Our second school pillar of Leadership is characterized by virtues such as courage, integrity, persistence, and selflessness. These same universal ideals that we ask of the boys are an expectation of the adults who feel a calling to serve in the development of their leadership.
Our 125th school year will officially begin the night of Aug. 18 with Convocation in Yard A and we are further positioned for present and future success with the following new appointments to Christ School's leadership team, some of whom are familiar faces taking on different roles.
Along with the following bios, a complete Faculty & Staff Directory can be found on our school website at this link.
Lisa Darling, Interim Assistant Head of School
Exemplary leadership as the head of school at three different institutions (Wilmington Friends, United World College, and Awty International) means that Lisa Darling comes more than equipped to be Interim Assistant Head of School for Christ School's 125th year.
She joined the community last year as Interim Chief Financial Officer.
Ms. Darling's professional career began in 1979 and has taken her to schools in Connecticut, Delaware, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Vermont. She was formerly on the board for the National Association of Independent Schools from 1996 to 2000 and is part of the board of trustees for two schools in Texas - Shlenker School and Dallas International School.
Ms. Darling earned her B.A. in Religion from George Fox College in 1976 and then went on to receive master's degrees from Princeton Theological Seminary and the State University of New York.
She considers herself an inveterate traveler and animal lover. Her son, Nedim, lives and works in San Francisco.
Ms. Darling will live on campus in Seitz House.
Peter Hartwig, Chaplain
Spontaneous standing ovations in the relative calm of St. Joseph’s Chapel deserve a closer examination.
Peter Hartwig was moved to tears during an April chapel service in which the boys loudly gave their approval to his hiring as the next school Chaplain.
Mr. Hartwig has been at Christ School for three years now and most recently served as Director of Spiritual Life, a role in which he oversaw the chapel program and anchored the school pillar of Spirituality. He has also taught Public Speaking and three other religion courses.
Mr. Hartwig was an Echols Scholar at the University of Virginia, receiving his B.A. in Religious Studies & Classics in 2016. He then went on to receive master’s degrees from the University of Cambridge (Master of Philosophy) and Princeton Theological Seminary (Master of Divinity).
Mr. Hartwig's employment before Christ School included posts at Northwest University in Kirkland, Wash., and the Westminster Theological Centre in the United Kingdom. He was also a Communications Associate for Global Endowment Management, LP out of Charlotte.
Mr. Hartwig lives on campus.
Ron Ramsey, Director of Safety and Security
Finding the right person to be Christ School's first Director of Safety and Security was a search that began and ended with Ron Ramsey.
This inaugural role will call on him to be responsible for maintaining and improving an everyday safe and secure environment for students, staff, and visitors. He will provide oversight for, implementation of, and regular updating of safety, security and emergency policies, procedures and measures. He will also deploy and develop training programs for public safety personnel, students, and Christ School employees, all while ensuring that administrative and operational procedures comply with Christ School policies, state statutes, and safety practices.
Mr. Ramsey’s love for the boys and scrupulous attention to detail have been part of the school’s fiber for 11 years. He has previously been in positions of leadership as chair of the Science Department, Director of the Outdoor Program, Principal, and had been Assistant Head of School since 2021.
Mr. Ramsey earned a B.S. in Secondary Education from Tennessee Tech University in 1998 and an M.S. in Science Education from Montana State University in 2009. He began his teaching career at St. Andrews-Sewanee School, where Mr. Ramsey spent 12 years. Along with his duties at Christ School, Mr. Ramsey volunteers for the Buncombe County Rescue Squad and serves as a member of the Western North Carolina Mountain Rescue Team 3.
In his free time, Mr. Ramsey likes to fly-fish, read, and explore the outdoors with his family. He and his wife, Vivian, live on campus and have a daughter, Audrey.
Tonya Richardson, Chief Financial Officer
Tonya Richardson found herself drawn to Christ School by the Four Pillars, namely Academic Rigor and Spirituality, and how they meld into the daily experience for the boys.
She brings a proven track record in financial management, strategic planning, and leadership to the position of Chief Financial Officer.
Ms. Richardson was previously Director of Finance at Nashville’s Oak Hill School, living and working in the Music City for 19 years. There, she was responsible for managing financial operations, including developing and implementing budget controls, and ensuring compliance with relevant policies and regulations. Her experience included preparing financial statements, conducting financial analysis, and collaborating with cross-functional teams to achieve organizational goals. Ms. Richardson also oversaw all aspects of the human resources department at Oak Hill.
Ms. Richardson graduated from the University of Tennessee and holds degrees in French and International Business. She considers herself a V.F.L. (Vol For Life) and is passionate about her support for the college's sports teams. Ms. Richardson said she enjoys a vibrant life with two adult sons, a circle of cherished friends, and her pets. She comes from a family of chefs and has a profound appreciation for the culinary arts as well as reading, spending time outdoors, and traveling.
Ms. Richardson lives on campus.
Wesley Shelmire, Director of Eighth and Ninth Grade Formation
Much like his paddle strokes, Wesley Shelmire consistently puts a high level of care and precision into every one of his assignments at Christ School.
He is the new Director of Eighth and Ninth Grade Formation for 2024-25, with a stated purpose to create and foster a supportive, engaging environment for the youngest Greenies.
Mr. Shelmire first joined the school in 2022 as Assistant Dean of Students, helping organize our outreach with Asheville Area Habitat for Humanity. Mr. Shelmire also currently directs the Outdoor Program, sharing his expertise as an avid kayaker and promoting the program in general with multimedia content for school communications.
Outside of Christ School, Mr. Shelmire has worked at Camp Mondamin in nearby Zirconia, N.C., where he has been Head of Paddling and a Trip Leader.
A native of the Dallas area, Mr. Shelmire graduated from the University of Colorado in 2020 with a B.A. in Sociology. He was a member of the Applied Leadership Program and Core Leadership Program during his time in Boulder, Colo.
Mr. Shelmire has always had a special interest in the outside world, specifically identifying plants and fungi. Additionally, he can play the saxophone, guitar, piano, and harmonica. Other hobbies besides climbing, yoga, meditation, reading, and trail running.
Andrew Pearson, Interim Director of Communications
Ever wonder who is behind the witty and timely social media posts and articles posted across Greenie channels?
Interim Director of Communications Andrew Pearson has been a part of the Communications Office for eight years now and was promoted this summer from his previous role as Digital Communications Specialist.
He looks forward to introducing a new slate of ideas and enthusiasm, leading a four-person team that includes Director of Publications Donna Wheeler P’21, Director of Video Operations Chris Childers, and a soon-to-be-made hire.
Mr. Pearson has lived in the Asheville area since 1995 and graduated from UNC Asheville in 1999 with a B.A. in Mass Communication.
Mr. Pearson lives on the fringe of campus in Fletcher, N.C., with his wife, Ursula, close enough to hear the Angelus bell from their front porch. And if you arrive to Christ School early enough in the mornings, you're sure to find him running miles on the track in all manners of weather.