NOVA TRAILS - Key Persons
Hi! I'm Amanda Greenberg. I was born and raised in Arizona. I grew up with a great love for the outdoors and still love spending as much time as possible outside with my family and friends. Growing up, I played competitive tennis, which helped me earn a scholarship to play at the college level. I got my bachelor's degree in Kinesiology with a focus on Exercise Science from Arizona State University in 2009. In 2012, I decided to switch gears and go into education. I earned a dual masters degree in Elementary Education and Special Education from La Salle University in 2014. I've taught in both public and private schools and am thrilled to have found my purpose and home at Nova Trails.
Jeff Sandefer lives a dual life as an entrepreneur and a Socratic Guide.
As an entrepreneur, he founded his first company at age 16 and went on to found or co-found seven successful businesses.
As a Socratic teacher at the University of Texas, Jeff's students five times voted him the school's Outstanding Teacher and Businessweek named him one of the top Entrepreneurship professors in America. Jeff went on to co-found the Acton School of Business, an MBA program perennially ranked by the Princeton Review among the best in the nation. In 2012 The Economist honored him as one of the top fifteen Business School professors in the world.
Jeff is a graduate of the Harvard Business School, where he served for over twenty years on the school's governing committees. He was a longtime director of the Philanthropy Roundtable and National Review magazine and one of the youngest members ever elected to the Texas Business Hall of Fame.
After being awarded the highly competitive Walter Wattles Fellowship at Lloyd's of London, Laura worked in the aviation insurance industry in New York City. Deciding to follow her calling into the world of education, Laura returned to Nashville and earned her Master of Education at Peabody College. This led her to her work at the Oklahoma Arts Institute, creating fine arts education programs for teachers and talented high school students.
Laura married Jeff Sandefer and is the happy mother of Sam and Charlie and step-mother to Taite. It is the inspiration of these children that led Laura and Jeff to co-found Acton Academy.
Her greatest hero is her mother who was a Master Teacher. Her wisest mentor is her father who sent her off to college with two words of advice: "Be curious".
Job Titles:
- Co - Founder, Nova Trails Acton Academy
Mary Beth has been involved with children since she was a Nanny out of high school, and then had her own two children in her 30's. She's always been interested in alternative ways for children to learn, and came across Acton Academy when her own son was in 4th grade. She was overwhelmed with how much her son loved his school and how fast he progressed in a learner driven environment; so overwhelmed, in fact, that she decided she wanted to launch her own Acton Academy! Fast forward, and she and Stephanie are owners of Nova Trails, an Acton Academy.
In her free time, Mary Beth loves to spend time with her children and dogs, preferably doing something outside! She loves to hike, trail bike, paddleboard, practice yoga, and travel as well as read, sit by the fire pit, and have deep Socratic discussions. She's also obsessed with healing through nutrition and holistic living. She is also in the finishing process for NAMC certification in Montessori ages 3-6.
Job Titles:
- Co - Founder, Nova Trails Acton Academy
Stephanie has been involved in the corporate world for over two decades, a lot of that time spent working (and laughing!) with Mary Beth. When the opportunity to own an Acton was presented, Stephanie was excited to partner on something that she not only believed strongly in, but also had such a larger significant purpose in the lives of children!
Stephanie's passions lie in the outdoors, projects in her backyard, paddleboarding and time with her dogs and daughter. She also loves football (not the Eagles, so beware!), hiking, and traveling as much as possible. She believes in nutrition and a holistic lifestyle as the path to health, and has been a Pescatarian for over a decade.