Staff and Teachers

Teachers at Ambleside Brownwood are creative, thoughtful, engaged learners with broad interests and educational knowledge.

They realize that education is not merely an interest, but a passion.

— CHARLOTTE M. MASON —

Teachers at Ambleside Brownwood are creative, thoughtful, engaged learners with broad interests and educational knowledge. They enjoy ideas, read regularly, and are passionate about faith and learning. They pursue relationship with Christ and are called to shepherd their students spiritually as well as academically. In addition to classroom observation and weekly training, all our teachers complete a week-long intensive training through Ambleside Schools International, with whom we enjoy a formal affiliation.

Staff and Teachers

Matthew Holcomb

Head of School

Jon Paul Dennison

School Principal

Grady Vazquez

Director of Facilities

Samuel Brown

Music Director

Ariel Holcomb

Kindergarten Teacher

Crystal Dennison

Treasurer

Marissa Vazquez

Director of Marketing

Matthew Holcomb

Matthew Holcomb currently serves as the Head of School and is a founding member of
Ambleside School of Brownwood. Matthew earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology
from Angelo State University and is currently completing his MBA from Rice University.
Prior to his involvement with Ambleside Brownwood, Matthew served as and F/A-18
pilot and officer in the United States Marine Corps. Before retiring, Matthew flew over
1,000 missions across the globe, trained many aviators, and graduated from TOPGUN.
During his career, he led and managed numerous departments in his various roles as a
Marine officer.
Over the years Matthew has seen the enormous value of Charlotte Mason’s educational
approach with his own children. He is drawn to all aspects of Ambleside’s method but is
especially passionate about an educational philosophy which values character and
relationship so highly. He is excited to see how the Lord will use Ambleside School of
Brownwood in the lives of children and parents in the Brown County region.

Matthew grew up in a small town near Brownwood and is grateful to be back home after
many years abroad. He and his wife Ariel have two children and live nearby on their
family farm. He is a member of Brownwood Church where he has served an elder for
four years. His favorite pastimes include spending time with his family and working on
their farm.

Jon Paul Dennison

Jon Paul Dennison serves as the Principal, Director of Instruction, and 5 th grade
teacher. He is a founding member of Ambleside School of Brownwood. Jon Paul has a
BAS in Christian Ministries from Dallas Baptist University and an MATM in Theology and
Ministry from Howard Payne University.
Jon Paul has spent the majority of his life in ministry in the local church. After God
saved him at age 21, he became a member of a church in San Antonio where he was
discipled and began serving in youth and college ministry. Because of God’s grace and
the faithfulness of those the Lord used in his life, Jon Paul developed a desire to see
others both believe in Christ and grow in discipleship as learners and followers of Him in
every area.
Jon Paul served as an elder and teacher at Alamo Ranch Community Church in San
Antonio, TX for many years until moving to Brownwood in 2022 to plant Brownwood
Church. He currently serves there as a pastor/elder. He has taught in numerous
capacities in the church and at a classical Christian school. Jon Paul has developed a
deep appreciation for the Mason method and the Ambleside model. His hope for
Ambleside School of Brownwood is that God would grow a culture of discipleship where
students learn to orient all of life to the kingdom of God.
Jon Paul and his wife Crystal have four children and enjoy traveling as a family, as well
as watching and playing sports.

Grady Vazquez

Grady Vazquez currently serves as the Director of Facilities and is a founding member
of Ambleside School of Brownwood. He attended San Diego State University where he
played Fullback for the Aztecs and received a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice.
After graduating from college, Grady spent three years at the Brownwood Police
Department as a Patrol officer and SWAT team member. In 2025, he left the Police
Department to pursue full time involvement in his family’s construction business. Grady
also serves as a Deacon at Brownwood Church and is the owner/operator of Grace to
You Coffee. He and his wife have two young children and are excited to educate them
using Charlotte Mason's philosophy of education.
Grady’s favorite principle of Charlotte Mason's is children are born persons because it
acknowledges the fact that children are image bearers of God and should therefore be
treated as such in our efforts to educate them. It is his desire for Christ's name to be
magnified at Ambleside School of Brownwood and for the children to receive a living
education that is to the glory of God.

