Kati Melton

Senior Director, Western Division
Kati_Melton@acsi.org

Kati brings more than 20 years of educational experience leading faculty and staff, her most recent position being the Head of School at Cherry Hills Christian School in Colorado. 

Throughout her career, she has served as a head of school, principal, and teacher, always putting Christ at the center of her work. 

During her time at Cherry Hills Christian School, Melton led the ACSI Accreditation process and the development of a school-wide continuous improvement plan. She successfully set and oversaw the school’s long-range strategy that focused on bringing academic excellence, developing a thriving spiritual formation plan, and creating financial stability and growth in a flourishing school community. 

Melton has a Master of Arts in Education Leadership from University of Northern Colorado and is pursuing a Doctorate in Education Leadership and Policy from Vanderbilt University. Additionally, she is currently in executive management training through the Van Lunen Fellows Program at Calvin University.

Lacey Klements

Executive Assistant to Kati Melton
lacey_klements@acsi.org

Dr. Suzie Mohler 

Early Education Senior Coordinator
suzie_mohler@acsi.org

Strengthens programs and equips our early educators as they prepare young children (birth through year five). She’s ready to dialog and walk alongside you as you aim to improve your preschool.

Tracey Thoenes

Student Leadership & Learning Coordinator
tracey_thoenes@acsi.org

Tracey serves as the Student Leadership & Learning Coordinator for all 13 states in the Western Division and International schools. She collaborates with member schools and universities to advance the educational mission by providing enrichment and experiential events beyond the classroom. Along with the Student Leadership & Learning team, Tracey strives to equip students with valuable skills such as creative thinking, problem-solving, leadership, and service. Through participation, students discover their talents, reinforce their biblical worldview, and increase their cultural influence for Jesus. For more information, visit their website or contact Tracey directly.

Matt Hannan

Director of Accreditation, Western Division

Hannan is a servant leader who brings more than 20 years of experience in education to his new position. Prior to joining ACSI, he served as the Upper School Principal at Santa Fe Christian Schools since 2008, where he played a key role in advancing the school’s academic strategic plan and mission. Under his leadership, Santa Fe Christian Schools maintained full dual accreditation status through ACSI and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). He has also served as an ACSI Accreditation Commissioner in Southern California since 2022 and is actively involved with WASC, serving as an Accreditation Visiting Team Member and Chair since 2014.

Sandi Nicolaides

Accreditation Coordinator, Southern California & Hawaii
sandi_nicolaides@acsi.org

Organizes and communicates regarding school accreditation. Contact her if you have a question about accreditation, change in your school’s accreditation info or if you’re interested in finding out more about how to become accredited!

Lee Ann Bowman

Accreditation Coordinator, Northwest & Rocky Mountain Regions
leeann_bowman@acsi.org

Provides administrative support for school accreditation. Contact her with any questions you may have related to accreditation reporting or visiting teams, or if you just need prayer.

Tricia Deisch

Accreditation Coordinator
tricia_deisch@acsi.org

Tricia provides administrative support for school accreditation for Northern California schools. Contact her with any questions you may have regarding accreditation.

Jerry Bowen

Field Director for: Arizona and New Mexico
Jerry_bowen@acsi.org

After 45 years in Christian education as a teacher, principal, ACSI regional director, and general “travel guy”, Jerry retired, looking for that life of leisure putting around the house and hanging out with grandkids. But that is not what retirement looks like in his world. In the last two years, he has finished an Ed.D. in educational leadership, signed on as an interim Headmaster for a large Classical Christian school, stepped onto the board of a Christian school in Russia, volunteered for domestic and international accreditation work, and was voted onto an emerging state Christian school consortium board. Still married for almost 50 years, serving in his church, and occasionally seeing the grandkids, retired life is filled with service and opportunity.

Rohn Ritzema

Field Director for: Greater Sacramento Area
Rohn_ritzema@acsi.org

Rohn holds a BA degree from Hope College and a MA degree from Goddard College. Rohn was a Christian School administrator in Santa Rosa for 12 years, an ACSI Regional Director for 25 years, and has been a ACSI Field Director for 7 years. Rohn has also been a certified leadership/life coach for 7 years. His interests include photography, camping, snow skiing and gadgets. He has been married to Jane for 52 years!

Tim Lugg

Field Director for: WA
Tim_lugg@acsi.org

Timothy Lugg earned his Bachelor of Arts in 1979 from Los Angeles Baptist College (now The Master’s University) and his Master of Divinity from Western Conservative Baptist Seminary (1999). In 1982 he was hired to teach at Grace Academy in Marysville, WA. He was named the Administrator/Principal at Grace Academy in 1998 and remained in this position until retirement in 2022. He has also served on the board of the Washington Federation of Independent Schools, on the ACSI Regional Council, and the ACSI Northwest Accreditation Commission. He and his wife, Renée, have five grown children and 15 grandchildren.

Weston Kurz

Field Director for: Colorado and Wyoming
wkurz@dayspringeagles.org

Weston is a native Coloradoan. He has been married to Kristin for 27 years and has two adult daughters Emily and Katie. He went to college at Colorado State, where he earned a business degree. Weston became a Christian at a Promise Keepers event in Boulder in 1994. After spending 16 years working in banking, he changed careers and started his dream job as Executive Director at Dayspring Christian Academy in 2012. He believes in serving and has been on various boards. He is currently serving on the Colorado Association of Private Schools, High Plains Housing Development and the Bright Futures boards. In his spare time, he loves to read, fly fish and "try" to archery hunt for big game.

