Market Service Manager of DC branch of Johnson Controls, Inc.

“I love the fact that the school is being founded to offer a high caliber education and provide families a safe space to grow their faith with a diverse group of people.”

Keith White is a native Washingtonian and a proud graduate of Paul Lawrence Dunbar HS in Washington, D.C. He currently serves as the Market Service Manager of the D.C. branch of Johnson Controls, Inc., managing a workforce of over 100 managers, engineers, technicians, mechanics, and administrators. His team maintains the building environment systems of commercial, government, and mission-critical buildings across the D.C. Metropolitan area. He has held various roles in this industry over his 25+ year career.

Keith has been blessed to have had many mentors who instilled a commitment to service to his community. Keith demonstrated this commitment as a high school track and field coach for 11 years, which included tutoring and mentoring a number of students and helping them access opportunities to help them grow academically and personally. Keith utilized his knowledge of industry and government to support successful school improvement projects at Shepherd Elementary School and Whittier Education Campus while serving on their respective PTAs, School Improvement Teams, and Local School Advisory Teams. Keith was also a founding member of the community cabinet, which was charged with helping establish a vision for the Ron Brown Preparatory High School.

Currently, Keith serves on the advisory committee for Montgomery Community College’s HVAC program and regularly speaks at their seminars, where they present careers in the HVAC industry and the paths to get there. He also serves on the industry advisory council of Lincoln Technical Institute for HVAC.

Keith holds a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from North Carolina State University and a Master’s of Science in Management from the University of Maryland Global Campus.

Keith lives in Washington, D.C., with his wife and three children. He is currently a member of Christ Our Shepherd Church, where he serves on the Diaconate.

Executive Director of DC127

"I'm thrilled that The District School will provide a quality education focused on the learner while weaving the love of Christ into every facet of the classroom."

Chrissy Weeks is a Partner Strategist with Auxilio Partners, which provides outsourced business expertise to churches and nonprofits. After obtaining her degree in theater from Collin College, Chrissy began working as a program coordinator with Serge (formerly World Harvest Mission), where she developed cross-cultural curriculum, discipleship materials, and maintained finance and

operations for her team in Dublin, Ireland. Shortly thereafter, she moved to St. Louis, MO, to attend Covenant Theological Seminary with her husband.

Having worked for Apple for a number of years during and after seminary, Chrissy had her sights set on returning to the nonprofit sector. She and her family moved to DC in 2017, where she began working for a local nonprofit, DC127. In her role, Chrissy built a church mobilization program designed to equip the church for wrap-around services to families in crisis and those participating in foster care.

While Chrissy was mostly educated in public school, she did attend a Christian school during her early elementary years. There, she experienced teachers who intentionally focused on the learner and wove the hope and beauty of Christ into all facets of the classroom. She is delighted to help establish TDS as it seeks to do the same in DC.

Chrissy is deeply rooted in the Manor Park neighborhood of DC, where she lives with her husband, two children, and dog, Clara. She is a member of Grace DC, where she leads worship on Sundays, teaches children, and is part of her community group. Chrissy loves live theater and music, especially outdoors. She and her family enjoy participating in and hosting a good party, cooking, dancing, and exploring libraries.

Global Health Professional

“I am excited that The District School will be a venue for kids to grow in their faith while obtaining an excellent education in Washington, DC.”

Jordana De Leon is a long-time resident of Washington, DC. Originally from Manila, Philippines, she moved to the U.S. in her teens. She obtained her Master's in Public Health from the George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services and her Executive Certificate in Social Impact Strategy from the University of Pennsylvania School of Policy and Practice. She works as a global health/international development professional focusing on HIV/AIDS among youth for the U.S. Government and has lived and worked on various health programs in Africa (Tanzania, Nigeria) and Asia (Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia).

Jordana believes in the importance of having access to an excellent education for everyone everywhere and is excited to support the mission and vision of the District School.

Jordana lives in the Capitol Hill area and loves her community. She has been a member of Grace Downtown since 2005 and has served on the music team and as a deaconess. She loves to sing, travel and explore new places, and spend time with family and friends.

Foreign Affairs Analyst

“I am deeply committed to a school community with a vision of contributing to community renewal.”

As a career foreign affairs analyst, Kate has held several positions at the Department of Defense, serving in senior analytic and policy roles to advise national military and executive decision-makers on U.S. defense and multinational initiatives. Having had the opportunity to pursue broad training in leadership, project management, and executive communication throughout her career, she has enjoyed applying her years of government experience to lead efforts at church and in the community.

Kate relocated to Washington, DC in 2008 from her home state of Georgia. In DC, she met and married her husband, and they settled in the diverse Brookland neighborhood in northeast DC to help launch a cross-cultural church. She began dreaming of the possibility of a new kind of school for all the kids of the city in 2018, inspired by the transforming work she witnessed at other schools in the U.S. 

Kate earned a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and a Bachelor’s Degree in Religion from the University of Georgia in 2005. She received a Master’s in Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies from the University of Edinburgh, Scotland in 2007, and received a certificate in Arabic from the Language Institute of Fez in Morocco, and in French from the Diplomatic Language Service. 

Kate and her husband have three wonderful children and an old house that takes up most of their time and energy. In her free time, Kate loves to work in her garden.oes here

Pastor of Bethesda Baptist Church

“I believe in the transformative power of education and the life-changing power of God. I am thrilled to be part of a school that shapes both the hearts and minds of its students.”

Reverend Thompson, who likes to be referred to as Pastor Mike, has been an active member of Bethesda Baptist Church since he was a young child. He distinctly remembers, during a Baptist Training Union class, accepting Jesus at the tender age of 7 years old.

Pastor Mike has developed youth ministry programs for over a decade at Mt. Nebo Baptist Church in Nashville and at his home church, Bethesda Baptist Church. In this role, he established parent and adult-led Youth Advisory Councils and organized activities and experiences for youth, inclusive of life education workshops, recreational activities, spiritual retreats, and summer volunteer and job opportunities. 

Pastor Mike is now the head Pastor of Bethesda Baptist Church. He is profoundly serious about the gospel of Christ and his life verse is “I am crucified with Christ:  nevertheless, I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me:  and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20.

CEO of Spoken in Music Entertainment

“I believe in the mission and the excellent education students receive at The District School.”

Cecil is a musician and founding member of two bands: Spoken in Music, a fusion band comprised of jazz, R&B, neo soul and funk grooves; and his Straight No Chaser Band, which preforms classic jazz by legends like Miles Davis and the like.

Cecil is an entrepreneur and local businessman in the DMV area. Alongside producing his own music, he serves as the CEO of S.I.M. Entertainment LLC, a company that supplies live musicians for social gatherings and corporate events. Additionally, he founded and leads CJI Pest Management, a black-owned, highly reputable business in the DMV.