School Board
Lathan Carey, Head of School and Teacher
Mr. Lathan Carey was educated at Kingswood College, South Africa. He later obtained his B.A. in Theology from Oral Roberts University. He has served as Youth Pastor and Administrator at Stonehouse Church in Williamsburg, VA, and founding pastor at King’s Lighthouse Church in Mt. Pleasant, SC. He also served from 1998-2000 on the Christian Education Board for the East Virginia Conference of the International Pentecostal Holiness Church, and as Christian Education Director for the Charleston District from 2001-2005. Most recently, he taught Bible at a local Christian school in Mt. Pleasant, SC and served as the Spiritual Director for the campus.
Shelley Yuhas, Chairman
Mrs. Yuhas is currently the Chief Financial Officer of The Directions Group, Inc., a rehabilitation consulting and case management company, with its corporate office in Mt. Pleasant, SC. Mrs. Yuhas has been involved in business development and management for over 25 years. She has been a three-term school board member for a private school in the Charleston area. Mrs. Yuhas began a food recovery ministry called “Hidden Manna”, serving the low-income multi-family neighborhoods of Charleston. She has also served as director for the East Cooper area and board member for Charleston Outreach. Mrs. Yuhas is the mother of four children, ages 21 to 12, and has a passion for raising the next generation of leaders. Mrs. Yuhas is a graduate of the University of South Carolina, with a degree in Computer Science and Business from the College of Science and Mathematics.
Melissa Black
Ms. Black was inspired to teach at an early age and loved school as a child. She holds a strong belief every child has a unique and extraordinary purpose and believes it is the responsibility of the teacher to encourage and tap into those precious resources unlocking each child’s destiny. After graduating from Winthrop she relocated to Western Colorado where she implemented, operated and owned a children’s center and daycare at the local ski resort. Her positions over the past 20 years have varied from 3rd grade, science lab teacher, reading specialist, technology teacher and currently teaches 4thgrade. She has been nominated yearly by her peers for her teaching skills and was awarded 1998-99 teacher of the year at her school. She’s taught parenting classes, was a master science teacher for CCSD, 100 Top Science Teachers for South Carolina in 1992, Science Liaison, Reading Liaisons, administrator for the Mayor’s after school and summer programs, and she has piloted many programs and curriculums.
Todd Hadley
Rev. Todd Hadley, a native of SC, graduated from the University of SC with a BA in Journalism and received his M. Div. from Southeastern Seminary in Wake Forest, NC. He and his wife, Karon, have been in full time ministry for over 20 years and have served in the Charleston area for over 12 of those 20 years. Together they pastor New Heart Gathering in West Ashley. Their children Drew, 18, Gabrielle, 16, Hannah, 14, and Lydia, 7, have all been raised and educated through a similar approach to the Crown process and are highly involved in their parents’ ministry. Therefore, they highly regard the innovative leadership of Crown and are eager to assist in fulfilling its mission to approach each child according to “the way in which he should go.” Cultivating such an environment for their own children, Todd and Karon see the need for such a school in the Charleston area and are thrilled to be a part of Crown’s leadership team.
Tonya Wooddy
Born in Wilmington, NC, Tonya Wooddy has resided in Mount Pleasant for over 15 years. Mrs. Wooddy attended Trident Technical College where she pursued a course study in Nursing. She is the owner of North American Jet Charter Group, LLC, an FAA Part 135 jet charter company which is based in Chicago and headquartered in Charleston and which currently has a fleet of over 20 jets. Mrs. Wooddy has been involved as a Board Member of the PTF at Coastal Christian Preparatory School for the past 4 years and has served in various capacities including Vice President and Secretary. Mrs. Wooddy is also a Member of Seacoast Church where she has been actively involved in the Children’s Ministry for many years. She has volunteered in her community at the Dream Center, the Dream House and the Ronald McDonald House of Charleston.