As parents of an inquisitive, outgoing toddler, we were excited to watch our son experience preschool. We hoped he would develop his curiosity and love of learning. In his Montessori classroom, he did exactly that.
But we started imagining his future: sitting at a desk most of the day, with little time to follow his own interests or learn outside of formal instruction. That future worried us. So we began looking at alternative private schools. The bottom line for us was simple: we wanted our children to stay curious and enjoy learning.
When I think back to when I felt most excited about my own learning, one class comes to mind: my 9th grade U.S. history class. Our teacher never assigned textbook reading. In fact, he barely taught in the traditional sense. Instead, he sent us to the library to research a specific decade in history, focusing on notable people, events, and inventions. We used our research to play his “history simulation,” a game built around an imaginary economic system.
My teacher understood something simple: students learn more by doing than by being told. Passive listening can’t compete with active participation. He also knew that learning and fun aren’t opposites.
I don’t remember every fact from that class. But because of his simulation, I became genuinely interested in history. I learned how to research on my own, and how to apply that knowledge in a meaningful way by playing an active role in “history” myself. The research and critical thinking skills served me far better than memorizing facts ever could. I started wondering: why can’t all learning work this way?
After searching for alternative schools, we found Acton Academy Austin. We felt immediate relief, hope, and excitement. Inspired by Acton’s emphasis on courage, we set out on our own hero’s journey and applied to found a campus for our community. Everything we’ve learned since joining this network of passionate parents has confirmed our belief in the model, and it continues to excite us about the future possibilities for reimagining education.
~ The Flores Family
Cyndi has always been interested in education, even as a child. So it’s no surprise her Hero’s Journey led her back to education and to open an Acton Academy campus. She’s grateful to be part of a global network of forward-thinking parents. Together, they inspire, connect, and equip each other to support younger heroes on their journey.
Cyndi served as Lead Guide for several years, and now contributes to the shaping and gamification of learning by collaborating with the guides to support each child and parent on their Hero’s Journey.
Cyndi enjoys spending time with her two boys, even when that means stepping outside her comfort zone to try new things. She loves to cook, dance, and read. She is always planning projects, special events, and future trips. She also loves meeting new people and learning through deep conversations.
Cristina Collana began her Hero’s Journey with Acton Academy Frisco in 2021. She previously worked as a public-school educator in New York. But she quickly grew discouraged. She saw that the traditional education system needed to change.
After moving to Texas, she discovered Acton through a local family. She was impressed by this innovative model. The more she learned, the more sure she felt — and she found her way into the Acton Academy Frisco family.
Cristina fell in love with education again. She has served as Lead Guide in both the Discovery and Spark studios. Along the way, she has learned to be a Socratic Guide and a gamemaker, creating quests, launches, and other tools to support real learning. In her downtime, you can find her geocaching, swimming, traveling, and enjoying good company with her family, fur-baby, and friends. She’s excited to help Acton Heroes find their own paths in the Hero’s Journey — and the Acton community is lucky to have her!
Caryn Teeling has 15 years of experience in education. She taught Special Education at the high school level. Today, she teaches ESL part-time at Collin College. She also helps children grow their passion for engineering and robotics through her work with Bricks 4 Kids.
Caryn was introduced to Acton years ago, when she was invited to give a robotics lesson. She fell in love with Acton’s innovative learning style right away. She later served as a Substitute Guide, where she watched learners grow in an encouraging, hands-on environment. Now she’s excited to join the Acton team as a Lead Guide. Acton is grateful that she answered the call to adventure on her Hero’s Journey!
When she’s away from Acton, Caryn loves spending time with her family and cat. She also loves to travel and try new adventures. And she’s always working to better herself — through continuous learning, both personally and professionally.
Dawn Ross has served as an Acton Guide since April 2024. While her background is in marketing, she has a strong passion for supporting children’s growth and development. The learners love her, and she loves them right back!
Outside of school, Dawn enjoys baking, spending time with her husband and two sons, and connecting with friends. She has also stayed active in the community, volunteering with the PTA, PTSA, and Boy Scouts.
She looks forward to contributing to the nurturing, supportive environment at Acton Academy Frisco.
Dr. Singh has spent 20 over years empowering students and families as a college professor, certified Texas high school science teacher, and education entrepreneur.
In 2012, she founded SMARTS Club, offering customized, child-centric learning for K-12 students. She is an Amazon bestselling author on parenting and education, and she served as an Ambassador and virtual judge for the U.S. Army’s eCYBERMISSION program. As a certified yoga instructor with 20 years of experience, she integrates mindfulness into learning, leading workshops in schools and libraries.
Dr. Singh currently serves families as a college admissions strategist and coach, and mentors other education innovators, including Acton Academy Frisco.
Lisa Carrillo brings more than 20 years of accounting and bookkeeping experience to Acton Academy Frisco. A QuickBooks ProAdvisor with a background supporting small businesses and entrepreneurs, Lisa has spent her career turning numbers, spreadsheets, and financial puzzles into something a little less intimidating. As Acton’s Numbers Guide, she helps keep the behind-the-scenes financial pieces organized so the team can stay focused on what matters most: the learners and their Hero’s Journeys.
Lisa believes there’s always something new to learn, whether it’s mastering a new skill, tackling a home project, exploring a new place, or figuring out why a spreadsheet suddenly stopped balancing. She appreciates Acton’s emphasis on curiosity, independence, and learning through real-world experiences.
Outside of work, Lisa loves spending time with her husband and two adult children, traveling, cooking, tackling home design projects, and finding her next creative rabbit hole. She’s happiest surrounded by family and friends, planning a getaway or a new project, and adding a little color and personality wherever she can.
She’s excited to bring her own superpower to the Acton Academy Frisco team, keeping the numbers in line, one spreadsheet at a time.
Laura Sandefer
Acton Academy Founder
Laura lived on both US coasts and in between as a child, then settled into Vanderbilt University for her undergraduate studies in the College of Arts and Science.
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”.
Jeff Sandefer
Acton Academy Founder
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.
The Acton Academy Network grew organically from the Acton Main campus in Austin, Texas, founded by Jeff and Laura Sandefer. Interested parents spread the word and this innovative model spread to over 300 campuses worldwide. To learn more about how the Acton experiment revolutionized learning visit www.actonacademy.org.