Management Structure

Kellie Girling

Principal

Kellie Girling has been in full-time ministry at The King's School for 35 years as a teacher, high school department head, drama writer and director, and now principal for the past 18 years. Kellie and her brother were the first two students enrolled at The King's School in 1983, as her father, Bill Davidson, is our founder.

Kellie has been leading in worship for over 40 years, and is also part of the leadership ministry team at Church of the King, Queensbury.

Kellie is married to Douglas, a lead doctor in the emergency room in Glens Falls Hospital. Kellie's son Calvin is a builder with Farr Construction, and Kellie's daughter Chloe is getting ready to apply to medical school.

In her spare time Kellie enjoys thrift store shopping, mostly for props and costumes, and hanging out with her cat Kilo.

Joe Traina

Assistant Principal

Joe graduated from SUNY Potsdam with a BA in psychology and a professional teacher's certification in grades Pre-K–6th. Joe then earned his master's degree in education from SUNY Plattsburgh and taught in public schools for 20 years, while also serving as an adjunct lecturer at SUNY Plattsburgh. This is Joe's 5th year here at The King's School, and his 4th year as assistant principal.

Joe married his high school sweetheart, Paula Traina, and has one daughter, Raiden Traina, who graduated from The King’s School.

Joe is encouraged by the many improvements already implemented through the formation of the King's Oversight Team, and he looks forward to what this incredible group of community members can do for God's school.

Wayne Patterson

Pastor, Church of the Nations

Wayne was born in Northern Ireland, the second of 4 boys, to parents who had spent many years serving as missionaries around the world. His parents implanted a heart for the nations in him from a young age.

He participated in mission trips through YWAM in the Netherlands, Albania, Mexico and Turkey. He originally came to New York to work at The King's School as a stepping stone to joining a group of missionaries in Asia, but shortly after his arrival here he discovered God had different plans. He started teaching at The King's School in September 2000, teaching 7th–9th English, 9th Global Studies, and Biology. He acquired his master's in teaching in 2009. Many more years, and subjects, were to follow!

Wayne and his wife Cory have two children who attended The King's School from pre-school through 12th grade and are now at college.

He and his wife served as associate pastors at Church of the Nations before being installed as pastors of the church in 2021. It continues to be their joy and privilege to serve this community where God has placed them as both pastors and teachers.

Erick Forlie

A proud member of The King's School class of 2007, Erick went on to earn an associate's degree from SUNY Adirondack in 2009 and a bachelor's degree from Nyack College in 2011. He is the general sales manager at D'Ella Honda of Glens Falls, where he is dedicated to helping customers and leading his team.

Erick married his high school sweetheart, Ashley Forlie, also a member of The King's School class of 2007. Together, they have two children, Johnny and Alex, who currently attend The King's School.

They live in Lake Luzerne. You will almost always find them at a sporting event, but they make sure to carve out some summer fun on Lake George. His wife also runs "Ashley Horse Training," teaching riding lessons and training horses in Fort Edward.

Erick has been passionate about The King's School since he began attending in 1997. When they had children, they knew they were sending them to King's. Erick loves coaching and is involved with the sports program. He is excited to see the school grow and continue to improve as it has over the last 30 years.

Joyce Avedisian

Dr.

Dr. Joyce Avedisian partners with Christian and secular business, educational and non-profit leaders who want to be leaders and build a culture of excellence. In partnering with these leaders, she discovered a common challenge: leaders may have the right values and heart to serve people but are overwhelmed with daily demands and don’t know how to intentionally translate their vision and values into daily practice. She provides a proven process for equipping leaders to intentionally build a kingdom culture.

Joyce co-authored a book entitled Reflecting God's Character in Your Business, which integrates biblical values with practical application. Today Avedisian Management Consultants provides coaching and consulting services to Christian and secular CEOs.

“If you get all people on the same page around core values and priorities, there is nothing you can’t accomplish.”

Joyce holds a doctorate in organization behavior from Brandeis University.

Andy Walts

Finance Chair

Andy Walts serves as the finance chair of the board and is passionate about using his experience and gifts to help The King's School faithfully steward the resources God has entrusted to it.

Professionally, Andy works in wealth management with Arrow Bank, where he helps individuals and families make thoughtful decisions around their finances and long-term goals. He also serves as a league director for Upward Basketball at New Hope Community Church, combining his love for community, youth development, and serving others.

Outside of work and ministry, Andy enjoys spending time with his wife, Kayla, and their three children, Jet, Joey, and Violet. His greatest excitement in serving The King's School is the opportunity to help the school be an excellent steward of all the blessings God has provided, ensuring that its financial resources are managed wisely and faithfully in support of its mission and students.

Kristel Thomas

Development Committee Chair

Kristel Thomas joins the King's Oversight Team as chair of the Development Committee. She is the mom of four boys, Ethan, Grady, Chase, and Jack, and works as CFO alongside her husband of 20 years, Adam, in their family business.

She also leads the PTA, where she strives to build community and fellowship through fun events for students, such as Homecoming. Kristel hopes to lead by example, showing that when we each give a little time, we can do big things for our school.

As the varsity soccer coach, Kristel enjoys sharing her love of the game with students, and she still laces up her own cleats for fun on the side. Off the field, she's happiest cooking in her kitchen at home with a full house of family, friends, and her two dogs.

Kyle Leonard

Oversight Team Chair

Kyle serves as the chair of the Oversight Team. He and his wife Katie have three children: Brigitte, Riter, and Vada Sue. They all attend King’s and have since kindergarten.

Kyle also practices as a family physician for Hudson Headwaters Health Network and as a hospitalist at Glens Falls Hospital. He serves as the medical director for two local public schools and as one of the medical leads for the NYS Cross Country Championships. He also serves as an elder at Pine Knolls Alliance Church.

Apart from work and ministry, Kyle enjoys being outside biking, hiking, and kayaking. He is also never one to turn down a good cup of coffee. His greatest excitement in serving The King's School is the fact that he is able to partner in the work that the Lord is already doing and has experienced how much the staff love and serve the students there. He wants to use whatever gifts the Lord has given him to help the mission and ministry of the school to further the faith of the next generation by helping to provide an environment where kids are academically equipped and spiritually nurtured to be tomorrow’s leaders.