Susan Gardiner

Co-Founder, Director, Guide

Susan’s Hero’s Journey has taken her on many different paths including obtaining her B.S. in Psychology, working in group homes as a Guide, starting an after school S.T.E.M. program for children, co-founding homeschool co-ops and opening an Acton Academy in Amador County, CA. Each path has heightened her drive for igniting the passion and hope in children. She believes that everyone has a purpose in life and looks forward to encouraging and equipping others to find theirs as well.

Morgan Bertrand

Programs Director, Guide

Morgan Bertrand is a devoted home educating mother of three young children with deep self-motivation skills and a strong entrepreneurial spirit. She graduated from Merrimack Valley High School a year early and went on to study electrical technologies at Manchester Community College.

She has taken on a wide range of responsibilities over the years, from running a family alarm company, helping her husband establish a small family farm, to providing virtual assistance services, all in addition to homeschooling and keeping her household running smoothly. Despite the demands of daily life, her driven family always carves out time for their passions - sustainable living and the great outdoors. Their small family farm in Weare is a testament to their commitment to self-sufficiency.

After reflecting on their own experiences in the public school system, Morgan and her husband have decided to take a more Socratic approach to educating their children. Together they believe that this method will encourage critical thinking and a lifelong love of independent learning, which will benefit their children throughout their lives.

Morgan's Acton journey was sparked by her passion for rethinking education and her optimistic outlook. She now brings her down-to-earth, hardworking and positive attitude to Acton learners and families. Her goal is to assist learners by creating a nurturing and safe environment where they are able to learn and grow freely.

For Morgan, "Be the change you want to see in the world" is more than just a quote; it's a guiding principle. Her dream for a better education system for children is embodied in Acton Academy.

James Gardiner

Co-Founder

James’ experience comes from the entrepreneurial and craftsman influence. Transitioning from High School directly to homebuilding when he was 17, his school experience was discouraging at best. Despite the agony of being chained to a desk (where he hid his Hot Rod magazines), he refused to be overshadowed by the threat of “if you don’t go to college, you’ll never get anywhere in life”. To bypass the “no degree” stereotype, when he was 23 he started buying small, inexpensive properties and starting small businesses, which include a Laundromat and a Hot Rod Shop. Observing how children like himself were labeled as “problems” because the mold didn’t fit, he started an after-school STEM program to allow the “builders” and “creators” an opportunity to use their superpowers. Then in 2019, he launched Acton Academy Amador County with his wife Susan Gardiner. James holds a degree in RWE (real world experience) from the University of Life. He is working toward his Masters in RWE currently, (where he still does not sit at a desk)

Jeff Sandefer

Advisor and Acton Academy Co-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.

Laura Sandefer

Advisor and Acton Academy Co-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."