Faculty & Staff

Cody Lopasky has an M.A. in Psychology and History from the University of Houston-Victoria, a B.A. in Psychology from Texas State University-San Marcos, and he is an A.A.S. graduate with honors and distinction from Commonwealth Institute of Funeral Service. As a student at Commonwealth, Lopasky was a member of the National Funeral Service Honor Society. He is active in funeral service organizations and participates on several committees.

James Robinson holds a B.S. in Psychology from the University of Houston and an M.S in Management and Leadership from the University of Houston – C.T. Bauer College of Business. He is also an A.A.S. graduate with honors and distinction from Commonwealth Institute of Funeral Service.

Shannon has owned Houston area businesses for over a decade. She’s written real estate curriculum and taught real estate continuing education classes, which sparked her love for teaching adults.

Patricia Ann Tamayo Moreno graduated from Commonwealth College of Sciences in 1980 and began her apprenticeship with Darling Mouser Funeral Home in her hometown of Brownsville, Texas. She completed her apprenticeship at Heights Funeral Home in Houston and came to work for the Commonwealth Institute of Funeral Service in 1981.

Jessika has been a proud Houstonian since 2005. Originally from Waxahachie, Texas she moved to College Station, Texas after graduating high school where she earned her Bachelor of Science in Sociology from Texas A&M University. Shortly after graduation she attended Commonwealth Institute of Funeral Service and became a licensed funeral director and embalmer in the state of Texas.

René Altheimer began her funeral service education career with Commonwealth Institute in October, 2012, as a member of the Admissions Team.  René came to Commonwealth with over 25 years’ executive administrative experience in the private sector, having worked for a multi-million dollar ethnic hair care company in Arkansas.