Board of Trustees
Andrew Brown
Andrew (Andy) Brown is a member of the Board of Trustees at Westminster Academy. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Geneva College where he dual-majored in history and aviation and was on the men’s soccer team. Andy also holds a law degree from Liberty University School of Law and is a licensed member of the Florida Bar. Prior to joining Westminster Academy, he was a civil defense attorney representing a variety of clients in complex aviation products liability, wrongful death, construction defect, and other types of litigation. He is also a licensed Airline Transport Pilot with over 4,000 hours flown for US Airways Express and as a contractor pilot in Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. He also currently works as an aviation law professor at the graduate and doctoral levels. Andy is a New Hampshire native and spends his free time exercising, reading, volunteering with his church, and spending time with his wife and three children.
Casey Crane
Mr. Crane has been a member of the Board of Trustees since 2023. A K-12 graduate of a Classical Christian school in Tampa and a Tampa native, he is passionate about advancing the mission and vision of Westminster Academy in our city. Mr. Crane received his Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy, Politics, and Economics from the Kings College in New York City. He is currently a vice president at Neuberger Berman and has held positions in capital markets and commercial real estate at Morgan Stanley, the Royal Bank of Canada, and Franklin Street. He is a CFA Charterholder. Casey is passionate about connecting people with each other to advance common goals in business, education, and the arts. He and his wife, Clara (a former WA teacher), have two young children ages 3 and 2 and are members of Tampa Covenant Church, where Casey is an ordained deacon.
Martha Crane, Head of School
Martha Crane has loved teaching since she was 15 years old when she taught Sunday school at her church. From beloved and influential teachers in her own life, she realized that she wanted to pursue teaching as a calling. Martha graduated from Oral Roberts University with a degree in K-12 education. It was while homeschooling her oldest daughter that she and her husband were approached to help start the first Classical Christian School in Tampa. In the early years there, she taught PE, but as the school grew, she moved into the classroom teaching 3rd, 5th, and 6th grades, culminating her last three years there as the Grammar School Principal. She is thankful that her grandchildren are attending classical schools around the country. Most recently, Martha has served on the Board of Trustees at Westminster Academy since 2020. She has been married to Tom for forty years, and they have three children and nine grandchildren.
Gary Downing, President
Mr. Downing was a co-Founder of Westminster Academy and has served as a Board Member since its inception. He assumed the duties of President in January 2025. He is a strong advocate for Classical Christian Education from Kindergarten through college and has served on the board of Patrick Henry College, one of the few Christian colleges committed to the Classical model, since 2012. Mr. Downing has worked in the financial services industry for over 40 years at Raymond James Financial. He has a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering and an MBA from The Wharton School. Gary and his wife, Shannon, have been married for 35 years, have two adult daughters, and are members of Capital Hill Baptist Church in Washington, DC.
Dr. Shannon Downing
Dr. Shannon Downing is a member of the Board of Trustees and is the enrollment coordinator at Westminster Academy. Dr. Downing has a BS in Multinational Business from Florida State University, an MEd in Elementary Education from University of Florida, and most recently, a PhD in Instruction and Curriculum from Liberty University. Dr. Downing has taught for Pinellas County Public Schools, St. Petersburg College, Classical Conversations, and Westminster Academy. She is also a trustee on the Board at College of the Ozarks and serves as a consultant, speaker, and researcher of the influence of classical education on the faith formation of children and parents. She has been married for 35 years to her husband Gary, and together they have two grown daughters and a son-in-law.
Nikki Jenkins is a long time friend of Westminster Academy. She was a parent of a child enrolled at Westminster Academy during its early years from Pre-K through Grammar School. She also taught at Westminster Academy in roles such as 4th grade, music, and theater. She holds a bachelor's degree from Liberty University in education with a concentration in English. Her passion is making Christ known, and she believes that Westminster Academy's vision and classical learning are important means for this mission. Nikki and her husband, Cheyenne, live in Tampa with their two sons Asher and Noah. They also have one grown son, Josiah, who recently married and currently lives in Tampa.
Nikki Jenkins
Jennifer Morris
Jennifer Morris came to love Westminster Academy in 2018 when her daughter attended Pre-K. During this time, Jennifer served on the Board Search Committee that helped establish the school’s formalized board. A military move took her family away from Tampa too soon, but the Morris family remained supportive of the Westminster Academy mission from afar. Jennifer is an Army combat veteran and military wife to Aaron, a Tampa native who remains on active duty. They have one daughter. Jennifer has over 10 years of experience serving on various nonprofit and advisory boards. She is a graduate of College of the Ozarks, has her Master of Arts in Diplomacy from Norwich University, a post-baccalaureate certificate in Nonprofit Operations from Johns Hopkins University, and is a Ph.D. candidate in Organizational Leadership from Indiana Wesleyan University. She and her family attend Stavanger International Church in Stavanger, Norway.