Bishop Gregory Kelly is pleased to announce the appointment of Christie Strong as Assistant Superintendent of Catholic Schools for the Diocese of Tyler.
Strong, who will continue to serve as the principal of St. Gregory Cathedral School in Tyler, began her role as Assistant Superintendent on April 1, 2026.
“I am grateful Christie will be serving as the Assistant Superintendent and sharing her gifts and knowledge with our schools here in the Diocese of Tyler,” Bishop Kelly said. “Christie brings almost two decades of dedicated service to Catholic education in the diocese, serving primarily at St. Gregory Cathedral School.”
As Assistant Superintendent, Strong will assist Dr. Darbie Safford, Superintendent of Catholic Schools, in providing vision, strategic planning, and oversight of academic programming for the Catholic schools in the diocese, which include Bishop Gorman in Tyler (6-12), St. Gregory in Tyler (PreK-5), St. Mary’s in Longview (PreK-12), St. Patrick in Lufkin (PreK-8), St. Boniface in Nacogdoches (9-12) and Holy Family Academy in Canton (PreK-4). Strong will support Safford in managing academic performance data and assist campus leaders in utilizing that data to align programs and professional development to TCCB ED accreditation standards for academic excellence. In this role, Strong will provide support while fully articulating and implementing the vision and mission of Catholic schools in the diocese.
“Christie’s certification as a superintendent strengthens her ability to lead at a systems level, which is especially valuable in Catholic education. Christie has expertise in strategic planning, resource stewardship, and long-term organizational leadership. She will be able to continue to support the mission of our Catholic schools by helping ensure sustainability, academic excellence, and faithful alignment with Catholic values,” Bishop Kelly said.
Strong holds a Superintendent Certification, Principal Certification, and a Master of Education from University of Texas at Tyler, along with a Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies. This fall, Strong will begin pursuing a Doctor of Education in School Improvement at the University of Texas at Tyler, a three-year program focused on data-driven decision-making, instructional leadership, organizational change, and continuous school improvement.
Strong joined St. Gregory Cathedral School in 2007, where she has served as a classroom teacher and assistant principal. She was appointed the principal of St. Gregory in 2024.
