Get to Know Dr. Toby Travis

Get to Know Dr. Toby Travis, The ICS Incoming Head of School for 2026-2027

Back in January, we sat down with Dr. Toby Travis, the incoming Head of School for Intermountain Christian School for the 2026-2027 school year. In the interview with Dr. Travis, it became clear: his heart for Jesus, his passion for Christian education, and the breadth and depth of his experience.

Intermountain Christian School is richer to have him, and we are hopeful for the trajectory of our school community going forward. Read the quotations below, and you’ll quickly get a sense of his passionate heart, impressive background, and gentle countenance.

About Dr. Toby Travis

Dr. Toby A. Travis is an experienced educational leader, author, and consultant with a distinguished career in both Christian and international education. Over the past decades, he has served as Head of School, interim executive, and leadership consultant for numerous Christian schools and organizations across the United States and abroad, guiding institutions toward greater mission alignment, academic excellence, and organizational trust.

Dr. Travis serves as an executive consultant and international trainer, working with schools worldwide. He is the developer of the TrustED framework for school improvement and the TrustED School Leader 360, utilized by schools around the world. The framework is based on his award-winning book, TrustED: The Bridge to School Improvement, and he was recently named one of Elite Education Magazine’s Top 10 Influential Education Leaders for 2025. His work has been widely recognized for helping schools strengthen leadership capacity, improve student achievement, and cultivate cultures of trust and excellence.

A long-standing member of the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI), Dr. Travis has served as a conference speaker, leadership trainer, and accreditation review team member, evaluating Christian schools throughout the Americas. His passion is to see Christian schools thrive as communities where Christ is honored, students are discipled, and excellence is pursued in every dimension of school life.

Toby and his wife, Tannia, have deep roots in both U.S. and international Christian education, having served in leadership roles in schools in Ecuador, Arizona, North Carolina, New York, and Virginia. They are the proud parents of their daughter, Emma (13) and share a calling to equip the next generation of Christian leaders through faith-based education.

Click below to watch the full interview

What is your background, and what drew you into Christian education?

“I’ve really been in some form of ministry nearly my entire adult life… and that transitioned into Christian education a little less than 20 years ago, and it changed my life.”

“I had been in parachurch ministry, had been in international missions, had a short stint in church ministry as an assistant pastor. But the opportunity for discipleship that I see happening in Christian schools is like no other form of ministry.”

“When I got into the classroom situation and I’ve got these kids all day, five days a week… the opportunity for speaking into their lives, walking through life with them — transformational.”

“What makes Christian education so amazing is its opportunity for discipling students for Jesus Christ.”

Where have you served in education?

“My teaching and even admin, and subsequently consulting… all began in international settings. We were missionaries in Ecuador… so it all began in Ecuador as part of our ministry and missions there.”

“From there, I’ve led schools — multiple schools there in Ecuador — but then also in Arizona and North Carolina, most recently in rural western New York.”

What teacher and leadership roles have you held?

“I was a music ed guy… a vocal teacher in the secondary level… and I was a Bible teacher.”

“Roles have included classroom teacher, primarily in the secondary level… middle school coordinator, kind of like a vice principal… secondary school principal… academic director… and then head of school or superintendent.”

“I’ve also been very, very privileged to serve as a mentor to other school leaders and as a consultant for school boards, school administrators, private school owners.”

“You learn through others’ success and mistakes — and it helps you lead your own school.”

What made you choose ICS?

“I was here for this conference last summer and I remember walking the street downtown just admiring the environment and the place and the spirit of it, and I was like, ‘God, you could call me here and I would be very okay with that.’”

“What you have to look at and really pray about is fit. What is the school’s need fit with my competencies, my skill sets?”

“I looked at what are the needs of ICS and what am I skilled and passionate to do? I think there’s a really good fit here.”

“I think I can do a lot to help ICS… develop from being a good school to a great school.”

“There are so many good things happening here already. Let’s just keep supporting what’s good and let’s push us and lead us to great.”

Tell us about your family.

“Tannia is the most brilliant, godliest lady I’ve ever known.”

