Administration, Directors & Staff
Administration
David Welling
Head of School
John Brown University – BS Elementary Education
Grace Seminary – MA School Administration
Pepperdine University – PhD Educational Leadership (in process)
David Welling is a seasoned educator and leader who is passionate about developing schools through coherent leadership while developing a dynamic learning community where teachers and students thrive. His breadth of experience within the school and classroom environment bring a wealth of practical knowledge and a fresh perspective to developing successful communities of learning.
With over 22 years of administrative experience in the US and international context, both private and secular, Mr. Welling is accustomed to empowering leadership in academic improvements, property development, accreditation, curricular decision making, and in strategic planning. His experiences living almost half of his life outside of USA give him a unique approach and perspective.
His hope for TCA is to build bridges within the community of learners while purposely developing a school environment where students and faculty are passionate about learning and discovering ways to accomplish Kingdom work locally and globally.
David has been married to his wife since 1987, and they have four children. He likes reading, kayaking, travel, motorcycles, and watching international rugby.
Carley Ellison
Administrator of Curriculum and Instruction
Ed. D. Curriculum and Instruction (In progress) - Liberty University
M. Ed. Curriculum and Instruction: Leadership - Liberty University
BS Early Childhood Education - FSCJ
FL Department of Education Certified: Pre-Kindergarten through 3rd grade and Elementary Education K-6
FACCS Certified
Carley Ellison is a U.S. Navy veteran and she began a career in education in 2015. As an early childhood educator, she has taught first grade and kindergarten in both public school and here at TCA. She has a passion for curriculum and instruction and a desire to bring that curriculum to life in the classroom. As an administrator, Carley values the mission at TCA to empower students to discover and live out their God-given purpose. She seeks to provide continuous support by encouraging teachers through collaboration.
Carley’s husband is also an educator, and their three children have attended TCA since VPK. As a family, they stay busy with church, music lessons, sports, and marching band.
Tina Parrish
Lower Division Principal
M.ED. Ed. Leadership from UNF
BS Elementary ED from TBC
FACCS certified
Staff Credential FLDCF
Tina Parrish started teaching in 1990 at TCA and became an administrator in 2015. As a principal, her greatest focus is on the students in the Preschool – 2nd grade while giving vision and oversight to the support and improvement of the entire Lower Division. Her hobbies include reading educational nonfiction books, and spending time with family. Tina has been married since 1989, she has three children and two grandchildren. She loves the energy at TCA created by students growing in their walk of faith and teachers’ excitement over teaching their students new material.
Nicholas Groen
Lower Division Vice Principal
Nicholas Groen has an earned MS degree in Educational Administration from University of Scranton, Pennsylvania. His primary responsibility will be with the 3rd-6th grade students and teachers. For the past five years, he has served as a principal and assistant superintendent at Crown Point Christian School. During that time, he has overseen and developed various programs such as a one-to-one technology program, Spanish Immersion, and a STEM program. As an administrator, he enjoys collaborating with teachers and others committed to Christian education.
Polly Anderson
Lower Division Program Administrator
Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Salem State College
Master’s degree in Elementary Education from Pensacola Christian College
Master’s degree in Biblical Counseling from Luther Rice College
Master’s degree in Psychology from Northeastern University
Polly Anderson has taught for 15 years in various elementary grades. For several years now she has worked on the Lower Division Administrative Team. Her hobbies include a love of nature – gardening, hiking, backpacking, camping, and visiting national and state parks. Her favorite thing about working for Trinity is the joy of working with students and seeing them succeed in so many areas.
Jennifer Isaac
K-Building Assistant Principal
Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education from Berean Baptist College; Master’s Degree in Teaching and Learning K- 8 from Liberty University
FACCS certified
Jennifer Isaac has taught K5 for 9 years and for the past 4 years has been our lead teacher; she also has experience in administrative leadership before coming to TCA and in 2010 earned her MA Degree in Elementary Education from Liberty University. Jennifer will take a new role as the Kindergarten Assistant Principal. In this role, she will give leadership and direction to the Early Learning Program at TCA. She has great vision and passion for this program and her experience will be a great asset to the preschoolers, kindergarteners, teachers and parents in the Kindergarten Building.