Rhonda Rogers

Field Director for: Oregon
rhonda.rogers@pcschools.org

Mrs. Rhonda Rogers is the Superintendent of Portland Christian Schools, where she has served since 2002. She is an effective and engaging leader widely respected among Christian school leaders in the Pacific Northwest. Rhonda received her undergraduate degrees from Pacific University (Oregon) and a Master of Education from Concordia University (Oregon). Rhonda has been married to her husband Glenn for 32 years and they have three grown boys who all attended Portland Christian.  She has recently been blessed with her first grandchild, a beautiful little girl named Emery. Rhonda has experience serving in all areas of the school, including early childhood.  She has mentored many Christian school leaders and faculty members over the last 20 years. ACSI is delighted that she has joined the Western Division team as Field Director for Oregon. 

Jeremy Brown

Field Director for: Fresno, CA area
jbrown@fresnochristian.com

Jeremy serves as the ACSI Field Director for the Fresno area. Jeremy was born and raised in California.  He graduated from Fresno State with both his BA in English Literature and his MA in Educational Leadership. He worked in public schools teaching and as a site administrator for over 15 years before moving to Fresno Christian Schools in 2013 as Superintendent. He also teaches in the educational leadership program at Fresno Pacific University. Jeremy has been married to Holly for 29 years and has 4 adult children. 

Al Hearne

Field Director for: San Francisco Peninsula
alhearne@rcs.edu

Rod Gilbert

Field Director for: Southern California

Allen Howlett

Field Director for: Montana, Idaho, Utah

Allen began his career in education in 1990 after earning a B.S. in Math Education from Colorado State University. He completed his M.A. in Education from the University of Phoenix in 1996 and served in various teaching and administrative roles in Colorado public schools. In 2006, he became Superintendent of Resurrection Christian School in Loveland, CO, where he served for 13 years before accepting the role of Superintendent at Cole Valley Christian Schools in Boise, ID, in 2020. Allen is a certified administrator through both the state of Colorado and ACSI, an ordained pastor, and a certified John C. Maxwell coach, teacher, trainer, and speaker. He and his wife of 29 years, SuzAnne, have two grown sons, John and David.

Randy Karlberg

Field Director for: Alaska

Randy and Lana Karlberg have been a part of the Grace family since 1991. After teaching in bush Alaska for four years, Randy took a position teaching and coaching at Grace Christian School. After teaching at Grace for three years, Randy accepted the position as Youth Pastor at Anchorage Grace Church. He held this position until 2013 when he took the position of Superintendent of Grace Christian School. Randy and Lana have five children; all attended Grace from kindergarten through twelfth grade. Both Randy and Lana are committed to helping Christian families partner with Grace in educating their children for many years to come.

Vance Nichols

Field Director for: Southern California

Dr. Vance Nichols serves as Head of School at Alta Loma Christian School in Rancho Cucamonga, California, and is an Adjunct Professor of Organizational Leadership at Los Angeles Pacific University. With over 40 years in Christian education, he has led as head of school, chief academic officer, and principal, and is recognized for pioneering innovative academic initiatives, including award-winning STEM programs and early coding instruction.

A frequent speaker on organizational leadership and faith-based education, Dr. Nichols serves on ACSI’s Commission on Accreditation, chairs accreditation teams for ACSI and WASC, and has authored books, articles, and curricula, including works for Oxford University Press and Purposeful Design Publications. He earned his Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership from the University of Southern California and has served internationally, notably in Ukraine and Russia.

Vance and his wife, Carol, have four grown children and six grandchildren, and live in Southern California.

Mandy Rhodes

Field Director for: Arizona and Nevada

Mandy Rhodes devoted her full-time career to Pusch Ridge Christian Academy (PRCA) in Tucson, Arizona, where her deep commitment to Christ-centered education helped shape the heart of the school community. She spent almost two decades at PRCA, beginning her journey in the classroom, teaching 4th grade and later 8th grade Humanities. She went on to serve as principal of the Grammar School for seven years, where her relational leadership was marked by warmth, a school culture of joy, an atmosphere of support and comradery, and a shared vision. Mandy holds a B.S. in Elementary Education and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in organizational leadership with an emphasis in Education. Since recently retiring from full-time work, Mandy enjoys spending time with her husband and young adult children and has turned her passion for excellent Christian school leadership into a consulting business. 

Amy Vorderbruegge

Field Director for: Hawaii

Amy Vorderbruegge is passionate about lifelong learning—for both students and adults. She currently serves as Vice President of Academics at HBA, guiding the direction of the learning community and supporting the school’s vision. Since joining HBA in 2012 as Elementary Principal, Amy has also served as Director of Strategic Planning and has represented Hawai`i on the ACSI Western Division Council since 2015. Amy’s career spans Kansas, Missouri, and Hawai`i, with experience as a teacher, curriculum coordinator, instructional coach, principal, and board member. She holds a master’s in educational leadership from Northwest Missouri State University, a Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction from Wichita State University, and a B.A. in Elementary Education from Bethany College. Amy and her husband Darren, who serves as Operations Pastor at Lakepointe Church, have three grown children and eight grandchildren. In her spare time, she enjoys refinishing furniture, reading, and hiking.