Cristo Rey Charleston is excited to announce the appointment of Ms. Deanna Philippe (pictured) as the Founding Principal of the new high school set to open in August 2027. She officially joins the Cristo Rey Charleston team on August 3, 2026.
President and CEO of Cristo Rey Charleston High School Joanna Wusinich notes, “From the very beginning of this search, we were committed to finding a leader who could bring the Cristo Rey vision of challenging our students to reach their fullest God-given potential to life. We are entrusted with the extraordinary responsibility of preparing young people not only for college, but for lives of purpose, leadership, and service. That requires uncompromising academic excellence, meaningful work experience, and a school culture rooted in dignity, accountability, compassion, and love. During the process for identifying Cristo Rey’s Founding Principal, it was abundantly clear that Principal Philippe has the gifts and grit to propel our bold mission forward with her leadership.
Ms. Philippe brings more than 20 years of experience in education and a strong commitment to academic excellence, student growth, and supportive school culture. She previously served as Principal of Cristo Rey Brooklyn High School, where she also spent four years as Assistant Principal. Her experience also includes roles as Director of Admissions, English Teacher, and Track Coach.
A dedicated leader within the Cristo Rey Network, Ms. Philippe is deeply familiar with the Cristo Rey model, which combines rigorous college-preparatory academics with a unique corporate work-study program that helps students gain real-world professional experience while helping offset the cost of tuition. Speaking about her new appointment Ms. Philippe said,“Serving as the Founding Principal is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I am thrilled to collaborate with the community that has been tirelessly working to make Cristo Rey a reality here. I feel truly blessed to have been chosen for this role.”
Ms. Philippe holds a Master of Science in School Building and District Leadership and a Master of Arts in English from Queens College of The City University of New York. She also earned a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from St. Francis College in New York.
Cristo Rey Charleston High School will host a Meet the Principal Reception later this summer. Additional details will be shared at a later time.
To learn more about Cristo Rey Charleston High School, visit cristoreycharleston.org or join us at our Open House on September 26th.
About Cristo Rey Charleston
Cristo Rey Charleston High School is a new Catholic, college-preparatory high school open to students of all faiths, opening in North Charleston in August 2027. As part of the national Cristo Rey Network, the school combines rigorous academics, professional work-study experience, and faith formation to prepare students with limited economic resources for college and career success. All students spend 4 days in the classroom and 1 day at a professional job site every week of high school. This unique Corporate Work Study Program makes a private college preparatory education affordable for financially disadvantaged students.