About Us

From a Bold Vision to a Global Movement

Our Story

At Young Innovators Schools, we believe every child is born an innovator.

It’s our responsibility to nurture that mindset for life—through creativity, adaptability, and future-ready learning.

From One School to a National Movement

Founded in Orlando, Florida, YIA began with a team of passionate educators committed to reimagining what early childhood education could be.
They knew preparing children for the future required more than just ABCs and 123s—it required teaching them how to think, solve, lead, and create.

What began as a single center has grown into a nationally recognized innovation movement with Orlando as its launchpad.

Edwrd-clapp — Dr. Edward Clapp introduces maker-learning strategies developed by Agency by Design.

Harvard-teacher-training — Collaboration in action: Erika Seger, Donna Carruthers, Misti Castner and Marnie Forestieri.

Dr. Debby Mitchell and Marnie Forestieri.

A community of academia and practitioners begins working together to create the framework for design the first STEM curriculum for early childhood education in Oviedo Florida.

Dr. Junie Albers-Biddle, Dr. Kelly Jennings, Dr. Debby Mitchell, Marnie Forestieri and Dr. Deirdre Englehart at the University of Central Florida in 2013.

Reimagining the Model of Early Education

To scale our impact, we rethought everything:

We built the Innovation Advantage™, a model that fuses educational vision with scalable tools—creating licensing, digital platforms, and franchise models that help schools everywhere deliver transformational learning experiences.

From Local Roots to Global Reach

Today, Young Innovators Academy is leading a global movement to elevate early education.

We are:

Because innovation without impact isn’t enough. We exist to ensure that every child, everywhere, has access to the learning they deserve.

Our Journey
Timeline of Innovation

2015

Year

Milestone

Opened the first YIA school in Oviedo, Florida, introducing a bold new early childhood vision.

2020

Year

Milestone

Launched the CAPE™ Framework—blending creativity, collaboration, empathy, and critical thinking into every lesson. Winner of the Rollins Venture Plan Competition.

2023

Year

Milestone

Expanded across Florida. Developed teacher PD tools and family engagement systems. Recognized by GrowFL as one of Florida’s Companies to Watch.

2024

Year

Milestone

Welcomed Bharath Mundlapudi as technical co-founder to accelerate our digital platform. Launched the first program of the YIA Foundation, a collaboration with local providers and Harvard researchers to expand access and equity in early learning.

2025

Year

Milestone

Introduced the YIA Schools Movement—licensing in the U.S., international franchise opportunities, and an all-in-one toolkit for school success.

Leadership Team

The Visionaries Behind the Movement

At Young Innovators Schools, we’re powered by a passionate team of educators, technologists, and visionaries who are reimagining early childhood education.
With deep expertise in curriculum, operations, technology, and family experience, our team ensures that innovation and excellence are delivered across every classroom in our network.

Founders

Marnie Forestieri

Chief Executive Officer & Founder

An award-winning educator, author, and entrepreneur, Marnie leads YIA’s strategic vision, curriculum philosophy, and national expansion. She is the creator of the Innovation Advantage™ Curriculum and CAPE™ Framework.

Bharath Mundlapudi

Board of Directors and Investor

Former Netflix engineer and tech innovator, Bharath leads the design of YIA’s digital infrastructure—building scalable tools that support curriculum delivery, operations, and educator development.

Curriculum & Education Leadership

Dr. Debby Mitchell

Vice President of Curriculum

An early childhood education expert with decades of experience, Dr. Mitchell leads curriculum design, ensuring alignment with developmental research and educational best practices.

Sammy Canabal

Elementary Education Program Specialist

A seasoned instructional leader, Sammy supports teacher coaching and curriculum implementation across YIA schools.

Domi Maigut

Enrichment Program Director

Domi designs and leads enrichment programs in music, nature, art, and culture—bringing hands-on, joyful learning into every classroom.

Operations & Strategic Support

Erika Seger

Director of School Operations

With expertise in licensing and compliance, Erika creates systems that allow school directors to focus on what matters most—children.

Misti Castner

Director of School Operations

Misti helps schools implement operational systems that are practical, sustainable, and aligned with licensing requirements and quality standards.

Oliver Von Trapp

Vice President of Expansion

Oliver leads YIA’s U.S. and international growth, supporting new school onboarding, licensing, and strategic partnerships.

Jay Zettler

Podcast and Studio Production Manager

Producer, full sail university graduate and Air Force veteran.

Donna Carruthers

VP of Research and Development

Education Entrepreneur, impassioned teacher, and philanthropist. Devoted to faith, family, friends, new adventures, and chocolate.

Manuel Piñeres

Marketing Director

Specialty Teacher. My expertise lies in teaching Artificial Intelligence (AI), coding, and specialty Art classes. I am thrilled to bring the wonders of technology and creativity to our young learners.