Board of Directors

Board of Directors

Steve Wallace, Chris Burford, Tyler Lash, Chris Rea, Seth Thomas, Laura Williams

Steve Wallace, President

Steve joined the Board in 2022. He attended Louisiana Tech University and graduated with a B.S. in Civil Engineering and more importantly met his wife Kay, a native of Shreveport. After college, they settled and raised a family in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and 40 years later, answered God's lead to move back to Shreveport. While in Baton Rouge, Steve had the opportunity to serve on a number of church, civic, and industry boards. He also served on the Board of The Dunham School, a Christian college preparatory school. Professionally, Steve has worked in the transportation industry and is currently a regional leader, managing large project design teams for an international consulting firm. Steve and Kay have three married children and ten grandchildren, three of which attend Ascension: Levi, Nora and Grace Smith. They are active members of Norris Ferry Community Church.

Chris Burford, Vice President

Chris Burford is one of the founding members of Ascension Classical School. In 2013, he and his wife Ann attended an interest meeting hosted by Howard Davis, the founder and Head of School at Providence Classical Academy. After hearing Howard's compelling argument about the need for a K-12 Christian Classical school in Shreveport, they were convinced and have been active supporters ever since. Chris started his professional career in the US Navy in 1982 as an enlisted Navy Deep Sea Diver. He earned his BS in Nursing in 1995 when he was commissioned as an officer in the Navy Nurse Corps. Upon retiring in 2005, he continued working in nursing eventually leading to his career choice of Anesthesia. He graduated from Texas Wesleyan University with an MSNA in 2018 and has been working as a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist since then. Chris has served on the school board several times since its inception in 2014. Chris, his wife Ann, and their son Max, who remains in the lead 10th-grade class, continue to be firmly committed to the original mission of establishing a God-fearing, academically excellent K-12 Classical Christian school.  Chris and his family are active members of Calvary Chapel Shreveport and have served there in capacities ranging from member to teacher to Elder Board member.


Laura Williams, Secretary

Laura was born and raised in Shreveport, Louisiana. She holds Bachelor of Arts degrees in Political Science and Archeology from Baylor University, where she met her husband, Brian. Following her undergraduate studies, Laura earned her Master of Arts in Art History from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and her Master of Fine Arts in Historic Preservation from the Savannah College of Art and Design. After nearly a decade of living in Savannah, Georgia, then Austin, Texas, Laura and Brian moved to Shreveport in 2018. They have three children: Claire, Charlie, and John Lee. The Williamses are members of Grace Presbyterian Church (PCA).

Chris Rea, Treasurer

Chris is a native of Ruston, Louisiana, where he attended Louisiana Tech University.  After attaining his CPA license in 1997 and graduating with a Master of Professional Accountancy degree the following year, Chris moved to Shreveport to join the audit practice of the international accounting firm of KPMG, where he would work for the next 13 years.  In March 2014, after a 3-year stint as Accounting Director for a family office with investments in regional oil & gas entities, Chris moved to his current role, joining Aeropres Corporation as the Chief Financial Officer. Chris is married to Leah Rea, a native of Shreveport.  The couple met in Sunday School at First Methodist Church of Shreveport, where they still attend today, and were married in 2006.  Chris and Leah have one daughter, Emma, that has attended Ascension since starting kindergarten in 2017.  Chris currently serves as the Chairman of the Board of Trustees at First Methodist, and has previously served as chair of the Finance, Endowment, and Stewardship committees.

Tyler Lash

Tyler was born in Shreveport where he attended Byrd High School. He received his undergraduate degree at Louisiana Tech and then pursued medicine at LSU Health Sciences Center in Shreveport. He completed his internship and residency in internal medicine at the University of Alabama at Birmingham during which he met and married his wife Lauren. After completing a fellowship in hematology and oncology at Wake Forest University in North Carolina a desire to be closer to family brought Tyler and Lauren home to Shreveport. They are members of Norris Ferry Community Church and have three wonderful children who attend Ascension Classical School. Tyler also serves on the board for Shreveport Biblical Counseling. In his free time he likes to be outdoors enjoying the Lord’s creation. 

Seth Thomas

Seth is from Lake Charles, LA. He attended Louisiana Tech University and graduated with a bachelor's degree in biology and a minor in chemistry. After marrying his college sweetheart, Kristen, they moved to Shreveport. Seth has been an active member of Norris Ferry Community Church and the Shreveport community since 2006. He started his insurance career in 2009 at Moreman, Moore, & Co., and in 2019 had the opportunity to become an owner. They have four children who attend Ascension Classical School. ACS has had a major impact on their family since they enrolled their oldest in 2015. Seth and Kristen are passionate about Christ-centered education, Bible translation, and Biblical counseling. Seth currently serves as Treasurer on the Shreveport Biblical Counseling board. 

Share by: