseball, and soccer teams in both Minnesota and Wisconsin since 2007. He currently serves as the Cross Country Coach at Imago Dei Academy. Jacob and his wife Breann have 5 children; Brooklyn, Masyn, Adalyn, Camdyn, and Edyn who love spending time playing sports, riding horses, and enjoying the outdoors. Dr. Smith is also a Fellow with the Colson Center for Christian Worldview.
Hello, I am Ann Lund. I am excited to be teaching the Junior Kindergarten and Kindergarten classes. I have been a part of Imago Dei Academy since it opened, either as a volunteer or as a substitute teacher. I became a teacher for the 2024-2025 school year and I am excited to start my second year teaching. I am also a member of the school’s O.C.D. volunteer group. We help plan and organize different fun activities for the school/students, along with our school’s annual gala.
I grew up in Ladysmith and graduated in 1988. After graduation, I moved to the Twin Cities to attend the Minneapolis Business College. I married my husband, Marty, in 1992 and we have two daughters, Rebecca (1997) and Katherine (2001). In 2005, we moved from Blaine, MN to Sheldon and our daughters attended Flambeau school. I attend the Ladysmith Christian Church and previously helped teach K-1st grade Impact classes on Wednesday night.
I love being a part of the Imago Dei Academy family and working with our youngest group of students.
I am Alissa Zimmerman, also known as Mrs. Zimmerman by day and Miss Alissa by night. This is my first year teaching education…ever! I am a teacher to 1st and 2nd graders, as well as our single Kindergartener.
A little bit about me, I grew up in Rusk County and recently moved to Ladysmith from Weyerhaeuser. Ever since I was little, I’ve been fascinated by the fine arts. My mom is an amazing artist and always had a project on her easel. In school I took everything “musical” from show choir to jazz band. In 2014, I married my husband and started a business, Live to Dance Studio. As the years progressed we had two children who often came to dance classes with me. As a family we enjoy the outdoors, fishing and swimming.
The Lord has made such beautiful things for our eyes to behold and has given talents to all of us to share.
Hello! I am Carissa, a very blessed teacher of 3rd and 4th graders at Imago Dei Academy. It is a joy to instill the love of learning into these young minds and hearts.
I am new to Rusk County, but born and raised in the Midwest. Spending my day with children is not foreign to me! I grew up in a family of 10 kids, being the second oldest. Our home was always open to foster children in need of a home, neighbors who had no family for the holidays, or international students hungry to have a family away from home. Over the last 6 years, I have been actively involved in international student ministry, as well as overseas missions – starting and growing Bible Quizzing in the country of Belize. I graduated from Ambassador College of Bible and Ministry in 2020, and since then I have been working as a birth doula in the Twin Cities.
When I’m not at work or out in the community, you can almost always find me curled up with a new book and a cup of tea (ask my students!), playing piano, or on a long walk soaking up the sun.
I am thankful for the community IDA has already formed and humbled to be a part of it. I pray that the Lord will open the minds and hearts of these students to see the golden threads of the gospel woven through all that they learn. All glory be to Christ.
Hello, my name is Melanie, and I have the privilege of sharing my love for art with your children.
My journey started when I was young and my mother sensed there was talent that needed to be nurtured. My first painting lessons began at age 12, which sparked a desire to try all different types of medium. I walked away from it for about 10 years, but then God showed me His plan to revive it again through many opportunities while serving in the local churches. The Creator of the universe is my guide through each new endeavor!
My prayer is to make each child understand their uniqueness and to express themselves through artistic projects while learning the history of art.
Hi, I’m Emily! I have always enjoyed music, and I started playing piano at age 8. In the following years, I added mandolin and violin. I have earned my Bachelor of Arts degree from UW-Superior, where I majored in music with an education emphasis, and I accompanied that with a business minor.
I have been teaching private music lessons for over 10 years and have also had the privilege of teaching individual and group lessons for a string program based in Hayward. I love getting kids of all ages started on their own musical journeys, and I’m grateful to be on staff at IDA.
Currently, I share my musical talents by playing piano for two local churches on a weekly basis and with my siblings in our family bluegrass band. When I’m not teaching lessons, I enjoy helping on our family farm, hiking, backpacking, baking, and crocheting.
Breann Smith moved to Bruce, WI with her husband and children in 2013. Breann has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Nursing from the College of St. Scholastica and worked as an Registered Nurse for a number of years before becoming a stay at home mother.
Breann has served as a volunteer with the Care Net Pregnancy Resource Center, The Powerhouse Youth Center and as a teacher in children’s ministry at Living Faith Church. Formerly a competitive figure skater and lifeguard, she has aided local youth hockey associations in their Learn to Skate programs and helped teach young children swimming lessons.
Breann and her husband Jacob have 5 school age children of their own that they homeschooled for a period of time. This has all prepared her well to lead the first year of our 2-day Junior Kindergarten program.
Hello, I am Katrina Rapp, and I am very excited to be one of the full-time teachers at Imago Dei Academy continuing a lifetime of work, service, and involvement in Christian Child and Youth Ministry. My husband Rick and I moved with our three children to Rusk County in 2016 so he could take a job as a physician in Ladysmith. Our oldest is our son Ezekiel and is on the autistic spectrum which has been such a blessing in growing me as a mother, woman, and Christian. Our two daughters, Aspen and Iris are students at IDA and have been so blessed in their education, confidence, and faith through their time at the school. I was honored to be able to volunteer at IDA full-time the year prior to joining the staff, helping students who needed one-on-one tutoring, supporting the staff, helping with recess, and leading chapel. The experience led me to realize God’s plan for me at this stage of life is to be a teacher, and I am currently also finishing a bachelor’s degree in biblical and educational studies from Liberty University.
I was born in Virginia as a pastor’s kid and raised in Ohio at Beulah Beach Christian Camp on Lake Erie where my dad was the camp director. I moved to Colorado in the early 2000s to work at a Christian camp there and met my husband. We were married in 2006, moved to Iowa 2007-2012 for his medical school, Florida 2012-2016 for residency, and then to Wisconsin. Throughout those years God always had a spiritual home for us and had me working with kids and other young families in ministry. We worship and serve God at Red Cedar Church in Rice Lake. My prayer is for the opportunity to partner with parents in helping form their children into amazing, Godly, people who value the good, the true, and the beautiful!
Hello! I’m Cassi Giwojna, and I have the absolute joy of teaching Choir here at Imago Dei Academy! I grew up in the little town of Jump River, Wisconsin, and now split my time between there and Eau Claire, where I’m in my final year as a full-time psychology student at UW–Eau Claire. Though I stay plenty busy with classes, I feel incredibly blessed to still be part of the Imago Dei family and to spend each week making music with these amazing students!
Music has always been a huge part of my life. I serve as the worship leader for my campus ministry, and I’ve seen firsthand how powerful it is when people lift their voices together in praise. Throughout Scripture, we see God’s people worship through song and I love helping kids experience that same joy and freedom in worship. My hope is that each student learns not just to sing, but to understand that their voice is a beautiful gift from the Lord.
For the past three years, I’ve also spent my summers working at Christian Harbor Youth Camp, which is one of my favorite places in the world! Between leading songs, laughing with campers, and watching lives change through God’s love, those summers have taught me so much about joy, service, and the beauty of community.
When I’m not teaching or studying, you can usually find me reading a good book, playing my guitar, or spending time with my friends. I am so thankful to be part of what God is doing here at Imago Dei and can’t wait to see how He uses Choir this year to touch hearts and glorify His name.