Team
Can you imagine how different your life would be if you were empowered to follow your own interests, intuition, and imagination at a very young age? This is why Young Innovators Academy exists – we seek to empower the next generation of leaders, thinkers, achievers, dreamers, and doers.
Our child-centric learning curriculum is designed to foster a heightened awareness of the world, helping our students reach beyond the possible, and inspiring them to think deeper and feel more. Utilizing songs, movement, play, and exploration, our students enter the traditional school system with the ability to think for themselves, to solve problems, to treat themselves and others with kindness, and to develop the confidence it takes to make the world a better place.
Leadership Team
Marnie Forestieri
CEO & FOUNDER
Education entrepreneur, curriculum writer, and author. Lifelong learner and world traveler. Marnie can be found in the hallways looking for dessert after lunch.
Dr. Debby Mitchell
VP Curriculum
Educator, curriculum writer and teacher. I blend my passion for music with my kinesthetic learning style and coffee to create fun music.
Erika Seger
VP OPERATIONS
Director, educator and mother of three. Responsible for keeping things in order, family fun nights and tailgating after an UCF Football game.
Donna Carruthers
VP of Research and Development
Education Entrepreneur, impassioned teacher, and philanthropist. Devoted to faith, family, friends, new adventures, and chocolate.
Misti Castner
School
Operations
Childcare boss, teacher and administrator. Misti can be found in Oviedo planning staff parties and school events.
Abel Gomez
CREATIVE
DIRECTOR
Creative director, graphic and motion graphic designer. Most of the time, Abel can be found in Dunkin’ Donuts buying coffee.
ADVISORS
John de Armas
ADVISOR
Gamechanger and C-Level executive mentoring the team.
Sarah Sprinkel
ADVISOR
Educator and running for mayor of Winter Park.
Beverly Madison
ADVISOR
Commercial Real Estate Investor & Entrepreneur
KHALEESI
CORPORATE DOG
Chief Encourager and Mindfulness Coach.
our story
2015
LITTLE EXPLORERS ACADEMY
Marnie Forestieri purchases a struggling preschool with the mission to introduce Reggio Emilia philosophy and STEAM at an early age.
2016
THE STEM LAB
Orlando Science Center builds the STEM lab inside the Academy. The Academy starts extending its reach by pioneering STEAM and 21st-century curriculum development at a national level. The academy releases STEM PLAY for Gryphon House and When I Grow Up with Kaplan Early Learning.
2018
CURRICULUM INNOVATORS
Simple STEAM is released and wins the Teachers’ Choice Award for the Family 2019, and Creative Child Magazine Book of the Year Award 2018.
2019
GROW IN STEAM
The Academy launches the children’s series “Grow with STEAM” encouraging conversation and fun activities between parents and their kids!
2020
FROM OVIEDO TO THE WORLD
The Academy serves as a model school, testing groundbreaking curriculum and inviting educators from around the world to experience and coach our philosophy. The academy releases the first book of the series ”The Basics of Starting a Childcare Center.
2021
INNOVATION ADVANTAGE
The school rebrands as Young Innovators Academy and begins franchising. The company builds a technology infrastructure to support franchisees, introduces a new curriculum “The Innovation Advantage.”
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