Dr. Bob Kinder
Upper Division Principal
Bachelor of Arts from Trinity Baptist College, Doctor of Education from Nova Southeastern University
FACCS Certified
Dr. Kinder graduated from Trinity Baptist College in 1986 and started teaching Bible and life science in the junior high. Prior to that, he was an electrician in the Air Force and lived in Germany for 3 years. Dr. Kinder currently serves as the assistant principal in our Upper Division. He also teaches as an adjunct professor in the education department at Trinity Baptist College. He enjoys reading and spending time with his family.
Martin Hersey
Upper Division Vice Principal
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration – The Citadel
Master of Arts in History, Concentration in Ancient and Classical History – American Military University
Martin Hersey retired from the U.S. Army as a Lieutenant Colonel after a 22-year career as an Army helicopter pilot. During his time in the Army, he lived in or visited all 50 states and 44 countries. He began teaching at Trinity Christian Academy in 2007. He has a passion for teaching history to his students. He is also a football, cross country and track coach. Mr. Hersey is an adjunct professor of history at Trinity Baptist College. Mr. Hersey and his wife Linda were married in 1991 and have three adult children. He enjoys reading, traveling, learning anything about history, spending time with his family and working on his farm.
Kathy Kelnhofer
Dean of Students
Bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary studies from Trinity Baptist College
Completed continuing education at FSCJ in Theatre
American Academy of Dramatic Arts certified
FACCS certified
Kathy Kelnhofer taught Speech and Theatre at TCA since 2009. In 2017, she joined the Administrative team and continues to work in the Upper Division. In her spare time, she volunteers as a Fitness Trainer, loves outdoor activities and has had the opportunity to perform in the Jacksonville Nutcracker. Her husband Bruce has been an Assistant Pastor at Trinity Baptist Church since 1994. They have two children who have both graduated from the Academy.
Directors
Susan Aman
7th-9th Grade Academic Director
Bachelor’s Degree in Finance from University of North Florida
Susan Aman started working at Trinity in 2010 and has been working in the Academic Advising office since 2013. Before Trinity, she worked at Merrill Lynch and she has a background in Administration/Human Resources and Training and Curriculum Development. She is married to Eugene Aman, a TCA alumnus and they have three children: Austin, Parker and Karissa. They are very active in supporting their children in their athletic involvements and helping to create a successful Baseball Boosters Club.
Carol Buckner
Counselor/Psychology/Speech
Bachelor’s degree in Multidisciplinary Studies from Liberty University, Master’s degree in Human Services, Marriage and Family Counseling from Liberty University
Carol Buckner has been on staff at Trinity Baptist Church since 2004. She teaches psychology and counseling in both the academy and college and works with children and women in a variety of counseling areas. She has been married since 1984 to James and have two children and two grandchildren. In her spare time, Carol likes to read, cook and spend time with family and friends.
James Buckner
Counselor
James Buckner’s teaching began in 1989 in Turkey and has spanned many countries and several colleges and universities. For 21 years prior to joining the staff at Trinity, Dr. Buckner served in the United States Army. In addition to his professional activities, he is heavily involved in church ministries and has experience in Sunday School ministries, youth ministries, singles, couples, and media ministry. He and his wife Carol have been married since 1984 and have two children and three grandchildren. In his free time, Dr. Buckner enjoys playing disc golf and reading. He believes what makes Trinity special is the people who demonstrate care and compassion.
Erika Davis
Admissions Director
Erika Davis graduated from West Nassau High school in 1994. She first came to Trinity in 1997, where She met and married her husband Stephen. They have four children, whom they homeschooled for several years, while they traveled for the husband’s job. Erika began working in the church office in 2017 before transitioning to her current position. She is also very active in the church working in hospitality, attending small group and running her children to their various church activities.
Verlon Dorminey
Athletic Director and Football Coach
Verlon Dorminey started teaching middle school PE in 1981 at Trinity. He was the assistant coach in football and basketball and later became the head girls’ basketball coach. He left the education profession for a brief time and in 1991 he was hired as Trinity’s football coach. He has taught various subjects over the years such as business math and world history. He is currently the athletic director and football coach.
