Leadership
Joseph Almeida, Head of School
Joseph earned a Bachelor of Science in Childhood Development and Learning with teacher licensure from Maryville College and a Master of Science in Educational Leadership and an Educational Leadership Certificate from Buffalo State SUNY. He recently completed his EdS in Christian Educational Leadership through Gordon College. Mr. Almeida has experience as a teacher, coach, and administrator in Tennessee, Brazil, Georgia, and South Carolina. He has worked in public schools, international schools, and private Christian schools throughout his career in education.
He, his wife, Kathleen, and their five children reside in Bluffton. They are members of The Church of the Cross and they both coach at CrossFit843. Mr. Almeida loves to be outside playing with his kids, throwing a frisbee on the beach, or doing CrossFit.
John 15:12 is a verse he tries to live by every day: “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.”
Cayla Wilson, Head of Finance and Operations
Cayla Wilson leads the Business Office which includes overseeing accounting, tuition, human resources, and facilities. With over 18 years of experience as an Accounting and Human Resource professional, she ensures the smooth and efficient operation of financial and administrative functions.
Cayla received her MBA in 2017 while originally working for Cross Schools as the Business Manager. She went on to work for a large nationwide corporation in their accounting department before God brought her back home to Cross Schools. She is thrilled to be working in a God-centered environment with the wonderful staff at Cross Schools.
Lauren Gehm, Head of Early Education
Lauren Gehm brings over a decade of experience in education, including classroom teaching, instructional coaching, and leadership in both public and private school settings. She holds degrees in Special Education and Elementary Education, as well as a Master’s in Educational Leadership and Special Education Administration.
Her passion for early childhood education is rooted in the belief that the earliest years of a child’s life are foundational for spiritual, social, and academic growth. Lauren is committed to cultivating a joyful, Christ-centered environment where students feel safe, loved, and inspired to learn.
Now calling the Lowcountry home, she enjoys spending time outdoors, staying active, and making memories with her family.
A verse that continually encourages her is Philippians 1:6—“Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
One of her favorite books is The Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown, which speaks to the beauty of wholehearted living and leading with courage.
Stacie Greene, Head of Middle & Upper School
Ms. Greene previously taught Honors English 2 and the AP/Dual-Enrollment Teacher Cadet class at May River High School in Bluffton. She also served as a Teacher Mentor and Evaluator. Ms. Greene is in her sixteenth year of education in which she has served grades 6-12 as a teacher, Literacy Instructional Coach, English Department Chair and Team Leader. Ms. Greene is highly-qualified in Secondary English Education with a Bachelor of Arts in English from The University of Georgia (‘01) and a Masters of Arts in Teaching from Piedmont College (‘04).
Previously, she taught 6th, 7th, and 8th grade English in her hometown of Gainesville, Georgia, as well as Charlotte, North Carolina and at Bluffton’s H.E. McCracken Middle School. In her ten years at H.E. McCracken Middle School, she also served as Literacy Instructional Coach, English Department Chair, Team Leader, Teacher Mentor, ADEPT/SAFE-T Evaluator, and the School Literary & Art Magazine Advisor/Editor. In addition, Ms. Greene has served as an editor for NCATE (National Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation) and has presented at district, state, and national educational conferences.
Aside from her professional accomplishments, Ms. Greene feels “Being an educator has been one of the greatest honors in my life. As an educator, my hope has always been to empower students with finding his or her authentic voice so they can affect change in the broken systems they see around them.” Ms. Greene is excited about her new journey with Cross Schools. “I am looking forward to utilizing all of my experiences as an educator, teacher, and most importantly, a Christian as we build onto the existing K-8 program and develop a plan to continue a purpose-filled education for all students that ultimately serves our Lord and Savior.”
Ms. Greene is excited about her role as Head of Middle & Upper School and the opportunities that Cross Schools offers students and the Bluffton community in regards to academics, emotional and social support and growth, and authentic mission opportunities. She is a member of The Church of the Cross. In addition, her son, Logan Greene, is a Cross Schools Upper School student.
Kassie Sikes, Head of Lower School
Kassie Sikes earned her Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from the University of North Florida. Additionally, she is nearing completion of her Masters in Educational Leadership from Gordon College. She taught pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, and first grade for many years where she developed a passion for teaching English Language Arts. She became a Literacy Instructional Coach and a Reading Interventionist and enjoyed working with both students and teachers. Mrs. Sikes also spent time teaching middle school and serving as an Academic Coach to support teachers in reading instruction. Prior to coming to Cross Schools, she was an Academic Development Coordinator at Calvary Day School where she focused on curriculum development and alignment. She enjoyed supporting students, teachers, and families while promoting and supporting best teaching practices.
Mrs. Sikes and her husband, Charles, have a daughter and a son who both attend Cross. They enjoy spending time outdoors and the beach is their favorite place to be.
Kassie Sikes feels very called to Christian education and believes providing students with a high-quality education through a Biblical worldview gives them a foundation to support them in all aspects of their lives. She is thrilled to be at Cross Schools and loves the wonderful community of fantastic staff and families.
Leslie Albert, Director of Faith Formation
Leslie Albert's children began attending Cross Schools in 2006. In 2009, as a volunteer, she spearheaded the building of the Cross Schools Library then served as librarian for two years. She joined Cross Schools as a part of the Faith Formation program in 2016 as an assistant. Then for the next 9 years Mrs. Albert taught bible classes. These roles, combined with her desire to inspire others to grow in the wisdom and knowledge of the Lord, have prepared her for her position.
