Staff
Meet the wonderful people behind Grace Christian School
Management and Administration Team

Thomas Gerds
Head of School

Thomas Gerds
Head of School
Mr. Gerds was born and raised in Ocala, Florida. He is married to a fellow educator and has two children who attend Grace Christian School. Mr. Gerds graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor’s degree in History and a minor in Secondary Education. He then received his master’s degree in Educational Administration from the University of Scranton.
Mr. Gerds is entering his 17th year in education, and has served as a teacher, district level curriculum specialist, assistant principal, elementary principal, and high school principal. The 2021–2022 school year was his first year as Head of School at Grace Christian School.
Mr. Gerds states, “Having the opportunity to serve as the Head of School at Grace Christian School is truly a blessing. This school has my family’s heart, and I am extremely passionate about the mission and vision of the school and will dedicate myself as we work to sustain a culture of academic excellence in a Christ-centered environment.”

Kyle McKenzie
Assistant Head of School

Kyle McKenzie
Assistant Head of School
Education:
- Bachelor's Elementary/Middle School Education, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
- Elementary/Middle School Teaching License (WI, IL, FL)
- Master's Educational Leadership, Concordia University-Chicago
- Type 75 Certification
Start Date: 2014
What I love about GCS:
- Family-centered community and the ability to educate students in academics, social skills, and faith development.
- Email:kmckenzie@gcsocala.com

Meredith Garner
Advancement Director

Meredith Garner
Advancement Director
Education:
- BA in Communication, Virginia Tech
Start Date: 2021
What I love about GCS:
- From the time my two children first attended Grace, we knew it was such a special school and immediately felt like part of the family. I love being part of this team, and showing the love of Christ to our students every day!

Roxie Foster
School Secretary

Roxie Foster
School Secretary
Start Date: 1993
What I love about GCS:
- My favorite part of working at Grace is watching the children as they grow with us.
- Email:rfoster@gcsocala.com

Debbie Bruni
Admissions Director & Events Coordinator

Debbie Bruni
Admissions Director & Events Coordinator
Education:
- AA Mental Health Counseling, Lassell College
Start Date: 1991
What I love about GCS:
- My children and grandson attended Grace and I started out as a parent volunteer, then was asked to work part time and then full time in the office. My favorite part of Grace is the loving and nurturing environment and “family” atmosphere.
- Email:dbruni@gcsocala.com

Kelsey Atkins
Bookkeeper

Kelsey Atkins
Bookkeeper
Education:
- AA International Business College
What I love about GCS:
- My favorite part is the feeling that we're one big family. I came to Grace as a volunteer when my daughter was in Kindergarten and by the next year, I was a full-time staff member.
- Email:katkins@gcsocala.com

Teresa Spogen
Bookkeeper
Pre-School

Robin Booth
K3 Teacher

Robin Booth
K3 Teacher
Education:
- AA Central Florida College
- State-Certified Childcare/Emerging Literacy
Start Date: 2008
What I love about GCS:
- I love the family feel that comes with being part of Grace Christian School. In addition, our family are members of Christ the King Anglican Church, just making that family feeling even bigger!
- Email:spriest@gcsocala.com

Pam Feaster
Teacher Assistant

Pam Feaster
Teacher Assistant
Education:
- Early Childhood Specialty Certification
Start Date: 1996
What I love about GCS:
- I love Grace Christian School because of the Christ-centered love that I feel each and every day that I enter the classroom.
- Email:pfeaster@gcsocala.com

Stacey Gibson
K4 Teacher

Stacey Gibson
K4 Teacher
Education:
- BS Telecommunications
Start Date: 1998
What I love about GCS:
- [I love] teaching children to love God, themselves, and others. It’s a family here, we love and respect each other and all have the common good of Grace in our hearts.
- Email:sgibson@gcsocala.com

Nadine Evans
Pre-School Assistant

Lower School

Christina Leard
Kindergarten Teacher

Christina Leard
Kindergarten Teacher
Education:
- BA Elementary Education, Southern Florida University
- MA Elementary Education, University of North Florida
Start Date: 2015
What I love about GCS:
- I’m an alumna of Grace Christian School and I’m so happy that God granted me the opportunity to return to my elementary school. I feel very blessed to be a part of the Grace family again!
- Email:charper@gcsocala.com

Stephanie Salmon
Teacher Assistant

Stephanie Salmon
Teacher Assistant
Start Date: 2011
What I love about GCS:
- I started as a parent and volunteer, then was blessed with an opportunity to be a teacher assistant. I love being part of this community.
- Email:ssalmon@gcsocala.com

Mary Fulkerson
Teacher Assistant

Mary Fulkerson
Teacher Assistant
Education:
- Early Childhood Certificate
Start Date: 2005
- Email:mfulkerson@gcsocala.com

Avyn Marsh
Teacher Assistant, BC/AC/EC Manager

Stephanie Arnold
Teacher Assistant

Sarah Curran
Education:
- BS in Elementary Education, Southeastern University
- Certified in Elementary Education K-6 with ESOL endorsement
Start Date: 2017
What I love about GCS:
- Grace has its own atmosphere of teachers who are truly seeking the glory of God and fulfilling their calling by working here. I find it inspiring to be part of such an amazing group of people who care about the students, about each other, and about aiming for excellence each day. I feel like I have found a place where I belong and am accepted for myself and the gifts I bring, and this is a feeling like no other.

Cheryl Young
1st Grade teacher

Cheryl Young
1st Grade teacher
Education:
- BA Elementary Education, University of Florida
- Elementary Certification
Start Date: 2004
What I love about GCS:
- The family-friendly environment and loving people I encounter.

