Board of Governors

Dr. Kevin Clark | President and founder

Dr. Kevin Clark is the President and Founder of the Ecclesial Schools Initiative, whose mission is to expand access to extraordinary education by creating a network of neighborhood classical Christian schools, planted in local churches.  The Ecclesial Schools opened its first campus location at St. Alban’s Church, Oviedo, FL, in 2020 in collaboration with the Drexel Fund and Spreading Hope Network. The second neighborhood campus opened at Northland Church, Longwood, FL, in 2023, with more locations planned in the next three years.  

Kevin’s experience in classical Christian education spans more than 20 years, including 15 years teaching in the classroom and more than 10 years in academic leadership.  He serves as a teaching fellow for Gordon College’s MA program in Classical School Leadership, as a board member of the Society for Classical Learning, where he is part of a team that is piloting school accreditation and developing resources for SCL’s thriving schools’ initiative, and as founding member of the Alcuin Fellowship.  Kevin earned a doctorate from Georgetown University, where he wrote his thesis on the interdisciplinary practice of liberal arts education in light of hermeneutic philosophy.  He is coauthor of the book The Liberal Arts Tradition:  A Philosophy of Christian Classical Education (Classical Academic Press), now in its third edition, which is read widely by classical Christian school leaders and teachers.

Dr. Brian Polk | Board Chair and Founder

Brian has been in classical education for 18 years serving in various capacities ranging from “science” teacher to administrator and board chair.  With a desire to grow as a professional educator, he returned to school in 2015 to pursue a doctorate in educational leadership at Vanderbilt University’s Peabody School.  Graduating in 2018, his work ignited a passion to study Classical Christian schools for the purpose of helping them to improve as they seek to guild the Kingdom of God.  In addition to his work with the Societey for Classical Learning, Brian directs the Center for Christian Classical Education at College of the Ozarks in Pointe Lookout, Missouri.  

rudy reudelhuber | Board Member and Founder

Rudy is managing director at Hodges, Ward, Elliott, where he has brokered more than $6B in volume in North America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.   

From being a graduate of Princeton University and Fulbright scholar to professional work in international resort brokerage, finance, and investment banking, Rudy brings a deep appreciation for learning, cross-cultural competence, and extensive professional experience to his service on the ESI Board.  Specifically, he lends his expertise in finance, contract negotiation, brand fidelity, and facilities.  

Rudy is an ordained deacon of the Orthodox Church in America.  In his free time, Rudy loves to swim, play the banjo, and read classics on the early Church Fathers.  He and his wife Susan have four sons. 

Paul Mascia, eSQ. | Board Member

Paul began his professional career with top tier law firms Gray, Harris & Robinson, P.A., and Zimmerman, Kiser & Sutcliffe, P.A. He then successfully scaled a multistate practice that served thousands of clients nationally in debt-related litigation, bankruptcy, real estate and workout matters. Over his career, he has been responsible for over a half billion dollars in transaction volume. He has spearheaded and executed capital, debt, corporate, workout, real estate and development initiatives for clients and his own account—in the process advising various lender, finance, investor, corporate and real estate interests ranging from publicly traded entities to small and medium sized enterprises. He obtained his law degree and masters in tax law from the University of Florida (Top 10 graduate), and earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics, magna cum laude, from Rollins College.

A life-long Central Florida resident, Paul currently resides in Winter Garden with his wife and four children.  He is a member of the Florida Bar, celebrates Christ in community at Lifebridge Church and volunteers his time to various charitable and community organizations.

Dave McDaniel | Board Member

David McDaniel is a Partner with M3Development, LLC, a company that has its roots in family:  Three brothers who work together planting the seeds of proven success, hard work and integrity into every deal. Forming a bond that infuses these values into everything we do. M3 brings nearly 100 years of combined professional real estate experience with them into each transaction. David recently led brokerage and land acquisitions for Orlando-based developer Titan Properties. During the 2002-2007 period he completed over $125 million in land sales for 5,000 single family lots.

In 1984 David started his real estate career in marketing, sales and management of planned developments for family-owned Atlantic Southern Corporation, an international land syndicator and developer with projects in the Eastern U.S. As a real estate consultant, he has also advised many clients including Disney Development, Universal Studios and Price Waterhouse about the market feasibility of their proposed real estate development projects. David is a graduate of the University of Florida business school with a degree in Real Estate. He has served on the Board of Directors for the Downtown Orlando Habitat for Humanity, as its land acquisition team leader.  He is currently president of the board for a non-profit housing corporation serving the disabled in the Orlando area. David lives with his wife and three children in Winter Park, Florida. 

Sheriffe Oliver | Board Member

Sheriffe and his wife, Kayla, live in the Orlando area with their four children, Josiah, Jude, Asa, and Nora. Interests include being present in whatever activities/sports his kids are doing at the moment, CrossFit, and getting lost in Christian apologetic Youtube videos and podcasts.

Sheriffe is a proud UCF alum, earning an Interdisciplinary degree with focuses in IT and Communication and is currently employed as a Sales Executive for a Nashville-based software company. In addition to being an ESI Board Member, he serves as a Ruling Elder at his church and is the VP on his HOA's Board.

Governance and Administration

Board of Governors

As an independent school network, ESI is governed by a board of dedicated volunteers with the expertise and experience necessary for fulfilling a board’s primary duties—ensuring that the school remains true to its mission and sound in its fiscal responsibilities. It is important to note that the board governs, it does not manage. It does this most importantly by evaluating the one employee it has chosen to accomplish its mission—the president, the executive director of the network.  

Campus Deans

Each Ecclesial campus is led by a dean who is responsible for the teaching, learning, discipline, and culture of that location. This supports a consistent culture and ensures that students, as well as their parents, are known and loved.  All faculty and staff at the campus report to and are evaluated by the dean. The dean in turn reports to and is evaluated by the president. 

Network Administration

The campuses are supported by a centralized network administration that oversees business, operations, and human resources for each of the campuses, as well as academics and engagement. The network administration is led by the president, who as the executive director, is also head of schools.