2022-2023 School Board
Executive Committee
Rebecca Kapphahn, President
Brian Bendick, Vice President
David Kennedy, Treasurer
Doug Hickel, Secretary
Members
Steve Baldwin
Melissa Davitt
Katy Groves
John Tubbesing
Jacob White
Rebecca Kapphahn, President
Rebecca joined the board in 2016. After graduating with a BS in Political Science from Texas Christian University, Rebecca lived in Texas for four years working with a healthcare staffing firm. In 2006, she returned to her hometown of St. Louis and now serves as Vice President for a healthcare executive search firm. She her husband, Kevin, have two children at KDS.
Brian Bendick, J.D., Vice President
Brian joined the KDS board in 2012. A native of St. Louis, Brian and his wife, Abby, are both alumni of Westminster Christian Academy. After graduating with a B.A. from Washington University, Brian earned his J.D. from St. Louis University. Before founding the law firm, Bendick Law Firm, LLC, Brian worked in corporate law. Brian and Abby have three children including two KDS alumni attending Westminster Christian Academy, and one current KDS student.
David Kennedy, Treasurer
David joined the Board in 2021. He was born and raised in Jupiter, FL and holds an undergraduate degree in Molecular Biology from William Jewell College, and an MBA from St. Louis University. He works for Eagle Private Capital, a private debt and equity firm, in St. Louis. David and his wife, Sarah, have three children at KDS.
Doug Hickel, J.D., Secretary
Doug joined the board in 2018. After graduating with his B.A. in Business/Economics and Bible/Theology from Wheaton College, Doug earned his law degree from St. Louis University. He is currently a partner at the law firm of Summers Compton Wells in St. Louis. Doug previously served as the president of the board for Ditto, the Christian resale store that helps provide scholarships to KDS. In addition, Doug is a member of the Board of Trustees at Covenant Theological Seminary and is a ruling elder at Kirk of the Hills. Doug and his wife, Sabrina, have three children.
Steve Baldwin
Steve joined the board in 2016. After graduating with a B.S. in Physics from Truman State University, he earned a Ph.D. in Physics from Washington University in Saint Louis. He currently works in Human Resources at Washington University in Saint Louis. He and his wife Jennifer have two children at KDS.
Katy Groves
Katy joined the board in 2016. She earned a B.S. in Physics from Wheaton College, Illinois followed by an M.A. in Teaching from Maryville University. She worked as a high school physics teacher for nine years and as a private tutor for five years. Katy and her husband, Jason, have two children at KDS.
Jacob White
Jacob joined the board in 2022. He spent the last 15 years building and leading experience-driven teams and leaders across IT, Retail eCommerce, Telecommunications, Agriculture, and Healthcare. He currently works with Compassion International as their Director of Global Experience Strategy. He and his wife Laura have three children.
Melissa Davitt
Melissa joined the board in 2022. After earning a B.S. from Wheaton College, she moved back home to St. Louis where she completed a B.S and M.S. in Nursing from Saint Louis University. Melissa and her husband, Brad, have 4 sons who attended KDS from 2002 to 2014 before they moved on to Westminster Christian Academy. She served as President of Kirk’s KPA for the '10-'11 school year and as President of Westminster's PAW board '18-‘19.
John Tubbesing
John joined the board in 2022, after formerly serving on the board in the 1990s. A native of St. Louis, John and his wife Janet are both members of the Kirk of the Hills where John serves as a Ruling Elder. John previously served on the boards of Westminster Christian Academy and Promise Christian Academy. John graduated from the University of Missouri - Columbia with a BS and MBA. John spent 30 years in the business world and the last 19 working at Mission to the World, the missions sending agency of the PCA.