ECLC Speakers

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List of 9 items.

Mrs. Julie Ambler

Julie H. Ambler has been the Head of School at The Woodlands Christian Academy since 2006. She has successfully led the school to become a leading institution in Christ-centered college preparatory education. Apart from her association with the school, Mrs. Ambler is also serving as the Chairman of the board for Summit Ministries and Chairman of the board for the Council of Educational Standards and Accountability (CESA). She is a board member of the Texas Private School Association (TPSA). Mrs. Ambler has been a member and past board member of the Rotary Club of The Woodlands, where she has been named a Paul Harris Fellow twice. She has also served as the President of the Executive Women’s Alliance (EWA). She has also served as the Past Chairman of the board for The Woodlands Area Chamber of Commerce and Leadership Montgomery County (LMC). Mrs. Ambler completed her education from The University of Texas at Austin, where she earned a B.A. and an M.B.A.
Mrs. Mindy Dickerson

Mindy Dickerson currently serves as the Director of The George & Barbara Bush Center for Scholars & Leaders housed at Houston Christian High School. Dickerson previously served for 18 years as a Campus Principal in the Elementary, Middle School, and High School levels in public school. In her career, she opened campuses as an Assistant Principal and Principal, served on various Strategic Planning Committee as well as the Katy ISD Education Foundation Board of Directors and was named Katy ISD District Secondary Principal of the Year in 2017-18. Dickerson has worked in education for more than 28 years and began her career as an English Teacher. Dickerson earned her M.Ed. in Educational Leadership from the University of Houston and a B.S. in Journalism with an emphasis in Public Relations from Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas.
Dr. Jay Ferguson

Jay Ferguson, J.D., Ph.D. has been the Head of School at Grace Community School in Tyler, Texas, for over fifteen years. Under his leadership, the school achieved Blue Ribbon Exemplary status in 2015 and 2017. Jay is also an adjunct professor at several colleges, including Covenant College, Gordon College, and Dallas Baptist University, and recently served on the adjunct faculties of the Van Lunen Center at Calvin College and at Peabody College of Education at Vanderbilt University. He holds leadership positions in the education sector; currently, he serves as Chair-Elect of the executive board of the Association of Christian Schools International. Previous leadership positions include President of the Board of the Texas Private School Association and former Chair of the Board of the Council on Educational Standards and Accountability.
Dr. Brian Guenther

Dr. Brian N Guenther is the current President of San Marcos Academy. In May 2018, he was named Interim Academic Dean of the Academy after serving three years as Associate Academic Dean for the SMA Lower and Middle schools. Prior to joining the Academy staff, he spent eight years as Head of School and three years as music teacher and chaplain at the Master’s School of San Marcos. Additionally, he served as a teaching pastor for River Stone Community Church in San Marcos from 2004 to 2011 and as a youth and worship pastor at First Baptist Church in Kingsland, Texas for five years. Dr. Guenther is a certified superintendent, principal, and teacher. He received his Ed.D. Degree in Education, Educational Leadership, and Administration from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor (UMHB). He also holds a Master of Arts in Christian Higher Education Administration from Dallas Theological Seminary and a Bachelor of Music in Music Education from UMHB. Currently, he serves as President of the Accreditation Commission of the Texas Association of Baptist Schools.
Dr. D. Michael Lindsay

D. Michael Lindsay, Ph.D., serves as the President of Taylor University, one of the nation’s leading Christian universities. Since he assumed the Taylor presidency, the University has experienced significant momentum in admissions, advancement, athletics, community collaboration, employee and constituent engagement, and faith expression on campus. Lindsay credits these good results to a talented leadership team and board and the servant-leadership of faculty and staff across the Taylor campus.
Lindsay came to Taylor after a decade of distinguished service as president of Gordon College on Boston’s North Shore. Prior to arriving at Gordon, Lindsay was a member of the sociology faculty at Rice University, where he won multiple awards both for his teaching and academic research. He is the author of two dozen scholarly publications and numerous books, including, Faith in the Halls of Power: How Evangelicals Joined the American Elite, which was nominated for the nonfiction Pulitzer Prize, and his award-winning View from the Top, which has been translated into Chinese and Japanese. His most recent book, Hinge Moments, was launched globally on the Taylor campus in 2021 and is published with InterVarsity Press.

Lindsay earned his Ph.D. in sociology from Princeton University and graduate theological degrees from Wycliffe Hall at Oxford University and Princeton Theological Seminary. He is a summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Baylor University where he has been named Outstanding Young Alumnus. He has lectured on six continents and is recognized for his insights on leadership and higher education.

Lindsay has been married for over 25 years to his wife Rebecca, an accomplished teacher and speaker who serves as Taylor’s Ambassador for the University. They are the proud parents of three daughters, Elizabeth, Caroline, and Emily.
Mrs. Leanne Messer

Leanne Messer, J.D., M.A., has served as Head of School at Houston Christian High School since 2023, following a national search and unanimous Board appointment. A native Texan with a background spanning education, law, and school leadership, she previously led Landmark Christian School in Georgia and Hyde Park Schools in Austin, where she oversaw significant enrollment growth, major capital improvements, and expanded academic and athletic initiatives. Before her headship roles, she served as a high school science teacher, New Mexico’s first female athletic director, a campus principal, and a university instructor and supervisor of graduate-level education candidates. After earning her law degree, she practiced civil litigation and served in juvenile and family treatment courts. Leanne is the former President of the Texas Private Schools Association, where she guided accreditation processes and provided legal counsel to non-public schools across the state. At Houston Christian, she is leading efforts to strengthen academic excellence, elevate fine arts and athletics, and foster a Christ-centered culture where students are known, challenged, and equipped to lead with integrity and purpose.
Dr. Kimberly Miller

Dr. Kimberly Miller currently serves as the Assistant Head of School for Academics at Trinity Christian School in Fairfax, Virginia. She has successfully led Trinity through three accreditations, facilitated initiatives that earned two National Blue Ribbon School Awards for Exemplary High Performance in 2018 and 2025, and led strategic planning efforts related to institutional growth, academic programming, and school culture. She is a K-12 science teacher, has served as the Dean of Curriculum and Instruction, and Science Department Chair. Dr. Miller is passionate about serving faculty, students, and administrators in Christian schools through collaborative approaches to organizational change and academic excellence. Miller earned her Ed.D. in Leadership and Organizational Change from Baylor University, her M.Ed. from the University of Virginia, and a B.S. in Education from Liberty University.
Dr. Darren Price

Dr. Darren Price has been the principal at Houston Christian High School in Houston, TX, since 2015. He is the former Head of School for Contra Costa Christian Schools in Walnut Creek, CA, and held various administrative roles during his 10-year tenure in Christian international schools in South Korea. He has written articles or made presentations regarding leadership, technology, professional development, and furthering Christian education around the world. He believes strongly in the future of Christian education and its importance to impact the next generation.
Dr. Matt Thomas

Dr. Matt Thomas currently serves as the Head of School for Trinity Christian School in Fairfax County, Virginia. Thomas previously served as the Executive Director of the Center for School Leadership at Baylor University. In this role, he oversaw the operations of the Center, leading the development, strategy, planning, and coordination of programs serving more than 900 schools. Thomas has worked in education for more than 25 years. Serving in Christian K-12 schools, higher education and seminaries, the Christian nonprofit sector, and pastoral ministry, Thomas has devoted his career to serving and strengthening Christian educational institutions for the flourishing of students, faculty, and staff. Thomas earned his EdD from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, his MA in Christian Education from Azusa Pacific University, and a Bachelor of Theology from Pacific Coast Baptist Bible College.