IWA President and CEO leaves to join Cristo Rey Tampa High School

Incarnate Word Academy President and CEO Charles D. Imbergamo is leaving Corpus Christi after six years to become the president and CEO at Cristo Rey Tampa High School in Tampa, FL.

“I am looking forward to a new chapter in my life. I am relocating to be closer to my family and friends in Florida,” Imbergamo said. “It will be a blessing to be closer to my Mom and Dad who are retired there.”

Imbergamo first began working at IWA in 2009 as he served as the school’s director of curriculum. He was named as the school’s president in 2010.

Some of his accomplishments at IWA include the alignment of the curriculum across the K-12 campus; revitalization of the school’s mission and vision statement and the addition of the school’s core values; and completion of a strategic plan for 2013-2018.

Imbergamo has overseen many enhancements to the IWA campus such as the completion of the Austin Street Athletic Complex; improvements to the James R. Dougherty, Jr. Center; establishment of wireless access across campus; addition of three new school buses; upgrades to the school’s facilities; library enhancements and book acquisitions; addition of the Angel eBRARY, a 24-hour online library; revamp of the school’s website and content management system; as well as many other accomplishments.

In addition, he established the IWA President’s Circle, an organization comprised of community members that support the school through annual contributions. Since his tenure, IWA has raised in excess of $7,540,553 for advancing the mission of the campus.

“I have been blessed with the trust and confidence of so many people in our school community since my arrival in the Coastal Bend,” Imbergamo said. “I would be remiss if I did not express deep gratitude to the Sisters of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament, the School Board Directors, past and present, the President’s Council and Administrative Team, the parents, students, friends, and benefactors of our school for the depth of commitment, support, and collaboration they all have shown in advancing the mission of the school.”

Imbergamo has also consulted with Catholic schools across the country for six years with his own consulting company and for two years with Shea Consulting Services, LLC, of Dallas, Texas.

In addition, Imbergamo served for 10 years at St. Joseph Academy in Brownsville as assistant principal, principal, and president.

Before moving to Texas, Imbergamo began his career as an educator in Catholic schools in New York and New Jersey. He taught religious studies, psychology, sociology, Spanish, and English at Roselle High School, Archbishop Molloy High School, and Marist High School in Bayonne, New Jersey, which is an inner-city high school.

In a sense, Imbergamo’s new mission will bring him full circle as he begins his tenure as the Founding President of Cristo Rey Tampa High School on July 1. Cristo Rey Tampa High School is one of 28 Cristo Rey Network schools in the country, serving over 9000 urban, low-income high school students. Cristo Rey Tampa is the first Cristo Rey school in the state of Florida.