Head of School Melissa Soderberg recently announced that alumnus Brent Halsey ’02 will return to his alma mater as Columbus Academy’s new Director of Technology and Academy parent Karla Crucke will begin transitioning this spring into the role of Assistant Director of College Counseling.

In May, Brent will begin to take over the reins from his former mentor Sean Cullinan, who will leave in June after working in and leading the school’s technology office for the past 25 years. Brent is currently in his fourth year as Vice-President of Cybersecurity and Technology Controls for JPMorgan Chase, and he also spent over six years as Manager of Infrastructure Applications at NetJets. After graduating from Academy, where he was a student intern in the technology office during the summers, Brent earned a B.S. in management information systems from Ohio State’s Fisher School of Business in just three years and then went on to work in IT roles for the Ohio Public Employees Retirement System and Huntington National Bank.

“I’m very excited to return to Columbus Academy,” stated Brent, who resides in Blacklick with his wife Lindsey (Griffin) ’02 and their two young children. “The spark for my passion in technology started at Columbus Academy with opportunities in computer science, yearbook and filmmaking as well as supporting summer tech projects. A lot has changed in 20 years, and the gap in accessibility of technology is smaller than ever. I look forward to collaborating with the students and faculty to leverage this, bringing innovation and helping to spark the passion for technology, in quest of the best!”

And on April 4, Karla will begin a college counseling role that is being vacated at the end of this school year by Jon Wagshul. Karla has 15 years of combined experience in college admissions and as a college counselor at an independent school. She spent four years as Associate Director of College Guidance at the Laurel School in Cleveland and the rest of her professional career in the admissions offices at Georgia Tech, UNC Charlotte and Case Western Reserve among other institutions of higher learning. Karla and her husband Cedric moved to Central Ohio in 2020, and their daughter Gabby is in our third grade.

“We are thrilled to have Karla joining the college counseling team,” stated Darnell Heywood, who has been our Director of College Counseling since 2009. “Her extensive experience in the admissions and college counseling world, her Master of Arts in Education and her current coursework towards a Master of Science in Education in School Counseling make her a perfect fit for our office. Most importantly, the warmth of Karla’s personality and her love for Columbus Academy will add tremendously to the lives of our students and our community.”