Cristo Rey Fort Worth Chooses Interim President

Dani Ray Barton has been appointed interim president of Cristo Rey Fort Worth College Prep, replacing Nathan M. Knuth who is leaving the school to pursue new opportunities.

The Cristo Rey board of directors announced Barton’s appointment, which is effective immediately.

Dani Ray Barton

Barton, founding director of the school’s Corporate Work Study Program (CWSP), is the longest serving leader on the staff and has a deep understanding of all aspects of the school’s operations, Cristo Rey said in a news release.

Chase Medelberg, associate director of the CWSP, will become acting director of the program while Barton serves as interim president of the school.

Christo Rey Fort Worth is part of the 38-school, nationwide Cristo Rey Network and boasts one of the network’s highest rated work-study programs. Through Barton’s leadership and the work of dozens of corporate partners the program has provided meaningful work education and work experience for Cristo Rey students, the release said.

“The Board recognizes Dani Ray’s contributions in the development of the school and has full confidence that her prior experience positions her well as she assumes her new responsibilities,” the release said, adding that “Nathan Knuth deserves great credit for his leadership at a critical juncture from the 2020 pandemic to present day. He has helped move our school forward and graduate our first class of high school seniors, who were all accepted into college. We thank Nathan for his contributions and wish him the greatest success in his new endeavors.”

About Cristo Rey Fort Worth College Prep: Located at 2633 Altamesa Blvd., Cristo Rey Fort Worth College Prep provides an affordable college preparatory education to economically challenged students of all faiths featuring a rigorous curriculum integrated with hands-on professional work experience. For more information about Cristo Rey Fort Worth, visit www.cristoreyfw.org.

Cristo Rey graduation 2022 (Photo by Glen E. Ellman, courtesy Cristo Rey)

This article originally appeared in the Fort Worth Business Press and is shared by permission.