Meet Our Senior Leadership Team
Christopher P. Ice
President and Chief Executive Officer
Christopher P. Ice is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Regina Caeli Academy. Prior to this he was the President and CEO of Ave Maria University in Ave Maria, FL.
Mr. Ice has numerous years of experience leading complex organizations in a variety of industries including Catholic higher education, Catholic non-profits, owning his own healthcare company and executive coaching and many years in the commercial insurance industry.
As a homeschool father for 25 years, his firsthand experience continues to shape his deep conviction in the power of a faithful Catholic education, and he now utilizes his personal knowledge of the benefits and enduring value of homeschooling with renewed purpose and leadership of Regina Caeli Academy.
Mr. Ice is an author and shares his personal experiences of triumph and tragedy in his book, “Walking the Leadership Tightrope: How to Balance Career and Family through the Chaos of Crisis.” He currently serves on the board for Wyoming Catholic College and is the co-founder of the Business Department Advisory Board at Franciscan University of Steubenville.
Mr. Ice received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration from St. Mary of the Plains College in Dodge City, KS, and earned his MBA from Franciscan University of Steubenville. He is the proud father of seven children, grandfather of four and resides in Winter Park, FL.
Ed Trifone
Vice-President of External Relations
Ed Trifone serves as Vice President for External Relations and is responsible for marketing, center expansion and major donor gifts. Drawing on more than 30 years of cross-sector
experience in nonprofit leadership, sales, marketing, and operations, he works to strengthen partnerships , steward benefactors, and drive strategic growth.
Mr. Trifone holds a B.A. in American Studies and a M.A. in Non-Profit Administration from the University of Notre Dame, where he directed the university’s Alumni Association Community Service Program. In that position he galvanized alumni, parents and friends of the university to fulfill the Gospel teachings of service to others by launching, growing and sustaining an array of local chapter and national service projects.
Mr. Trifone then spent the next 20 years in medical sales and management, and then the commercial real estate and construction industries as a business development manager. In these roles he revamped promotional materials and instituted cross marketing strategies, formulated sales plans, and instituted CRM systems. Most recently, he was a Principal and Vice President of Sales & Marketing for BrightRay Publishing, a boutique provider of book writing, publishing and promotional services.
He resides in Maitland, Florida and he and his wife Marie, who also earned a bachelor’s as well as law degree from the University of Notre Dame, are the proud parents of three teenage daughters.
Brinton Smith
Director of Development
Brinton Smith is the Director of Development and is responsible for designing, overseeing, coordinating, and executing all fundraising for Regina Caeli Academy. Brinton has extensive
experience in a variety of administrative positions in classical Catholic education systems across the country. Over the past two decades, he has served as a headmaster and played a leading role in founding new K–12 classical academies in partnership with Hillsdale College and Founders Classical Academies. Most recently, he has provided consulting support to multiple classical schools from San Francisco to Tallahassee.
Mr. Smith’s fundraising achievements are equally noteworthy. As Superintendent of Schools for the Catholic Diocese of Fort Worth, Texas, he spearheaded a $250 million campaign while overseeing the conversion of 17 diocesan schools to the classical education model. Additionally, he raised more than $3 million for the Walsingham Society, an organization dedicated to guiding its members through the great books of the Western intellectual tradition via critical reading and thoughtful discussion.
He is a graduate of The College of St. Thomas More's Dallas campus and earned his Masters degree in English literature from the University of Dallas. He and his wife Rebecca are active members of St. Mary the Virgin Catholic Church in Arlington, Texas and are the proud parents of 9 children.
Scott McLean
Director of Finance
As director of finance, Scott McLean oversees the annual budgeting process, monitors income and expenses, and advises on long-term financial planning, capital needs, and
sustainability. He also provides financial modeling for center expansion and enrollment growth, while partnering with the Development team to manage donor funds and track fundraising income.
Mr. McLean is a seasoned financial strategist with nearly 20 years of experience guiding growth and profitability across Fortune 500 companies, startups, and nonprofits. After a White House Internship under President George W. Bush, he launched his career in Washington, D.C., serving in financial roles with Lockheed Martin, Marriott International, and Cambridge Associates, where he managed investment portfolios exceeding $2 billion and partnered with global nonprofits.
He holds a B.S. in Business Administration from Syracuse University and an MBA from Washington State University. A devoted Catholic, Scott has served as Treasurer and Board Member for Mater Dei Radio. He and his wife live in Kentucky with their two children.
Aimee Harashe
Director of Human Resources
Aimee Harashe serves as the Director of Human Resources for Regina Caeli Academy, where she oversees staffing, compliance, and personnel support across all RCA locations nationwide.
With a strong commitment to the mission of Training the Mind to Form the Soul, Aimee works to ensure that RCA’s faculty and staff are equipped, supported, and aligned with the Catholic values that guide the academy.
In her role, Mrs. Harashe leads the development and implementation of HR policies, manages recruitment and onboarding, and partners with leadership to foster a positive and mission-driven workplace culture. She brings a professional yet pastoral approach to human resources, recognizing that each staff member’s vocation plays a vital part in RCA’s growth and success.
Beyond her professional responsibilities, Aimee actively volunteers at her parish and supports her children’s extracurricular activities, volunteering with their football and BMX teams. Driven by her faith and dedication to Catholic education, she is passionate about serving RCA’s families and staff with integrity, clarity, and compassion.
Amy Hastings
Executive Assistant to the President/CEO
Mrs. Amy Hastings is a mother and lifelong educator with more than two decades of homeschooling experience and a deep commitment to classical education.
In her current role, she serves the Office of the President as the Executive Assistant and at both the national and local levels, supporting fundraising efforts, donor relations, and national leadership initiatives.
A Certified Master Tutor with Regina Caeli Academy, Mrs. Hastings has taught across multiple grade levels and subject areas, while also coordinating operations, managing staff, and partnering closely with families.
Mrs. Hastings and her husband, Brent, are parents to nine children, six of whom currently attend their local Regina Caeli Academy chapter. She is deeply committed to forming students in truth, virtue, and faith, while cultivating relationships that strengthen Catholic education and the broader Church community.
As a family, the Hastings have supported the Missionaries of Charity for more than 22 years, assisting those most in need through Advent and Lenten giving initiatives. In all of her work, Mrs. Hastings seeks to serve Christ and His Church by fostering faithful leadership, generous stewardship, and a culture of authentic Catholic education.