School Leadership

David Padilla became the ninth Head of School for Christ Church Episcopal School in the summer of 2020. David came to CCES from the Baylor School, where he served as Head of the Upper School for seven years. David began his career in education as a teaching fellow at Phillips-Exeter Academy and served on the English Faculty at St. Alban’s School in Washington, DC. David spent one year on the McCallie School faculty before joining the Baylor English department in 2001, serving as English Department Chair from 2008-2010, and subsequently Dean of Students from 2010-2014. In his early years at Baylor, David ventured back to Exeter over several summers teaching English and writing courses. David has a B.A. in English from Sewanee: The University of the South (1995), an M.A. in English from the University of Virginia (2000) and an Ed.m in Private School Leadership from the Klingenstein Center, at Columbia University, in New York City (2013). David and his wife Karen have two daughters Haley and Kate.

Dr. Angela Allen serves as the Associate Head of School and has been with CCES since 2019. She has held several roles during her short time here at CCES from the Director of the Achievement Center to the coordinator of the CCES strategic planning efforts to Assistant Head for Curriculum and Instruction and the Assistant Head for Academics. Dr. Allen’s resume includes an impressive stint in Richmond, Virginia as a teacher, an instructional coach, an assistant principal and a principal. Dr. Allen has also served as the Associate Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction for the Diocese of Richmond. Angela holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from Virginia Commonwealth University, a Masters in Teaching from the University of Richmond, and a Doctorate in Education from the College of William and Mary. She and her husband Scott have one daughter, Emory, a current CCES student.

Achievement Center Director, Lane Abrams came to CCES in 2004. Lane has had several roles at CCES as a learning specialist, AP coordinator, and Dean of Students in the Upper School. Lane graduated from Erskine College with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Special Education and earned a Master’s of Education with an emphasis in Community and Elementary School Counseling from Clemson University. Additionally, she has completed coursework through Purdue University’s Gifted Education Resource Institute. Lane and her husband Todd have two Cavaliers, Hollis and Jacob.

Leigh Johnstone assumed the position of Director of Admission in 2017 after 20 years of classroom instruction at the elementary level, fifteen of which were spent in the Lower School. Leigh’s experience as a teacher and parent of two graduates lends huge credibility to her advocacy of CCES. She holds an undergraduate degree from Presbyterian College, a Master’s from Georgia State University, and an Ed. Specialist from Converse College in Administration and Supervision.

Head of Middle School, Hamilton Parks, arrived at CCES in 2019. He served as the Assistant Head of the Middle School for three years and was named Head of Middle School in 2022. Hamilton spent fourteen years in The Greenville County School system as a teacher, math coach, instructional coach, and administrator. Hamilton has also served as Vice President of the South Carolina Conference of Teachers of Mathematics, and has been nominated for Teacher of the Year on two different occasions. Hamilton holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Elementary Education from Clemson University, a Masters of Education from Southern Wesleyan University, and a second Masters of Education in Administration and Supervision from Southern Wesleyan University.