Mrs. Albert manages the Early Education bible program. She also coordinates mission projects and service opportunities for all students at Cross Schools.
Mrs. Albert holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance Degree from the University of Florida. She has held positions in event planning, recruiting and corporate development and membership services. Mrs. Albert and her husband, Gerrit, have three children and love living in the lowcountry. Mrs. Albert enjoys traveling and reading.
Contact Mrs. Albert at l.albert@crossschools.org.
Brandon Andrews, Director of Technology
Brandon Andrews aims to bring a practical, hands-on approach to solving everyday challenges through technology. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Computational Science from the University of South Carolina Beaufort. With a passion for cybersecurity, he looks forward to building solutions that are not only secure and reliable, but also make life easier for students, teachers, and staff. He is excited to support the continued growth of Cross Schools by advancing its technology in a way that reflects its mission and values. A creative problem-solver at heart, Brandon is committed to using his skills to enhance learning, protect data, and serve others well.
Brandon and his family live in the Lowcountry and are active in The Church of the Cross family. He is a proud husband and father who feels blessed to be part of a Christ-centered school where faith and purpose guide work and growth each day.
Psalm 127:1-2 (NLT) are Brandon’s favorite verses and ones that he tries to constantly remind himself of:
“Unless the Lord builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted. Unless the Lord protects a city, guarding it with sentries will do no good. It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives rest to his loved ones.”
Tracey Cannon, Dean of Students
Tracey Cannon earned her Bachelor’s of Science in Elementary Education from Winthrop University and is also certified in Middle School Language Arts with a Gifted and Talented Endorsement. She also holds a Masters in Education in Educational Leadership from Grand Canyon University. She began her teaching career in 2000 and taught for fourteen of those years in Beaufort County. She and her husband moved here from Columbia, South Carolina. She has three amazing children: Madeline, Calem, and Emerson.
Throughout her teaching career, she has coached middle school basketball. She is the New Mentor Teacher Coordinator and serves as the National Junior Honor Society Advisor. Mrs. Cannon's philosophy in education is that many children have different strengths and intelligences. Her goal is to help students discover their talents so they can apply them to their everyday learning experiences. She wants students to learn that with the right attitude and champion effort, they can accomplish their goals and be successful in life.
Brett Chatt, Director of Facilities
Kelly Kimball, Director of Admissions
Kelly Kimball, originally from England, moved to the states initially as part of an internship back in 2005 and fell in love with the Lowcountry. She graduated from Sheffield University in England with a Bachelor's Degree and was an avid Netballer. Kelly joined Cross last year as a Teaching Assistant in the TK program, her daughter Pippa, has been a student since 2018 and will be entering Kindergarten. Kelly believes that watching children learn & develop is inspirational and being a part of that growth is extremely rewarding. She is very excited to join the administrative team and to build profound relationships with children, parents & staff members in a positive and safe environment. She comes to Cross with 15+ years of experience in event planning, relationship building, and leadership skills and cannot wait to get started – Go Stingrays!
Ken Shaw, Director of Athletics
Ken earned a Bachelors in Religion from Kingswood University and has achieved both the Certified Athletic Administrator (CAA) and Certified Master Athletic Administrator (CMAA) from the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrator Association (NIAAA). Ken has coached for 30 years and has served as an Athletic Administrator for 20+ years in independent private schools in FL, NC and GA.
He and wife, Stefoni, live in Bluffton and attend Church of the Cross. They have three adult children, Nate, Gracie and Mary Kathryne. Ken's interests include pickleball, golf and fantasy baseball.
John 3:30 is a verse Ken tries to live out each day, "He must become greater. I must become less."
Kristi Wheat, Director of Communications & Executive Assistant to the Head of School
Originally from Plano, Texas, Mrs. Wheat moved to Bluffton in 2005. She married her husband, Aaron, in 2006 in Bluffton and have two children.Past experiences for Mrs. Wheat include years of working in marketing/advertising for Fortune 500 homebuilders and various executive administrative roles for local government.Values in the Christian faith run deep throughout her family. These values were modeled for her as a young child and are why she chose not only to send her children to Cross Schools in preschool, but also to accept the position of Office Manager when it became vacant.
Her favorite Bible verse is "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths." -Proverbs 3:5-6.
Chip Welch, Director of Development
Chip Welch brings to the role of Director of Development a wealth of experience in Christian education spanning over 16 years. Holding a deep commitment to enhancing school missions, visions, and values, Welch has been instrumental in leading On-Mission Diagnostics. This venture, dedicated to providing schools with resources for data-driven diagnostics, reflects his passion for bolstering confidence in educational institutions.
Prior to joining our team, Welch served as the esteemed President and Head of School at The Habersham School, showcasing his leadership and administrative aptitude. His extensive background positions him as an invaluable asset in steering Cross Schools development initiatives.
Kelly Williamson, Director of Marketing
Kelly Williamson holds a Bachelor of Science in Design from Clemson University and a Masters of Science in Interior Design from Florida State University. In addition to architecture and interior design, her background includes event design, graphic design, marketing, and sales, along with education at the college level. She is passionate about being creative and is grateful that she can use this talent on a daily basis at Cross Schools. Inspiring kids has always been important to her, and she has volunteered in multiple youth ministries including Young Life and The Church of the Cross.
Miss Williamson enjoys spending time with her family along with her four-legged family members which include a horse, a rescue dog, and a cat. Miss Williamson is excited to be joined by her mom, Jenny Williamson, a first-grade Teacher at Cross as well as her niece Clara, a student in the Early Education Division.