“Her primary calling and passion is just to love on folks for Jesus, and she does it so well.”

“Emma is the joy of our lives… she has a real gift and skill for art, and she’s funny and she’s beautiful.”

Is there anything you’d like to say to the ICS community?

“Just our gratefulness to God for bringing us here, our anticipation and joy at the opportunity, humbled but also excited.”

“I’m not here to change anything necessarily. I’m not here like I’ve got some alternative plan for ICS. It really is about seeking the Lord about how do we continually move ICS to a place of greater ministry fulfillment.”

“It’s supporting kids well, it’s supporting parents well, it’s supporting our faculty and our staff very well.”

“One of my philosophies is the teachers are the essence of the school, and so you really need to protect and support your teachers well. When you do that kids thrive, and when kids are happy parents are happy.”

“Just thrilled to be here to serve and lead as God provides, and watch and see what God will do.”

Welcome, Dr. Travis, to the ICS Community!

Meet Our New Head of School Gabe Pethtel

The ICS community is excited to welcome its new Head of School Gabe Pethtel! Gabe began his career as a middle school English teacher and wrestling coach, and since then, his resumé in the world of education as well as his passion for Christian education has only grown. Read a Q&A below to get to know Gabe and see why we are greatly looking forward to him joining our ICS community this May! 

Q: Why are you passionate about Christian Education?

A: I am passionate about Christian Education because I firmly believe in the words of Psalm 24 that, “The Earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world, and all who dwell therein”. Trusting God through the grace of Jesus Christ as the foundation of all truth has opened my eyes to the amazing ways that our Christian faith integrates into all areas of learning and life.  My wife, Dana, and I have been blessed to have two children attend Christian schools from pre-kindergarten through high school graduation with one graduating from the US Air Force Academy and one attending Baylor University on a full scholarship. We now have two younger children attending Christian school at the elementary and high school levels. Christian Education, the living witness of the teachers, the family atmosphere, the academic rigor combined with individual attention, the outstanding extracurricular opportunities, and the legacy of true faith in Jesus Christ and God’s Word have all been the greatest investment we could make as parents. My goal as Head of School is to partner with parents, students, teachers, and staff who feel called to lCS, so that they may receive the robust blessing of investing in the mission and vision of Christian Education.

Q: What're you looking forward to most in your new role as ICS Head of School?

A: I am most looking forward to getting to know the staff, teachers, parents, and students of ICS.  My greatest desire is to listen to what they love about our school, and also what they would like to see grow and develop.  

Q: What motivates you?

A: I am motivated by a great mission and a compelling vision that displays the love, power, and mercy of Jesus Christ to people who are seeking Him. I also love seeing people achieve their dreams through prayer, hard work, and perseverance.

Q: Tell us about your family!

A: My wife, Dana and I met our sophomore year in college. We both were college level athletes who decided to begin learning more about Jesus and met with Campus Crusade for Christ. We both dedicated our lives to Jesus and education at the age of 20 and realized that God was guiding us to such a similar mission and vision that we were better together. We have now been married and pursuing our passion as Christian educators for 27 years. God has blessed us with four wonderful children, Logan (pilot in the US Air Force), Caleb, (Junior at Baylor University), Emma (rising ICS Junior), and Hudson (rising ICS second grader). Our family loves music, dance, skiing (water and snow), and outdoor activities, including cooking outdoors. We look forward to living among the beautiful landscape of Utah, and meeting new friends. 

Q: What is something most people don't know about you?

A: Most people don’t know that my brother and I started a band in college with two other friends that got to be a pretty big regional act around our college town and the greater Indianapolis area.  We began by playing coffee house gigs for free on weekday nights, then practiced a ton, recorded a bit, and started playing larger and larger venues until a branch of MCA records asked us to tour with some up and coming groups.  We eventually all decided to take jobs in the “real world” though, and now I just play guitar and sing for family and friends.

Q: Anything else you'd like to add?

A: I want people to know that I believe in three simple rules. Be Godly, be gracious, and be gritty!