Lauren Tuzzolino
Carol Cameron's K5 Assistant

Lauren Tuzzolino
Carol Cameron's K5 Assistant
What I love about GCS:
- I’ve been in education for about seven years, three of which I was a lead VPK teacher. I love teaching younger children. I love teaching at Grace because it’s a great family-friendly environment and the kids that I teach keep me on my toes and make me laugh. Kids say the strangest things at times! I live in Ocala and I’m married with two pre-teen girls and a little dog named Louie. I love chocolate and yummy goodies of all kinds! I love to spend time outside when it’s not too hot and my favorite restaurant is Las Margaritas.

Debra McCord
1st Grade Teacher

Holly Miller
Kindergarten Teacher
Elementary School

Ashley Hinkle
3rd Grade Teacher

Ashley Hinkle
3rd Grade Teacher
Education:
- MA in Elementary Education, West Virginia University
- Florida Teaching Certificate
Start Date: 2015
What I love about GCS:
- The family atmosphere and the ability to worship with my students.
- Email:ahinkle@gcsocala.com

Austin Yates
4th/5th Grade Math Teacher

Austin Yates
4th/5th Grade Math Teacher
Education:
- BS Interdisciplinary Studies and MA Educational Leadership, University of Central Florida
Start Date: 2020
What I love about GCS:
- I love having the opportunity to learn and grow alongside my students in a faith-based environment focused on academic excellence.

Mallory Strong
4th/5th Grade Language Arts Teacher

Mallory Strong
4th/5th Grade Language Arts Teacher
Education:
- University of Florida, 2008
Start Date: 2021
What I love about GCS:
- The relationships I build with my students and getting to be part of my own children’s school day.

Janet Robinson
4th/5th Grade Science & Social Studies Teacher

Janet Robinson
4th/5th Grade Science & Social Studies Teacher
I've been teaching for 21 years — 17 years in the public school system and 4 years as an online ESL teacher. So far, the best thing about GCS is the support I'm getting from everyone. I don't have a family, so it means a lot to me to feel as if I belong. I love the fact that everyone says that the school is like their family. It means a lot to me. I also really like the class sizes; I'm used to 25–30 students per class, with seven classes a day. The smaller class size means more time to attend to the needs of each student.
I have five dogs (used to have seven) and they truly are like my family. My college degrees are both in science: Associates in General Science and Bachelors in Biology, which I received in Charleston, SC. I received my teaching certification from Valdosta State University in Georgia.
I love nature — animals and especially dogs. I live in a rural setting here in Ocala. My hobbies are reading, [doing] yoga, working out, and [doing] jigsaw puzzles.
Middle School

Andrew Touchton
Social Studies Teacher

Andrew Touchton
Social Studies Teacher
Education:
- BA in Mass Communications (TV Broadcast Productions/Minor in Film Studies), University of South Florida
Start Date: 2019
What I love about GCS:
- What I love about GCS is the camaraderie between the students and staff. Everyone shares a common love for Christ and a love for one another as children of God. That firm spiritual foundation relieves the stress of school life and allows us to focus on deeper things.

Stephani Zetty
Middle School Language Arts Teacher

Stephani Zetty
Middle School Language Arts Teacher
This is my fifth year as a teacher after working in the child welfare system for five years, and taking seven years to stay home and raise my two children. Grace Christian is the perfect school to share my love for Christ while using the gift of teaching that the Lord has blessed upon me. I feel as though everyone who attends Grace is part of a large and loving family.
My husband and I moved with our two children to Florida in 2015. We are from Ohio and West Virginia where our extended families continue to reside.
I hold a master's degree in Social Work Administration from Ohio University, and a permanent teaching certificate in the State of Florida. For the last 20 years, I have been working with children of different ages and backgrounds.
My family and I enjoy kayaking, watching movies, and traveling north. Most of all, our Lord and savior is the centerpiece of our family, and we strive to live our lives to please Him.

Cassie McKenzie
Middle School Science Teacher

Cassie McKenzie
Middle School Science Teacher
I have a degree in Secondary Science Education from Cornerstone University in Grand Rapids, MI and have worked in education for eight years now. I am excited to be at Grace for the Christ-centered environment, and the wonderful students and engaged parents that are at Grace. I have lived in Ocala for six years with my husband, and have three daughters (two of which attend Grace).

Noel Alexis
Math Teacher
Co-Curricular

Nina Canfield
Spanish Teacher

Nina Canfield
Spanish Teacher
Education:
- BS Psychology, St. Leo University
Start Date: 2001
What I love about GCS:
- What I like most about Grace is the love and care that everyone shows for each other and being able to help the students at a personal level.
- Email:ncanfield@gcsocala.com

Robert Ramirez
Physical Education Teacher

Robert Ramirez
Physical Education Teacher
Education:
- BA, St. Leo University
Start Date: 2000
What I love about GCS:
- I felt God's calling to be here at Grace.
- Email:rramirez@gcsocala.com

Ryan Owens
Technology Coordinator/ Computer Teacher

Ryan Owens
Technology Coordinator/ Computer Teacher
Education:
- BA in Elementary Education, Warner University
- MA in Educational Leadership, University of West Florida
Start Date: 2007
What I love about GCS:
- The opportunity to serve God, our students, and our families in a loving, Christ-centered environment. Both of my children go to school here and they feel very much the same way.
- Email:rowens@gcsocala.com

Jack Covell
Education:
- BA Music Education, William Paterson University
- MA Gifted Education, Nova Southeastern University
Start Date: 2017
What I love about GCS:
- All of my band students, affectionately known as the Banditos.

Jan Spagnol
4th–8th Grade Christian Education/Athletic Director

Mary Morrow
K3–3rd Grade Music Teacher/Chorus Director

Rebecca Moews
STEM Teacher

Melana Kaminski
Art and K3–3rd Grade Christian Education Teacher

Carol Cameron
Librarian/Reading Interventionist