Board | Dominion Christian School

Board Members

James Bailey is the President and co-founder of Armedia, an IT consulting firm. Before founding Armedia in 2002, James was a Sr. Engineer at Sapient and served in the US Army Reserve. James earned his undergraduate from Auburn University and his masters from Columbia University both in Electrical Engineering. James and his wife, Maggie, have two children that attend Dominion Christian School. He and his wife attend Immanuel Bible Church (IBC) in Springfield, VA. While attending IBC, James has participated in multiple short-term missions trips that included Rwanda and Macedonia. James and Maggie are lifetime members of The Gideons International where he has served in various capacities since 2002 and helps lead the Jail Ministries.

Paul Balserak serves as the Vice President for Environment at the American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI), where he directs the association’s engagement on domestic and international environmental regulatory and policy issues. Prior to his joining AISI, Paul held various positions within the Environmental Protection Agency and the Office of Management and Budget. He has a Master of Science degree in Biology from George Mason University and a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. Paul and his wife Lori have three children, two graduates from Dominion (’14 and ’16) and one sophomore in Dominion’s high school. His family attends New Hope Presbyterian Church in Fairfax, Va.

Chris Gardner is a Sales Representative at Metropolitan Life Insurance Company. He studied Business Finance at Liberty University (B.S. 1994). Chris and his wife Nikki have two children who attend Dominion, and they attend McLean Presbyterian Church in McLean, Virginia.

Jennifer Gidwani is a Dominion mom of three children who have been attending Dominion since 2010. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Labor and Industrial Relations from The Pennsylvania State University and prior to leaving the workforce to raise her three children, she worked as the Director of Human Resources for two local software companies. Jennifer has served at the school in a volunteer capacity throughout the past eight years. This has included everything from spaghetti lunch coordinator, school parties and a Historical Festival team mom, to the costume and make-up committee for the drama department For the past two years she has served as the Librarian and as Assistant Coach for the Middle School and Junior Varsity Girls volleyball teams. Jennifer and her husband, Mahesh, and their two daughters and son attend McLean Bible Church.

Bob Houston, Dominion's board chairman, had 27 years of experience in federal law enforcement and the intelligence community. He currently co-owns a consulting firm focused on strategies to counter human-trafficking. Bob previously served as an Assistant Professor of National Security Policy and Strategy at National Defense University in Washington, DC. He holds a B.S. in Political Science and Public Administration, a M.S. in National Security Strategy, and a J.D. Bob has been active in Scouting and coaching youth sports, and he his wife have two children at Dominion. Bob and his family attend Cedar Run Community Church.

Mickey Konson is the Co-Founder of StreetShares, Inc., a financial technology firm based in Reston, VA that focuses on funding military veteran owned small businesses looking for growth capital. Prior to this, he was a senior executive at one of the nation’s largest banks. Mickey has served on several non-profit boards and currently serves as a board member of Lily of the Valley Endeavor, which raises funds for HIV+ orphanages in South Africa. He also serves as deacon at McLean Presbyterian Church. He and his wife, Michelle, have 4 children, all of whom attend Dominion Christian School.

Ray Shepherd is Vice President and Senior Counsel for Federal Government Affairs at Peabody Energy, where his responsibilities include day-to-day interaction with the United States Congress and the Executive Branch concerning energy policy and regulation. Prior to his role at Peabody, Ray practiced law at Venable LLP as Chair of the Congressional Investigations Group and served on Capitol Hill for 12 years. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy from Yale College and a Juris Doctor degree from George Washington University Law School. Ray and his wife, Rebecah, have two daughters and a son who all attend Dominion. Ray and his family are members of Vienna Presbyterian Church.

Laura Whittle has been a Dominion parent since 2007. She and her husband Mark have three sons who are all Dominion students. Laura volunteers extensively at the school including serving as the Lower School Librarian and co-editor of the yearbook. Before choosing to leave the workforce to stay home with her children, Laura worked as a Market Research Manager for Kraft Foods. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish from The College of Wooster and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Michigan. Laura and her family attend McLean Presbyterian Church.