Christ Church Episcopal School announces new Head of School

Christ Church Episcopal School announced that David Padilla will serve as the ninth Head of School beginning July 2020. Faculty, staff, students, parents, alumni, and school community members welcomed David in an intimate gathering earlier today.

Following a seven-month search process, Mr. Padilla was chosen as the successor to Dr. Leonard Kupersmith, who announced his retirement in the fall of 2018.  David has a deep knowledge of curriculum development, redefining and reaffirming school culture, and the business and financial sides of educational leadership.

David joins CCES from Baylor School, a co-educational boarding and day school for grades 6 through 12 in Chattanooga, Tennessee, where he has served as Head of the Upper School since 2014.  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 before earning his Masters in English from the University of Virginia in 2000.  David spent one year on the McCallie School faculty before joining the Baylor English department faculty in 2001, then 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.  In 2013 David received his Education Masters in Private School Leadership from the Klingenstein Center at Columbia University in New York City.  David completed his undergraduate work in 1995 at The University of the South as a Georgia M. Wilkins scholar, one of three merit-based scholarships offered by Sewanee, and graduated Phi Beta Kappa.

David was initially interested in the role because he believes CCES to be “in a position of strength with solid enrollment, dedicated faculty, and values which align nicely with my own— both as an educator and as a person.”

David is a life-long Episcopalian and served three consecutive terms on the Vestry of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Chattanooga.  He is also engaged in the community through service on the Chattanooga Area Food Bank Board of Directors, a major charitable organization in the city.

Dr. Leonard Kupersmith will continue serving as the Head of School through the coming 2019-20 school year.