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Meet The Team

Our Team of Accreditation Experts Is Committed to Helping Your School Thrive

Discover a team of Accreditation professionals essential to the continued success of your Christian school community.

Illustration: Accreditation Team

Accreditation Leadership

Headshot of Sheryl Jo

Sheryl L. Jo

Director of Accreditation

Our Director of Accreditation, Sheryl Jo, will get you started on the accreditation process, answer questions, and offer continual support, partnership, and prayer.

Allison Reiffer

Manager of Accreditation Support

As our Accreditation Coordinator, Allison Reiffer serves schools through open communication, prayers, and friendly reminders when deadlines are approaching.

Accreditation Regional Coordinators

Your school will be assigned its very own CSI Regional Coordinator who will mentor you through the entire accreditation process, check in with you often, pray for you daily, and provide onsite training and continual support for your school.

Larry Baker headshot

Larry Baker

Accreditation Regional Coordinator

Larry Baker received his bachelor’s degree from Dordt College in math education. He has two master’s degrees from Western Michigan University in math education and educational leadership. Larry has taught high school math, served as high school principal and K–12 school superintendent. Larry’s career in education included CSI schools in Minnesota, Michigan, Colorado, and California. He served on accreditation visiting teams for both CSI and WASC and led three of his schools through their accreditation cycles. Larry has also served as an independent fundraising consultant for a public radio station in Nevada.

Josh Bowar

Accreditation Regional Coordinator

Josh Bowar earned his bachelor’s degree from Dordt University in secondary English education, and he has a master’s degree in both curriculum and instruction and in educational leadership, both from Dordt University. Josh holds an EdS from the University of South Dakota in educational leadership—school district superintendent—and his EdD is from the University of South Dakota, with a dissertation focused on the topic of teachers transitioning to become principals in the same building where they were once teachers (something he experienced). Josh is currently the head of school at a CSI-accredited school in Iowa.

Ron Lawlor headshot

Ron Lawlor

Accreditation Regional Coordinator

Ron Lawlor holds a master’s degree from the University of Missouri – Kansas City. His background in Christian education includes ten years as an assistant professor and thirty-one years as a K–12 teacher and administrator, including his most recent thirteen-year tenure as administrator at a CSI-accredited University-Model® school. In the three years of his professional career not spent in Christian education, Ron managed the employee assistance programs for a large metropolitan mental health center, including public and private sector training on the components of social-emotional learning. In addition to his work for CSI, he now helps provide a biblically based perspective on social-emotional learning and other important topics.

Mary Patterson

Accreditation Regional Coordinator

Mary Patterson holds a bachelor’s degree in music education and church music and a master’s in both education and music. Mary also has Iowa certification in K–12 music, K–12 Spanish, and PK–12 principal and supervisor of special education. She has served as a CSI accreditation commissioner and, as a principal, led her school in Iowa through two accreditation cycles with CSI. For ten years she lived and taught English and music in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She has also taught music theory and piano at the university level.

Chris Rast

Accreditation Regional Coordinator

Chris Rast’s education includes bachelor’s degrees in history and education from the University of Missouri, as well as a master’s degree in educational administration from Grand Canyon University. Chris has been an educator and administrator in grades 6–12 for nearly twenty years. He was heavily involved in the accreditation process for multiple schools over that span of time. In addition to working with Christian schools in their accreditation processes, Chris works with numerous Christian schools in the Pacific Northwest on refining and providing professional development, mentorship, compliance, and district coordination.

Betsy Wilken

Accreditation Regional Coordinator

Betsy Wilken holds a master’s degree in nonprofit management from Regis University of Denver, Colorado and an EdD in educational leadership from the University of Phoenix, in which she specialized in the application of self-efficacy and communication between teachers and parents. Betsy has been an elementary teacher, has served in the nonprofit sector in youth development, and has also worked as dean of curriculum and dean for school operations at a college-preparatory school. Most recently, Betsy served as the head of school at a CSI-accredited school in Michigan. Betsy continues her work with the Awaken Leadership Center, which she founded in 2014 to guide educators, leaders, and executives to create positive change in their organizations.

Photo of Regional Coordinator Elisa Wingerd

Elisa Wingerd

Accreditation Regional Coordinator

Elisa Wingerd’s master’s of education in Christian school administration is from Regent University. While earning her master’s, Elisa developed a passion for equipping teachers to teach truth, engage the hearts and minds of students, and shape lives beyond making a living. She began her career in California teaching and coaching junior high students and has also taught junior and senior high school students in Colorado, Kansas, and Iowa. Most recently, Elisa served as head of upper school (grades 6–12), athletic director, and then head of school (grades K–12) at a CSI-accredited school in Iowa.  Her background includes experience in both traditional model and also classical Christian education schools.

Our regional coordinator was a blessing to us! He is very knowledgeable and encouraging and very easy to work with.

Tampa Christian Community School

Tampa, FL

CSI Accreditation Commission

The Commission oversees operations of the accreditation program on behalf of accredited and candidate schools. It is the responsibility of the Commission to approve or deny initial and renewed accreditation status to all schools.