Administration

Jere D. Melilli, M.D., Founder
Dr. Melilli established Christian Life Academy in 1981 on our present 55-acre campus. He is a graduate of L.S.U. School of Medicine and is Board Certified by the American Academy of Family Practice. He also founded the Family Clinic of Baton Rouge.

Dr. Melilli has been on the Board of Regents for Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma for over 30 years. In 1971 he established and has pastored Christian Life Fellowship, an interdenominational church with a vision for world missions and a school that reaches out to the city of Baton Rouge. Through mission efforts, he has also traveled extensively to help build numerous churches and orphanages in various parts of the world.

Peter Barnes, Headmaster
Mr. Barnes brings 18 years of teaching experience to this position. After sixteen years of teaching at CLA, Mr. Barnes moved into administration in 2002. He received his Bachelor's and Master's degrees at LSU in the field of Music and Education. He taught in the Music Department at LSU prior to coming to CLA. He has served in various capacities including Principal, Foreign Language Department Chairman, Senior Class Advisor, Summer School Principal, and Director of Musical Activities for Christian Life Fellowship and Academy. Mr. Barnes has also served as a representative for the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.

Karen Devitt, High School Assistant Principal - Academic Dean
Mrs. Devitt joined the CLA staff in 1990 as an English, Bible, and Publications teacher. Over the years she has served in a number of positions. She has taught English at all secondary levels and served as the Head of the English Department, National Honor Society Sponsor, and the girls and boys soccer faculty representative. Her passion is British Literature and traditional grammar in the classroom, and soccer on the field of competition.

 In 2005 Mrs. Devitt moved into an administrative role as the Academic Dean while continuing to teach English at the junior and senior level. Upon receiving her masters in Educational Leadership from LSU, she moved into a full time administrative position as the Assistant Principal of Instruction over the junior high and high school divisions of CLA. Mrs. Devitt works with teachers to maximize teacher effectiveness through personal mentoring and professional development. She oversees department heads in selecting curricular materials and course content.
She has been a member of Christian Life Fellowship since 1985 and a proud CLA parent since 1988. Two of her four children are CLA alumni and two are currently enrolled in the school.

Daniel McCulloch, High School Assistant Principal - Dean of Spiritual Life, Dean of Students
Daniel Mcculloch has worked at Christian Life Academy since 1993. He earned both a bachelor and masters degree at LSU in fisheries biology. Daniel teaches Senior Bible classes after a decade of teaching Junior High Boys Bible classes. Mr. McCulloch has also led student mission trips to Mexico for ten years. He currently serves as Dean of Spiritual Life and Dean of Students and an Associate Pastor for Christian Life Fellowship. His three kids all currently attend CLA.

Jeanne Johnson, High School Assistant Principal
After graduating with a BS and a year of graduate school from Tennessee Tech University, Miss Johnson began teaching in Tennessee in 1970. Having received her MDiv from NOBTS in 1979, she was hired by Parkview Baptist High School to head the Bible department and develop their curriculum. In 1992, Miss Johnson came to CLA where she has taught Bible, Psychology, Biology, and Health and PE. She has been senior class sponsor and accompanied them twice on mission trips to Siberia.

Jill Sprinkle, Assistant Principal
Ms. Sprinkle was born in Belleville, Illinois, 12 miles outside of St. Louis, Missouri. She is currently in her tenth year of teaching here at Christian Life Academy. She has earned both a Bachelors Degree in Elementary Education from McKendree University in Lebanon, IL and a Masters Degree in Education from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, LA. Teaching, guiding, and assisting children to be all that the Lord has called them to be is her passion.

Terri Wallis, Middle School Assistant Principal
Mrs. Wallis began her teaching career at CLA in 1999 after teaching in the EBR public school system. She has effectively taught students in Kindergarten, first grade, fifth grade and even seventh grade math. Mrs. Wallis has served as a teacher-mentor and as the lead-teacher for Math and Science. She has a Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education from Southern University and is certified to teach grades 1 – 8. She also has a Master's degree in Educational Administration and Leadership from LSU. In 2010, she became the Assistant Principal of Middle School here at CLA. She is also licensed by the LA State Department of Education as a Level 1 Educational Leader. Currently, she is enrolled at LSU pursuing her Ph. D. in Education. Mrs. Wallis has been married for 25 years and has one daughter.

Linda Burley, Elementary Assistant Principal
Ms. Burley has been in the position of Assistant Principal of Instruction at Christian Life since 2002. Prior to that, she taught English in the Junior High and Senior High School of CLA beginning in 1998. Her teaching career begain in 1972 in the East Baton Rouge Parish School System at Banks Elementary, Bellingrath Elementary, and Central Middle from which she retired after 25 years of service to the Baton Rouge Community. Also, Ms. Burley served as summer school principal at CLA for three consecutive summers. She holds a MEd + 30 from LSU in Curriculum and Administration.