Marilyn Mosley Gordanier, M.Ed.
Founder and Executive Director of Laurel Springs School

Marilyn Mosley Gordanier, speaker, author and founder and executive director of Laurel Springs School, has more than 35 years of experience in the field of education. In 1991, before most schools had even dreamed of having a computer in every classroom, Marilyn capitalized upon a now-common education tool, the Internet and creating the first online school for grades K-12: Laurel Springs School. In her capacity as an educator, Marilyn has helped to found three schools: New Morning School in Baltimore, Maryland; Laurel Springs School and Laureate School for the Gifted and Talented in southern California. Since its founding, Laurel Springs School has become the premier college prep school for students learning at home with more than 3,000 students worldwide.

Under her directorship, Laurel Springs School received the United Nations Global 500 Award and the President's Youth Environmental Award. Ms. Mosley Gordanier was nominated for a Nobel Earth Prize and has served as keynote speaker at numerous educational conferences in the U.S., Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Korea, China, Australia, England, Lebanon and Kenya. She currently serves as president of the United Nations Global 500 Environmental Forum. Marilyn has devoted her life to children and families with the idea that offering alternatives to traditional education provides an endless source of inspiration, caring and learning.

Rex Bird, MBA
President/CEO

Rex Bird has extensive experience building companies. Rex is the founder of Santa Barbara Business Consulting, Inc. (SBBC), which provides expertise to early stage businesses and is currently the CEO of Laurel Springs School (LSS) and The Learning Springs (TLS). Rex has had a long relationship with Laurel Springs School beginning with developing a positioning paper for the school in 1998. His son Michael attended LSS from 1998 through 2002. Prior to assuming CEO responsibilities he worked for two and a half years as a strategic advisor to the founder of LSS, Marilyn Mosley Gordanier. With Helen, his wife of 38 years, Rex has two sons, Aaron, 28, and Michael, 22. Rex enjoys reading, travel, snow skiing, kayaking, biking and fishing.

Tom Edwards, MA
Director of Administration

Tom Edwards grew up in and around Philadelphia and left for Tucson in 1966 to attend the University of Arizona earning a BA in history. He later received his MA degree in psychology (his true passion) from the World University in Ojai, CA. Tom became a math teacher at Laurel Springs School in 1988 along with co-founding and directing the Mountain View High School in Ojai. With a desire to help students succeed in math he gave students a new awareness, understanding and positive outlook to how math can work in their everyday lives. He later became the registrar and Director of Teacher Services for Laurel Springs before becoming the Director of Administration. As the administrator Tom brings the caring philosophy of Laurel Springs to its students, parents and staff. Tom is married to Jill Watkins-Edwards, director of Image and Design for Laurel Springs and has a daughter living in Oakland, CA, who is a teacher at Laurel Springs.

Fiona Spring, M.Ed.
Dean of Education

Fiona Spring has been with Laurel Springs for over ten years and was a graduate in 1994. Over the years she has contributed in many ways, developing a love and understanding of our school mission, most recently for three years as Assistant Dean of Education. She has a BA in World Literature from Pitzer College and a MA in Education from Western Governor’s University. In addition Spring is an experienced Visiting Team Chair with the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) and is serving as the founding President of the Laurel Springs Alumni Association.