ICA Governing Board

Clay Becton, a long time Fort Pierce resident, married with two children, has served our governing board since May of 2020.  Recently elected to his second two-year term, he is currently serving as chairman of the board.  Mr. Becton holds a Masters of Agribusiness from the University of Florida that will prove helpful as we work towards the establishment of an Agricultural program. He also possesses a General Contractors license, and coupled with his many years of experience in business, sales, and construction, Mr. Becton will positively lead our school as we move into Phase II of our growth plan and prepare to construct our upper school building! ICA is blessed to have Mr. Becton at the helm and respects his leadership and stewardship as he promotes ICA in the community. Mr. Becton is the parent of a 5th grade student at ICA.

Arthur Cross has a background in construction, competitive bar-b-que, and civic engagement. Art is married and has three children.  Mr. Cross is currently in his final year of his two-year term at ICA and is serving his second year as Vice-Chairman of the board.  With a passion for remaining true to the mission and vision of ICA, he joined the board to articulate that message of adherence as we set policies and procedures as well as promote the goodness this school culture brings to our families and community.  Mr. Cross is excited to see the opportunity ICA has to promote family values, constitutional principles, entrepreneurship, and community pride.  With a constant voice of positivity, Mr. Cross and his family support ICA and their community on a daily basis. Mr. Cross is the parent of a 2nd grade student at ICA.

Cathy Townsend, a local County Commissioner, and one of the original ICA founding board members, understands the true meaning of community servant. Many local leaders and elected officials have lost the spirit of our founding fathers when it comes to service, but Mrs. Townsend offers assistance to all in need and has shown that her roots run deep here in St. Lucie County.  We are proud to have her on our board where she can yet again offer one more service to our community, as she supports a tuition-free, K-12 public education option for all students. Mrs. Townsend brings a unique perspective on public service, small business and entrepreneurship, and fiscal responsibility to the board.  Mrs. Townsend is the grandmother to a 6th grade student at ICA.

Meet Mr. Carlos (CJ) Frade, Jr.  CJ is a 33 year old married father of two ICA students in Kindergarten and 2nd grade. He has been a proud, involved, supportive part of our ICA family since its inception.  Mr. Frade fondly recalls the moment he and his wife decided to trust ICA with the education of their children, and has encouraged our forward momentum ever since!

Carlos was raised in St. Lucie, and graduated from Port St. Lucie HS in 2007. He began working alongside his father at the age of 15, working in demolition and construction at AAA Concrete Cutting & Drilling, eventually taking over the family business as CEO together with his brother in 2017. Many of you may recognize that name, as he has proudly sponsored almost every event ICA has hosted in our three years of operation!  

Mr. Frade has dedicated his time, energy, and money to ICA and is very passionate about the future of our institution.  He currently serves as Vice-Chair of the Fishing Club, an active membership of the Marketing Team, and looks forward to being active in the shooting club as well. When not volunteering at ICA, he enjoys meeting new people, hunting, fishing, shooting, cooking, & enjoying the outdoors!

When we talk about creating leaders in our homes, government, and community, Mr. Frade is dedicated to making that vision a reality. He has been faithfully attending Governing Board meetings for over a year, and has decided it is time to become a more active member of the body that makes decisions affecting our great academy. 

Lance Poole was overwhelmingly elected to serve as a governing board member for ICA in March, 2022.  Mr. Poole comes to us with an extensive background of service to numerous boards and leadership within many organizations-most of which relate to children.  He has been an active member of ICA since its inception and has twin boys now in 2nd grade. With a background of service in coaching, athletic directing, sportscasting and producing, and mentoring youth in numerous sports, he is excited to bring athletics to the forefront of ICA and lead the charge on creating a campus of scholar-athletes. As an avid golfer, he is excited to launch our golf program in the coming 22/23 school year! Mr. Poole is excited to offer his service to a great school with a great student body and faculty.