Crystal Dow
Director of Development
Crystal Dow graduated Magna Cum Laude with her Bachelor of Arts in Spanish from Liberty University and her Juris Doctor from Liberty University School of Law. After graduation, she moved to Jacksonville and opened a general law practice with a friend. Due to an unexpected calling from God to invest in young people by way of education, Crystal stepped back from the full-time practice of law and taught Spanish and Bible at TCA until 2017, when she joined the administrative staff in her current position. She also leads a group of students and parents on a service learning project to Costa Rica each year.
Crystal is an avid sports fan and enjoys watching and playing most sports. She is the head volleyball coach at TCA, as well as, a volunteer trainer at a metcon gym that uses fitness to reach people for Christ. She also enjoys reading, traveling, and the outdoors. Crystal found hope in Christ as a teenager and is passionate about utilizing education and coaching to share Christ with, and disciple, young people to experience that same hope.
Ashley Gaines
Academic Director 10-12th grades
Bachelor’s degree in Communications from Florida State University
FACCS certified
Ashley Gaines is a Florida State University graduate. She has been a teacher at TCA since 1994 and began working closely with the Academic Guidance office in 2016. She enjoys outdoor activities such as hiking, kayaking, and camping. Her favorite thing about working at Trinity is the passion and energy for knowing Christ and learning that she sees in both colleagues and students.
Mona Lisa Poulard-Burton
Director of After Care Programs
Mona Lisa Poulard-Burton was born in Uniondale, New York. Her family moved to Jacksonville in June of 2011. She is the proud Mom of three wonderful boys, Mekhi, Mikhail, and Malik. She enjoys reading, crafting, and cooking. She looks forward to getting to know the students and is excited about the new school year. She feels it is truly a blessing to be a part of the TCA family.
Angela Markham
International Program Director
Angela was born and raised in Jacksonville. She is married to Michael (TCA 1992) and together they have three children, Sarah (TCA 2019), Mikayla (TCA 2024), and Caleb (TCA 2034). She enjoys spending time with family, and traveling.
Angela began working for TCA in 2017, and has served in many departments within the Upper Division. Last year, she re-joined the International Program as Assistant Director. Interacting with and building relationships with the students are the favorite part of her job, and she also loves sharing laughs with her co-workers.
Mackenzie Mowry
Band Director
Mackenzie Mowry earned her Associate of Arts from Daytona State College and her Bachelor of Music Education from the University of Central Florida. Before coming to Trinity, she worked as an elementary music teacher in the public school system. She completed the Orff-Schulwerk Level 1 training at FSU in July 2018. Mackenzie is excited to join the TCA team and continue her professional growth. Her goals are to create lifelong musicians and point students to God through excellent music education.
In addition to her work at TCA, Mackenzie teaches private music lessons to students of all ages. She is passionate about music and has experience performing on clarinet, oboe, flute, saxophone, and piano. Some of her hobbies include hiking, horseback riding, learning new instruments, and reading. She is married to her middle school sweetheart, Luke. They live in Jacksonville along with their two cats, Buddy and Nabisco.
Jonathan Murphy
Assistant Athletic Director/Bible Teacher/Head Baseball Coach
Jonathan Murphy taught Social Science in 7th and 12th grade for 2 years before coming to TCA as the Assistant Athletic Director and Head Baseball Coach. He is also teaching Bible. He has a BBA in Economics from Jacksonville University. Jonathan has been married to his wife, Camille, since October 2013 and they have three children, Addilyn, Titus, and Joy. His favorite thing about working at Trinity is getting to work in a place where the gospel is central to everything they do.
Teri Pappas
Student Support Services Director
BA and MS from University of North Florida
Certifications: FACCS, LMHC, Registered Play Therapist
Teri Pappas is a graduate of Trinity Christian Academy and has worked in Christian education for over 30 years teaching both elementary and secondary grades. In 2001, she came to TCA to work primarily with students with learning differences. In 2011, she completed her MS in Mental Health Counseling and worked for several years as a children’s counselor in a local non-profit specializing in childhood trauma. In 2016, she spent six months training and working with children with Autism Spectrum Disorder as a Registered Behavior Technician focusing on increasing the communication abilities of children with ASD. She has been married for over 30 years and has 3 children and 5 grandchildren. Teri loves to travel, and loves to learn, but nothing brings her more joy than spending time with her family.