Samuel Brown

Samuel Brown serves as the Music Director, math teacher, and is a founding member
of Ambleside School of Brownwood. He graduated from Howard Payne University with
a BA in Bible in 2023.
Sam currently serves as the worship leader at Brownwood Church and has been a
musician all his life. He began performing in musical theater at five years old and started
learning guitar at the age of fifteen. He has also dabbled with piano, trumpet, and
drums. Since he became a Christian in 2015, he has sought to use his musical gifts to
build up the church, and he sees his role as a teacher as an extension of that calling.
Sam has a long-term interest in Christian education that has been shaped by years of
serving in various church ministries, participating in mission trips, and his own
experiences as a student. He is excited about discipling and inspiring future
generations.
In his spare time, Sam enjoys reading, writing songs and poems, and hanging out with friends.

Ariel Holcomb

Ariel Holcomb currently serves as the Kindergarten Teacher, Director of Admissions, and Director of Instruction. She is a founding member of Ambleside Brownwood. Ariel has a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Angelo State University. Ariel has spent most of her life as an educator. She taught multiple grade levels in public schools across the United States as she and her husband relocated to various duty stations during his military career. In 2012, she stepped away from the classroom to care for their first child. Providentially, the Lord placed their family in a church with a thriving homeschooling community. It was there that Ariel, and her husband began to sense God's calling to educate their children at home rather than through the public school system.
Ariel's homeschooling journey has been both rich and diverse, always keeping her in a teaching role. Over the years, she has taught a wide range of subjects and served as the director of a classical homeschool community. Early in her homeschooling experience, she discovered the educational philosophy of Charlotte Mason, which profoundly influenced her approach to teaching. As she studied Mason's principles, she began incorporating them into every aspect of her instruction.

Following the completion of her husband's military service, Ariel and her family returned to her hometown. By then, she had developed a deep understanding of the Charlotte Mason philosophy and had made it the foundation of her children's education. She delights in presenting children with rich ideas and watching them come alive as they engage with the wonder and beauty of God's creation. Her biggest secret is that she enjoys learning every bit as much as her students do.
Ariel, her husband Matt, and their two children live on their family farm. Ariel is also active in the women’s and children’s ministries at their local church. In their free time, the family enjoys hiking, kayaking, horseback riding, reading, and gathering around the table for board games.

Crystal Dennison

Crystal Dennison serves as Treasurer and is a founding member of Ambleside School
of Brownwood. She attended the University of Texas in San Antonio and received a
Bachelor of Science in Community Health. During and after college, Crystal worked at
an Oral Surgery Practice in San Antonio where she worked as a dental assistant, front
office scheduler, and office manager. In 2014, she accepted a job with Accenture
Federal Services. In that role, Crystal has been involved with a number of large
company projects including Hewlett Packard, Department of Energy, and CastleNet. Her
areas of expertise include pricing, forecasting and actuals, risks, and compliance.
Crystal’s family moved to Brownwood in 2022 from San Antonio to plant Brownwood
Church, where her husband serves as one of the pastors. In San Antonio, she was
active member at Alamo Ranch Community Church and served as the Children’s
Director. Her and her family are actively involved with Brownwood Church in various
ministries. She also serves as the bookkeeper for Brownwood Church. Her favorite
quote from Charlotte Mason is, “We hold that all education is divine; that every good gift
of knowledge and insight comes from above.”

Marissa Vazquez

Marissa Vazquez serves as the Director of Marketing and Art teacher. She is a founding member of Ambleside School of Brownwood. Marissa graduated from Abilene Christian University with a Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies; her concentrations were in Interior Design, Architecture, and Child and Family Studies.  Following graduation Marissa and her husband began to grow their family which now includes two children with a third on the way. Marissa currently uses her knowledge of design and media in serving Brownwood Church and looks forward to serving Ambleside School of Brownwood in the same capacity.  As she has come to know Charlotte Mason's philosophy, Marissa has grown increasingly convinced that an education rooted in her principles, as found in the Ambleside curriculum, will provide an education that truly is an atmosphere, discipline, and life. She believes that such an education will prepare and equip her children and will work alongside her as she seeks to raise up her children in the way they should go. She is excited for this opportunity to be made available and accessible to the families within our community and the surrounding area.