Staff
Berta Baacke
Upper Division Academic Guidance Administrative Assistant / Records Clerk
Berta Baacke was born and raised in Jacksonville and she and her husband are both graduates of TCA as well as their three children. She has worked at Trinity Since 1987 and has been in the guidance department since 2004. She is also the accompanist for the choirs at TCA. She enjoys playing the piano and spending time with family.
Melissa Beck
Upper Division Administrative Assistant
Melissa Beck is originally from Western New York has lived in Jacksonville since 1984. She attended Trinity Baptist College where she earned her Associate of Science Degree in Office Administration. She met her husband, Dan, in the singles ministry at Trinity Baptist Church and they were married in 1990. They have three children, Brandon (2015 TCA Graduate), Jensen (2018 TCA Graduate) and Sheridan (2022 TCA Graduate). She worked in the insurance/investment field prior to starting her family. In 2006, she began working for Trinity Baptist Church in the Worship Ministry and joined the administrative staff at TCA in 2019. She loves working in the office and being able to interact and build relationships with the students. Her favorite things in life are spending time with her family, curling up with a good book or movie, travelling and exploring new places!
Karen Belk
Software Manager
Karen Belk earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Education from Tennessee Temple University and began her teaching career at her home church in Miami, FL. She and her husband moved to Jacksonville in 1983 to teach at TCA. In 1985, Karen stepped out of teaching to be a stay at home wife and mom. She returned to work in 1995 in the Academic Guidance Offices. As TCA transitioned to more electronic record keeping, she served as the software manager, which became her full-time position in 2015. She loves spending time with her husband, her three sons and their families. Karen loves to go on Grandma Duty any time the call comes in.
Pam Bialek
Kindergarten Administrative Assistant
AA Office Administration – FSCJ
Pam Bialek has been working in the Kindergarten office since 2015. She loves spending time with her family and church family. She has seven children, two of which attend TCA. She loves the Christian Education that they receive here. Pam enjoys working for TCA because she loves the greetings that she receives from the students and teachers in the kindergarten building every morning.
Janice Claxton
Librarian
B.A. in English Education. – UNF
Janice Claxton began teaching English at Trinity in 1976 and switched over to working in the library around 1988. Prior to working at Trinity, she spent summers between her college years working at the courthouse, which is where she met her husband. They have been married since 1973. They have one son who went through Trinity from the nursery through 12th grade. She really enjoys working here and believes she has the best people in the world as co-workers! Her hobbies include walking, biking, reading mysteries, going to the beach, and spending time with her beautiful granddaughter.
Gloria Massey
Athletic Assistant
Gloria Massey was born and raised in Jacksonville, Florida. She attended Trinity Christian Academy from K4 through high school. She was head of the Tennis program at Trinity and coached for 9 years and instrumental on helping get our tennis courts built. Gloria and her husband Marty have two children Logan and Cleat, who both are graduates of TCA. She loves to spend time with her family at their lake place in Keystone Heights and an avid FSU fan. She also loves to walk, travel, shop and a good movie.
Tina Page
Elementary Administrative Assistant
Tina Page was born in Lewiston, Maine. She moved to Jacksonville with her family in junior high and graduated from Trinity Christian Academy in 1994. She earned an associate degree from Trinity Baptist College. Tina and her husband Jonathan are members of Trinity Baptist Church. Their three children, Devon, Ethan and Hannah, are enrolled at Trinity Christian Academy. Tina spent 11 years at home raising her children before returning to work full time on Trinity’s campus. Tina enjoys reading and loves taking road trips with her family.
Joanna Seay
Upper Division Attendance
Joanna Seay has a Bachelors degree from Trinity Baptist College. She loves going to the beach and spending time with family. She has been the Upper Division Attendance Clerk for 3 years and has been at Trinity since 2016.
Jennifer Sweat
Elementary Office Assistant
Jennifer Sweat began working at Trinity Christian Academy in 2017 as a teacher’s aide in the Elementary. Jennifer and her husband, Stuart have 3 children, Lauren, Michael and Rebecca who all attend the academy. Jennifer and her family attend Old Plank Road Baptist Church where she serves in the children’s ministry. Her hobbies include cake decorating, camping, and spending time at the lake.
Sheryl Zuniga
Administrative Assistant